Qn,
If I plug the kings 200w blanket into the Anderson plug that goes to the van battery will it would OK in conjunction with the van regulator?

Obviously it would be good if you could set the charging parameters on one of the controllers so that each are the same or otherwise as Whenarewethere said one controller may turn off before the other but this may not necessarily be an issue.  Give it a try and see how the system works as you arent going to blo yourself up.  

Andy gives a good example in his video.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=31aSkXvKXOQ

As previously stated, rather than using the Anderson plug on the drawbar, buy or make one of these so you can connect both controllers close to the battery. 

https://www.jaycar.com.au/high-current-connector-piggyback-cable-50a-8g-r-b/p/PT4442?gclid=EAIaIQobChMItsXqn7yw-AIVHJlmAh0aBwWSEAQYAiABEgKQXfD_BwE

Good luck

Yes.

If one switches off in a short period of time before the other it's not an issue. But unless you test everything, one could be switching off long before the other.

The larger the battery the longer the one controller is going to continue by itself, & now obviously even slower as only one controller is charging.

So it will be important to get the smaller controller to switch off first and at a minimum time frame between the two. So probably a fair bit of measuring cycles from absorption to float while checking volts & amps regularly on each controller. A DC clamp meter will make this a lot easier.

If both controllers are Bluetooth then you can monitor the data on the phone. I had each of my Victron controllers on a separate phone so I could easily simultaneously monitor both controllers.

Well we are all here to help each other so if you can let us know how it all works out that would be helpful 

Good luck

oldbloke wrote:

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These are available at the moment across the road from where we are staying.

$300 here but might do a deal?

 

We have 8 weeks of our trip left so should just about pay for its self.

 

BUT, how do people prop them up at an angle?

Any good?

 

-- Edited by oldbloke on Wednesday 15th of June 2022 02:05:07 PM

-- Edited by oldbloke on Wednesday 15th of June 2022 02:55:44 PM

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 I've got the XTM 200 watt blanket, and the easiest way to set them up is on the car windscreen or bonnet, and move the car 2 or 3 times to get the most from the sun.

Of course it's all good until you need to use the car...

Interestingly, I bought an Adventure Kings 200W solar blanket to test the other week and to give to a friend if it was anywhere near the stated output specifications.

Angled to the sun on a cloudless day with temperature around 21C it managed to produce all of 75W so I promptly returned it. I had a very heated discussion with the staff member when he told me I had to bring my battery in so he could check that my setup was correct.  In the end he had another staff member wheel out their testing battery and so with a cloud filled sky, without a ray of sunshine, he proceeded to test it .  When asked what the problem was he told me it was a faulty solar controller.  Interestingly I had tested the panels using my Victron and had even shown him the screenshot of the output but I guess that part got lost in amongst all the bullchit he was telling and me it hadnt sunk in .

Any nutcase can calculate that this so called 200 watt blanket will more than likely at best produce:

1.255 x 0.940 = 1.18m²

1.18 x 0.85 (approximate actual cell area) = 1.0m²

1.0m² x 130watts/m² = 130 watt 

2 x 6m (12m) of 2.5mm² cable about 8% loss, 130 x 0.92 = 120 watts 

Not exactly a Victron controller, let's say 0.8 factor, 120 x 0.8 = 96 watts.

If you can get more than 100 watts out of one of these blankets I am more than happy to be proven wrong.

The nutcases are not the sellers, they are the buyers. Do the maths, it's not difficult.