Solar while the RV is in Storage
Need some guidance for how to use solar while in storage. My solar panels are suppling a daily charge, topping off both my house and chassis batteries. Each night my class A has the charge drawn dow...
Forum Discussion
Thanks to all for your replies thus far. I know that I need new batteries so I'm trying to figure out what to do so that the new ones will last as long as possible.
At the end of a sunny day after the sun is low in the sky, so that I'm not really getting any more solar gain, my Blue Sky 3000i Solar Boost controller shows 13.0 with the Float and Absorption lights lit up. The next morning before sunrise it was reading 12.1. Nothing was being used in the RV as it was in the storage lot --- no TV. no lights, no heat --- no nothing other than the random draws from the house electronics.
Last night, after a sunny day the controller showed a reading of 13.0 F/Ab. I turned the disconnect switches off on both the house and chassis battery banks. Checked them again this morning prior to sunrise and got a reading on the controller of 12.7/6.
This info seems to tell me that by disconnecting the battery banks, the voltage drops significantly less than when leaving them connected.
Once I install new batteries I'm sure these stats will change. But from what you can see, would I be better off just leaving the batteries connected to the solar panels 24/7, or disconnect the battery bank and just reconnect it one sunny day a week? Which way will extend the life of the new batteries or does it really make a difference ?
At the end of a sunny day after the sun is low in the sky, so that I'm not really getting any more solar gain, my Blue Sky 3000i Solar Boost controller shows 13.0 with the Float and Absorption lights lit up. The next morning before sunrise it was reading 12.1. Nothing was being used in the RV as it was in the storage lot --- no TV. no lights, no heat --- no nothing other than the random draws from the house electronics.
Last night, after a sunny day the controller showed a reading of 13.0 F/Ab. I turned the disconnect switches off on both the house and chassis battery banks. Checked them again this morning prior to sunrise and got a reading on the controller of 12.7/6.
This info seems to tell me that by disconnecting the battery banks, the voltage drops significantly less than when leaving them connected.
Once I install new batteries I'm sure these stats will change. But from what you can see, would I be better off just leaving the batteries connected to the solar panels 24/7, or disconnect the battery bank and just reconnect it one sunny day a week? Which way will extend the life of the new batteries or does it really make a difference ?
