I got a second 40a Tracer thinking it would work well in parallel or maybe even as a second solar grid across
a distance at Field Day, but quickly realized I should have just gotten a larger unit instead. There's a
possibility two controllers on the same panels may interfere with each others' MPP tracking, and the 100v
panel limit is a little concerning. But the tracers are limited both by their max wattage (1080w) and the
current, which is capped at 40 amps on both the load output AND the battery. 40 amps at 13.8v is only 540w,
so even 8 panels could theoretically exceed that, at 600w. It could go up to 24 (or 48) volts on the battery,
which would allow me to reach its power limit, but that also means 24 or 48 volts on the load, which would be
problematic, requiring everyone to have down-converters or me to balance a 24v and 12v grid.
By chance I spotted a discounted 80 amp Tracer open-box on eBay, so I snagged it. It's got a generous power
capacity of 5,000 watts and can do 80 amps on the battery and load. This would allow at least 1,000 watts
while staying on 13.8v. As a bonus, it also handles up to 200v on the panels, so I don't have to worry about
getting too close to the voltage cap.
But I lose the automatic load disconnect due to low battery, unless I want to set up my own external load
relay. (this controller is designed to attach the load directly to the battery or via a relay)
Of course I had to open it up. Mind the short ribbon cable to the front panel. I see the reason for the
added height over the 40a models is the three high current solid state relays at the top.
