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Old 07-16-2017, 01:49 AM   #1
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Nature power 22W solar panel with 8amp controller

I just got the 22 W solar panel with 8amp controller mounted on my roof. This may have already been answered but I can't find it anywhere on the forms.

The question is can I leave the solar panel connected to my two house batteries for a week or two at a time while stored outside or should I take them off?

The batteries I have are still new I just want to use the solar panel to maintain them but don't know if I should leave them on or not during the day if they're already charged. In addition, the battery disconnect for storage is activated. Thoughts? Thanks.

Joe

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Old 07-16-2017, 02:26 AM   #2
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I think it depends on your controller and power management system. If you are putting the switch on disconnect (which you should if your coach is just going to sit there for two weeks) you don't really need solar to do anything, do you have a switch to disconnect solar?
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Old 07-16-2017, 03:11 AM   #3
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I think it depends on your controller and power management system. If you are putting the switch on disconnect (which you should if your coach is just going to sit there for two weeks) you don't really need solar to do anything, do you have a switch to disconnect solar?


Djcarter, no there is no switch for disconnect just a 8 amp controller to protect the battery from overcharging and high voltage surges, also protects battery from discharging with a built in blocking diode. It also has an automatic cut in and cut out maintenance free operation. No Disconnect switch though. it only has LED light indicators that show battery charged or battery charging...I just need take off the clamps.

Yes...the switch is on disconnect, the batteries are disconnected.
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Old 07-16-2017, 12:55 PM   #4
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Sounds like you have the solar charger and batteries isolted from the coach (disconnect switch) - so you are relying on the solar controller to properly charge (and not overcharge) your batteries.

That is what is supposed to do... Whether you trust it or not is up to you. I have no experience with Nature Power gear - so can't comment on its reliability.
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Old 07-16-2017, 02:06 PM   #5
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I think it depends on your controller and power management system. If you are putting the switch on disconnect (which you should if your coach is just going to sit there for two weeks) you don't really need solar to do anything, do you have a switch to disconnect solar?
You would think that putting your USE/STORE switch in STORE would work that way, but as many have found out, it does not; there are still loads on the house batteries that will kill them in storage.

Using the SOLAR to maintain their state of charge is a good way to go. Sounds like if the controller works the way it is advertised there should be no problem "overcharging" the batteries, but at 22 watt, my concern would be, "is it enough?"
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Old 07-16-2017, 03:25 PM   #6
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Sounds like you have the solar charger and batteries isolted from the coach (disconnect switch) - so you are relying on the solar controller to properly charge (and not overcharge) your batteries.

That is what is supposed to do... Whether you trust it or not is up to you. I have no experience with Nature Power gear - so can't comment on its reliability.


GMC, my thoughts exactly, since I have a controller it should regulate and not overcharge the batteries. Also I read that the charge controller is meant to be permanently connected to the battery and the solar panel even when you are drawing power from the battery. But the guy at camping world who installed it said disconnect the solar panel from the batteries once they're charged because it will overcook the batteries...but that contradicts what the manual and instructions say. Thats reason why I'm confused on what to do.

Besides he looked kind of shaky on what he was talking about when he did the demo on how it worked. He connected the solar panel to one battery just to the positive and negative posts...but I have two house batteries parallel set up and he didn't connect to the second one....stating that they way it was would charge both...

Correct me if I'm wrong but he shouldn't he have connected the clamps to the furthest negative and positive posts of the two batteries to charge both???
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Old 07-16-2017, 03:31 PM   #7
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You would think that putting your USE/STORE switch in STORE would work that way, but as many have found out, it does not; there are still loads on the house batteries that will kill them in storage.

Using the SOLAR to maintain their state of charge is a good way to go. Sounds like if the controller works the way it is advertised there should be no problem "overcharging" the batteries, but at 22 watt, my concern would be, "is it enough?"

Tfryman, That's a good question, I have two batteries. I specifically asked the service people at camping world what would be a good set up to charge two house batteries without being too expensive and gave me this one.... I think I need to call the manufacture and may need to get another solar panel?
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Old 07-16-2017, 04:45 PM   #8
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Tfryman, That's a good question, I have two batteries. I specifically asked the service people at camping world what would be a good set up to charge two house batteries without being too expensive and gave me this one.... I think I need to call the manufacture and may need to get another solar panel?
Connecting to a single battery is fine as the batteries are in parallel so both will be charged simultaneously.

It isn't how many batteries you have for what you are trying to do, it is how much energy is being pulled from the batteries each day by the still connected loads vs the amount of energy put back into the batteries on an average day. 22 watts is less than 2 amps charging ability, barely over a trickle charger. But that is peak sunshine and you can only charge during sunlight hours. So for WAG math, you could only draw less than 1 amp average from the batteries in storage in order for the solar panel to keep up.
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Old 07-16-2017, 04:56 PM   #9
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Connecting to a single battery is fine as the batteries are in parallel so both will be charged simultaneously.

It isn't how many batteries you have for what you are trying to do, it is how much energy is being pulled from the batteries each day by the still connected loads vs the amount of energy put back into the batteries on an average day. 22 watts is less than 2 amps charging ability, barely over a trickle charger. But that is peak sunshine and you can only charge during sunlight hours. So for WAG math, you could only draw less than 1 amp average from the batteries in storage in order for the solar panel to keep up.


Tfryman, thanks for the info, looks as if I need to get another panel not just for storage but for dry camping as well for the added charge and topping off.
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Old 07-16-2017, 05:28 PM   #10
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Has anyone metered the batteries draw during "in store?" I have two house batteries in my 31S and am considering a solar panel for those weeks/months in storage. Solar use while weeks boondocking is another question. Of course, it would depend on the use of a.c., microwave and so on.
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Old 07-16-2017, 05:37 PM   #11
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Has anyone metered the batteries draw during "in store?" I have two house batteries in my 31S and am considering a solar panel for those weeks/months in storage. Solar use while weeks boondocking is another question. Of course, it would depend on the use of a.c., microwave and so on.


HighMobious, I saw a couple of videos on YouTube about dry camping using 100 and above watt solar panel's. According to the Videos 100w and above are good for what you're talking about and keeping the batteries topped off..but my little measly 22 W isn't powerd for that. Now I wish I had gotten a bigger solar panel from the start.
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