TC Battery Charging Solar, Shore Power, Vehicle?

Can't answer them all but here's what I came up with this past summer experimenting with my new solar. Bogart Engineering SC-2030 solar controller connected to Bogart's Trimetric Battery Monitor.

I get 10A to the batteries from the truck with the truck running, solar physically disconnected.

I get 6A to the batteries from the solar with the truck off and disconnected.

With both solar and the truck running I get 10A to the batteries.

Same results with the converter vs solar, except a higher amperage out of the converter.

Right or wrong I believe if the SC sees a high enough voltage level it does not provide an output thinking the batteries are charged.

No need to switch one source off if another is hooked up. You could, and probably should, have enough disconnects or breakers to be able to isolate the solar for safety's sake. I can isolate the panel from the controller (fuse) and the controller from the batteries (disconnect switch).

I have a relay that disconnects the truck batteries from the camper when off. I've started the truck with the camper on city power with no smoke.

I have all three connected all the time. They play together nicely. Whichever has the highest potential at any time bullies it way thru to do the charging. The other two stand aside to wait their turn at bat.

Hi,

All my charging sources play together well when I use the OEM converter.

Be sure to get a temperature compensated charge controller for the solar.

CHeck out MELLO MIKE's approach to using solar with his WOLF CREEK Truck Camper...

Just search for MELLO MIKE WOLFCREEK on google...

Roy Ken

Only thing I do is turn off the breaker for the converter if parked at home on shore power. Solar keeps the batteries up to full charge.When driving the regulators will do there jobs ,either solar or alternator.

While it usually doesn't make any sense to have your truck running and your camper plugged in to shore power, all three systems can be on at once. The single highest charge voltage controls. (this also assumes you have a good solar charge controller)
When driving, I almost always have solar and alternator charging at the same time. (unless it's at night)

Thanks for all the replies......Sounds like there is nothing to be concerned about with multiple connected. Maybe just install some kind of collector before going to the battery.....and maybe a disconnect for the solar for safety.....The truck can be disconnected at the plug.

Only reason the truck would be running on shore power is that I often go start the truck, and then put the last few things away. If I am at a site with power, I didn't know what would happen if I forgot to unplug the shore power before starting the truck. It SEEMED like having them all connected together would be a concern.....but I guess not.

Padlin wrote:
Can't answer them all but here's what I came up with this past summer experimenting with my new solar. Bogart Engineering SC-2030 solar controller connected to Bogart's Trimetric Battery Monitor.

I get 10A to the batteries from the truck with the truck running, solar physically disconnected.

I get 6A to the batteries from the solar with the truck off and disconnected.

With both solar and the truck running I get 10A to the batteries.

Same results with the converter vs solar, except a higher amperage out of the converter.

Right or wrong I believe if the SC sees a high enough voltage level it does not provide an output thinking the batteries are charged.

No need to switch one source off if another is hooked up. You could, and probably should, have enough disconnects or breakers to be able to isolate the solar for safety's sake. I can isolate the panel from the controller (fuse) and the controller from the batteries (disconnect switch).

I have a relay that disconnects the truck batteries from the camper when off. I've started the truck with the camper on city power with no smoke.

This is the solar charger setup I am considering. I keep going back and forth between this setup and a MPPT.

What kind of solar panels are you using? What is their open circuit voltage? Is it programmable for any battery type? I have wet cell right now, but may go to a bigger bank of AGM later. Thanks

All can be powered up together with no issues.

Bob B wrote:

This is the solar charger setup I am considering. I keep going back and forth between this setup and a MPPT.

What kind of solar panels are you using? What is their open circuit voltage? Is it programmable for any battery type? I have wet cell right now, but may go to a bigger bank of AGM later. Thanks

Hi Bob
I like the setup, completely configurable to whatever settings your batteries call for, one of the very few I found that I could set high enough. Programmable from the battery monitor.

Cons: Have dual Interstate 6v wet cells, Interstate calls for 15.4v absorption for several hours, and 15.6v for Equalize for a couple hours. I find if I use more then say 20 or 30A overnight, by late in the day it has come up to 15.3, but not for the suggested time frame. If I understand it correctly, I'm not getting a full charge into the batteries and only get to 15.6 if I limit discharge to only 5 or so amps during the night, like in the driveway at home. Going to try adding another panel next year so it gets up to 98% where it'll hit the 15.3v while there is still enough sunlight to do some good. Don't know that this is controller specific, but it's what I've run into.

The Bogart controller has no true equalization, just a pseudo one where it'll go into the higher voltage for a specified time frame on it's own, no manual control on it.

You of course do not get the charging benefit of mppt.

Grape 160W Mono 36 cell, voc = 22.2 V, vmpp 18.5 V

I was going back and forth between this setup and the Bluesky 3000i.