When adding an alternate energy source..Solar...instructions show just one link to one battery. I am dealing with 2 batteries that connect through the battery switch (1), (2), or (Both). The batteries are not tied in parallel unless the (Both) switch is selected. How can i connect the charge control to both batteries without adding what would turn out to be a bridge (or another "both" switch) between the batteries. Do alternate energy users just connect to one battery and leave the battery switch to the "both" position at all times? Or just charge 1 battery when not using the boat, by leaving the switch in the "off" position. Sorry for the technical pain...
- Status
1-2-B OFF
Ken I assume you have two batteries so one is house and the other starting, or just switch daily between banks and use "today's" battery for starting. Either way, your goal is to never have them connected together, so that you always have one in reserve. You can either use your 1-2-B switch as the director of the solar charge, or consider a combiner or echo charger. Think of how your alternator or your shore power charger works. How does it do that on your boat? I put my alternator output to the #2 (house bank) on my 1-2-B switch, and added a combiner so that whenever charging is present the two batteries are combined. When charging is off, the batteries are separated. It's essentially a switch in this case a relay. Keeping the 1-2-B switch off when not on-board should be your design goal. I recommend that you check the West Marine Advisor's electrical section on line or in the WMP catalog -they explain your situation very well. Stu
Ken I assume you have two batteries so one is house and the other starting, or just switch daily between banks and use "today's" battery for starting. Either way, your goal is to never have them connected together, so that you always have one in reserve. You can either use your 1-2-B switch as the director of the solar charge, or consider a combiner or echo charger. Think of how your alternator or your shore power charger works. How does it do that on your boat? I put my alternator output to the #2 (house bank) on my 1-2-B switch, and added a combiner so that whenever charging is present the two batteries are combined. When charging is off, the batteries are separated. It's essentially a switch in this case a relay. Keeping the 1-2-B switch off when not on-board should be your design goal. I recommend that you check the West Marine Advisor's electrical section on line or in the WMP catalog -they explain your situation very well. Stu
soler panel charger
I have three solar panels that run thru a20 A Regulator that is on a #12awg wire with fuse to one of two rd4 gell battreys that is on the same bank(#2)My starting bank (#1)is aG31AGM and is charged by a battery isolator that runs off the ALT This works fine and both the gell and AGM charge at 14.1V when the moter is runing.This year I added a charging relay that turns on when it reads voltage above13.5 volts and keeps toping off batterys with solor power when my batterys are swiched off for the week.I feel that keeping the solar charger on a trickel charge all the time it will make the batterys last longer.I keep one panel on all winter to keep the charge up and there is no need to dig the batterys out and take them home. John
I have three solar panels that run thru a20 A Regulator that is on a #12awg wire with fuse to one of two rd4 gell battreys that is on the same bank(#2)My starting bank (#1)is aG31AGM and is charged by a battery isolator that runs off the ALT This works fine and both the gell and AGM charge at 14.1V when the moter is runing.This year I added a charging relay that turns on when it reads voltage above13.5 volts and keeps toping off batterys with solor power when my batterys are swiched off for the week.I feel that keeping the solar charger on a trickel charge all the time it will make the batterys last longer.I keep one panel on all winter to keep the charge up and there is no need to dig the batterys out and take them home. John
A combiner is what you want to use
You don't have to remember to switch it on or off, If something happens to one battery bank, it won't drain both banks.
You don't have to remember to switch it on or off, If something happens to one battery bank, it won't drain both banks.
Common
All good advice to date. The simplest (but not the most technically satisfying) solution is to connect the Positive Solar Output to the COMMON terminal on the 1-2-Both Battery Selector Switch. Whichever Battery (or combination) you select (with the batt. switch) gets the PV power. The Negative Solar output connects to the main negative bus. Gord
All good advice to date. The simplest (but not the most technically satisfying) solution is to connect the Positive Solar Output to the COMMON terminal on the 1-2-Both Battery Selector Switch. Whichever Battery (or combination) you select (with the batt. switch) gets the PV power. The Negative Solar output connects to the main negative bus. Gord
2 charge controllers out of the question?
Appreciate everyone's advice so far... looking into using a combiner. Not exactly sure how to wire it though. The West Marine Advisory page mentions possible alternator damage when the combiner feeds a charge and the engine is off. (I must have read that wrong). Is a charge controller still used with the combiner? Can someone direct me to an install schematic? Was thinking of one other option.. 2 charge controllers- with each panel feeding its own battery.... didnt think this was gonna be so difficult...
Appreciate everyone's advice so far... looking into using a combiner. Not exactly sure how to wire it though. The West Marine Advisory page mentions possible alternator damage when the combiner feeds a charge and the engine is off. (I must have read that wrong). Is a charge controller still used with the combiner? Can someone direct me to an install schematic? Was thinking of one other option.. 2 charge controllers- with each panel feeding its own battery.... didnt think this was gonna be so difficult...
closer look at the pv7d
Agree..the Flexcharge PV7D would do the trick.. but 2 80W panels would generate in excess of 9+A input..the pv7d only rated for 7A..the pv14 doesnt have the same 2 battery input feature...
Agree..the Flexcharge PV7D would do the trick.. but 2 80W panels would generate in excess of 9+A input..the pv7d only rated for 7A..the pv14 doesnt have the same 2 battery input feature...
Wiring #2
The controllers being mentioned limit the charging voltage from the solar panel to the batt bank. They don't answer your question about wiring. Gord's answer is one way to do it, though you'd have to leave your switch in a certain position, rather than off. It depends on how your boat was wired and what you want to do. The combiner issue seems to have been read wrong. The combiner does not make a charge, all it does as act as a switch to "combine" your batteries whenever there is a charge being sensed (above 12.8 volts in WMP's case). It disconnects the two banks whenever the charge stops. That's all. It is usually used in conjunction with a positive distribution post, meaning that all single points of charging (i.e., alternator output, solar, and even shorepower - using one output only even if it's a multiple output shorepower charger) are brought to this one point which usually serves the house bank. Then, the combiner is wired in to charge the second starting battery bank. Suggest you read Calder's Boatowner's Manual for Elect and Mech. He explains it very well. If you don't want to spend the $50 for the book (and you should anyway), just hang out and read it in a WM or other store near you!
You could also do a Forum Archive search here on combiners, echo chargers and duo chargers - a new product from Balmar. Stu
The controllers being mentioned limit the charging voltage from the solar panel to the batt bank. They don't answer your question about wiring. Gord's answer is one way to do it, though you'd have to leave your switch in a certain position, rather than off. It depends on how your boat was wired and what you want to do. The combiner issue seems to have been read wrong. The combiner does not make a charge, all it does as act as a switch to "combine" your batteries whenever there is a charge being sensed (above 12.8 volts in WMP's case). It disconnects the two banks whenever the charge stops. That's all. It is usually used in conjunction with a positive distribution post, meaning that all single points of charging (i.e., alternator output, solar, and even shorepower - using one output only even if it's a multiple output shorepower charger) are brought to this one point which usually serves the house bank. Then, the combiner is wired in to charge the second starting battery bank. Suggest you read Calder's Boatowner's Manual for Elect and Mech. He explains it very well. If you don't want to spend the $50 for the book (and you should anyway), just hang out and read it in a WM or other store near you!
You could also do a Forum Archive search here on combiners, echo chargers and duo chargers - a new product from Balmar. StuBattery Isolator
Any decent automotive store can sell you a battery isolator. These have been used for years in trucks which use two batteries and one charge source. The isolator senses when a battery needs charged and will charge both independently.The negative from your solar panel runs to both batteries and the positive connects to the isolator +. The isolator has two output posts which are connected to the + for battery one and + for battery two. They are isolated from one another and won't discharge thru the isolator. For the supply side simply either connect both batteries thru a 1-2 battery switch or keep them seperated, one for motor and the other for electronics. Good Luck
Any decent automotive store can sell you a battery isolator. These have been used for years in trucks which use two batteries and one charge source. The isolator senses when a battery needs charged and will charge both independently.The negative from your solar panel runs to both batteries and the positive connects to the isolator +. The isolator has two output posts which are connected to the + for battery one and + for battery two. They are isolated from one another and won't discharge thru the isolator. For the supply side simply either connect both batteries thru a 1-2 battery switch or keep them seperated, one for motor and the other for electronics. Good Luck
- Status