Thor Forums

[jpmihalk]

In general, yes. Solar installs typically use a charge controller to manage the current being sent from the panels to the batteries and is hooked directly to the batteries. The current is managed based on the state of battery charge - the controller senses the voltage and places the charge into whatever phase is required for charging the batteries.

So, if your alternator is charging your batteries, the solar controller may sense that the batteries are already at a high state of charge and just go into float mode. Conversely, if you are at a campground and getting ready to leave, unhooking from shore power or turning off the generator (which should be charging the batteries as well) may have the batteries start to use 12V and use some capacity, which would in turn trigger the charge controller to "pump up the volume" and begin the charging cycle.

In short, yes, they are independent systems but they all work together to keep your batteries charged in different circumstances. Don't think of solar as a power system however... it is a charging system only for your batteries. Nothing will run directly off of the solar panels themselves.