Hello, looking for a charger...

[grimor]

I am switching a riding mower from (4) LiTime 12V 100Ah LiFePO4 to a single 48v battery due to some reliability issues with running the batteries in series outside their rated BMS. The batteries are still good, but don't want to put them in series if I can help it. (a couple keep inverting their charge in series) We have a bit of land we have an 11x13 pavilion that we'd like to add solar panels to to run some cameras and network equipment.
Is it worth trying to stay 12V or go 24v? having a hard time locating a 4 channel 12V solar charger. I'm hoping 600W of panels will be enough (and fit the roof)

any advice would be appreciated.

 

[sunshine_eggo]

Given what seems like a relatively light load, 400Ah @ 12.8V sounds more than adequate. The 600W being suitable depends on your location, orientation, shading, available solar, daily use, etc.

I don't understand why you would want a 4 channel 12V charger. Simply wire them in parallel and use a single 12V charger.

 

[stacks]

what kind of mower is it?

 

[hwy17]

You can just 2s2p the panels into one channel of a 150v 12v charge controller.

 

[grimor]

what kind of mower is it?

Ryobi zt480e

 

[grimor]

Given what seems like a relatively light load, 400Ah @ 12.8V sounds more than adequate. The 600W being suitable depends on your location, orientation, shading, available solar, daily use, etc.

I don't understand why you would want a 4 channel 12V charger. Simply wire them in parallel and use a single 12V charger.

seemed like it would be better to maintain battery health if each was charged independently. maybe that's not the case

 

[sunshine_eggo]

seemed like it would be better to maintain battery health if each was charged independently. maybe that's not the case

Nope.

 

[robbob2112]

Were you using an equalizer to keep the two batteries balanced with each other?

 

[grimor]

Were you using an equalizer to keep the two batteries balanced with each other?

I was using a 4 channel charger that charged them independently, but they were kept in series.