Ran batts down so I could watch the Solar charge them up

You can check the output of the solar without charging the batteries, but that takes some of the fun out of it. If you don't see how much charge you can get into the batteries, and how long it takes to do it it's kind of like cooking your baby back ribs in oven rather than outside in the smoker. It's all about enjoying the journey, even if it's out in the driveway.