Journey with Confidence RV GPS App RV Trip Planner RV LIFE Campground Reviews RV Maintenance Take a Speed Test Free 7 Day Trial ×


Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
Old 09-03-2016, 08:54 PM   #1
Senior Member
 
Jimsue's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2014
Location: Grand Rapids, Mi
Posts: 315
Simultaneous Generator & Solar Panel?

Just got two T105 6 volt batteries. Can i charge them by running my Honda 2000 and my 100watt Solar suitcase at the same time? Will that top them off more quickly?


Sent from my iPhone using Forest River Forums
__________________
2015 F350 Lariat Crewcab DPS SWD 4x4
2013 Sabre BKOK 31
andersen ultimate 5th wheel hitch
Renogy Solar Suitcase
Progressive Industries EMS
Sea Eagle 420 Tandem Inflatable Kayak
Jimsue is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-04-2016, 04:49 PM   #2
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Mar 2014
Location: Mountain Foothills of Southern Alberta
Posts: 1,973
Yes you can charge with the gennie while using the solar without a problem. Whether it will speed things up I'm not sure.
The charger controller may or may not think the battery is fully charged because of the gennie input and may stop putting amps into the battery while the gennie is running.
__________________

2007 Surveyor SV230
- 200 Watts Solar/MPPT Controller - 220 AH Battery Bank (Two-GC2) - 600 watt PSW Inverter - (2) 2000 watt Inverter Generators - LED Lighting
2009 F150 - 5.4 Litre with Tow Package

Boon Docking 99% of the time.
boondocking is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-04-2016, 07:03 PM   #3
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Jan 2015
Location: Englewood FL
Posts: 2,797
Yes you can, but it probably won't go any faster. One of the controllers will up its voltage and the other will probably think it is the battery and back off.
__________________

2015 335DS
ScottBrownstein is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-05-2016, 01:26 PM   #4
Senior Member
 
Jimsue's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2014
Location: Grand Rapids, Mi
Posts: 315
Makes sense to me. Thanks for the input!(no electrical pun intended)
🤓


Sent from my iPhone using Forest River Forums
__________________
2015 F350 Lariat Crewcab DPS SWD 4x4
2013 Sabre BKOK 31
andersen ultimate 5th wheel hitch
Renogy Solar Suitcase
Progressive Industries EMS
Sea Eagle 420 Tandem Inflatable Kayak
Jimsue is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-06-2016, 01:23 PM   #5
Member
 
Join Date: Mar 2016
Posts: 51
on my charge controler

I just add the 12 volt wires from the generator onto the input side of my charge controler where power from my panels inter the controler.
The charge controler then just sees the 12 volts as another input and pumps it into the batteries
NavigatorC130A is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-06-2016, 02:13 PM   #6
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Jan 2015
Location: Englewood FL
Posts: 2,797
Might work for you but it is not a good general policy. Depending on your panel installation and wiring as well as the type of charge controller that you have, it might be better to put the 12 volt output from your "generator" on the output side of the charge controller. Sure you could have 12 volt panels (they go up to 16 volts or more in good sunlight) in parallel, but others might have significantly higher panel voltages with MPPT controllers and multi panel series circuits where the input voltages can go much higher (30 volts and higher) that could hurt the other 12 volt, regulated source.
__________________

2015 335DS
ScottBrownstein is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-06-2016, 02:21 PM   #7
Senior Member
 
VinceU's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2011
Posts: 3,570
I was taught you should never parallel two different sources of power. If one control should fail, you could damage both. Feed them independently.
VinceU is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-06-2016, 03:22 PM   #8
Senior Member
 
Jimsue's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2014
Location: Grand Rapids, Mi
Posts: 315
Thanks for the suggestions, guys. Given my level of expertise(or lack thereof) it would probably be best for me to err on the side of caution and charge with one source at a time.


Sent from my iPhone using Forest River Forums
__________________
2015 F350 Lariat Crewcab DPS SWD 4x4
2013 Sabre BKOK 31
andersen ultimate 5th wheel hitch
Renogy Solar Suitcase
Progressive Industries EMS
Sea Eagle 420 Tandem Inflatable Kayak
Jimsue is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-06-2016, 03:34 PM   #9
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Jan 2015
Location: Englewood FL
Posts: 2,797
Sometimes knowing too much is a limitation. In an RV we all run a converter and sometimes the engine as well. That's two sources simultaneously, each taking care of itself. People with solar let their panels run when connected to shore power. Don't back away, you will be fine running more than one source, as long as they meet at the batteries!
__________________

2015 335DS
ScottBrownstein is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-07-2016, 08:57 AM   #10
Senior Member
 
Jimsue's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2014
Location: Grand Rapids, Mi
Posts: 315
That's a good point, Scott. I guess I just won't sweat it when I need to fire up my Honda to supplement my Solar Suitcase. Thanks for piinting that out...


Sent from my iPhone using Forest River Forums
__________________
2015 F350 Lariat Crewcab DPS SWD 4x4
2013 Sabre BKOK 31
andersen ultimate 5th wheel hitch
Renogy Solar Suitcase
Progressive Industries EMS
Sea Eagle 420 Tandem Inflatable Kayak
Jimsue is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply

Tags
generator, solar, solar panel

Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are Off


» Featured Campgrounds

Reviews provided by

Disclaimer:

This website is not affiliated with or endorsed by Forest River, Inc. or any of its affiliates. This is an independent, unofficial site.



All times are GMT -5. The time now is 06:29 AM.