Hi everyone
My name is Alan and i have a Talbot motorhome for which i have just bought a 150w solar panel to go on the roof.
I have made some changes to the basic power layout of the MH, there are now two power sources, the campsite hook up and a 4000w peak/2000w cont. invertor connected to a 140amph battery.
Camsite power in self explantory......
The MH is parked on the other side of the street as i have no other choice, as a result getting mains power to it requires a mains lead strung out across the road, not safe and quite frankly a pain. I have bought the invertor so that i can use AC to bring out the hoover, use the odd power tools and check my onboard PC network etc...
Obviously the use of this drains the battery and it only makes about three or four trips a year, bring in the solar panel..... i am going to mount this on the roof and have some questions....
1) The panel controller has connections to the SOLAR PANEL, BATTERY & LOAD. It was my intention just to connect the controller to the panel and battery to charge or keep charged the battery and leave the MH's 12v system connected directly to the battery thus not using the LOAD connections. Is this ok? or does the whole 12v system need to go through the controller?
2) The battery can be charged when either the motorhome is running or the campsite mains is connected. Do i need to disconnect the Solar Panel from the battery if it is getting charged from another source?
3) Can the Solar Panel be left connectted the entire time? Right now i am doing a lot of work in there but it can go weeks or even months without use, will it just manage itself or should i disconnect it if i think a long time between usage is taking place?
Sorry for the bombardment of questions but i wanted to grasp the details before i mount it and wire it.
I bought this solar panel kit:
Attached is a jpeg of my current setup thats working and the solar panel as intent to install it. (im no elctrician so no laughing....)
I'd appriciate any advice anyone can give
Cheers
Alan
My name is Alan and i have a Talbot motorhome for which i have just bought a 150w solar panel to go on the roof.
I have made some changes to the basic power layout of the MH, there are now two power sources, the campsite hook up and a 4000w peak/2000w cont. invertor connected to a 140amph battery.
Camsite power in self explantory......
The MH is parked on the other side of the street as i have no other choice, as a result getting mains power to it requires a mains lead strung out across the road, not safe and quite frankly a pain. I have bought the invertor so that i can use AC to bring out the hoover, use the odd power tools and check my onboard PC network etc...
Obviously the use of this drains the battery and it only makes about three or four trips a year, bring in the solar panel..... i am going to mount this on the roof and have some questions....
1) The panel controller has connections to the SOLAR PANEL, BATTERY & LOAD. It was my intention just to connect the controller to the panel and battery to charge or keep charged the battery and leave the MH's 12v system connected directly to the battery thus not using the LOAD connections. Is this ok? or does the whole 12v system need to go through the controller?
2) The battery can be charged when either the motorhome is running or the campsite mains is connected. Do i need to disconnect the Solar Panel from the battery if it is getting charged from another source?
3) Can the Solar Panel be left connectted the entire time? Right now i am doing a lot of work in there but it can go weeks or even months without use, will it just manage itself or should i disconnect it if i think a long time between usage is taking place?
Sorry for the bombardment of questions but i wanted to grasp the details before i mount it and wire it.
I bought this solar panel kit:
Attached is a jpeg of my current setup thats working and the solar panel as intent to install it. (im no elctrician so no laughing....)
I'd appriciate any advice anyone can give
Cheers
Alan
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