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Page5
PV7-PV14 manual.doc
INSTALLATION PRECAUTIONS
MOUNTING
Choose a mounting location that will not exceed 140° F., where it will be exposed to solvents such as
diesel fuel or gasoline, or be subject to excessive vibration like on an engine block. The controller
should be mounted within 5 wired feet of the battery for best performance. The controllers
electronics are sealed in a UL listed polymer epoxy making the controller completely splash proof.
NOTE: The fuse is not waterproof. Move the fuse to a protected location near the battery if the
controller will be mounted in a potentially wet environment.
SOLDERING
Always solder or use an anti-oxidation coating on all crimp and wire to wire connections. As long as
the wire connections are exposed to oxygen, they are highly susceptible to corrosion. This will cause
your unsoldered connections to degrade or fail typically within a year after the installation.
OPERATING PRECAUTIONS
Do not operate the controller with the battery wires disconnected and the solar panel(s) exposed to
light. In some
rare
circumstances, the controller may overheat. Shut down the solar panel, or first
disconnect the PV+ wire from the controller before removing the battery. For best results, install a
fuse in the PV+ wire near the controller as mentioned below.
WIRE SIZES
Use at least #14 AWG to #10 AWG size wire for extensions. This will allow for good charging
efficiency an accurate voltage sensing by the controller.
BLOCKING DIODES
The PV7 and PV14 controllers isolate the solar panels from the batteries when they are not producing
power. Therefore a blocking diode is not necessary on the solar panel; however, if you are using
more than one panel in parallel, place a blocking diodes in each panel’s + wire or junction box. This
will protect a good panel from being drained into a potentially damaged panel. Individual panel
blocking diodes should always be used on all Amorphous type panels (Uni-solar).
EXTRA PROTECTION
We highly recommended that a 10A (for PV7) or 20A (for PV14) fuse or DC circuit breaker be
installed in the orange wire between the solar panel(s) and the controller. This will offer a higher level
of protection against over charging current conditions and short circuit protection. In addition, it will
provide a convenient place to disconnect the solar panel(s) before disconnecting the battery.
