Best Price on a Slave Port Connector for MEP803A?

[Mweiss]

I've been shopping around for a slave connector, as I plan to use it with a solar panel to create a battery tender/trickle charger. Some of the connectors go as high as $199. I found this one at about $60, but it still seems high.

Are there any less expensive sources for this connector?

 

[Jeepadict]

I'm sure the majority will agree that keeping a battery tender on the individual batteries via a dual-bank such as the Noco 2x2 or 5x2 is preferred over a 24V charging or solar device via the slave port. Reason being, the dual bank units monitors the batteries individually instead of just general system voltage.

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[98G]

I've been shopping around for a slave connector, as I plan to use it with a solar panel to create a battery tender/trickle charger. Some of the connectors go as high as $199. I found this one at about $60, but it still seems high.

Are there any less expensive sources for this connector?

View attachment 926977

$60 is cheap, less than my cost for the 30 amp connectors when i was buying them in bulk for trickle chargers.

 

[Mweiss]

I have spare solar panels laying around and use them as battery tenders, such as on my pickup, which will kill a battery stone dead in just a week of sitting. My plan is to set one up and connect to the slave port. It may not be elegant, but it will offset any phantom load that may be on the batteries when the genset is off.
I gather that there isn't a better deal on these connectors, so I'll grab the one I found and go with that.
Thanks for your thoughts!

 

[Daybreak]

Howdy,
And you can make something from here.
24v charging thru slave port | SteelSoldiers

 

[Mweiss]

I got my $60 cable/connector today, and made up my interface to MC4 connectors. I incorporated a 150A diode in it to prevent reverse current flow at night. The panel will sit out of direct sun, so it will produce about an amp of charge current to keep the starting battery topped off. Will hook up and test tomorrow.

We're supposed to have some rough weather this week with Hurricane Beryl coming up north by Friday and interacting with another system from the north. Tornadoes predicted over eastern NY which could pass into my area, as happened in May of 2018. Forecast calls for thunderstorms daily. Might need to supplement solar with generator this week. Fuel is topped off.

 

[kloppk]

Does you solar panel charger setup have a 24 volt battery charge regulator in it?
If you don't it may cook your batteries.

 

[Mweiss]

I take advantage of the fact that a solar panel is a current source and will maintain a certain amount of current throughout the day. By placing it in a location where it gets no direct sun, I limit the current to less than half an amp. That is enough to counteract the internal discharge current of the battery and any phantom loads the generator may present with the switch in Normal position.

I have another solar panel keeping my truck battery (12V) alive. Same setup, though it gets more sunlight and I've seen that one charging as much as 6 amps at noon. I may swap that panel for one that's got an internal short in one section, lowering the output voltage. Or I may cover part of it until the current is about 1A. The VOC is 37V in full sunlight, and lower in indirect light. But the current is what matters. As long as it's a trickle charge, the batteries are safe.