PMS Wiring With Solar Controller

[Mark Elvin]

I'm fitting a PMS3 & a new solar controller, one of these - http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/380995554837? ... EBIDX%3AIT

I assume the "load" from the solar controller goes to the terminals marked "van +" on the rear of the PMS 3?

[g8dhe]

Does ALL the load hang off that connection ? In mine there is no easily accessible point, or at least I would have to go all the way back to the battery itself.

[francophile1947]

Mine is not the same as yours, but the 6 spaces are solar panel + and -, battery + and -, Auxiliary (fridge etc) + and -.

[Mark Elvin]

Mine is not the same as yours, but the 6 spaces are solar panel + and -, battery + and -, Auxiliary (fridge etc) + and -.

The aux is the 12v output, or the "load".

this is what I think goes to the PMS3

[briwy]

I wouldn't have thought that you need to use the "Load" terminals at all.
Presumably you are charging the leisure battery with the solar panel in which case all you should need are connections (+ve & -Ve) from the "Battery" terminals to the LB.
This is the way I wired our Bongo and it worked fine.
All the PMS3 is doing is managing the power (and charging from the mains) from the LB etc to whatever appliances you are running, fridge etc.

[francophile1947]

I wouldn't have thought that you need to use the "Load" terminals at all.
Presumably you are charging the leisure battery with the solar panel in which case all you should need are connections (+ve & -Ve) from the "Battery" terminals to the LB.
This is the way I wired our Bongo and it worked fine.
All the PMS3 is doing is managing the power (and charging from the mains) from the LB etc to whatever appliances you are running, fridge etc.

I only connected to the battery terminals as well - couldn't see any advantage to connecting the "load" terminals to the PS3 unit.

[the1andonly]

I have not got a PMs 3 charger
I have a solar controler
What is a Load, or "Low Voltage Disconnect" output?

Some controllers also have a "LOAD" (as yours), or LVD output, which can be used for smaller loads, such as small appliances and lights. The advantage is that the load terminals have a low voltage disconnect, so it will turn off whatever is connected to the load terminals and keep from running the battery down too far.
from
http://www.solar-electric.com/solar-cha ... asics.html
When I first wired up the controller just to the LB I left a drain on and drained the LB bellow which the solar charger wouldn't run
Its since been rewired.
Advice elsewhere states don't leave the van controller in a switch position that connects both batteries (with engine not running), inadvertantly both can be totally discharged

http://www.olearymotorhomes.co.uk/ekmps ... ctions.pdf

[Dodgey]

If you connect the load of the solar reg to your pms3 van terminals, your pms3 is expecting to see a leisure battery on those van terminals. When you are on hookup your pms3 will try and charge your leisure battery via those terminals but it will fail as a solar regulator will be there instead of your leisure battery.

Connect your solar regulator like this :

Bat = leisure bat
Solar = solar
Load = nothing or everything. Explained below.

Your pms3 would normally power all your appliances via its output. You can use solar load instead .the difference is that the solar reg will show you how many amps you are using and you get low voltage cut off protection.

On mine I have everything powered from the load terminals .

[Puma931]

what amp wire should you use to connect a 80w panel to the controller and leisure battery?