Connecting panels to existing system ?

[Kcdaniels]

I've recently installed a 395 watt panel on my RV ......I have two 100 watt panels that I would like to use as supplemental ...
Say the RV s parked in shade and if mounted on my truck I could park the truck in the sun...

So my question is in order to make this connection to the batteries would this type of connection work ? Or ??

 

[HRTKD]

Connecting panels of differing specifications often doesn't work out optimally. Here are a couple videos that help explain the issue.

DIY Solar - Wiring Different Solar Panels w/ Same Watts | altE Solar Blog

altE's Solar Queen demonstrates what happens when you wire up mismatched solar panels - same watts, with different volts & amps.

www.altestore.com

DIY Solar - Wiring Different Solar Panels w/ Same Amps | altE Solar Blog

altE's Solar Queen demonstrates what happens when you wire up mismatched solar panels - same amps, with different volts & watts.

www.altestore.com

I have roof mounted and ground deployed panels for my RV trailer. I chose to put the ground deployed panels on their own solar charge controller.

 

[Kcdaniels]

thanks....yes i have a spare 20amp mppt scc...plan is to mount the two 100w panels on the truck topper then use it as supplemental to the 395w panel that is mounted on the rv...
the truck mounted panels will have its own scc...deep cell lead acid..then I would like to use the above "connector" to connect to my trailer batteries...

 

[HRTKD]

The connector is only 20 amps, but you're not going to be exceeding that with the 20 amp solar charge controller. A connector that locks on may not be desirable when someone trips over the cord. An SAE connector doesn't lock on. I use an SAE connector. It hasn't disconnected on its own yet.

 

[Kcdaniels]

The connector is only 20 amps, but you're not going to be exceeding that with the 20 amp solar charge controller. A connector that locks on may not be desirable when someone trips over the cord. An SAE connector doesn't lock on. I use an SAE connector. It hasn't disconnected on its own yet.

thank you...
another question is how would I go about setting the system up to also charge my trucks duel batteries AND be able to connect to my rv batteries as a supplement ?

 

[HRTKD]

thank you...
another question is how would I go about setting the system up to also charge my trucks duel batteries AND be able to connect to my rv batteries as a supplement ?

It's probably going to be one or the other. The solar charge controller understands one battery charge profile at a time. Lead acid is going to be different from LiFePO4. Not tremendously different in the short term, but I wouldn't use a lead acid profile on LiFePO4.

 

[Kcdaniels]

It's probably going to be one or the other. The solar charge controller understands one battery charge profile at a time. Lead acid is going to be different from LiFePO4. Not tremendously different in the short term, but I wouldn't use a lead acid profile on LiFePO4.

As of now all my batteries are lead acid...next year hope to build LiFeP04 bank.....so I can't use the Proposed truck set up to charge my truck batteries then at some time If i need extra watts for my rv plug into the rv batteries which are also lead acid....?

 

[HRTKD]

The two sets of batteries are likely to be at different charge levels. If you try to charge both sets as a group, you may overcharge one set.

Why do you want to charge the truck batteries? I have plenty of solar input to my RV trailer and I see no need to charge the dual batteries in my F-350, even for a couple weeks of camping in the same place and never starting the truck.

 

[Kcdaniels]

The two sets of batteries are likely to be at different charge levels. If you try to charge both sets as a group, you may overcharge one set.

Why do you want to charge the truck batteries? I have plenty of solar input to my RV trailer and I see no need to charge the dual batteries in my F-350, even for a couple weeks of camping in the same place and never starting the truck.

My truck is a 2004 F250 6.0.......known issues with keeping battery charge.....I have up graded all battery wiring in the truck (lots of info on F250 site)
And has helped but....I still have to remove the batteries and top charge them overnight then place them in opposite sides...About every 2 to 3 months.... otherwise the passenger side seems to lose charge faster than drivers side.... Again a known problem with these trucks...So my thought was to kill two birds with one stone ?...
PS...my 2004 looks brand new and has had the 6.0 diesel bore over .20 and completely rebuilt !.....she's my baby....lol

 

[HRTKD]

Good looking rig you have there. While I can leave my truck for extended periods, I've been putting a smart battery maintainer on it.

An option is to use a DC-DC charger with a low amp output rating. The distance from the rear of the truck to the front is often a problem for folks that want high amp charging. They need such large cables to avoid the voltage drop that the project quickly gets expensive.

 

[Kcdaniels]

Good looking rig you have there. While I can leave my truck for extended periods, I've been putting a smart battery maintainer on it.

An option is to use a DC-DC charger with a low amp output rating. The distance from the rear of the truck to the front is often a problem for folks that want high amp charging. They need such large cables to avoid the voltage drop that the project quickly gets expensive.

So maybe a way to do both is....
Install the panels on the truck topper along with my spare mppt scc and I have a spare 1500 watt Modified wine wave inverter thats connected to a 100amp deep cell lead acid battery .....then run a AC wire to the engine bay and have a smart battery maintainer to the batteries ??
Just thinking out loud.... Could this work ? Especially since I have the scc.. Inverter... and battery....

And thank you for your help !!!!

 

[HRTKD]

So maybe a way to do both is....
Install the panels on the truck topper along with my spare mppt scc and I have a spare 1500 watt Modified wine wave inverter thats connected to a 100amp deep cell lead acid battery .....then run a AC wire to the engine bay and have a smart battery maintainer to the batteries ??
Just thinking out loud.... Could this work ? Especially since I have the scc.. Inverter... and battery....

And thank you for your help !!!!

Yes, that would work. That's almost exactly how I'm maintaining the batteries in my side-by-side that is parked in my toy hauler while it's at the storage lot. I shut off the inverter today because it's just too hot to keep it running without the trailer being air conditioned or opened up.