Qwazert
Explorer
Joined 9 years ago
User Profile
User Widgets
All Activity
Re: A few more questions about solar panels...
Another update... Spent the past two weeks "dry camping" and we brought along our "spare" 100W rigid solar panel. With the new charge-controller in action, we had ZERO issues with the batteries this time. By the end of the second week, I put away the rigid panel and just used the flexi-panel on the roof. Controller was drawing between 5 and 7 amps first thing in the morning and was down to 1 or 2 by noon...into fractions by dinner time. I call it a success.1.3KViews0likes0CommentsRe: A few more questions about solar panels...
CA Traveler wrote: Qwazert wrote: Everything appears to be working as it should...but I need AT LEAST another 100W of solar-grabbing capacity. Absolutely and then you'll need another 100W and then another... :B Well, as I mentioned a few weeks back...my buddy has two 95W panels on his roof, the same batteries and never has an issue. We have similar camping "styles" and similar RV's. If I get another 100W flexi-panel...I'll be 10W up on him. :D1.3KViews0likes0CommentsRe: A few more questions about solar panels...
So this morning (before it got too hot) I unplugged shore power and let the RV sit for over an hour while I mowed the lawn and did a few other chores. Granted there was only parasitic loads (fridge sensor...USB outlets...etc) in play at this time. After my work was done, I connected the flexi-panel first and tossed it up onto the roof like I usually do. The Controller showed 3 – 4 amps of charging current. Disconnected that one and then connected the rigid mono-crystalline panel...showed about 5 amps. Battery voltage was about 14.5 in both cases. Next, I connected both panels in parallel...controller current showed between 7 - 8 amps at first. Within 15 minutes, this dropped to around 4....then to about 2 (about 15 mins later). Battery voltage was steady14.3 – 14.5 Solar-panel voltage fluctuated from about 19 volts at the beginning, to around 16 near the end (when controller-current dropped to 2 amps). I went inside and turned on every light and fan there was...controller current jumped back up to about 5 amps and solar-panel voltage increased as well. Left everything on for about 10 minutes then turned it all back off...within three to five minutes, the controller-current dropped to 2 amps and solar-panel voltage to about 16. So it looks to me, that the problem I had in the very beginning (3 weeks ago) was that my single 100W solar panel just didn’t have enough “juice” to keep these heavy-duty batteries topped up. Everything appears to be working as it should...but I need AT LEAST another 100W of solar-grabbing capacity.1.3KViews0likes0CommentsRe: A few more questions about solar panels...
red31 wrote: Qwazert wrote: I don't believe I have any way of forcing this controller into BULK mode...it does that part automatically. And I don't have any little lights...just an LCD readout. Which exact Voyager do you have? Is it the waterproof one or ? This one...1.3KViews0likes0CommentsRe: A few more questions about solar panels...
red31 wrote: the little lights on the controller indicate when the controller is in BULK mode. Bulk mode is the only mode where the panels full power goes to the battery. The panels should operate at approx battery voltage during BULK mode. As the battery voltage rises, panel operating voltage will rise to match that of the battery. Other modes, power is limited to maintain a constant voltage. The panel is turned on/off to keep the voltage at a certain set point. So the controller needs to be in BULK mode for your test! I don't believe I have any way of forcing this controller into BULK mode...it does that part automatically. And I don't have any little lights...just an LCD readout.1.3KViews0likes0CommentsRe: A few more questions about solar panels...
CA Traveler wrote: This may help. Solar panel cells are not batteries and are electrically diodes and hence the higher voltage panel cannot backfeed the lower panel. Hence no heating occurs in the lower voltage panel and blocking diodes are not needed. Most modern controller prevent the function of isolating the panels from controller and hence the battery is not discharged at night. Ie Blocking diodes are not needed. Scroll down the the 4 parallel panel diagram with different amps and voltage for an example. https://solarpanelsvenue.com/mixing-solar-panels/ Interesting article, and it does clear up some of the confusion. For instance, I have two 12V panels...not a 20.8 and a 22.6...they are both considered as 12V panels. Also, this new charger has "multiple intelligent protections against reverse polarity, over charge, short-circuit, reverse current, overload, and over discharge, keeping your battery fully protected." So indeed...diodes are likely not needed.520Views0likes0CommentsRe: A few more questions about solar panels...
Wow...I am getting a lot of conflicting answers on this one. At the time of the original post, I had BOTH panels connected to the SOLAR input of the controller. Now it makes sense that since the batteries were fully charged AND connected to shore power, that there wouldn't be much current required from the panels. I did test the panels individually with the same controller and the panel output was roughly the same in both cases; about 2 - 3 amps. When connected together, the output was much the same. Tomorrow (or as soon as this current heat wave ends) I will try disconnecting shore power and will reconnect each panel separately and again in tandem. As I understand things, connecting them in series will not be much of a benefit, since I need more charging CURRENT, as opposed to higher voltage.400Views0likes0CommentsA few more questions about solar panels...
As you may recall...I had some issues with my solar panels/batteries a few weeks ago. https://www.rv.net/forum/index.cfm/fuseaction/thread/tid/30348700.cfm I've since bought a new controller (because the old one would show the batteries as Charged even though they obviously weren't) and I've come across another puzzle.... The controller is a RENOGY Voyager, rated at 20 amps which should be sufficient for my 100W panels. Here are the details of my solar panels: The first is an offshore-made flexible type... and the second is a rigid style, like the type you get mounted to a roof... As you can see, the specs are fairly close and do NOT exceed the ratings on the controller. Here's the interesting part; when I connect only ONE panel I get a charging current of around 2-3A. If I connect the second one in parallel, the charging current either stays the same or decreases slightly. The controller has built in reverse polarity protection and it gives no errors, so I'm 99.9% certain that the panels are connected properly. So why am I getting LESS current with the second panel connected? Does the controller sense that less is required because the batteries are fully charged (still connected to shore power)?5.9KViews0likes30CommentsRe: Battery and Solar woes
Well a "cargo trailer" wouldn't be my cup-o-tea either. We still enjoy the finer points when connected to shore-power; A/C (or furnace as required)...blender...toaster...etc. but when boondocking or "in the wild" we manage without the luxuries, but still appreciate the Queen bed, the refrigerator and freezer. A shower tent outside for personal hygiene and a drying rack on the truck for towels and such. Yeah...it can look pretty "trailer park" at times, but I don't go camping to impress people.974Views0likes0CommentsRe: Battery and Solar woes
I guess we all have a different idea as to what constitutes "camping"...to me, it has always been about minimising. The "hard-sided tent" affords us a dry place to sleep and store our gear, that's all...otherwise I would have bought a 30 ft with 2 slides and parked it at a KOA. Our next trip is for 12 days in the BC Interior with no hookups. Our trailer is a 2016, so it already has LED interior lighting. The tap-lights are just a courtesy so that you don't wake the other person, when making a trip to the loo in the middle of the night. This morning I checked the SG on the Shumacher-charged battery; 1.277....right where it should be, and the OCV is 6.5 after letting it sit overnight. The NOCO-charged battery still needs some lovin' as expected...she'll go on the Shumacher until her readings jive with the other...then they're back into the RV and we'll call the rescue mission a success. Next challenge is figuring what to do....use our second existing solar panel, or buy another flexi-type...974Views0likes0Comments
Groups
Travel Trailer Group
Prefer to camp in a travel trailer? You're not alone.Jan 20, 202544,030 Posts
