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Solar Question.

Paoli
Explorer
Explorer
Question:

When I shut off the battery with the "shut off" knob inside the motorhome and park the vehicle for awhile, will the solar panel still charge the batteries?
14 REPLIES 14

red31
Explorer
Explorer
battery in storage may see 15+v daily due to cold temps and it's **** near 100% before getting to 14+v.


I'd want solar to stay connected when the inside switch is off.

Almot
Explorer III
Explorer III
The beginning of 14+ stage is not Full, and the end of this stage - if there is a Float after this - is not Full either.

Wet battery can go into 14+ when it's 80-90% full, AGM - around 95%.

time2roll
Nomad
Nomad
wa8yxm wrote:
14 indicates a controller fault
Most go to 14+ at some point in the day.
Some don't have float so 14 all day.

Need model # to know or just read the manual.

red31
Explorer
Explorer
wa8yxm wrote:

14 indicates a controller fault


:h 14+v by design.

Almot
Explorer III
Explorer III
Paoli wrote:
It's obvious I would turn them off during winter storage. I guess I should ask the RV place that installed the panel.

Depends on what exactly you will turn off - loads, solar or everything. Even if there are no loads, in 6 months with no maintenance charging a wet battery will discharge down to zero and will lose some capacity (if will survive at all).

Yes, if you can't check the circuit with handheld meter, you should ask somebody who knows.

For future - the term "technology" in the last 15-20 years has been (mis)approriated by IT and audio-video geeks. Questions like yours are usually discussed in Technical Issues forum.

wa8yxm
Explorer III
Explorer III
It all depends on who wired it up.

How to be sure..

Digital voltmeter. A resting 12 volt battery is around 12.6 Volts. if it's sunny out and the meter says 13.6,, The solar panel is working

13.6 by the way is FLOAT so that would indicate a fully charged battery and a WORKING controller.

14 indicates a controller fault
Home was where I park it. but alas the.
2005 Damon Intruder 377 Alas declared a total loss
after a semi "nicked" it. Still have the radios
Kenwood TS-2000, ICOM ID-5100, ID-51A+2, ID-880 REF030C most times

2oldman
Explorer II
Explorer II
magicbus wrote:
and that's why people suggested disconnecting the battery cables and checking them with a meter (assuming you have one and know how!). It all depends on how the panel/controller is connected to the batteries.
One person suggested that, and I don't understand why you would need to remove the cables if a)there's a disconnect switch, and b) you want to see if the panels are charging.
"If I'm wearing long pants, I'm too far north" - 2oldman

Sam_Spade
Explorer
Explorer
Paoli wrote:
I just want to know if it's better to leave the batteries turned on while parked for a week or so without using the motorhome.... It's obvious I would turn them off during winter storage. I guess I should ask the RV place that installed the panel.


No, you should get a meter so you can find out for yourself.
It will come in handy for other things too.
They can be had for around $10.
'07 Damon Outlaw 3611
CanAm Spyder in the "trunk"

Paoli
Explorer
Explorer
Ok, thanks guys! ๐Ÿ™‚

time2roll
Nomad
Nomad
Generally yes but you need to verify.
Next day measure the voltage in the early afternoon. You are looking for 13+ volts on the battery terminals.

magicbus
Explorer
Explorer
Paoli wrote:
I just want to know if it's better to leave the batteries turned on while parked for a week or so without using the motorhome.... It's obvious I would turn them off during winter storage. I guess I should ask the RV place that installed the panel.
Yes, and that's why people suggested disconnecting the battery cables and checking them with a meter (assuming you have one and know how!). It all depends on how the panel/controller is connected to the batteries. Asking the installer would probably be a good solution too because it would take them 5 minutes to check if they didn't recall how they installed it in your particular case.

Dave
Current: 2018 Winnebago Era A
Previous: Selene 49 Trawler
Previous: Country Coach Allure 36

Paoli
Explorer
Explorer
I just want to know if it's better to leave the batteries turned on while parked for a week or so without using the motorhome.... It's obvious I would turn them off during winter storage. I guess I should ask the RV place that installed the panel.

MudChucker
Explorer
Explorer
Only you will know... it could be either way....

unhook the battery terminal cables
place the switch in the off position

check the battery terminal cables for possible voltage from the solar gear.

make sense ?
2017 Cougar
2015 Ram 3500 Megacab 6.7 Cummins Aisin transmission

2oldman
Explorer II
Explorer II
Hard to say, but a voltmeter would tell you for sure.
"If I'm wearing long pants, I'm too far north" - 2oldman