My solar and the chassis batteries
Outside of Quartzsite boondocking for the last month. Very happy with the solar but have one last question i thought id throw out to the group. I can hear that Aux Start relay kicking in. Im thinki...
Forum Discussion
With chassis and house batteries, I do not want the solar charging the chassis battery. I do not discharge the chassis battery, and sending some charge to it is no big deal if that is what I deem is required.
Number 1 even if the engine battery is fully charged, it will consume some solar wattage to be brought upto held at 14.X volts. I;d rather that wattage go into house batteries.
Secondly, I would not want any solar current going into holding a solenoid closed.
I'd rather have all Available solar wattage going into only the depleted house bank to get it to absorption voltage ASAP, so there is a better chance it can hold absorption voltage for long enough before the sun goes down.
And how long absorption voltage is to be held is a moving target despite the claims of the green light brigade who believe that when their charge controller reverts to float and flash the all is well green light, that it also means the batteries are fully charged.
Perhaps If I had a plethora of solar I would not mind wasting some of it to top charge the engine battery or to hold the solenoid closed to complete that task.
If a solenoid is getting hot passing solar currents to engine battery, perhaps it is a latching solenoid which only needs a momentary 12v to latch or unlatch, yet is being fed a constant 12v.
Number 1 even if the engine battery is fully charged, it will consume some solar wattage to be brought upto held at 14.X volts. I;d rather that wattage go into house batteries.
Secondly, I would not want any solar current going into holding a solenoid closed.
I'd rather have all Available solar wattage going into only the depleted house bank to get it to absorption voltage ASAP, so there is a better chance it can hold absorption voltage for long enough before the sun goes down.
And how long absorption voltage is to be held is a moving target despite the claims of the green light brigade who believe that when their charge controller reverts to float and flash the all is well green light, that it also means the batteries are fully charged.
Perhaps If I had a plethora of solar I would not mind wasting some of it to top charge the engine battery or to hold the solenoid closed to complete that task.
If a solenoid is getting hot passing solar currents to engine battery, perhaps it is a latching solenoid which only needs a momentary 12v to latch or unlatch, yet is being fed a constant 12v.
