Engel Fridge with <span class="highlight">solar</span> <span class="highlight">panel</span> & agm battery

Thanks Gerry,Unfortunatly the controller is glued to the back of the panel.., Would it be better to do the longest run from the panel to the battery or the battery to the fridge ?

Thxs Don

Hello Don,

longest run from battery to fridge, to keep voltage drop between controller and battery at a minimum.
So you're relying on the fridge low voltage cutout, and not on the one inside the controller?
Or does this controller have no load output?

BTW, the clock is ticking for your AGM battery if it's not receiving full charge by the end of the day.
To check for this, select a time in the afternoon when the insolation on the panel is still substantial, maybe around 3 or 4 pm. You want to see a voltage of at least 14.4 to 14.7V.

Chances are you won't for two reasons:
el cheapo controllers only regulate at a single voltage of around 13.8V.
Because you're subjecting the battery to a cyclic load pattern, it wants to get boost charged before the next discharge session (night time).
Second reason for slow walk down of battery charge (and capacity in the medium term) in this configuration, is the 80W panel only provides around 23Ah per day, if you're lucky.
But the fridge consumes slightly more than that as you discovered when you did your 3 day test (120Ah/3days=40Ah/day)

Best regards, Peter

It is a very simple exercise to take the regulator off the back of the solar panel and put it elsewhere...a very sharp Stanley knife and a steady hand easily cuts through the glue...then you just connect the 2 panels together in one of the junction boxes, run your lead to the new regulator position and your in business....and the 80w panel will run your Engel with ease , ours runs a 40l Engel and van lights without any dramas....cheers