Forum Discussion

chilihead98's avatar
chilihead98
Explorer
Oct 01, 2015

Solar system while in storage

I'm gonna be putting my TC & truck into uncovered outdoor storage in Albuquerque, NM in a few weeks time. It will be in storage until July 2016 while I'm out of the country. The TC is equipped with a new rooftop mounted 215 watt solar panel, a Morningstar MPPT controller and 2 x 125 a-h AGM batteries. The system provides power for the TC and also charges the truck batteries.

Should I leave the solar system energized while in storage, or should I switch off the breakers and disconnect all the batteries? Or something else?

I'm gonna be half way around the world for 9 months so cannot periodically check in on it, sweep snow off the panel, etc. It doesn't snow much in ABQ.
Truck Campers
  • pianotuna's avatar
    pianotuna
    Nomad III
    Oct 01, 2015
    I vote for leaving it connected to the solar system. Do adjust the float voltage down to the minimum recommended for your particular brand of AGM jars. Do use the battery sense wires, and do use the temperature probe.
  • Kayteg1's avatar
    Kayteg1
    Explorer II
    Oct 01, 2015
    I would just pull the clamps off the batteries and walk away.
    If you solar charger has maintaining mode, that would be better working, but might be disaster if fails.
    AMG batteries should keep good charge after a year.
  • time2roll's avatar
    time2roll
    Nomad
    Oct 01, 2015
    What are the controller settings?
    Need absorption voltage, float voltage and absorption time.
    Temperature compensation is connected?
  • Crabbypatty's avatar
    Crabbypatty
    Explorer
    Oct 01, 2015
    I have both solar and a charge wizard module on my house charger. The Morningstar PWM will maintain the battery and if they are full will stop the charge. Batteries lose 1%+/-/month and could be more. I leave my TT plugged in all year which includes 5 months of storage. Batteries are expensive. When I just disconnected the batts on my boat, I had to buy new ones as they died over the winter. My TT they were just fine.

    I would leave it on. Happy Trails
  • DWeikert's avatar
    DWeikert
    Explorer II
    Oct 01, 2015
    Since you're only talking "a few weeks at a time" I'd just park it, turn off the propane and think of the solar as a battery tender. I doubt a Morningstar controller is going to cook your batteries. If you have the SunSaver MPPT, looking through the manual turn of switch 3 to prevent the auto equalize every 28 days. You're not likely to see any deep discharge/charge cycles that would make equalize necessary. Other than that, park it and don't worry about it.
  • Kayteg1's avatar
    Kayteg1
    Explorer II
    Oct 01, 2015
    I always have some batteries hooked up to maintainers in my garage, but over the years had 2 failures when maintainers destroyed batteries.
    That was with me walking by every day and not having any suspicious.
    Now I am strong believer in monthly inspection of bulletproof systems.
    Pulling the clamp might not be the best technically, but it is the safest.
    On the boat the moisture and dirt on top of the battery makes short circuit that can drain the battery in long storage, that is why the best way is to put the batteries in the garage, or other dry spot.

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