I have a HF 100w kit, as well as 200w renogy panels on a epever 20amp mppt scc. Right now I have a single 100aH SLA . If I am charging/operating usb and 12v devices, does the scc provide the power directly to those devices, or is it both charging the sla and drawing from it to charge said devices?
Total Noob Question
- Thread starter Tallguy
- Start date
GXMnow
Solar Wizard
- Joined
- Jul 17, 2020
- Messages
- 2,739
Current will take the path of least resistance.
When the sun hits a solar panel the energy will come from the solar panel, through the charge controller and produce a controlled current/voltage to charge the battery.
If you connect a load to the battery, or the load terminals on a charge controller, your load will take current from between the charge controller and the battery. 3 things can happen from there.
In the rare case your solar is making exactly as much power as your load needs, the load takes all the power, and the battery just sits there. But much more likely you will have one of the next two happening.
OR
If the load is less than what the charge controller is supplying, then it will just use some of the solar power directly, before it even get's to the battery. and the rest of the solar power will still be charging the battery, just at a slower rate.
OR
If your load is greater than the energy coming from the charge controller, the battery will no longer be charging and any additional current needed by the load will come out of the battery.
For an example, let's say the solar panel is making 50 watts out of the charge controller.
If your load needs 75 watts, then 25 watts will come from the battery to make up the difference.
If your load is only 25 watts with the solar still making the same 50 watts, then the battery is still being charging at 25 watts.
When the sun hits a solar panel the energy will come from the solar panel, through the charge controller and produce a controlled current/voltage to charge the battery.
If you connect a load to the battery, or the load terminals on a charge controller, your load will take current from between the charge controller and the battery. 3 things can happen from there.
In the rare case your solar is making exactly as much power as your load needs, the load takes all the power, and the battery just sits there. But much more likely you will have one of the next two happening.
OR
If the load is less than what the charge controller is supplying, then it will just use some of the solar power directly, before it even get's to the battery. and the rest of the solar power will still be charging the battery, just at a slower rate.
OR
If your load is greater than the energy coming from the charge controller, the battery will no longer be charging and any additional current needed by the load will come out of the battery.
For an example, let's say the solar panel is making 50 watts out of the charge controller.
If your load needs 75 watts, then 25 watts will come from the battery to make up the difference.
If your load is only 25 watts with the solar still making the same 50 watts, then the battery is still being charging at 25 watts.
