Solar Panel to Maintain Battery

Drop it! You have both stated your opinion. Time to let it go. :R
Barney

harold1946 wrote:

THEY ARE NOT ALL THE SAME!!!!!!!

HE is the one that made it sound like they all ARE the same.

I actually think that very few work the way he described.

My goodness.

Sam Spade wrote:

waltbennett wrote:


Even with your cutoff switch 'off' you'll probably have quite a bit of parasitic drainage. They make them so 'safety' items are never cut off

Not mine. It is a factory "battery disconnect" switch and does exactly that.

It is intended to be used (mostly) when the RV is in storage, unused and un-occupied. At those times, "safety items" are not needed.

THEY ARE NOT ALL THE SAME!!!!!!!

waltbennett wrote:


Even with your cutoff switch 'off' you'll probably have quite a bit of parasitic drainage. They make them so 'safety' items are never cut off

Not mine. It is a factory "battery disconnect" switch and does exactly that.

It is intended to be used (mostly) when the RV is in storage, unused and un-occupied. At those times, "safety items" are not needed.

Amazing how these threads wander, isn't it? I was looking for someone else who had used a battery tender 15 watt solar panel and had suggestions on how to "install" it. Somehow it got caught up in a discussion about cut off switches.

One comment was correct. Because it is a battery tender not only does it charge, but it maintains the battery with a controlled trickle charge. I ended up mounting it with u-shaped aluminum straps which are placed over a 48" ladder. This was it can be easily moved in the parking area to maximize it's efficiency.

Searching_Ut wrote:
My only recommendation is to wire the panel so that it bypasses the battery cutoff switch, and make sure the cutoff switch is off when the rv is in storage. A 15 watt panel probably won't keep up with your parasitic losses with the battery connected, depending of course on your particular rig.

Even with your cutoff switch 'off' you'll probably have quite a bit of parasitic drainage. They make them so 'safety' items are never cut off and don't seem to care about batteries. I'd disconnect the positive lead instead and connect your charger directly to the battery.

I put in my own disconnect switch near the battery and it kills all power to the trailer. My 120 watt panel keeps my batteries topped off nicely.

Sam Spade wrote:

D.E.Bishop wrote:

and even with the disconnect activated there are parasitic draws such as the CO detector and outside entertainment center.

Seems as though it is a "don't care" with your current usage but it should NOT work like that.

A battery disconnect switch should do exactly that; disconnect the battery......from EVERYTHING. Except a maintenance charger, that is.

Once again you are not fully versed on the subject.
Many RVs have what is called a salesman switch, (battery disconnect) which does not totally disconnect everything. In many cases power is still supplied to LP and CO detectors along with thermostats among other items such as touch pad entry locks and electric steps.
On some units the inverter/charger OIP is always energized.
On some the disconnect will open all circuits. They DO NOT all work the same.

:B:B:B

D.E.Bishop wrote:

and even with the disconnect activated there are parasitic draws such as the CO detector and outside entertainment center.

Seems as though it is a "don't care" with your current usage but it should NOT work like that.

A battery disconnect switch should do exactly that; disconnect the battery......from EVERYTHING. Except a maintenance charger, that is.