Solar up and running
Picked up some panels from solar blvd finally installed and working pretty good. 2 160 watt mono panels
Forum Discussion
Thanks, Mike. I wish I had seen your post a few years ago. i relied on the voltage chart and killed the batteries half way through our first long trip. No solar. We drove every day and engine charging kept the voltage well above the dreaded 12.0 (half discharged; damage begins) but soon the heater wouldn't work in the morning. Only cost $200 to learn the lesson. After that, I never relaxed until I got the monitor.
Someone asked how a battery monitor works. Good question.
The monitor reads the voltage and the current and has a timer. Current multiplied by time is charge, in units of amp hours. The monitor counts (integrates) the amp hours going in and out to maintain a number of amp hours in the battery at all times. It compares that to the number entered for a full charge to get % of full charge. My cheapo monitor ignores charging over 100% so it is self calibrating.
Now I'm REALLY relaxed with solar. If DW leaves the bathroom light on all night it doesn't bother me at all.
"MOST resting batteries will stay around 12.7 or so just a few minutes after charging, and will stay there if no loads."
I've seen my van engine battery over 13 in the morning after no charging for 12 hours. It doesn't get driven far enough to make up for engine starting so I have to use a trickle in winter or I soon find it won't start - and that probably means it is "chronically" undercharged and damaging the battery. I would like to have a battery monitor on it but the starting current is probably too much for an inexpensive monitor.
Someone asked how a battery monitor works. Good question.
The monitor reads the voltage and the current and has a timer. Current multiplied by time is charge, in units of amp hours. The monitor counts (integrates) the amp hours going in and out to maintain a number of amp hours in the battery at all times. It compares that to the number entered for a full charge to get % of full charge. My cheapo monitor ignores charging over 100% so it is self calibrating.
Now I'm REALLY relaxed with solar. If DW leaves the bathroom light on all night it doesn't bother me at all.
"MOST resting batteries will stay around 12.7 or so just a few minutes after charging, and will stay there if no loads."
I've seen my van engine battery over 13 in the morning after no charging for 12 hours. It doesn't get driven far enough to make up for engine starting so I have to use a trickle in winter or I soon find it won't start - and that probably means it is "chronically" undercharged and damaging the battery. I would like to have a battery monitor on it but the starting current is probably too much for an inexpensive monitor.
