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Topic: house batteries using water with solar charger (Read 3 times) previous topic - next topic
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house batteries using water with solar charger
Yahoo Message Number: 86370
Hello,

I have a solar panel with a 2003 Heliotrope rv30se controller. The solar charger applies 14.2+ volts for hours during the day. This voltage causes the batteries to use quite a bit of water. Since I am connected to shorepower fulltime, can I pull the 10A solar panel fuse without harming anything? With the fuse pulled, the batteries only see converter voltage. Interestingly, the voltage display on the solar controller jumps around up to 15+ volts with the fuse removed.

Larry
2013 31' IB
Re: house batteries using water with solar charger
Reply #1 –
Yahoo Message Number: 86373
Yes, if you are connected to shore power full time, you SHOULD disconnect the solar from the batteries. 14.2 V will boil off the water fairly quickly.  No harm will come from pulling the fuse.

My guess is the high reading on the panel is because that meter is reading the output voltage of the solar system while disconnected from the battery (in other words, useless information).  This would be normal and no worry.

You should get a separate digital meter and measure the battery voltage with the solar panel disconnected. If it is 13.2 or less, the batteries will consume almost no water.

-Dave '06 MB, Indianapolis
Re: house batteries using water with solar charger
Reply #2 –
Yahoo Message Number: 86380
Larry,
 Get a digital multi-meter, they don't cost much, and check the voltage at the battery terminals to see what's really happening. I suspect the problem is more your converter than your solar system.
 Generally speaking, the voltage display on a solar charge controller will be fairly accurate, within a tenth of a volt or two. Depending on temperature, 14.2 is high for "floating" or maintaining a battery bank, but I think it would take awhile to "boil off" water at this voltage. Now, if you're plugged into shore power a lot, and have the stock converter that came with your LD . . . then that will boil off water much faster.

bumper
bumper
"Yonder" '05 MB
"WLDBLU" glider trailer
 
Re: house batteries using water with solar charger
Reply #3 –
Yahoo Message Number: 86483
Quote
Larry,

Get a digital multi-meter, they don't cost much, and check the
voltage at the battery terminals to see what's really happening. I suspect the problem is more your converter than your solar system.

Quote
Generally speaking, the voltage display on a solar charge
controller will be fairly accurate, within a tenth of a volt or two.
Depending on temperature, 14.2 is high for "floating" or maintaining a battery bank, but I think it would take awhile to "boil off" water at this voltage. Now, if you're plugged into shore power a lot, and have the stock converter that came with your LD . . . then that will boil off water much faster.

Quote
bumper
Thanks for the reply. I get 13.8v at the house batteries with the solar panel fuse removed which is typically what my original equipment LD converter provides. I will now see how water usage changes.  Before I pulled the fuse, I was adding water once a week to at least one cell. This is my second controller; the original LD controller was providing 15+ volts during the day and was really causing battery water loss.

Larry

Quote

 From: mchlfnd
 To: lifewithalazydazerv@yahoogroups.com
 Sent: Monday, November 26, 2007 9:58 PM
 Subject: [LD] house batteries using water with solar charger

Hello,

I have a solar panel with a 2003 Heliotrope rv30se controller.
The  solar charger applies 14.2+ volts for hours during the day. This voltage causes the batteries to use quite a bit of water. Since
I am
 
Quote
  connected to shorepower fulltime, can I pull the 10A solar panel fuse  without harming anything? With the fuse pulled, the batteries
only see
 
Quote
  converter voltage. Interestingly, the voltage display on the solar  controller jumps around up to 15+ volts with the fuse removed.

Larry

[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
2013 31' IB