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rvg8tor avatar image
rvg8tor asked

Smart MPPT and Orion 12/12-30 mounted to same metal cage

img-1041.jpegimg-1042.jpegI am making a power box for the bed of my truck (no inverter). It will have Alternator input as well as solar. No shore power planned other than a battery charger when at home.I have made a cage out of aluminum extrusions to hold the controllers and wire to the Lynz distributor.

My question is do the controllers need to be insulated from the metal frame?
I like the idea of the metal frame is it adds more heat sink for the controllers. The MPPT uses a case screw to run a ground wire, since it is mounted on metal, I thought I could just bond the cage frame to the negative buss of the Lynx accomplishing the same thing.

The next question is the Orion does not have a case ground screw, my understanding is that the heatsink is already connected to ground internally. This begs the question, will there be and issue between the MPPT and the Orion being connected to the same metal cage that is bonded to the same ground buss. I am thinking the Orion may need to be isolate from the metal from so as not to have two ground connections to that box.

Photos show space cage goes into the box, the other is a way to work on the wires out of the box before installation. Both controllers are smart versions.

MPPT SmartSolarorion-tr smartGrounding
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s1277 avatar image
s1277 answered ·

My Orion gets Hot... MPPT as well but not as much... will you be providing a cooling fan in that box (is it aluminum?) I would insulated from the metal frame for sure

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rvg8tor avatar image rvg8tor commented ·
Part of my logic of building the cage to mount the controllers on, is it give room for lots of air to flow past. I have two fans planned, one draws air in and the other our, they will be on a thermostat so once cool enough they will shut off.


I did check the continuity between the heat sink and the (-) terminal and they are not connected at all. how every if I attach the case ground (small screw) to the negative buss bar, then it makes the entire cage a ground buss.

I am not sure if I need to actually use the ground screw on the MPPT.

The cage will help dissipate the heat with the heat sink attached.

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