How does solar play with a battery disconnect!!??

Almot wrote:

sch911 wrote:
My solar controller is hooked directly to the battery posts.

It should be connected through its own breaker or fuse. Not directly.

That's what my controller recommends.

And the battery disconnect just turns off the loads (WFCO panel and so on).

But the controller recommends turning off the solar input before the battery breaker, so it has a chance to go into the "resting" stage and update its logs before it is turned off. Don't think there's a problem otherwise though. Other controllers will be different.

sch911 wrote:
My solar controller is hooked directly to the battery posts.

It should be connected through its own breaker or fuse. Not directly.

TUCQUALA wrote:
If the battery side + of a controller is interrupted by a bat cutoff switch between the controller and the battery, are there any major problems with such a setup when turning the cutoff on and off during normal use.

Flipping the cutoff on and off is not what II would call a "normal use". Normal wiring would be controller to battery via its own breaker. Not directly to battery, and not via general cutoff switch.
Same for loads - they should be connected to battery via "loads" breaker.

Then you can disconnect either loads or controller or both, if needed. Disconnecting loads is what you do in storage, - this is better than battery disconnect because you stop battery drain but keep controller running, maintaining the battery. Or flip controller breaker if you absolutely have to - and then it should be the FIRST thing to do.

In my trailer the only "battery disconnect" is a battery fuse, mounted on the battery Pos terminal. From there, Pos goes to Pos buss, and from there - to the aforesaid loads breaker and controller breaker. I bypassed the general trailer fuse under the frame - too darn inconvenient. Serious guys have a proper battery switch by Blue Sea, besides the battery fuse. I've been postponing this for years 'cause don't see what exactly it will give me.

sch911 wrote:
My solar controller is hooked directly to the battery posts. The disconnect does not affect it.

Ditto.

MrWizard wrote:
there can be
it can damage the controller, depending on the controller
you are not supposed to disconnect the batteries from the controller and leave the solar connected feeding the controller

there is NO reason to disconnect the batteries from solar, except to change/service the batteries or cables

no reason or need to disconnect in storage

IF you live in SNOW country and think your panels will covered to the point of NO output and want to disconnect the batteries and bring them inside for storage
then you should cover the panels, disconnect panels from controller, then disconnect batteries

most people don't go thru all that trouble, they just leave everything connected so the solar can maintain the batteries

X2

there can be
it can damage the controller, depending on the controller
you are not supposed to disconnect the batteries from the controller and leave the solar connected feeding the controller

there is NO reason to disconnect the batteries from solar, except to change/service the batteries or cables

no reason or need to disconnect in storage

IF you live in SNOW country and think your panels will covered to the point of NO output and want to disconnect the batteries and bring them inside for storage
then you should cover the panels, disconnect panels from controller, then disconnect batteries

most people don't go thru all that trouble, they just leave everything connected so the solar can maintain the batteries

My solar controller is hooked directly to the battery posts. The disconnect does not affect it.