If you are maintaining AGM deep cycle batteries, such as the Concorde Sun Xtender then you can use a smaller 2 to 2-watt panel. The popular 5-watt panels are close enough, and will not need a controller.
#SOLAR BATTERY GUARD SERIES#
So to keep up a series pair of them (12 volts) just for maintenance or storage, you would want a panel that is around 4.2 watts. A rough rule is that if the panel puts out about 2 watts or less for each 50 battery amp-hours, then you don't need one.įor example, a standard flooded golf car battery is around 210 amp-hours. Generally, there is no need for a charge controller with the small maintenance, or trickle charge panels, such as the 1 to 5-watt panels. Most batteries need around 14 to 14.5 volts to get fully charged. Most "12 volt" panels put out about 16 to 20 volts, so if there is no regulation the batteries will be damaged from overcharging. It regulates the voltage and current coming from the solar panels going to the battery. What is a Solar Charge Controller?Ī charge controller or charge regulator is basically a voltage and/or current regulator to keep batteries from overcharging. Shop our selection of Solar Charge Controllers here. Pump Installation Equipment & Accessories.Solar Pump Installation Equipment & Accessories.Solar Pump Controllers & Current Boosters.You could also use a BMV to, for example, auto-start a genset at say 50% SoC rather than disconnect the battery. with it I might decide to restrict my consumption ( one fewer coffees for example!) but I don't use it to disconnect my battery. And I use my BMV to clearly show an accurate SoC. as an emergency mechanism to protect my investment. I use the BatteryProtect like a lithium-ion battery owner uses a BMS i.e. With a properly designed system, you should never have to forcibly disconnect the battery. they will calculate their energy consumption and design their PV input to replenish that consumption on a daily basis. One other consideration: most people will design their system to avoid discharging their battery below a certain threshold e.g. heavy loads dragging the battery voltage down. Whatever battery monitor you buy, do make sure it includes this feature in order to avoid nuisance activation e.g. One advantage of the Victron BMV is that it calculates SoC accounting for the peukert effect. This signal could then be used, for example, to switch off an inverter, or, of course, shut off a BatteryProtect. The Victron BMV can be programmed to activate its relay on a variety of conditions, such as SoC <= 50%.
For this application I would use a battery monitor with a programmable relay, such as the Victron BMV ( other manufacturers will be available). It is not designed to shut off at 50% SoC. Yes, the Victron BatteryProtect is designed to protect the battery from discharge/voltage levels that would otherwise damage the battery. Is there a better way to do this? Or a cheaper device that I can still configure the voltages? The best option I can find is "Powerwerx Compact Low Voltage Disconnect (LVD) Battery Guard 35A" for $85, but that seems a little pricy if I'm going to buy 2. Inverter would not be covered, but most have built in protection anyway. So, I need to (hopefully) add a low voltage cut off without buying a new Charge Controller.īuy 2x35A low voltage cut offs and put one on the power to the trailer and 1 on the power to my new distribution block. I know that many of the nice combo units have low voltage cut off, but I bought an EPEVER 50A MPPT - which doesn't even have a load out. If not, I guess I'm upgrading to Lithium a year or so earlier than anticipated. I put a 1 amp trickle charger on the battery, and hope to revive the AGM. I do have it plugged up to shore power, which is why I left the motion light on, but apparently the shore power charging of the batteries doesn't work (there were a lot of electrical issues with the trailer when I bought it, which I have slowly been fixing, but I didn't notice that particular problem).
As far as I know, the only thing running for those 2 weeks was the motion sensor porch light and the gas sensor alarm. When I went to check on things this morning, I found the battery completely drained (5.5v, I hope I didn't kill it). We had a lot of family in town, and so I didn't touch it for 2 weeks.
#SOLAR BATTERY GUARD INSTALL#
It is partially installed (charge controller, power distribution blocks, etc), but I haven't had time to install the solar panels yet. I've been installing a solar setup in my trailer.