Solar setup???

[Toothpick]

Ok I've read all the posts till I'm blue in the face and thoroughly confused.

I have my TH in the boonys at the hunt club.

I currently have 2 group 24 battery's that I would like to keep charged up throughout the week. These new fridges still use current even when using gas and are almost killing my battery's.

I would also like to upgrade to more power later.

What should I do?

Mel

[mud yapster]

Well you could mount 2) 100 watt Renogy solar panels on the roof with a charge controller. That will keep them charged just keep up with the battery water maintenance. Need sun though.

[Toothpick]

Go ahead and get a mppt controller for later expansion or just get a cheap pwm?

[mud yapster]

Oh I got my Renogy panels/kit off eBay.
Renogy panels are nice and efficient monocrystillin panels.
Or www.regony.com they have free ship also.

[mud yapster]

Also convert interior and exterior lights to LED lights get the biggest that will fit for brightness. They draw very little power.

[boondocking]

This 200 watt kit would work good for you.

200 Watt 12 Volt Monocrystalline Solar Starter Kit | Renogy Solar

[mud yapster]

There having a sale check it out.

Having

*Black Friday Promotion valid only at renogy-store.com from 11/27/15-11/29/15 on select merchandise while supplies last. Offer is not applicable to prior purchases and cannot be combined with any other discounts.

*Cyber Monday Promotion valid only at renogy-store.com on 11/30/15 on select merchandise while supplies last. Promotion for Off-Grid Kits excludes Cabin Kits and Suitcases. Offer is not applicable to prior purchases and cannot be combined with any other discounts.

Free standard shipping on purchases and returns for most items. Taxes may apply to some orders. For a small percentage of items, such as oversized items, or shipments outside of the United States, delivery and processing charges may apply. Please click here to see the complete delivery, shipping, and return and exchange details, including cost and delivery time.

[Toothpick]

I ordered the 100w starter kit today and saved 30 bucks!

Originally Posted by mud yapster

There having a sale check it out.

Having

*Black Friday Promotion valid only at renogy-store.com from 11/27/15-11/29/15 on select merchandise while supplies last. Offer is not applicable to prior purchases and cannot be combined with any other discounts.

*Cyber Monday Promotion valid only at renogy-store.com on 11/30/15 on select merchandise while supplies last. Promotion for Off-Grid Kits excludes Cabin Kits and Suitcases. Offer is not applicable to prior purchases and cannot be combined with any other discounts.

Free standard shipping on purchases and returns for most items. Taxes may apply to some orders. For a small percentage of items, such as oversized items, or shipments outside of the United States, delivery and processing charges may apply. Please click here to see the complete delivery, shipping, and return and exchange details, including cost and delivery time.

[Toothpick]

Also what do you need when connecting to a generator or to shore power?

Do you need to disconnect the charge controller from the batterys?

Mel

[WolfWhistle]

I assume that your TH has a converter multi-stage charger. Frankly, those chargers don't charge the batteries fully, which can be part of the problem with batteries running down. I suggest a dedicated 115V charger; something around 50 amps or more. IOTA makes such a charger. Then disconnect your converters charger. You should have only one charger at a time. I would simply switch off the solar charger on shore power, but would plan to get a good charger. I would also suggest getting a hydrometer so you will know when the batteries are fully charged and a Trimetric battery monitor is highly recommended.
WW

[WolfWhistle]

I also meant to mention; the panel needs to be tilted 30 degrees and properly oriented towards the sun. Also make sure no shadow falls on a panel element... not even one. And, that you are in full sun. A panel laying flat in full sun puts out about 30% less than one tilted.
WW

[Toothpick]

What i'm really asking is can I connect both the trailer shore power/converter and the solar controller directly to my battery bank without any cutoff or shunt?

Mel

[A32Deuce]

The set up I have, Yes.

[WolfWhistle]

Originally Posted by mele

What i'm really asking is can I connect both the trailer shore power/converter and the solar controller directly to my battery bank without any cutoff or shunt?

Mel

Like I said, " You should have only one charger at a time." in post #10 above.

From what I know (46 years in electronic field, but still learning) you should not have more than one charger connected to a battery (or batteries) at the same time. Will it explode, no; I wouldn't think. But, these smart chargers are making charging decisions based on the voltage they are seeing and one charger is going to affect the other as it tries to do its job; you more than likely will not have properly charged batteries as the result.

So, if I were you I would simply switch off the solar controller / charger while on shore power.

WW

[Toothpick]

I currently have a battery cutoff switch installed that came with the TT.

I wonder if I could use a multi battery marine switch and "reverse" wire it.
Have the batteries on the common pole have shore power on bat1 and solar on bat2????

Humm..........

Originally Posted by WolfWhistle

Like I said, " You should have only one charger at a time." in post #10 above.

From what I know (46 years in electronic field, but still learning) you should not have more than one charger connected to a battery (or batteries) at the same time. Will it explode, no; I wouldn't think. But, these smart chargers are making charging decisions based on the voltage they are seeing and one charger is going to affect the other as it tries to do its job; you more than likely will not have properly charged batteries as the result.

So, if I were you I would simply switch off the solar controller / charger while on shore power.

WW

[WolfWhistle]

Originally Posted by mele

I currently have a battery cutoff switch installed that came with the TT.

I wonder if I could use a multi battery marine switch and "reverse" wire it.
Have the batteries on the common pole have shore power on bat1 and solar on bat2????

Humm..........

I'm thinking and it hurts! You could use a marine switch like you suggested, but seems like overkill, since the solar charger has a power switch or button. Why not just throw the cutoff switch and separate them that way. Of course, everything 12vdc will be on the converter only?
WW

[Toothpick]

Yes it probably is overkill. And come to think of it I would not want power from the solar panels going to the controller without it hooked to the batteries.....

[boondocking]

Originally Posted by mele

What i'm really asking is can I connect both the trailer shore power/converter and the solar controller directly to my battery bank without any cutoff or shunt?

Mel

I have never heard of anyone ever disconnecting their solar charge controller when plugged into shore power.

[A32Deuce]

With the correct solar controller, there is not a problem between the two. When I am on shore power, controller only shows about .1-.3 amps from panels. No shore power and a load on bats, over 13.0 amps. Have not had a single problem. Since I am using expensive AGM bats. I did change out the converter that came with the RV with a much better 4 stage converter. I had to because original went bad and fried the bats. that came with RV.

[Toothpick]

Ok.... Now if I want to upgrade will a 20 amp mppt controller be large enough for 4 100 watt panels in a series-parallel?