Forum Discussion

JandKSunshine's avatar
JandKSunshine
Explorer
Jun 28, 2017

General solar power questions

Hello! I hope I'm posting in the right place and not repeating something already asked.
I'm thinking this is probably a pretty basic question. Our solar power controller has a switch to charge either the engine battery or the coach battery bank. Does it have to be either/or? Is there any reason it couldn't just charge both?
Also, why do we separate the engine battery from the coach batteries? Why not just hook them all up together? Thanks!
  • Mandalay_Parr's avatar
    Mandalay_Parr
    Explorer
    Jun 28, 2017
    The batteries are 2 different types. House are deep cycle and chassis are for engine starting.
  • red31's avatar
    red31
    Explorer
    Jun 28, 2017
    Can your share the make/model of the controller?

    Hooked together and you'd drain your starting battery and be stuck!
  • Lwiddis's avatar
    Lwiddis
    Explorer II
    Jun 28, 2017
    If you are moving every week or two shouldn't be any need to charge the engine battery from the solar panels.
  • JandKSunshine's avatar
    JandKSunshine
    Explorer
    Jun 28, 2017
    Aha! Different types of batteries. That makes sense, thank you! We have a pwm controller. My fiance's work is two months at a time wherever we want, so the RV will be stationary for two-month stretches. Should I just run it every couple weeks or something?
  • kerrlakeRoo's avatar
    kerrlakeRoo
    Explorer
    Jun 29, 2017
    JandKSunshine wrote:
    Aha! Different types of batteries. That makes sense, thank you! We have a pwm controller. My fiance's work is two months at a time wherever we want, so the RV will be stationary for two-month stretches. Should I just run it every couple weeks or something?

    Also if you stayed put on a couple of cloudy days, would you run down the batteries that start your coach? This way you don't.
    Generally yes it's better to run it, but that includes the transmission, it would help if you travelled some, I'm not sure if sitting stationary and putting it in gear for a few minutes would help. Generally tranny's prefer being brought up to operating temperature as does engine oil.
  • time2roll's avatar
    time2roll
    Nomad
    Jun 29, 2017
    For the chassis battery get a Trik-L-Start combiner.
    Will keep the chassis battery charged when power is available and prevent discharge into the house system.
  • John_Wayne's avatar
    John_Wayne
    Explorer II
    Jun 29, 2017
    Get a trick-L-start hook it to the house batt's. to the starting batt. Then when the house batt are being charged the starting batt is also being charged. But the house batt. can not pull power from the starting batt.

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