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Hello all, I'm new here and new to solar. I am trying to hook up two cabins about 10 yards apart. I've had this ( http://astore.amazon.com/r-podmod-20/detail/B00JML23X0 ) system hooked up to a ( http://www.homedepot.com/p/Basement-...140S/100054931 ) in one cabin since about July 2016. I have several USB ports, 12 V plugs and an inverter(on only a few hours each night) to run a LED and DVD player. Can I hook up two or three panels to two controllers to charge two different batteries?. I want to use a Deep cycle Marine battery I have for my other cabin.In other words I'm hoping to charge both batteries from all the panels at the same time, using diff. charge controllers, not destroy a battery, but still run the power from both batteries to either/both cabins at any given time. (this is my second panel, not yet installed-- http://www.homedepot.com/p/Grape-Sol...100W/204211365 ) Thank you in advance for any advice. I'll try to get some photo's of the single cabin system when I'm up there tomorrow.
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Hello savedme and welcome to Solar Panel Talk.
I don't believe hooking up multiple panels to multiple charge controllers to multiple batteries will work. You will probably see each battery fighting to get enough to charge which would confuse the charge controllers.
It is probably better to have a set of panels dedicated to a single CC and battery system which is balanced. What I mean is that the panels & CC need to provide charging amps that is about 1/10th the Ah rating of the battery system. The battery needs to be a deep cycle type which can handle daily charges/discharges.
That Home depot panels can provide about 5.5 amps so the battery system should really be around 50Ah to 60Ah for each 100W panel used.
The same can be said for the other 100W panel which is currently connected to a standby battery. That battery will probably not last very long since it really isn't a deep cycle type. -
Thank you SunEagle, Understood. I'm hoping that standby battery will get me another year. Either cabin is only used two days a week at the most right now. So I'm hoping the CC keeps them safely topped off most days. If I can be so bold as to ask another question. If I connect each 100 watt panel to it's own CC then it's own battery, is there a way to use the charge from both batteries on the back side? I can't think of a way myself but again, I'm just getting started
thank you in advance for any advice.
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Unfortunately when dealing with electrical circuits if you connect both batteries to the same "load" you now have a single system which may cause a battle between the 2 charging systems to keep the battery happy. The biggest problem would be the unequal discharging/charging of the battery system.
If you need more power then my suggestion would be to build a bigger solar/battery system for the larger load or use a small inverter type generator to handle that larger load. The last thing you want to do is abuse your batteries.Comment
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Thank you again SunEagle. I will keep the systems separate. I will plan on building a proper complete, larger system with everything matched when I get more funds.Comment
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You are welcome. I understand that money can be tight (been there myself).
Just keep asking questions and learning as much as possible so that you can make good decisions on how you spend your cash.Comment
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