Solar charging maintaining help
Hi all, Ive got some questions. Ive been reading ALOT of posts and trying to gather knowledge of what other rvers are doing and using. I have calculated my useage while boondocking and have decided to...
Forum Discussion
Jpbeck1 wrote:
One note, don't trust your solar controller to give accurate readings on the battery charge. Buy a separate voltage meter with a shunt ($20 on amazon). Even quality controllers without a shunt plate on them are not accurate.
On the battery state of charge - correct, you can't trust controller.
On the battery voltage - yes you can, if this is a better make that has a dedicated voltage sense wire OR if the current is low, ex. in storage/maintenance mode.
The best voltmeter with 3.5 decimal points will be a very rough measure of charge. Could work in storage though. For eventual camping use you need a "monitor", something that counts AH hours in/out and gives you the net result.
Cheap voltmeters with 2 decimal points are a joke, inaccurate readings. Could read 12.60 when it's really 12.45, and readings change with time as the meter warms up and for other unknown reasons.
