A few more questions about solar panels...
As you may recall...I had some issues with my solar panels/batteries a few weeks ago. https://www.rv.net/forum/index.cfm/fuseaction/thread/tid/30348700.cfm I've since bought a new controller (beca...
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So this morning (before it got too hot) I unplugged shore power and let the RV sit for over an hour while I mowed the lawn and did a few other chores. Granted there was only parasitic loads (fridge sensor...USB outlets...etc) in play at this time.
After my work was done, I connected the flexi-panel first and tossed it up onto the roof like I usually do. The Controller showed 3 – 4 amps of charging current. Disconnected that one and then connected the rigid mono-crystalline panel...showed about 5 amps.
Battery voltage was about 14.5 in both cases.
Next, I connected both panels in parallel...controller current showed between 7 - 8 amps at first. Within 15 minutes, this dropped to around 4....then to about 2 (about 15 mins later).
Battery voltage was steady14.3 – 14.5
Solar-panel voltage fluctuated from about 19 volts at the beginning, to around 16 near the end (when controller-current dropped to 2 amps).
I went inside and turned on every light and fan there was...controller current jumped back up to about 5 amps and solar-panel voltage increased as well.
Left everything on for about 10 minutes then turned it all back off...within three to five minutes, the controller-current dropped to 2 amps and solar-panel voltage to about 16.
So it looks to me, that the problem I had in the very beginning (3 weeks ago) was that my single 100W solar panel just didn’t have enough “juice” to keep these heavy-duty batteries topped up.
Everything appears to be working as it should...but I need AT LEAST another 100W of solar-grabbing capacity.
After my work was done, I connected the flexi-panel first and tossed it up onto the roof like I usually do. The Controller showed 3 – 4 amps of charging current. Disconnected that one and then connected the rigid mono-crystalline panel...showed about 5 amps.
Battery voltage was about 14.5 in both cases.
Next, I connected both panels in parallel...controller current showed between 7 - 8 amps at first. Within 15 minutes, this dropped to around 4....then to about 2 (about 15 mins later).
Battery voltage was steady14.3 – 14.5
Solar-panel voltage fluctuated from about 19 volts at the beginning, to around 16 near the end (when controller-current dropped to 2 amps).
I went inside and turned on every light and fan there was...controller current jumped back up to about 5 amps and solar-panel voltage increased as well.
Left everything on for about 10 minutes then turned it all back off...within three to five minutes, the controller-current dropped to 2 amps and solar-panel voltage to about 16.
So it looks to me, that the problem I had in the very beginning (3 weeks ago) was that my single 100W solar panel just didn’t have enough “juice” to keep these heavy-duty batteries topped up.
Everything appears to be working as it should...but I need AT LEAST another 100W of solar-grabbing capacity.
