Hey guys, I just got my first RV! My RV is a 97 Winnebago adventurer. I already own 150 watt solar panel array that charges a 110AH costco deep cycle. The RVs coach batteries are two 75AH deep cycles. I use a lot of electricity charging electric bicycles and other gadgets and am looking to add at least one, possibly 2 more 110AH batteries. My question is, is there a way to have all the batteries charged from the different sources? Id love the generator to be able to charge both banks, and the solar panels to be able to charge both also. I believe that is what a battery isolator is for, correct?If I hook up a battery isolator, do all batteries in the banks need to be the same AH rating? or can the one bank stay 150AH (2x75AH) since they are good and work, and the other bank be 220AH (2x110AH)Thanks for your time, I am super excited to be upgrading it!

How much current do you think the bicycles will draw? The generator can charge both banks but the solar should be able to do a better job than the converter that came with the coach. A good solar controller will charge at a higher amperage and maintain the batteries much better for a longer life. You don't have to have all the same batteries new at the same time but if there is a week battery it will be a draw on the rest of them. You could put in the isolator but it will mean the solar would not be charging the isolated array obviously. BTW, those amp hour ratings are to sell batteries so I wouldn't rely on those numbers too much.

Fixed Sight Training wrote:How much current do you think the bicycles will draw? The generator can charge both banks but the solar should be able to do a better job than the converter that came with the coach. A good solar controller will charge at a higher amperage and maintain the batteries much better for a longer life. You don't have to have all the same batteries new at the same time but if there is a week battery it will be a draw on the rest of them. You could put in the isolator but it will mean the solar would not be charging the isolated array obviously. BTW, those amp hour ratings are to sell batteries so I wouldn't rely on those numbers too much.I can set how much the charge rate is on the bike batteries, I use a Hyperion EOS 720 charger to charge them, which runs on 12V to 18V.Right now I just have a PWM solar charger, I plan on getting a MPPT one, but its not in the budget at the moment.. this is the one I have.PWM chargerYeah, the AH thing, just pointing out that the two banks would be different ratings all together.I thought the battery isolator meant it would charge both sets (the array), and then just not let them drain each other.

You can use a diode based isolator with an alternatorBut you can not use one with a solar controllerThe controller must be connected directly to the batteriesYou could install a switch between banks or use them all togetherWhich is what most of us with enlarged Battery banks doI do have a power connector which lets me unplug one bank then charge it sperately using a battery chargerMost of us have separate house and chassis systems, But leave all the extra batteries for the RV house system connected together

Just connect all the batteries in parallel and charge away. Multiple charging sources is not an issue but I think you need more solar. If you must charge from the generator verify you have a good system charging at 14.4+ volts.

smkettner wrote:Just connect all the batteries in parallel and charge away. Multiple charging sources is not an issue but I think you need more solar. If you must charge from the generator verify you have a good system charging at 14.4+ volts.I do plan on getting more solar, but since I just bought the RV, budget is low ;)In my experience with batteries, I have always been told it is bad to connect batteries of different AH rating, is that not the case in this situation?Also, if they are all in parallel, do I just hook up the solar charger right to them with all the other charger sources going in and it wont be a problem?

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22 Replies

ShreddinPB
Explorer
Jun 24, 2015
Fixed Sight Training wrote:
How much current do you think the bicycles will draw?
The generator can charge both banks but the solar should be able to do a better job than the converter that came with the coach. A good solar controller will charge at a higher amperage and maintain the batteries much better for a longer life. You don't have to have all the same batteries new at the same time but if there is a week battery it will be a draw on the rest of them. You could put in the isolator but it will mean the solar would not be charging the isolated array obviously. BTW, those amp hour ratings are to sell batteries so I wouldn't rely on those numbers too much.

I can set how much the charge rate is on the bike batteries, I use a Hyperion EOS 720 charger to charge them, which runs on 12V to 18V.

Right now I just have a PWM solar charger, I plan on getting a MPPT one, but its not in the budget at the moment.. this is the one I have.
PWM charger

Yeah, the AH thing, just pointing out that the two banks would be different ratings all together.

I thought the battery isolator meant it would charge both sets (the array), and then just not let them drain each other.
Fixed_Sight_Tra
Explorer
Jun 23, 2015
How much current do you think the bicycles will draw?
The generator can charge both banks but the solar should be able to do a better job than the converter that came with the coach. A good solar controller will charge at a higher amperage and maintain the batteries much better for a longer life. You don't have to have all the same batteries new at the same time but if there is a week battery it will be a draw on the rest of them. You could put in the isolator but it will mean the solar would not be charging the isolated array obviously. BTW, those amp hour ratings are to sell batteries so I wouldn't rely on those numbers too much.

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