Achieving full charge with solar system
Here is a question for the learned solar system folks.. I have a Tracer 40 am MPPT charge controller and a Xantrex 20a smart charger. Currently, the Xantrex is across the batteries. I do have maste...
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Getting to a full 100% charge is harder to do than most folks think... The only real way to know is to do the HYDROMETER test on the battery fluids.
This is what PROGRESSIVE Dynamics states in their operating manual on how long it takes to charge a battery using the DC VOLTAGEs listed below: "Progressive Dynamics ran this test on the amount of time it took a PD9155 (55-amp) converter/charger set to three different output voltages to recharge a 125 AH (Amp Hour) battery after it was fully discharged to 10.5-volts.
14.4-VOLTS(Boost Mode) – Returned the battery to 90% of full charge in approximately 3-hours. The battery reached full charge in approximately 11 hours.
13.6-VOLTS(Normal Mode) – Required 40-hours to return the battery to 90% of full charge and 78-hours to reach full charge.
13.2-VOLTS(Storage Mode) – Required 60-hours to return the battery to 90% of full charge and 100-hours to reach full charge." This is based on having 17-20AMPS DC current available for each battery in your battery bank...
NOTE That Progressive Dynamics doesn't even list using DC Charge Voltages around the 12.0VC range as this would take alot more than 100 hours to achieve a 90% or 100% charge state.
Your typical 120WATT SOLAR panels only produce 5-6AMPS DC current so you will expect it will be many hours of being charged to reach 100% charge state. The typical HIGH SUN DAY is probably only 7-8 hours of high sun...
Battery Science states that a single deep cycle battery will want to use between 17-20AMPS of DC current when hit with 14.4VDC. Since the typical solar panel only produces 5-6AMPS you can see that a very long time will be needed for a single battery to reach the 100% charge state.
Just some of my thoughts here... I am just now considering getting into some solar panels for my off-road POPUP trailer battery setup. I can achieve the 90% charge state is a three to four hour generator run time using my PD9260C converter/charger being run by my generator when camping off the power grid. It would take around 12-14 hours of generator run time to achieve the 100% charge state for my battery bank.
I most often am not allowed to run my generator that long due to generator run time restrictions where I usually camp so the solar panels will really help me out here if I am staying for a long period of time at the camping location.
Roy Ken
This is what PROGRESSIVE Dynamics states in their operating manual on how long it takes to charge a battery using the DC VOLTAGEs listed below: "Progressive Dynamics ran this test on the amount of time it took a PD9155 (55-amp) converter/charger set to three different output voltages to recharge a 125 AH (Amp Hour) battery after it was fully discharged to 10.5-volts.
14.4-VOLTS(Boost Mode) – Returned the battery to 90% of full charge in approximately 3-hours. The battery reached full charge in approximately 11 hours.
13.6-VOLTS(Normal Mode) – Required 40-hours to return the battery to 90% of full charge and 78-hours to reach full charge.
13.2-VOLTS(Storage Mode) – Required 60-hours to return the battery to 90% of full charge and 100-hours to reach full charge." This is based on having 17-20AMPS DC current available for each battery in your battery bank...
NOTE That Progressive Dynamics doesn't even list using DC Charge Voltages around the 12.0VC range as this would take alot more than 100 hours to achieve a 90% or 100% charge state.
Your typical 120WATT SOLAR panels only produce 5-6AMPS DC current so you will expect it will be many hours of being charged to reach 100% charge state. The typical HIGH SUN DAY is probably only 7-8 hours of high sun...
Battery Science states that a single deep cycle battery will want to use between 17-20AMPS of DC current when hit with 14.4VDC. Since the typical solar panel only produces 5-6AMPS you can see that a very long time will be needed for a single battery to reach the 100% charge state.
Just some of my thoughts here... I am just now considering getting into some solar panels for my off-road POPUP trailer battery setup. I can achieve the 90% charge state is a three to four hour generator run time using my PD9260C converter/charger being run by my generator when camping off the power grid. It would take around 12-14 hours of generator run time to achieve the 100% charge state for my battery bank.
I most often am not allowed to run my generator that long due to generator run time restrictions where I usually camp so the solar panels will really help me out here if I am staying for a long period of time at the camping location.
Roy Ken
