[nathankaye]

During the rough winter periods, many will know that i used a mix of solar and the van battery to keep the leisure batteries topped up.
However ive not relied on the van battery for some time now, so just a quick post.

Yesterday turned on solar panels at 9am and turned of at 1500.    Reaped 3.129 amp hours through panels (sometimes i was parked in shade),   yet the mppt turned out 5.28 Amp Hours into my battery.

I dont bother recording what Ahrs i use, as long as the battery is topped up.

[zesty]

I’ve never fully got the hang of this Nathan.

I’ve got an 15watt solar panel on the roof, and it seems to charge my leisure battery up to 13 odd volts on sunny days.

What confuses me is, voltage is different to amps (obviously), but I’ve never noticed the battery running out of juice when using solar panel charging only.

Rarely do I bench charge through the summer.

What’s going on? Because I was under the impression that my solar panel isn’t producing enough amps to fully replace the battery amps... yet I’ve never had any issues...

[John Mart]

Why don't you just fit a split relay?

[nathankaye]

If you connect it to a smart charger, you will see.

I also charge my smaller battery up with a small panel and the most I get is 0.60 amps from that and about 21 volts.   As this is connected to a 27 (i think) Amp hour battery 12v its enough to keep it topped up as i only use it for the electric reel.
However, if i do a bench charge on a smart charger it shows the battery running at 13volts but it shows only half full, which im assuming is the ampage.
Spruce is the one with more specific details etc, but periodically i will bench charge this battery to make sure its fully charged up

[nathankaye]

Why don't you just fit a split relay?

I dont cover the mileage to benefit from one.
In winter months this is covered by solar and alternator charging and so not a problem

[zesty]

I’m also not interested in split charge.

I just bench charge through the winter with a ring smart charger.

I just find the solar panel does enough to keep the battery going all day everyday in sunny weather. Happy days.

[John Mart]

Why don't you just fit a split relay?

I dont cover the mileage to benefit from one.
In winter months this is covered by solar and alternator charging and so not a problem

Most of our work is very local. Three vans all working full time locally and never ever need a bench charge. 115 ah batteries.

[dazmond]

i have 2 leisure batteries(105 ah )and do very little mileage and if im not using the diesel heater theres no way ill ever need to bench charge with my smart battery to battery charger fitted.....its still reading 12.8 after a days work......

i do use the diesel heater though most days all day so i bench charge every night to keep the batteries in good condition...

[nathankaye]

About 75% of my work is well within 5mile radius and then the van only moves a hand full of times and thats just onto the next street.   So very little mileage indeed.
Plus i dont need to keep the engine running if the battery is low like some have, only to have their vans stolen

[CleanClear]

Yesterday turned on solar panels at 9am and turned of at 1500.    .

Nathan , just remind me why you are doing this turning on and off.. You don't have a PWM or MPPT controller ?

[nathankaye]

Yesterday turned on solar panels at 9am and turned of at 1500.    .

Nathan , just remind me why you are doing this turning on and off.. You don't have a PWM or MPPT controller ?

I installed another solar panel, so now I have a 50w and a 20w panel and watching some u tube vids n advice on here via P@F (sorry if i have that wrong) n spruce, i decided to use a MPPT controller as well

[P @ F]

Its exactly 4 months today since i last took my battery out to charge it , and i cant seem to use the power as fast as the solar brings it in , i really have found the ideal wire in and leave system 

[CleanClear]

Yesterday turned on solar panels at 9am and turned of at 1500.    .

Nathan , just remind me why you are doing this turning on and off.. You don't have a PWM or MPPT controller ?

I installed another solar panel, so now I have a 50w and a 20w panel and watching some u tube vids n advice on here via P@F (sorry if i have that wrong) n spruce, i decided to use a MPPT controller as well

Might be me being dim, i still don't understand ? Its light about 5.30 am or whatever so you could be generating some small charge by leaving it on ? How come you're not putting it on until say 9am ?

[nathankaye]

Yesterday turned on solar panels at 9am and turned of at 1500.    .

Nathan , just remind me why you are doing this turning on and off.. You don't have a PWM or MPPT controller ?

I installed another solar panel, so now I have a 50w and a 20w panel and watching some u tube vids n advice on here via P@F (sorry if i have that wrong) n spruce, i decided to use a MPPT controller as well

Might be me being dim, i still don't understand ? Its light about 5.30 am or whatever so you could be generating some small charge by leaving it on ? How come you're not putting it on until say 9am ?

It depends what time i set off to work, on that day it was at 9 
Also the MPPT controller is powered from the battery, so leaving it connected on during the night for the early hour of reaping little ampage isnt worth loosing the slight ampage by powering the MPPT controller through the night.

[P @ F]

Yesterday turned on solar panels at 9am and turned of at 1500.    .

Nathan , just remind me why you are doing this turning on and off.. You don't have a PWM or MPPT controller ?

I installed another solar panel, so now I have a 50w and a 20w panel and watching some u tube vids n advice on here via P@F (sorry if i have that wrong) n spruce, i decided to use a MPPT controller as well

Might be me being dim, i still don't understand ? Its light about 5.30 am or whatever so you could be generating some small charge by leaving it on ? How come you're not putting it on until say 9am ?

It depends what time i set off to work, on that day it was at 9 
Also the MPPT controller is powered from the battery, so leaving it connected on during the night for the early hour of reaping little ampage isnt worth loosing the slight ampage by powering the MPPT controller through the night.

Its well worth leaving it on , mine never gets switched off , even if its the most shocking day you will still be pulling in volts , this is the objective of MPPT , more so if wired series 

[dotty]

just wired mine to battery never had to charge mine up in two years