[dave f]

dose any one use a solar panel to re charge their battery if so any pics  ive tried looking but to avail.i need one to re charge my second battery I have a power up reel and it runs down the battery which also runs the pump so I have opted for 2 batterys  any help

[nathankaye]

http://www.cleanitup.co.uk/smf/index.php?topic=202013.msg1776472#msg1776472
i use solar panals to charge my leisure battery which my pump is connected to plus my transfer pump in tank for filling up trolley.

[Elfyn]

I fitted one about 6 months ago. Worked well through the summer, but we'll see how it goes through the winter. I'll post some pics later.

[Elfyn]

Pics, as promised - I hope

[Spruce]

Pics, as promised - I hope

That's interesting. Thank you. Do you also have a split charge relay or do you just use solar? Also, have you had to bench (supplementary) charge the battery at all this summer yet?

.

[windowswashed]

Get a decent solar controller 

[Spruce]

How do you know you are buying a genuine MPPT controller that actually does the job its advertised to?

Get a decent solar controller 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=la-gvy0DfJs

[Elfyn]

Nothing wrong with the one I have.

[Spruce]

Nothing wrong with the one I have.

What windowswashed is saying is that you have a PWM controller.

When he bluntly says to get a decent solar controller he means that there are MPPT controllers that make better use of the same power available from the solar panel and work more efficiently.

If you look at this video you will see how inefficient PWM controllers are especially when charging a 'flat' battery.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8-Z8gXaHozg

His figures show that the controller is only 58% efficient when charging a flat battery and 80% efficient when the battery is nearly full.

MPPT controllers are far superior but are more expensive.
There are also lots of fakes selling as MPPT controllers but aren't.

.

[nathankaye]

This is where i went wrong. I didnt really use a controller and didnt fo my research effectively on over charging your battery.
As in, my understanding now is that whilst your battery is charging, you dont want the voltage above 14v or 15v cant remember which now. Which damages the cells. Thankfully my digi purefreedom flow controller tells the battery voltage so when its over charging i simply discconnect the solar panal. Ive been running with just the solar panal for just over a yr now and it saw me through winter/dull weather times, esp with adding  my additional (if reqired) smaller solar panal. So hoping this winter will be same!

[Elfyn]

I do know the difference between the two controllers. You can see in the pics that I have a voltmeter in the line and I keep a close eye on the charge in my battery. So far, the battery hasn't broken a sweat.
As I say - there's nothing wrong with the controller I have.