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Post by wiretap on Oct 15, 2014 16:40:17 GMT -8
I am going to be installing a 100W mono panel kit in my RV. The RV has 2 deep cycle batteries that are kept charged when on shore power by the power converter module built into the trailer. Does this charge feature need to be isolated from the solar panel charge?
Should I separate the batteries with one for the house system charged my the power converter and use the other for the inverter charged by the panel?
thanks.
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Post by jsb2000 on Oct 16, 2014 15:28:28 GMT -8
I am going to be installing a 100W mono panel kit in my RV. The RV has 2 deep cycle batteries that are kept charged when on shore power by the power converter module built into the trailer. Does this charge feature need to be isolated from the solar panel charge? I have nearly the same setup as you (except for only 1 deep cycle battery and a Schumacher charger for occasional charging from the mains). From my experience, there is absolutely no need to isolate the two charging systems. The Renogy charge controller watches the charge level of the battery and cuts back the juice from the solar panels when necessary. So, if there's full sunlight and the Schumacher battery charger has the batteries topped off, the controller sends nothing to the battery. The fact you're using the trailer's power converter module shouldn't make any difference. Should I separate the batteries with one for the house system charged my the power converter and use the other for the inverter charged by the panel? I wouldn't. There's really no need to do so and it will decrease the capacity of your battery bank. Think of your batteries as a bucket. The Renogy controller watches how full the bucket is and stops filling it when it reaches the top. So does your trailer's power converter module. If one goes away (the sun goes behind the clouds or you disconnect from shore power) then the other one takes over and fills the bucket until it reaches the top. Why complicate such a great system by splitting your one nice large bucket into two smaller ones, each having no secondary tap to fill from if the primary goes away? |
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Post by wiretap on Oct 17, 2014 14:19:41 GMT -8
thanks for the info...very helpful. The bucket analogy makes sense. Have it wired with both batteries in parallel. My only worry is having enough Dicor on the inside radius of the Z brackets. The trailer has a thin aluminum one piece roof.
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