Battery replacement and solar comptrollers

[Smokecreek1]

Well guys I just did a stupid thing when I replaced my old AGM blue tops with new ones-I think! I did not disconnect the 30a comptroller first! I didn't do that last time when I installed a new battery and nothing bad happened-but I only had one AGM and one 100W Renology panel back then. Anyway, I pulled the old batteries, put in the new ones and presto, the LCD comptroller was dead! I reconnected the the whole battery/electric set up several times and still no light! The internal battery meter in the camper showed I had power and it charged up when I ran the truck! I called renology and they said that I should have disconnected the comptroller first because if you don't you can blow out your comptroller and or a fuse?! Fuse? On larger systems you have a fuse with the set up with more than 200w, but just in case I checked my fuse box and all looked well. Learn something new every day-I guess!!!

So, I just ordered a new comptroller, so here is the question---have any of you done a similar stupid thing as I just did? Or does everyone else do it right and I am the dummy. I mean that's what I get from not reading the instructions again more closely-right-I think, but all I did was disconnect the solar system connection from the batteries for a few minutes and I blew the comptroller. Any ideas-suggstions? Anyway here is a follow up question? Now that I don't have solar for the next week, how long will the batteries keep my Dometic coolmatic 110 frig/freezer and water heater (I have a Wave 3 heater)going if I decide to head to the woods to hide and wait for my new comptroller to arrive or am I stuck here in shame!

Thanks

Smoke

 

[Stalking Light]

When my 15amp Zamp was replaced with a 30amp GoPower controller all they did was pull the fuse between the controller and the batteries and then replace it when done.

My work was done inside a shop, though, so no sun on the panels.

 

[Happyjax]

My cheapo controller said explicitly not to attach solar until the controller was attached to the batteries. The solar panels put out about 5 1/2 amps per 100 watt panel. That current needs to go somewhere and when the batteries are not attached it runs rampant through the controller doing bad things.....

 

[wuck]

What model controller?

Solar panel fuses typically aren't in the fuse box, but in some sort of inline holder near the controller/battery. My hawk had none, and I'm pretty sure the previous owner connected the battery backwards, blowing (shorting) the controllers and the protection diodes in the panel.

Pictures of blown up stuff in my build thread