Forum Discussion

Pexring's avatar
Pexring
Explorer
Apr 23, 2016

Will this battery minder work for me?

My coach has 4 6-volt deep cycle batteries. Will this 15W solar powered SCC015 batterMINDer be worthy of keeping the batteries up to snuff? My coach sits outside 365 days a year so might as well make the sun do some of the work.

Here is a link to the manufacturer's website (if it doesn't get removed).

***Link Removed***
Class A
  • Pexring's avatar
    Pexring
    Explorer
    Apr 23, 2016
    Why do my links get removed? Is it a newby thing? What is the waiting time before I can use new links?
  • gbopp's avatar
    gbopp
    Explorer
    Apr 23, 2016
    Yes, your link was removed because you are a new member. I'm not sure how many posts you need until you can put a link in your post.

    Just post the address. We'll make a link for you.

    And, welcome to the forum.
  • 2oldman's avatar
    2oldman
    Explorer II
    Apr 23, 2016
    If you post it sans the url tags it will stay. Go figure.
  • Pexring's avatar
    Pexring
    Explorer
    Apr 23, 2016
    Let's try this.

    batteryminders.com/12-volt-solar-charger-maintainer-desulfator-panel-scc-015
  • Sam_Spade's avatar
    Sam_Spade
    Explorer
    Apr 23, 2016
    Pexring wrote:
    Will this 15W solar powered SCC015 batterMINDer be worthy of keeping the batteries up to snuff?


    By itself....NO.
    That is about 1 amp total capacity.
    Divided among 4 batteries, that would be .25 amps each.
    You might get by if they are AGM.
    Not even close if they are conventional flooded.
  • 2oldman's avatar
    2oldman
    Explorer II
    Apr 23, 2016
    It might work if the batteries are disconnected from any load.
  • Dennis_M_M's avatar
    Dennis_M_M
    Explorer
    Apr 23, 2016
    That will work fine to maintain, not charge, but it can be done a lot cheaper!

    I used this solar panel

    and a Battery Tender controller along with 20 feet of wire and a couple of quick disconnects.

    I have four 950 amp cold crank batteries in the truck. So far it works fine to maintain them, after about a month it still has not charged them up enough for a green light on the controller, but last time I hooked it up the batts were showing 12.5 volts and when I disconnected to use the truck it was at 12.9 volts, so the solar charger is doing the trick.

    I've used a 120 volt Battery Tender to maintain the batts for years, but next winter the truck will be sitting in the AZ sun with no electrical available, so I wanted to put this charger together.
  • gbopp's avatar
    gbopp
    Explorer
    Apr 23, 2016
    Pexring wrote:
    Let's try this.

    batteryminders.com/12-volt-solar-charger-maintainer-desulfator-panel-scc-015


    CLICKY
  • Pexring's avatar
    Pexring
    Explorer
    Apr 24, 2016
    Dennis M M wrote:
    That will work fine to maintain, not charge, but it can be done a lot cheaper!

    I used this solar panel

    and a Battery Tender controller along with 20 feet of wire and a couple of quick disconnects.

    I have four 950 amp cold crank batteries in the truck. So far it works fine to maintain them, after about a month it still has not charged them up enough for a green light on the controller, but last time I hooked it up the batts were showing 12.5 volts and when I disconnected to use the truck it was at 12.9 volts, so the solar charger is doing the trick.

    I've used a 120 volt Battery Tender to maintain the batts for years, but next winter the truck will be sitting in the AZ sun with no electrical available, so I wanted to put this charger together.


    That's only a 6W solar panel, about what my coach came equipped with to trickle-charge the chassis batteries. Was hoping the 15W panel I linked too could charge the house batteries but from what others posted it sounds like the 15W panel would struggle to do so.
  • Sam_Spade's avatar
    Sam_Spade
    Explorer
    Apr 24, 2016
    Pexring wrote:
    it sounds like the 15W panel would struggle to do so.


    And if there is a small parasitic load and/or as the batteries age a bit it will struggle just to KEEP the charge that they already have.

About Motorhome Group

38,705 PostsLatest Activity: Jan 14, 2025