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Solar Battery Charger

104
12
18
Location
Otisville/MI
Unplug each time? What a hassle! Why not just set up some relays to disconnect them when running?
I set my solar panels on my dashboard and plug one into my lighter socket and the other has a lead line that is a quick disconnect. I did not want my solar panels mounted on my vehicle as I use them for other things, also leaving them out is one more temptation for someone to break into my vehicle when I park anywhere but in my drive. It takes 2 minutes to disconnect and stow away, same for putting back out. Its not like I am disconnecting and reconnecting every time I use my truck.
 

cliffyp

Member
328
4
18
Location
Brownsville, Texas
I ran without a gen 2 for several months. I threw a solar panel on my dash and connected to the rear battery. It was intended to be a brief thing. Ended up staying that way for a long time as a daily driver, several starts a day. I would occasionally check the rear battery with a meter and it was always still at 12.5v.
 

Skinny

Well-known member
2,130
488
83
Location
Portsmouth, NH
A proper solar panel install should have a diode if the panel doesn't have one built in to prevent current from going into the panel. This means you should never have to disconnect it.
 
408
0
16
Location
Colo.
I can talk talk CUCV solar till I'm blue in the face. Solargizer up on the hood and an 85w big panel on the roof connected through a smart ACR to a big 3rd battery and lots of 2g with multiple switches to move it all around as needed.
 

Recovry4x4

LLM/Member 785
Super Moderator
Steel Soldiers Supporter
34,012
1,808
113
Location
GA Mountains
A diode? Would that be the little control box that came with the charger?
Hard to say as you are the only one that knows what make/model charger you have! If you post that information, someone here may have the answer.
 
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