Can someone help me?

System
System Posts: 2,511 admin
in Solar Beginners Corner #1
I have a truck camper and want to install solar power. I have 2 Blue top Gell batteries in the camper already. I want to use a 135 watt panel. What controller / charger will work with the Gell batteries?
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  • AntronX
    AntronX Solar Expert Posts: 462 ✭✭
    #2
    Re: Can someone help me?

    Optima Blue Top batteries? Those are not gel, those are AGM. Morningstar SS-20L 20 Amp PWM controller has sealed battery option that is appropriate for your battery type. Datasheet and manual here.
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  • System2
    System2 Posts: 6,290 admin
    #3
    Re: Can someone help me?

    Thanks for the help.
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  • System2
    System2 Posts: 6,290 admin
    #4
    Re: Can someone help me?

    Whould this work better. Blue Sky SB2512i MPPT Solar Charge Controller 12 Volt, 25 Amp
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  • dwh
    dwh Solar Expert Posts: 1,341 ✭✭✭
    #5
    Re: Can someone help me?

    MPPT isn't going to gain you much with just a single 135w panel.

    I'd go with the SunSaver Duo. It can charge the house batteries, and the keep the engine battery topped off, and it comes with a remote display.

    http://store.solar-electric.com/modubachco25.html
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  • BB.
    BB. Super Moderators, Administrators Posts: 33,641 admin
    #6
    Re: Can someone help me?

    I would too suggest a second panel instead of "investing" in an MPPT controller for a small system like that.

    -Bill
    Near San Francisco California: 3.5kWatt Grid Tied Solar power system+small backup genset
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  • System2
    System2 Posts: 6,290 admin
    #7
    Re: Can someone help me?

    I would like to not have the truck battery connected to the camper batteries. Have the solar charge the camper when driving and parked. Whould that work? And shore power as needed.
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  • dwh
    dwh Solar Expert Posts: 1,341 ✭✭✭
    #8
    Re: Can someone help me?
    Phil wrote: »
    I would like to not have the truck battery connected to the camper batteries. Have the solar charge the camper when driving and parked. Whould that work? And shore power as needed.

    The SunSaver Duo doesn't connect the two - it just has two outputs to keep both charged. You can split the priority as well, so that the engine battery doesn't get anything until the house battery is 90% charged. Or vice versa. Or 50/50 instead of 90/10.

    Yes, you can certainly keep them separate and you can use a converter/charger to charge them from shore power.

    My camper doesn't have solar (yet). The house battery is charged by a "split-charge relay" - or a battery charger that runs from shore power or my generator.

    The split-charge relay is like what is shown in the link below but without the little brain box. Mine is wired like the first wiring diagram, except that instead of an over-ride switch, it's wired so that the relay is energized by the alternator output - so that the batteries aren't tied unless the engine is running (the house battery can't drain the engine battery):

    http://www.powerstream.com/battery-isolator.htm

    I might add an over-ride switch at some point. The purpose for the over-ride switch is to tie them together to jump-start the vehicle if the engine battery is low. Since both my engine and house batteries are under the hood, if I need to do that I can just use jumper cables (and I had to when I left the headlights on one night).
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  • System2
    System2 Posts: 6,290 admin
    #9
    Re: Can someone help me?
    dwh wrote: »
    MPPT isn't going to gain you much with just a single 135w panel.

    I'd go with the SunSaver Duo. It can charge the house batteries, and the keep the engine battery topped off, and it comes with a remote display.

    http://store.solar-electric.com/modubachco25.html

    Thanks!!! I was searching for this and signed up from this answer!


    HAY-OOOO from Chicago


    -PK
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