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Dump Loads: Heat your Shack

The more I get into learning about the Midnite Classic charge controller, the more great ideas come forth. This charge controller has two configurable AUX outputs. You can use these outputs to turn on/off accessory equipment. One example is turning on an exhaust fan at the end of a charge cycle when flooded batteries start to vent hydrogen.

A second useful idea is to turn on a dump load to use the electricity that would be wasted when the batteries are full. Missouri Wind and Solar makes a custom DC heater. It works at 12 and 24 volts DC. At The Cabin, it gets cold in the winter. I envision using one or two (or more) of these DC heaters to heat up my 8×8 well/pump house. This will probably not keep it from freezing, but will increase the efficiency of the batteries being stored there.

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Cheap solar panels and the SQFlex pump

I found a great deal on some solar panels on Amazon. They are sold by a company called DMSolar. The DM145 panels (145 watts) were sold for $160. If you have Amazon prime, you get killer two day shipping. Such a steal…if the panels are legitimate. Deals like this are often too good to be true. Upon receipt and inspection, the panels look clean and of good build quality. They are marked as being manufactured in Thailand…I wish I knew who really made them.

I hooked three panels up in series to run my SQFlex pump (ideally at 60VDC). The pump runs! At this point I do not have more than anecdotal evidence on the performance. I would guess I’m getting three to four gallons per minute. The watt meter on the pump’s control unit indicated 230 watts (out of a theoretical maximum of 435 watts)