voltage to specific charging voltage [[electrical:solar:charge_controller_setpoints|setpoints]] and limit... ion as it might seem since lead-acid [[electrical:solar:status#in_absorption|current acceptance drops sub... ach day.)) This is where [[electrical:12v:alt_and_solar|a bit of solar helps with the long-duration duties]].
DC-DC chargers are often triggered by the IGN cir
ected components) or pre-made ("power stations", "solar generators"). Regardless of your choice, ensure ... r]].((or doing something exotic like [[electrical:solar:shallow_cycling|shallow cycling]]))
===== H...
* **Easy to run** off a small [[lifestyle:faq_solar_generator|portable power station]]((which you wil... small ($) house power system: Example: 200w of solar and 100Ah of battery.
* Small [[food:refri
h this page was written with alternator-augmented solar charging in mind, the general principles also apply to solar+[[electrical:shore_power|shore power charging]] and solar+[[electrical:generator|generator]] charging. Also... ical:12v:power_mix|Deciding on a Power Mix]].
> Solar and DC-DC alternator charging are going to be the
rested in DIY might want to read the [[https://diysolarforum.com/forums/diy-lifepo4-battery-banks.22/|DIY LiFePO4 Battery Banks subforum]] over on DIY Solar. You can also see the [[electrical:12v:lifepo4_b... cut-off, and internal heaters.
The [[https://diysolarforum.com/|DIY Solar Forums]] are a good place to check for updated info, as well as links to teardown re
ler and help you use less water”((https://handybobsolar.wordpress.com/the-rv-battery-charging-puzzle-2/))... stiff source with unlimited energy and time. Your solar is a very soft source of unknown power and only a... ours to get the job done. - sunking((https://www.solarpaneltalk.com/forum/off-grid-solar/batteries-energy-storage/299490-bulk-absorb-float-equalize-what-does-i
fair amount of the bulk charging done and let the solar finish it off the rest of the day. -- jimindenver... ]] batteries healthy, so [[electrical:12v:alt_and_solar|combining with solar]] is common
[[opinion:frater_secessus:pareto|about these summaries]]
===== overvi... eply discharged
* when [[electrical:12v:alt and solar|combined with solar]] or some other higher-voltag
nsive (and maybe impossible) get Big Current with solar alone and difficult (or even impossible) to compl... on alternator alone. But [[electrical:12v:alt_and_solar|small amounts of both combine]] to make a workabl... expensive charging system.
For this reason the solar + alternator combination is the most common and e... -daily**, or live in an area of poor [[electrical:solar:output|insolation]].
For many people [[electri
voltage is rarely useful in the field since:
- solar charging alone is rarely able to hit charge curre... ade by US Battery have "U" prefixes.((https://www.solarpaneltalk.com/forum/off-grid-solar/batteries-energy-storage/14996-trojan-t-105-vs-crown-235-and-what-s-wr... stilled water occasionally.
Common [[electrical:solar:charge_controller_setpoints|setpoints]] (check yo
ouse battery]] charging sources:
* [[electrical:solar|solar]]
* [[electrical:12v:alternator|alternator]]
* [[electrical:shore_power|shore power]]
* [[electrical:generator|generator]]
* etc
Some solar installs will even have separate [[electrical:solar:charge_controller|charge controllers]] running their
====== Is solar mandatory? ======
Solar isn't //mandatory//. Here are some cases where it might not be worth the troub... d-chemistry batteries (flooded, AGM, gel etc).
Solar is incredibly useful for nomads with lead-chemist... ason why they would plan a build without //some// solar. Even just [[electrical:solar:builds#w|a small a
t on current drawn by the house bank:((https://diysolarforum.com/threads/experiences-charging-lfp-from-al... concurrent charging source]] for an alternator is solar.
**Example**: Let's assume the same 14.0v alternator output and solar contribution that pushes up Vbatt by 0.3V
* I=... v-**13.0v**)/0.020mR = 1.0v/0.020mR = 50A without solar
* I=V/R = (14v-**13.3v**)/0.020mR = 0.7v/0.020m
with insufficient Absorption ======
In off-grid solar charging scenarios batteries are most often damag... ng]]. Specifically, not holding the [[electrical:solar:charge_controller_setpoints|manufacturer's recomm... -style controllers typically have a 3-hr max.
* solar conditions - not enough good sun long enough to f... oltage** (Vfloat).
* [[electrical:12v:alt_and_solar|supplement]] solar charging with another charging
====== Electrical terms often seen with solar ======
* **I** - current in Amps. The //I// comes from... short circuited; this is when your [[electrical:solar:panels|solar panels]] are connected only to themselves. This is the highest current your panels can the... l will make. Vmp * Imp = Pmax
* **[[electrical:solar:charge_controller_setpoints|Setpoint]]** - a valu
* Some [[electrical:12v:b2b#examples_-_combo_with_solar_charge_controller|combo DC-DC chargers]] contain logic to maintain the starter battery when solar power is present. For specifics see the ''starte... enance function.
* Some standalone [[electrical:solar:charge_controller|solar charge controllers]] like the [[https://amzn.to/2PPTD2L|Morningstar SunSaver Duo
s written from the standpoint of the [[electrical:solar:charge_controller|solar charge controller]]. It affects all circuits to some degree and is not limited to solar. -- secessus]
In typical installs the charge con... And it may //not// be a problem since since
- solar-only charging is often low-current charging, mini
