Solar and VSR relays
Hi this is my first post I’m interested in vehicle solar installation, My solar set up is as follows was wondering if all sounds ok??? During sunlight voltage at leisure battery showing 13.3v 14...
Forum Discussion
I see that your needs are different. I notice most people close and lock the truck when camping, but everyone is different...
The solar charge controller will sense exactly what the battery needs, and do this several times per second, in order to deliver the perfect amount of voltage to the battery to optimize charging. It will work with a bank of different batteries, but the controller is now sensing what the bank needs, not what the individual battery needs, so having different controllers would mean that each battery gets its own attention and specific charge rate, not just a general charge. This is a minute detail for the traveler who just does a few trips, but for a full-timer or part-timer would be much more significant.
I am personally weary of using any power from the starting battery to power the coach, even if it disconnects at 13 volts. A starting battery cannot cycle (charge and depleated a little over and over) as many times as a marine battery, and a marine not as many as a deep cycle, so keeping the starting battery only for starting the motor will extend its life. Again, it will work, and for infrequent camping trips will not really matter so much.
I understand using your trucks accessories as part of the camping experience, even the radio...
On my first motorhome (could work for a trailer or TC also) I actually pulled DC power from the coach battery for a few things: the radio and the captains drivers seat ran off the coach battery. The radio did because I could use the door speakers and hear them in the camper just fine and wanted to save the starting battery (phantom power still came off the vehicle). The captain's chair because it was just easier to pull the power from the coach battery, which was behind the chair area, than pulling off the vehicle (the alternator always charged coach batteries when driving, so it was really the same as pulling from the vehicle here).
Good luck on your adventures.
The solar charge controller will sense exactly what the battery needs, and do this several times per second, in order to deliver the perfect amount of voltage to the battery to optimize charging. It will work with a bank of different batteries, but the controller is now sensing what the bank needs, not what the individual battery needs, so having different controllers would mean that each battery gets its own attention and specific charge rate, not just a general charge. This is a minute detail for the traveler who just does a few trips, but for a full-timer or part-timer would be much more significant.
I am personally weary of using any power from the starting battery to power the coach, even if it disconnects at 13 volts. A starting battery cannot cycle (charge and depleated a little over and over) as many times as a marine battery, and a marine not as many as a deep cycle, so keeping the starting battery only for starting the motor will extend its life. Again, it will work, and for infrequent camping trips will not really matter so much.
I understand using your trucks accessories as part of the camping experience, even the radio...
On my first motorhome (could work for a trailer or TC also) I actually pulled DC power from the coach battery for a few things: the radio and the captains drivers seat ran off the coach battery. The radio did because I could use the door speakers and hear them in the camper just fine and wanted to save the starting battery (phantom power still came off the vehicle). The captain's chair because it was just easier to pull the power from the coach battery, which was behind the chair area, than pulling off the vehicle (the alternator always charged coach batteries when driving, so it was really the same as pulling from the vehicle here).
Good luck on your adventures.
