I am in the process of installing 2 80w Kyocera solar panels onto my dinghy davits system. The question pertains to the wiring. The manufacturer recommends a hook-up directly to the batteries. I thought i could cheat and avoid some of the difficult wire snaking by tapping into the a/c battery charger connection terminals. The charger is conveniently located aft and has wires coming directly from the battery bank. The question simply is..can i do this? If i used the a/c charger- (which i basically never do), will it blow my solar charge controller? Can the battery switch be in the "off" position when i am charging? Would the 20A in-line fuse protect the solar chger system, or should i install an isolator switch in case i use the A/C charger? I really don't see what the difference would be- since all connections lead to the same place... the batteries... any advice would be welcome..
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I'd call Kyocera and pitch your...
...idea to then. They would give you a definitive answer, I'm sure, but if you just want an opinion you'll certainly find it here. Sometimes warranties are nullified by improper installation. What's the big deal about running a few feet of wire up to the battery?
...idea to then. They would give you a definitive answer, I'm sure, but if you just want an opinion you'll certainly find it here. Sometimes warranties are nullified by improper installation. What's the big deal about running a few feet of wire up to the battery?
- Jan 22, 2008
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most solar chargers
most solar chargers have a reverse current diode that would prevent damage to the panel while ac charging. Check your specs or with the manufacturer. There should be no fuses between your battery, ac charger and solar panel, so that aspect of your question, I think is moot.
most solar chargers have a reverse current diode that would prevent damage to the panel while ac charging. Check your specs or with the manufacturer. There should be no fuses between your battery, ac charger and solar panel, so that aspect of your question, I think is moot.
What will your charger see...and do?
As I understand your idea, your charger will see battery voltage on some occasions but panel voltage (17+V?) at other times. Depending on your charger and how much logic is built into it, it's performance is going to vary significantly re: maintaining your batteries...and isn't it there for that reason? OTOH trying to remedy conflicts by adding breakers, switches et al. is classified under the Electrical Truism: 'No good deed goes unpunished'. The more complicated you devise a circuit or system, the more opportunities for problems. I'd definitely run the wires, despite the fact that running a wire is one of my most distasteful tasks. Jack
As I understand your idea, your charger will see battery voltage on some occasions but panel voltage (17+V?) at other times. Depending on your charger and how much logic is built into it, it's performance is going to vary significantly re: maintaining your batteries...and isn't it there for that reason? OTOH trying to remedy conflicts by adding breakers, switches et al. is classified under the Electrical Truism: 'No good deed goes unpunished'. The more complicated you devise a circuit or system, the more opportunities for problems. I'd definitely run the wires, despite the fact that running a wire is one of my most distasteful tasks. Jack
solar hook up
I have a hart 1000w Inverter/Charger and there are 2 wires I think they are #02 but they are very thick and what I think happens is with the solor panels on In the sun I read 14.1 volts on my digitial meter. my charger will turn on but the batterys are reading as if I was on full charge and go down to float charge 3.8 v and stay on trickel when my frig kicks on on a sunny day and runs for a long time my Volts drop to 13.5 or so and the charger puts out more power.But the Regulator for the solar pannels also will go up from float charge to 14.1 volts so they will both work.But the amps from the charger will be higher .Im not sure what would happen in this case.I think If there is a small draw of power the solor charger would go up first.If there is heavy draw the charger would also turn up the volts and amps At night the charger would work the same way.I dont think anything would blow up. I would hook the solar panel to the battery so you get a better reading to your charger,If you have a old charger or a auto type charger It wount matter becouse they just put out a straight charge of 14.4 volts. I have 500 amphr Battery and they are always charged full up My alt dosnt even run much.My alt kicks on when the boat starts and run for 5 min then I dont here it kick on for about 1/2 hr or longer. The solor panels put out the power to run the boat when its sunny. I have 2Kyoc 70 watt and 2 32watt flex panels on the boom.I cruise on my boat for 4 or 5 days at a time and every thing is frosen in the frig with ice so the frig dose not run much eather Im not sure how much power the frig would suck up starting from a warm temp but I have no power problems. John
I have a hart 1000w Inverter/Charger and there are 2 wires I think they are #02 but they are very thick and what I think happens is with the solor panels on In the sun I read 14.1 volts on my digitial meter. my charger will turn on but the batterys are reading as if I was on full charge and go down to float charge 3.8 v and stay on trickel when my frig kicks on on a sunny day and runs for a long time my Volts drop to 13.5 or so and the charger puts out more power.But the Regulator for the solar pannels also will go up from float charge to 14.1 volts so they will both work.But the amps from the charger will be higher .Im not sure what would happen in this case.I think If there is a small draw of power the solor charger would go up first.If there is heavy draw the charger would also turn up the volts and amps At night the charger would work the same way.I dont think anything would blow up. I would hook the solar panel to the battery so you get a better reading to your charger,If you have a old charger or a auto type charger It wount matter becouse they just put out a straight charge of 14.4 volts. I have 500 amphr Battery and they are always charged full up My alt dosnt even run much.My alt kicks on when the boat starts and run for 5 min then I dont here it kick on for about 1/2 hr or longer. The solor panels put out the power to run the boat when its sunny. I have 2Kyoc 70 watt and 2 32watt flex panels on the boom.I cruise on my boat for 4 or 5 days at a time and every thing is frosen in the frig with ice so the frig dose not run much eather Im not sure how much power the frig would suck up starting from a warm temp but I have no power problems. John
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