hi all, i tried searching but did not find specifically what i was looking for. I have a generator hooked to my inverter which charges my battery. I would also like to connect a solar panel to the battery for when the generator is not running. Question: can the solar panel be connected to the battery while the generator/inverter are on and charging at the same time? Or would this 'cause issues with either the solar panel or inverter? Thanks for any help!

Osiris wrote:hi all, i tried searching but did not find specifically what i was looking for. I have a generator hooked to my inverter which charges my battery. I would also like to connect a solar panel to the battery for when the generator is not running. Question: can the solar panel be connected to the battery while the generator/inverter are on and charging at the same time? Or would this 'cause issues with either the solar panel or inverter? Thanks for any help!You just need to choose a solar controller with adjustable voltage so you can match voltages with your charger so they add their amps. No harm in having both on at once even if their voltages don't match; it would only affect how many amps you get.Please use "converter" or "inverter/charger" instead of "inverter", which is a different device, to avoid confusion.

You will need to disable the converter when the inverter is making 120 volts. Otherwise you're just going to be turning the contents of your battery/solar into heat with an endless loop, as nothing is 100% efficient.

BFL13 wrote:You just need to choose a solar controller with adjustable voltage so you can match voltages with your charger so they add their amps. No harm in having both on at once even if their voltages don't match; it would only affect how many amps you get.Please use "converter" or "inverter/charger" instead of "inverter", which is a different device, to avoid confusion.So to clarify, if both are connected at once without the solar controller, would that lower the amps provided by the converter and result in slower charging? Just trying to understand what the result of the amps changing would be. Also, is there a reasonably priced solar controller you can recommend? My panel is not large, it is meant to trickle charge. thanks again!!

twodownzero wrote:You will need to disable the converter when the inverter is making 120 volts.I'm pretty sure his inverter is an inverter/charger. Two charging sources at once is usually not a problem. They either work together or one just cuts out.

2oldman wrote:I'm pretty sure his inverter is an inverter/charger. Two charging sources at once is usually not a problem. They either work together or one just cuts out.Correct, it is an inverter/charger. Well, if i'm running the generator, i wouldn't want the inverter/charger to cut out, i'd rather have the solar panel cut out if anything. How can i determine if this will happen?

Solar and Inverter combo question | Good Sam Community

44 Replies

2oldman
Explorer II
Jan 09, 2020
twodownzero wrote:
You will need to disable the converter when the inverter is making 120 volts.
I'm pretty sure his inverter is an inverter/charger.

Two charging sources at once is usually not a problem. They either work together or one just cuts out.
Osiris
Explorer
Jan 09, 2020
BFL13 wrote:

You just need to choose a solar controller with adjustable voltage so you can match voltages with your charger so they add their amps.

No harm in having both on at once even if their voltages don't match; it would only affect how many amps you get.

Please use "converter" or "inverter/charger" instead of "inverter", which is a different device, to avoid confusion.

So to clarify, if both are connected at once without the solar controller, would that lower the amps provided by the converter and result in slower charging? Just trying to understand what the result of the amps changing would be.

Also, is there a reasonably priced solar controller you can recommend? My panel is not large, it is meant to trickle charge.

thanks again!!
twodownzero
Explorer
Jan 09, 2020
You will need to disable the converter when the inverter is making 120 volts. Otherwise you're just going to be turning the contents of your battery/solar into heat with an endless loop, as nothing is 100% efficient.
BFL13
Explorer II
Jan 09, 2020
Osiris wrote:
hi all,

i tried searching but did not find specifically what i was looking for.

I have a generator hooked to my inverter which charges my battery. I would also like to connect a solar panel to the battery for when the generator is not running.

Question: can the solar panel be connected to the battery while the generator/inverter are on and charging at the same time? Or would this 'cause issues with either the solar panel or inverter?

Thanks for any help!

You just need to choose a solar controller with adjustable voltage so you can match voltages with your charger so they add their amps.

No harm in having both on at once even if their voltages don't match; it would only affect how many amps you get.

Please use "converter" or "inverter/charger" instead of "inverter", which is a different device, to avoid confusion.

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Solar and Inverter combo question

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