R-pod Owners Forum Homepage

This site is free to use.
Donations benefit a non-profit Girls Softball organization

Forum Home Forum Home > R-pod Discussion Forums > Podmods, Maintenance, Tips and Tricks
  New Posts New Posts RSS Feed: Dual Batteries and solar
  FAQ FAQ  Forum Search   Calendar   Register Register  Login Login

Topic ClosedDual Batteries and solar

 Post Reply Post Reply Page  12>
Author
Message
Unclewillis View Drop Down
Senior Member
Senior Member
Avatar

Joined: 26 Aug 2014
Location: NV
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 100
Direct Link To This Post Topic: Dual Batteries and solar
    Posted: 19 May 2018 at 12:46pm
Hi everyone,

Currently I have one battery installed. So when I boondock I hook up the solar panel with alligator clips straight to the battery pos and neg poles for charging.

So if I had two batteries in series. How would I clip on the terminals correctly to charge?

Thank you


Daddy, Mommy and Daughter.
BlackJack & Keno (boston Terriers)
Rpod 176T 2015
Nick:
ouR-pod
Back to Top
lostagain View Drop Down
Senior Member
Senior Member
Avatar

Joined: 06 Sep 2016
Location: Quaker Hill, CT
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 2583
Direct Link To This Post Posted: 19 May 2018 at 1:03pm
We wired our solar to the output terminals of the pair of 6v. batteries that are wired in series.  I installed permanent plugs to attach the solar controller without needing to open the battery boxes.  We used it on our most recent trip and kept the batteries nicely charged.  

Hook your positive to the positive terminal that runs to the trailer.  The negative that goes to ground on the other battery is the other connection point.  You may want to consider setting up permanent plugs so you can run your solar panel without the need to take the lids of the battery boxes.
Never leave footprints behind.
Fred & Maria Kearney
Sonoma 167RB
Our Pod 172
2019 Ford F-150 4x4 2.7 EcoBoost
Back to Top
Olddawgsrule View Drop Down
Senior Member
Senior Member


Joined: 20 Sep 2017
Location: New Hampshire
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 1014
Direct Link To This Post Posted: 19 May 2018 at 3:47pm
12's or 6's, look at where your connections are. Match it. 

Your output connections match your input. 

Love to know what your doing for Solar..
Byways no Highways
2017 Tacoma
Truck Camper Build
2004 F150 My Overlander
Back to Top
Unclewillis View Drop Down
Senior Member
Senior Member
Avatar

Joined: 26 Aug 2014
Location: NV
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 100
Direct Link To This Post Posted: 19 May 2018 at 4:14pm
Im using the Renogy 100 watt foldable suitcase with built in controller. has worked great with the single batt. just not sure how to clip into dual batt in series setup.

going to use the golf cart batterys. 6V in series.

Daddy, Mommy and Daughter.
BlackJack & Keno (boston Terriers)
Rpod 176T 2015
Nick:
ouR-pod
Back to Top
GlueGuy View Drop Down
Senior Member
Senior Member
Avatar

Joined: 15 May 2017
Location: N. California
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 2624
Direct Link To This Post Posted: 19 May 2018 at 6:19pm
Originally posted by Unclewillis

Im using the Renogy 100 watt foldable suitcase with built in controller. has worked great with the single batt. just not sure how to clip into dual batt in series setup.

going to use the golf cart batterys. 6V in series.
If you have two 6V batteries, just hook the solar + to the + on one battery (same one connected to the trailer), and the solar - to the - on the other battery (again, same one connected to the trailer).

If you have two 12V batteries, then they are connected in parallel, so solar + to either + and solar - to either -.

As said above, just connect to the same terminals that go to your trailer.
bp
2017 R-Pod 179 Hood River
2015 Ford F150 SuperCrew 4WD 3.5L Ecoboost
Back to Top
lostagain View Drop Down
Senior Member
Senior Member
Avatar

Joined: 06 Sep 2016
Location: Quaker Hill, CT
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 2583
Direct Link To This Post Posted: 19 May 2018 at 6:30pm
While we were on our last camping trip, one of the other couples we caravaned with had a 50W foldable solar unit that had a little controller with it.  It was really nice and easy to put on and take off.  If the sun is nice and bright, it should be enough to charge up your batteries.  I think his was an ACO.  He got it from Amazon.
Never leave footprints behind.
Fred & Maria Kearney
Sonoma 167RB
Our Pod 172
2019 Ford F-150 4x4 2.7 EcoBoost
Back to Top
Olddawgsrule View Drop Down
Senior Member
Senior Member


Joined: 20 Sep 2017
Location: New Hampshire
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 1014
Direct Link To This Post Posted: 20 May 2018 at 6:26am
Originally posted by Unclewillis

Im using the Renogy 100 watt foldable suitcase with built in controller. has worked great with the single batt. just not sure how to clip into dual batt in series setup.

going to use the golf cart batterys. 6V in series.


That should work very well for you! Anything smaller (unless your in a wide open area) is tough to get back what you use.
I have a 130w (full size, not foldable) and it does very well!
Also dual 6's for plenty of power.

I tend to mention this a bit, it's important if you have not yet. Do an energy audit. See how many amps/watts you actually use. You can estimate it on paper, but a good cumulative meter is better. 
Byways no Highways
2017 Tacoma
Truck Camper Build
2004 F150 My Overlander
Back to Top
Unclewillis View Drop Down
Senior Member
Senior Member
Avatar

Joined: 26 Aug 2014
Location: NV
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 100
Direct Link To This Post Posted: 20 May 2018 at 12:04pm
thanks everyone!!
Daddy, Mommy and Daughter.
BlackJack & Keno (boston Terriers)
Rpod 176T 2015
Nick:
ouR-pod
Back to Top
Tom A View Drop Down
Groupie
Groupie
Avatar

Joined: 04 May 2018
Location: Evanston, IL
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 70
Direct Link To This Post Posted: 20 May 2018 at 9:08pm
Originally posted by Olddawgsrule

Originally posted by Unclewillis

Im using the Renogy 100 watt foldable suitcase with built in controller. has worked great with the single batt. just not sure how to clip into dual batt in series setup.

going to use the golf cart batterys. 6V in series.


That should work very well for you! Anything smaller (unless your in a wide open area) is tough to get back what you use.
I have a 130w (full size, not foldable) and it does very well!
Also dual 6's for plenty of power.

I tend to mention this a bit, it's important if you have not yet. Do an energy audit. See how many amps/watts you actually use. You can estimate it on paper, but a good cumulative meter is better. 

Do you have a link you can share for the "130w" that you like so much?
2018 Sequoia--2018 RP 190
Back to Top
mrm435075 View Drop Down
Newbie
Newbie


Joined: 16 Aug 2018
Location: Eagle, Idaho
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 7
Direct Link To This Post Posted: 19 Aug 2018 at 12:35pm
Think of 2 D cells in a flashlight, the positive of one touches the negative of the other. The two together equal 3v, so the - terminal is the bottom of one battery, and the + terminal is the top of the other.
The cable that connects the batteries is the + touching the -. The - terminal is on one battery, and the + is on the other.
Michael
2019 R-Pod 179 HRE Cocoon
2011 Tacoma TRD 4 door
Back to Top
 Post Reply Post Reply Page  12>

Forum Jump Forum Permissions View Drop Down

Bulletin Board Software by Web Wiz Forums® version 9.64
Copyright ©2001-2009 Web Wiz