Solar during winter storage?

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  • PNW_Steve
    Solar Fanatic
    • Aug 2014
    • 433
    #1

    Solar during winter storage?

    Hey Everyone,

    Since I have gotten behind in my progress on my new rig I decided to add solar to the old one. I put a single 300watt panel on the roof, a Renogy Rover 40A charge controller and two GC2's in series.

    it has worked great for me. Generator run time is greatly reduced.

    Now that I am considering storing it for the winter I am contemplating whether to pull the batteries an store them in the garage with a maintainer as I have in the past or just leave it be. Right now it is sitting on float and I don't see any reason to fool with it.

    We have freezing weather in the winter. Occasionaly getting down to single digits. I mostly keep it above freezing in the garage.

    Can you all see any reason not to leave it running as it is?
    Last edited by PNW_Steve; 09-11-2019, 02:02 PM.
    Tags: None
    • Mike90250
      Moderator
      • May 2009
      • 16020
      #2
      Do you get snow that will obscure the panel for more than a week at a time ?
      Powerfab top of pole PV mount (2) | Listeroid 6/1 w/st5 gen head | XW6048 inverter/chgr | Iota 48V/15A charger | Morningstar 60A MPPT | 48V, 800A NiFe Battery (in series)| 15, Evergreen 205w "12V" PV array on pole | Midnight ePanel | Grundfos 10 SO5-9 with 3 wire Franklin Electric motor (1/2hp 240V 1ph ) on a timer for 3 hr noontime run - Runs off PV ||
      || Midnight Classic 200 | 10, Evergreen 200w in a 160VOC array ||
      || VEC1093 12V Charger | Maha C401 aa/aaa Charger | SureSine | Sunsaver MPPT 15A

      solar: http://tinyurl.com/LMR-Solar
      gen: http://tinyurl.com/LMR-Lister

        Comment

        • PNW_Steve
          Solar Fanatic
          • Aug 2014
          • 433
          #3
          Originally posted by Mike90250
          Do you get snow that will obscure the panel for more than a week at a time ?
          Not very often. Maybe every couple of years.

          There is no load on the batteries when stored.

            Comment

            • robincooper
              Junior Member
              • Sep 2019
              • 1
              #4
              In winter period I just try clean the snow near panel and on it. In the coldest times night temperature is about -25. I have bought my panel 2 years ago.

                Comment

                • ewarnerusa
                  Solar Fanatic
                  • Apr 2016
                  • 139
                  #5
                  If you don't get snow I would just leave it all winter. If your controller is programmable you might consider tinkering with the charge settings to make them more storage-specific but I won't claim to know what that would be. But as mentioned, once they get covered in snow they become useless. I personally just leave mine and remove the fuses to my camper's 12V parasitic draws (propane detector mainly). But I've also been guilty of forgetting to do that and I killed my batteries last year. They were 6 years old though and I figured they had provided me with a good useful life anyway.
                  I'm an RV camper with 470 watts of solar

                    Comment

                    • Suprasoup
                      Member
                      • Oct 2017
                      • 78
                      #6
                      When I store my Trailer for the Off-season( I use mine more in the winter) I disconnect all loads to the battery, fully charge the battery and then set bulk=absorb=float on (13.6v-13.8v for my batteries) my charge controller. My Trailer has L16s so I find a monthly bulk charge to 14.8v to stir up the electrolyte beneficial.

                        Comment

                        • PNW_Steve
                          Solar Fanatic
                          • Aug 2014
                          • 433
                          #7
                          My float is set at 13.8 volts and equalize every 28 days.

                          I disconnect all loads when stored.

                          As far as I can see it should be fine but you all are better versed than I am and I don't want to overlook anything.

                          Thanks.

                          S.

                            Comment

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