| [GMCnet] Charger versus Charger [message #169103] |
Wed, 09 May 2012 23:36  |
Steve Jess
Messages: 169
Registered: April 2012
Karma: 0
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Senior Member |
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I've been following the discussion regarding replacing the "buzz box" with a newer box with four stage charging.
What happens when you add solar cells and their charger to the system? Do the two systems get along or must you disable the solar power when plugged into shore power?
Regards,
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| Re: [GMCnet] Charger versus Charger [message #169112 is a reply to message #169103] |
Thu, 10 May 2012 06:35  |
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Matt Colie
Messages: 8547
Registered: March 2007
Location: S.E. Michigan
Karma: 7
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Senior Member |
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| Steve Jess wrote on Thu, 10 May 2012 00:36 |
I've been following the discussion regarding replacing the "buzz box" with a newer box with four stage charging.
What happens when you add solar cells and their charger to the system? Do the two systems get along or must you disable the solar power when plugged into shore power?
Regards,
|
Steve,
No
More Complete answer follows.
Modern battery maintenance systems have several strategies for monitoring the state of charge of the bank to which they are attached. All of these involve some phase that assess the state of charge and continues based on that charging system's criteria. Most quality solar controllers fit this description and do this as well. So, if you are connected to shore power or running the APU, the solar system controller will understand that the bank it is attached to has a state of charge that has some (or no) requirement for additional charge and will adjust itself accordingly. The same thing will happen if the main engine is running. The alternator systems in our coaches are at best described as primitive. They supply only one high charging voltage to to the system, much like the buzz-box or other outdated charging systems. When any good controller, be it solar or line powered, comes up against this, it will simply shut down and wait until it senses that the bank is ready for some attention.
Matt
Matt & Mary Colie - Chaumière -'73 Glacier 23 - Members GMCMI, GMCGL, GMCES
Electronically Controlled Quiet Engine Cooling Fan with OE Rear Drum Brakes with Applied Control Arms
SE Michigan - Near DTW - Twixt A2 and Detroit
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| Re: [GMCnet] Charger versus Charger [message #169202 is a reply to message #169103] |
Thu, 10 May 2012 20:18 |
Steve Jess
Messages: 169
Registered: April 2012
Karma: 0
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Senior Member |
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Thanks to Matt Colie and Dan Gregg for their timely answers. I'm a long way from getting solar panels, but it's good to know there won't be any problems.
My question was prompted by reading about how voltage regulator ICs work. Supposedly you can get 1 amp at 5 volts from a 7805, but if you try to get 2 amps by running two 7805s in parallel, they might start fighting each other and the whole circuit can shut down. I wondered if the same was true of battery chargers. I'm glad to know that's not the case.
Steve Jess - Boise, ID
1977 GMC Palm Beach "The DreamLiner"The 10,000 pound antique Home Theater with plumbing
>
> Message: 3
> Date: Thu, 10 May 2012 06:36:12 -0500
> From: Matt Colie <matt7323tze@gmail.com>
> Subject: Re: [GMCnet] Charger versus Charger
> To: gmclist@temp.gmcnet.org
> Message-ID: <29498.4faba81f@gmc.mybirdfeeder.net>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="ISO-8859-15"
>
>
>
> Steve Jess wrote on Thu, 10 May 2012 00:36
> > I've been following the discussion regarding replacing the "buzz box" with a newer box with four stage charging.
> >
> > What happens when you add solar cells and their charger to the system? Do the two systems get along or must you disable the solar power when plugged into shore power?
> >
> > Regards,
>
> Steve,
>
> No
>
> More Complete answer follows.
>
> Modern battery maintenance systems have several strategies for monitoring the state of charge of the bank to which they are attached. All of these involve some phase that assess the state of charge and continues based on that charging system's criteria. Most quality solar controllers fit this description and do this as well. So, if you are connected to shore power or running the APU, the solar system controller will understand that the bank it is attached to has a state of charge that has some (or no) requirement for additional charge and will adjust itself accordingly. The same thing will happen if the main engine is running. The alternator systems in our coaches are at best described as primitive. They supply only one high charging voltage to to the system, much like the buzz-box or other outdated charging systems. When any good controller, be it solar or line powered, comes up against this, it will simply shut down and wait until it senses that the bank is ready f
or
> some attention.
>
> Matt
> --
> Matt & Mary Colie
> '73 Glacier 23 Chaumi?re (say show-me-air) Just about as stock as you will find
> SE Michigan - Twixt A2 and Detroit
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