a call to show layouts and/or photos of AC/DC power control panels

[DanG]

This is a call to show off layout plans and/or photos of AC/DC power control panel examples to copy for a 27-foot Airstream I am refurbishing. Anyone seen any slick central panels I should copy? I guess I have about a two by four foot area to lay it all out on. I've found a nice stainless refrigerator door to use as PC hutch desktop - AC/DC controls, converter & inverters and 1/2 the battery bank will be built in underneath it. Most of the items I've already collected, list on request.

Eventually the trailer will be used to homestead a piece of land (while permanent structure is built) and I know I need to provide for future wind and solar so am running extra conduit and pre-wire for two (2) future inputs and leaving a blank panel face for future controls & indicators. Four (4) golf-cart batteries will be 1st bank and later may go much larger and am wiring the DC primaries with 4/0 Cu cable.

What am I missing? In IRC a suggestion was given to fabricate a "Tilt-out" rack for easy access to wiring (which sounds doable) and I have plenty of aluminum angle and box to fabricate modules out of... Having the spendy items locked in place but w/ quick-disconnects for putting them in secure storage is another good IRC idea.

Anyhow, I've also lost all my bookmarks here - PC motherboard finally went & am dizzy from googling everything from Yachts to custom coach RV's trying to find examples of layouts... Any and all ideas welcome to keep me from re-inventing the wheel. Thanks for reading this far, hope you post links, photos or ideas.

[coldspot]

DanG-

" AC/DC controls, converter & inverters and 1/2 the battery bank will be built in underneath it"

From what I've learned and know-

Do NOT place batteries with electronics, the gas's from them when charging and dis-charging will eat away at your pricey electronics!

Batteries need seperate box and vented.

I'd use old computer fans or new ones as they are dirt cheap. (I'd like a on/off timmer for my box's,

so they just vent automatic with-out me turning it on and off)!

With new bigger box for little box's, (shop/shed)

I'm thinking about maybe a stove pipe for chimney

effect? Hope to be able to have it draw air out from

just being up higher than the battery box.

And I also would draw air from bolth low and high in box just to be safe.

$0.02

[RUFUS]

[DanG]

I agree sulphuric acid is poor aroma therapy for electronic devices. I sure don't want finishing-equalizing charge fumes hovering about in a living area. I will move the battery pairs aft so they can be vented to the outside through the utility hatches that  my Patricia is nearly obscuring whenever they are getting charged. The rearmost hatch is the original battery compartment. If you are concerned about hydrogen look into the catalyst battery caps that helps put 90% of hydrogen back into battery as water. Good point and thank you; I had them in separate modules but vented to the interior.

Rufus - I like the logic flow-chart legend on that panel. I worked security systems installer for a long while and appreciate quick reference grouping. I will have a Trace TM-500 digital ammeter, master kill switch, status lights, generator hour meter, 12VDC breakers etc and will look into doing a graphic flow chart on the face of the panel. Thanks!

I hope this post isn't getting buried and forgotten about - any more examples, please?

[DanG]

Helps if I remember the picture...

[wooferhound]

This is my control panel that I made for my 12 watt solar system. Probably too small for you. It has provisions for two sets of panels to the battery. Plus 2 fused outputs.

[ghurd]

Like Woof's, this is small. For 150W of solar.

But KISS, expandable, and flexible.

Auto parts stores carry the fuse distribution block.

Cabela's has one with the neg terminals on board. 6 or 10 gang.

G-

[DanG]

Got 4/0 cable today - piecing together lugs & buss bar pieces & sorting out best way to run cable; now obsessing with battery type and housing. My partner says I should be spending the money for AGM batteries after I explained the fumes problem so its endless mission creep.

Looks like KISS principle rules. I like the shallow steel box, I've collected several old fire alarm panels with locking doors but they are too heavy since this trailer is going to be mobile, but I do have some smaller boxes w/ doors that could be used for the Morningstar controller I'm set to use - thanks, good idea. Also I've been looking for an excuse to wander into that Cabela's store.

Thanks for posting, I'm still looking for examples of control panels...   anyone?

[coldspot]

$0.02

[DanG]

I will cross over to the Diary section as soon as I start laying cables.

I am admiring lock-box for those items that carry the 'steal-me' label, the digital read outs and other interfaces. I currently leave trailer unlocked, the door lock itself lists for $600 and the windows are all original & out of production. Quite a PITA to not be able to store anything in it - a security system is going in along with everything else.

There are a lot of nice control panels out there for homes - anyones .02¢ is welcome!

[cyplesma]

Rufus,

would you mind sharing the wiring diagram on you panel?