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Solar regulator/ 240v charger.

Submitted: Monday, Jan 28, 2008 at 21:35

Kev. (Cairns)

Article Overview - Solar Power
This article is aimed towards the motorhome/caravan traveller, but is equally relevant to anyone trying to make use of solar energy to power devices whilst on-the-road. View Full Article...
At the moment i have a BP solar regulator (10 to 15 years old) on my Camper & is connected to the on board single battery.

The regulator has the following terminals -

Array + & -
Batt + & -
Load + & -
Sense + & -

Now obviously the solar panels connects to the array terminals but my question is if i was to connect a 240v batt charger to the system before leaving home can i connect it to the array terminals with the solar panels disconnected ?

Thinking i then have two regulated devices before the battery.

Id prefer to leave the actual battery & box alone & connect to the regulator termination box & i can connect the 240v charger directly to the batt incoming cables but it would be a lot easier to connect to the array terminals.

Have i confused anyone ?

Any ideas ?
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AnswerID: 284234   Submitted: Monday, Jan 28, 2008 at 21:38

Derek from Affordable Batteries & Radiators replied:

NO !

Most solar regulators short out the panel to control the charge and this would blow the charger.

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FollowupID: 548993   Submitted: Monday, Jan 28, 2008 at 22:38

Member - 'Lucy' posted:



Ok! smartypants.

Why didn't you tell me that 6 days ago and I wouldn't have blown the a r s e-end out of my $m+ Plasmatronic PL-20 at 2.00am 'experimenting' with a 'test run' with no sun.

I tend to fly by the seat of my pants and learn the hard way (Expensive way also) I just have to laugh and thing to myself - well now you know you f***wit, don't do it again (LOL)

Good move in asking first Kev.
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FollowupID: 548998   Submitted: Monday, Jan 28, 2008 at 23:09

Mainey (wa) posted:

kev
now you can replace it with a Steca solar reg with-out feeling guilty lol

Mainey . . .
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AnswerID: 284242   Submitted: Monday, Jan 28, 2008 at 21:45

Derek from Affordable Batteries & Radiators replied:

Connect the charger to the battery terminals of the regulator if you can't get to the battery easily.

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AnswerID: 284243   Submitted: Monday, Jan 28, 2008 at 21:47

Kev. (Cairns) replied:

Well thats a definite answer, I didn't know that.

Sounds like you know what your talking about so i will take your word for it and wire the charger to the batt terminals.
What beats me is why it has sensor terminals when it could be just looped across to the batt terminals. Voltage drop i suppose.

Thanks for your reply mate.
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FollowupID: 548997   Submitted: Monday, Jan 28, 2008 at 23:07

Mainey (wa) posted:

kev
why do you need to charge a battery with 240v when you have a solar system ???
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FollowupID: 549108   Submitted: Tuesday, Jan 29, 2008 at 17:35

Kev. (Cairns) posted:

Basically to keep it charged while sitting at home, easier to plug in the charger every now & then than to pull out the solar panels.

(not connected to the car charging system either)
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