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Most charge regulators charge the battery up to 14.2-14.4V equalisation charge once in every so many charges and then float charge around 13.6-13.8v.
My concern is that in dull UK weather where the light goes very low, the regulator could be counting a lot of re-starts of charging and therefore may be on equalisation charge most the time. I have put a 20A switch to disconnect my panels when I want to.
Has anyone else considered that their batteries could be boiled dry or damaged by their solar regulator?
Thanks Jezport.
I don't enough about solar chargers but I do have a fuse that I can use to disconnect my panel from the leisure battery.
I'd better watch this topic for any more info.
From observations that I've made in the past, mine peaks at 14.4 V and drops to 13.6 V. It varies between these two figures.
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John (Ex - GG222).
"The pellet with the poison´s in the vessel with the pestle; the chalice from the palace has the brew that is true!"
I have a FOX-350 Charge Regulator installed and two 75W solar panels that charge both sets of batteries. In addition the Elecsol 220Ah leisure batteries and the two Numax lead acid 220Ah starter batteries are charged with the alternator when the engine is running. The set up has been running for over 6 years now and once every year I check the electrolyte levels and rarely have to top up, despite occasional complete discharges. The FOX charger is supposed to give an equalization charge every 14 days, but I've never sat and watched it. Many people on this site seem to have battery troubles, I keep waiting for my turn!
Sorry I meant two 110Ah batteries in both cases!
Last edited by gerardjanice on Tue Mar 15, 2011 11:10 pm; edited 1 time in total
Most charge regulators charge the battery up to 14.2-14.4V equalisation charge once in every so many charges and then float charge around 13.6-13.8v.
My concern is that in dull UK weather where the light goes very low, the regulator could be counting a lot of re-starts of charging and therefore may be on equalisation charge most the time. I have put a 20A switch to disconnect my panels when I want to.
Has anyone else considered that their batteries could be boiled dry or damaged by their solar regulator?
Its a good point but most 4 stage solar regulators have a very low threshold of sensing a charge. So for example on a day when the light levels go up and down and hence the actual charge current goes up and down it doesn't fall to zero and so it doesn't count it as night and restart to new cycle including a an equalisation charge.
I have been watching my Amperor Power Integrator like a hawk since fitment and although it passes into deep shadow and the charge falls to below 50mA I don't think its been fooled. I await the 10th day with interest. I too have installed a switch though.
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France
Our thoughts are with you Chris and Graham. Fighting with Mavis and Ray 
