Solar panel

Submitted: Thursday, Mar 18, 2010 at 16:42

ThreadID: 76977 Views:3022 Replies:5 FollowUps:3

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Solar Power

This article covers every aspect of solar and its design and installation in RVs (camper trailers, caravans and motor homes). It shows how much power solar panels really produce,

BundyLuva76

Just wondering if it is possible have a solar panel constantly wired to your battery? Will any part of it get wrecked when the battery is charging from the alternator?
Thanks

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Reply By: Battery Value Pty Ltd - Thursday, Mar 18, 2010 at 18:03

Thursday, Mar 18, 2010 at 18:03

Hello,

no, nothing will get wrecked on the solar panel itself.

But your panel could overcharge your car battery if not connected through a solar regulator.....

Best regards, Peter

AnswerID: 409379

Follow Up By: BundyLuva76 - Thursday, Mar 18, 2010 at 18:48

Thursday, Mar 18, 2010 at 18:48

Thank you for your reply. So as long as we are using a regulator all will be fine. The extra charge from the altenator wont wreck the solar regulator?

FollowupID: 679333

Follow Up By: Mandrake's Solar Power- Thursday, Mar 18, 2010 at 18:54

Thursday, Mar 18, 2010 at 18:54

I have to ask - Are you talking about your cranking battery or a second battery that is also connected to your alternator ?

cheers

steve

FollowupID: 679336

Follow Up By: Battery Value Pty Ltd - Thursday, Mar 18, 2010 at 18:56

Thursday, Mar 18, 2010 at 18:56

no worries BundyLuva,

your regulator and panel won't be affected by the slightly elevated battery voltage caused by the alternator while it spins.
Your regulator will stop charging the battery the moment your alternator pushes the voltage up beyond its setpoint at around 13.8 to 14.5V.

And your solar panel won't even know about the alternator taking over, it'll just think the battery's fully charged and the regulator has cut off any current from it.
The panel voltage itself will now increase to the o/c voltage which can be as high as 22V, way higher than the alternator puts out.

Best regards, Peter

FollowupID: 679337

Reply By: BundyLuva76 - Thursday, Mar 18, 2010 at 19:21

Thursday, Mar 18, 2010 at 19:21

Thanks for the info Peter. Just as my hubby thought but wanted to double check.
Steve - I am talking about the second battery.

Thanks again

AnswerID: 409385

Reply By: Welldone WA - Friday, Mar 19, 2010 at 01:02

Friday, Mar 19, 2010 at 01:02

BundyLuva76,
Don't lose any sleep worrying over your set up. I've had nearly the same system as yours constantly connected for the past 16 years and it has worked without too many problems.
The only 2 minor differences are a manually switched solenoid between the cranking battery [read alternator] and the second battery to which the regulator is wired .
So the sequence of power is:- Solar Panel—›Regulator—›Battery—›Solenoid—›Cranking Battery.
The other difference is , in line fuses at all the +battery posts and +solenoid post.
Cheers
Welldone

AnswerID: 409441

Reply By: Robin Miller - Friday, Mar 19, 2010 at 09:20

Friday, Mar 19, 2010 at 09:20

The panel won't get damaged Bundy because the vast majority of commercial panels (but not all) come with a diode inbuilt which lets the current come out of , but not go into the panel.

Robin Miller

Member
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AnswerID: 409452

Reply By: Maîneÿ . . .- Friday, Mar 19, 2010 at 10:29

Friday, Mar 19, 2010 at 10:29

Bundy,
as Peter has said above the solar panel must be connected to the battery via a solar regulator.

My 200 Watts of solar panels have been connected (since 1998) 24/7 to the storage AGM battery system for a number of years now.
The solar panels only charge these batteries (via the solar regulator) when stopped, the Alternator does charge the AGM battery system when driving.
read my 'profile' for further further relevant information :)

Maîneÿ . . .

AnswerID: 409461