A aviation & planes forum. AviationBanter

If this is your first visit, be sure to check out the FAQ by clicking the link above. You may have to register before you can post: click the register link above to proceed. To start viewing messages, select the forum that you want to visit from the selection below.

Go Back   Home » AviationBanter forum » rec.aviation newsgroups » Soaring
Site Map Home Register Authors List Search Today's Posts Mark Forums Read Web Partners

Connecting my 2 Batteries to 1 Solar Panel



 
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
  #1  
Old January 1st 13, 03:49 AM posted to rec.aviation.soaring
Dan G[_2_]
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 8
Default Connecting my 2 Batteries to 1 Solar Panel

I would like to connect my 2 8AH batteries to one Solar panel for charging while the glider is in its trailer. I will use a controller and I have 2 separate sockets in the glider-one per battery.

I thought to simply split the wires coming out of the controller to the two batteries/sockets but I came across this:
http://www.morningstarcorp.com/en/su...ller.01.EN.pdf,

Any suggestions?
Dan G
  #2  
Old January 1st 13, 04:18 AM posted to rec.aviation.soaring
Eric Greenwell[_4_]
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 1,939
Default Connecting my 2 Batteries to 1 Solar Panel

On 12/31/2012 6:49 PM, Dan G wrote:
I would like to connect my 2 8AH batteries to one Solar panel for
charging while the glider is in its trailer. I will use a controller
and I have 2 separate sockets in the glider-one per battery.

I thought to simply split the wires coming out of the controller to
the two batteries/sockets but I came across this:
http://www.morningstarcorp.com/en/su...ller.01.EN.pdf,

Any suggestions?


It looks like it would work adequately for your 8 AH batteries. If not,
I suggest you use the technique they reference: two controllers, one for
each battery, but fed by a single PV panel:

http://www.morningstarcorp.com/en/su...ries.01.EN.pdf

It's the technique I use in my trailer to charge the glider battery and
auxiliary battery in the front of the trailer. Seems to work well. The
advantage is the batteries will charge more quickly, and to the proper
voltage. Even so, it might not make much difference in the amount of
charge each one gets.

Alternatively, you could get a dual output controller, one output for
each battery.

--
Eric Greenwell - Washington State, USA (change ".netto" to ".us" to
email me)
  #3  
Old January 1st 13, 04:31 AM posted to rec.aviation.soaring
Dan G[_2_]
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 8
Default Connecting my 2 Batteries to 1 Solar Panel

Eric,
What diode would you use for the 2 contollers/1 pV option you use ?
My Solar panel is rated at 20W od 1.3A max.
Dan G
On Monday, December 31, 2012 9:49:58 PM UTC-5, Dan G wrote:
I would like to connect my 2 8AH batteries to one Solar panel for charging while the glider is in its trailer. I will use a controller and I have 2 separate sockets in the glider-one per battery.



I thought to simply split the wires coming out of the controller to the two batteries/sockets but I came across this:

http://www.morningstarcorp.com/en/su...ller.01.EN.pdf,



Any suggestions?

Dan G


  #4  
Old January 1st 13, 05:18 AM posted to rec.aviation.soaring
Eric Greenwell[_4_]
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 1,939
Default Connecting my 2 Batteries to 1 Solar Panel

On 12/31/2012 7:31 PM, Dan G wrote:
Eric,
What diode would you use for the 2 contollers/1 pV option you use ?
My Solar panel is rated at 20W od 1.3A max.
Dan G


I'd just go to Radio Shack and get ones rated at 2 amps or more forward
current. They will all have enough voltage rating.

--
Eric Greenwell - Washington State, USA (change ".netto" to ".us" to
email me)
  #5  
Old January 1st 13, 08:52 AM posted to rec.aviation.soaring
Darryl Ramm
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 2,403
Default Connecting my 2 Batteries to 1 Solar Panel

On Monday, December 31, 2012 8:18:40 PM UTC-8, Eric Greenwell wrote:
On 12/31/2012 7:31 PM, Dan G wrote:

Eric,


What diode would you use for the 2 contollers/1 pV option you use ?


My Solar panel is rated at 20W od 1.3A max.


Dan G




I'd just go to Radio Shack and get ones rated at 2 amps or more forward

current. They will all have enough voltage rating.



--

Eric Greenwell - Washington State, USA (change ".netto" to ".us" to

email me)


There is a slight benefit in using a Schottky diode in this application for their lower forward voltage drop. For the one controller sceanario this is more important as it affects the charge set point of the controller. But it also helps the other scenario as well. e.g. http://www.amazon.com/30pcs-1N5822-S.../dp/B007AU0GJI. I would not go to too lower diode forward current rating due to current derating (maybe 50%?) at temperatures they might happen in a charger environment/hot trailer.

I hope there is not a too high expectation about how fast a "20W" panel will charge these two batteries. Solar insolation on a flat non-tracking panel gets pretty low.

Darryl
  #6  
Old January 2nd 13, 03:26 AM posted to rec.aviation.soaring
RAS56 RAS56 is offline
Member
 
First recorded activity by AviationBanter: Dec 2010
Posts: 85
Default Connecting my 2 Batteries to 1 Solar Panel

I took the easy way out and ordered one of these:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00...ls_o05_s00_i00

40 bucks.

It has worked great with my 10 watt panel, is programmable and tells me the charge status of each battery.

ZAP
  #7  
Old January 2nd 13, 04:14 AM posted to rec.aviation.soaring
Eric Greenwell[_4_]
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 1,939
Default Connecting my 2 Batteries to 1 Solar Panel

On 1/1/2013 6:26 PM, RAS56 wrote:
I took the easy way out and ordered one of these:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00...ls_o05_s00_i00

40 bucks.

It has worked great with my 10 watt panel, is programmable and tells
me the charge status of each battery.


This kind of controller would be a good choice for the OP, where both
batteries are in the glider. I used separate controllers for my
application, one in the glider for the glider battery, and the other at
the front of the trailer, where my auxiliary battery is kept. That keeps
the controllers in the temperature zone as the battery, and keeps the
wires to battery much shorter.

The auxiliary battery used with a DC/DC charger to charge the glider
battery when the glider is tied down away from the trailer.

--
Eric Greenwell - Washington State, USA (change ".netto" to ".us" to
email me)
  #8  
Old January 2nd 13, 04:28 PM posted to rec.aviation.soaring
Dan G[_2_]
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 8
Default Connecting my 2 Batteries to 1 Solar Panel

Thanks for the advice.
Now-if I connect these two batteries in oarallel- do I still need the two separate systems or I can charge them as one 8 x 2=16 AH battery ?
Dan G
On Monday, December 31, 2012 9:49:58 PM UTC-5, Dan G wrote:
I would like to connect my 2 8AH batteries to one Solar panel for charging while the glider is in its trailer. I will use a controller and I have 2 separate sockets in the glider-one per battery. I thought to simply split the wires coming out of the controller to the two batteries/sockets but I came across this: http://www.morningstarcorp.com/en/su...ller.01.EN.pdf, Any suggestions? Dan G



  #9  
Old January 2nd 13, 04:42 PM posted to rec.aviation.soaring
[email protected]
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 8
Default Connecting my 2 Batteries to 1 Solar Panel

On Wednesday, January 2, 2013 7:28:54 AM UTC-8, Dan G wrote:
Thanks for the advice.

Now-if I connect these two batteries in oarallel- do I still need the two separate systems or I can charge them as one 8 x 2=16 AH battery ?

Dan G

On Monday, December 31, 2012 9:49:58 PM UTC-5, Dan G wrote:

I would like to connect my 2 8AH batteries to one Solar panel for charging while the glider is in its trailer. I will use a controller and I have 2 separate sockets in the glider-one per battery. I thought to simply split the wires coming out of the controller to the two batteries/sockets but I came across this: http://www.morningstarcorp.com/en/su...ller.01.EN.pdf, Any suggestions? Dan G



Dan,

The circuit you presented already is a parallel circuit in regards the batteries. Looking at it, I'm assuming the diodes are there to prevent damage to the batteries & the controller if one of them is hooked up reverse. In that case, I'd use two diodes.

Regards,

Chris C.
  #10  
Old January 2nd 13, 05:19 PM posted to rec.aviation.soaring
Dan G[_2_]
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 8
Default Connecting my 2 Batteries to 1 Solar Panel

On Wednesday, January 2, 2013 10:42:22 AM UTC-5, wrote:
On Wednesday, January 2, 2013 7:28:54 AM UTC-8, Dan G wrote: Thanks for the advice. Now-if I connect these two batteries in oarallel- do I still need the two separate systems or I can charge them as one 8 x 2=16 AH battery ?

OOPS I neant using one controller for 2 batteries connected in parellel.
Dan
Dan G On Monday, December 31, 2012 9:49:58 PM UTC-5, Dan G wrote: I would like to connect my 2 8AH batteries to one Solar panel for charging while the glider is in its trailer. I will use a controller and I have 2 separate sockets in the glider-one per battery. I thought to simply split the wires coming out of the controller to the two batteries/sockets but I came across this: http://www.morningstarcorp.com/en/su...ller.01.EN.pdf, Any suggestions? Dan G Dan, The circuit you presented already is a parallel circuit in regards the batteries. Looking at it, I'm assuming the diodes are there to prevent damage to the batteries & the controller if one of them is hooked up reverse. In that case, I'd use two diodes. Regards, Chris C.

 




Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

vB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Forum Jump

Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
Connecting lap top to CAI 302 apsoars Soaring 10 June 8th 11 03:24 PM
Batteries, Solar Panels, Transponders, etc. JS Soaring 7 August 31st 06 09:12 PM
sizing solar panel Udo Rumpf Soaring 18 February 17th 06 02:36 AM
Connecting a GNS 430/530 to a PC PA34 F-GFTF General Aviation 4 September 26th 04 07:09 PM
Connecting a GNS 430/530 to a PC PA34 F-GFTF Aviation Marketplace 7 September 25th 04 04:38 AM


All times are GMT +1. The time now is 10:22 PM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.6.4
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.
Copyright ©2004-2024 AviationBanter.
The comments are property of their posters.