Do you leave you solar power on when you connect to shore power? Or throw the breaker between the solar panels and controller? AND/or throw the breaker between the Solar Controller (Morningstar MPPT 60) and the batteries?Just turned my system up yesterday and it's working great!!!!!Thanks,rocmoc n AZ/Mexico

I don't see any reason to turn it off unless the charge controller and converter are at odds over the voltage settings.

Solar Controller 14.8Inverter/charger 14.1Currently MH is in covered garage so zero output from Solar and the Shore Power is plugged. Figured that was OK but more concerned about when it is at a park with power.rocmoc n AZ/Mexico

Agreed. The converter will be at 13.6 and if your solar's float voltage is the same you can leave it on. If the solar's float voltage is higher than the converter's, then your batteries will go to that higher voltage and stay there all day.When camping I keep the solar voltage high but it only stays that high for a short time after getting there in the afternoon till dark. If it would get that high in the morning and stay there all day, I would change that.In my case I leave the controller settings as is (high) and turn off the solar (switch is on the array side--don't let the controller be on array but not battery) when on shore power. If I didn't have shore power but was not camping I would reduce the controller voltage to a float setting in the low to mid 13s.

The only reason I could see to turn it off is when your converter starts stepping down the charging voltage from 14.6 to 13.4 volts. If you controller is set to charge to 14.6 volts then it will add the extra the converter is not putting in. Guess this could be hard on the battery's if your are plugged in some place for an extended time but probably not an issue for a night or two.

BFL13 wrote:In my case I leave the controller settings as is (high) and turn off the solar (switch is on the array side--don't let the controller be on array but not battery) when on shore power."don't let the controller be on array but not battery) when on shore power." Why is this?

Solar on when shore power? | Good Sam Community

rocmoc
Explorer
Apr 09, 2015
Thank you everyone! I'm not going to worry about it since I have breakers between panels & controller and batteries & controller.

rocmoc n AZ/Mexico
64thunderbolt
Explorer II
Apr 08, 2015
Mine is always on so far no issues. Wouldn't the solar see the conv as batt voltage?
brulaz
Explorer
Apr 07, 2015
Solar and Rogue MPPT is always connected.

But when on shore power I disconnect the miserable WFCO converter from the batteries as it's float V is too high.
Crazy_Ray
Explorer
Apr 07, 2015
Leave my solar on 24/7
MrWizard
Moderator
Apr 07, 2015
My solar is always connected, unless I need to disconnect the batteries to work on something
Shore power, or generator, makes no difference solar is always on
Tango__AE7UI
Explorer
Apr 07, 2015
I never turn the solar off even when hooked up to shore power for a week or more at a time away from home.
No issues; batteries are full, no boil out of fluid.
At home, I let the solar take care of the batteries and never plug into shore power.
pianotuna
Nomad III
Apr 07, 2015
I never turn my solar off.
N-Trouble
Explorer
Apr 07, 2015
I've left my trailer connected to shore power extended periods of time when in storage on the side of my house. Solar is also on and I have had no issues. They seem to get along well.
doughere
Explorer
Apr 07, 2015
I leave the solar connected all the time (the section that I have a charge controller on).

The extension that I plug the RV into is often used for other purposes, so it may or may not get plugged in. I pay no particular attention to weather or not it is plugged in.

Doug
BFL13
Explorer II
Apr 07, 2015
Muddydogs wrote:
BFL13 wrote:
In my case I leave the controller settings as is (high) and turn off the solar (switch is on the array side--don't let the controller be on array but not battery) when on shore power.

"don't let the controller be on array but not battery) when on shore power." Why is this?

Some (all?) controller installation instructions/owners' manuals stress this point. (on connection sequence) They can't take having a load on with no battery connected. Check the fine print in yours to know if it says that.

Forum Discussion

Solar on when shore power?

About Technical Issues

Related Content

Shore Power??

No shore power

New shore power inlet installation

Solar Powered Generators

110v shore power dying, slowly?