[Rhodes22-list] Solar panels, regulator revisited

[Jay Friedland]

Michael, Rummy-
Thanks for the input. Michael, are you saying permanent panels from 
factory need a blocking diode? All my portable ones had one inline, but 
if the regulator does both and better safe than surprised...we're among 
the few places here that get unfiltered sunlight, sometimes tropical. 
Cooking batteries have happened here.

Rummy, I know batteries are currently hooked together, I have to find 
the panel leads and how their joined together and I believe tapped into 
the first. I thought they were 10A panels and the ICP 21 Amp controller 
was the right unit at $89?? Let me know if I'm wrong on this. Thanks.
Jay


On Wednesday, June 25, 2003, at 05:47 AM, John Tonjes wrote:

> Jay,
> In theory, what Michael said holds true. Unfortunately, the reality for
> several owners has been that they fried their batteries when the sun 
> really
> is bright.
> What we did with Bob Keller's boat was to have two custom battery 
> cables
> made to tie the two batteries together. They were around forty bucks 
> for
> the two six foot cables. We also installed an ICP battery charge 
> controller
> ($30.00) between the solar panels and the batteries. Since doing this, 
> both
> batteries have the same charge/discharge rate and no problems with
> overcharging. Based on this experience, this is a good ounce of 
> prevention
> for those that charge only with solar panels. It also prevents 
> discharge on
> cloudy days.
>
> Rummy
>
>
>> [Original Message]
>> From: Michael Meltzer <mjm at michaelmeltzer.com>
>> To: The Rhodes 22 mail list <rhodes22-list at rhodes22.org>
>> Date: 6/24/2003 10:08:16 PM
>> Subject: Re: [Rhodes22-list] Solar panels, regulator revisited
>>
>> Jay, you have 2x10 watts panels(I assume), at battery voltage that's 
>> 1.47
> amps, assuming two #27 batteries 100-115 amp-hours
>> each(depend on type) wired in parallel mean 200-230 amp-hours, or the
> solar charging is 1.47/200=.75% to 1.47/230=.639%, the rule of
>> thumb is if the panels are below 1%-2% of the batteries they is no 
>> need
> for regulation. Now a diode to stop overnight discharge is
>> useful.
>>
>> Does that help.
>>
>>
>> MJM
>>
>>
>> ----- Original Message -----
>> From: "Jay Friedland" <a.jayf at verizon.net>
>> To: "The Rhodes 22 mail list" <rhodes22-list at rhodes22.org>
>> Sent: Tuesday, June 24, 2003 9:50 PM
>> Subject: [Rhodes22-list] Solar panels, regulator revisited
>>
>>
>>> Rummy, Bob Keller, et al,
>>>
>>> Last discussion I found wasn't conclusive-one ICP regulator per 
>>> panel,
>>> where to tap in etc. I have a 2 battery, 2 panel set-up and wondering
>>> where to place it. As it is factory, I think it is parallel between
>>> batteries, both sharing the panels.
>>>
>>> With no sun, cooking the batteries was no problem, but now we have 
>>> back
>>> to back sunny days. Any resolution??
>>> Jay
>>>
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>>
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