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Unclewillis
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Joined: 26 Aug 2014
Location: NV
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Posts: 100
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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
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Daddy, Mommy and Daughter.
BlackJack & Keno (boston Terriers)
Rpod 176T 2015
Nick:
ouR-pod
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lostagain
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Joined: 06 Sep 2016
Location: Quaker Hill, CT
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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.
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Never leave footprints behind.
Fred & Maria Kearney
Sonoma 167RB
Our Pod 172
2019 Ford F-150 4x4 2.7 EcoBoost
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Olddawgsrule
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Joined: 20 Sep 2017
Location: New Hampshire
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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..
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Unclewillis
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Joined: 26 Aug 2014
Location: NV
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Posts: 100
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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.
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Daddy, Mommy and Daughter.
BlackJack & Keno (boston Terriers)
Rpod 176T 2015
Nick:
ouR-pod
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GlueGuy
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Joined: 15 May 2017
Location: N. California
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Posts: 2624
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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.
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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.
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bp
2017 R-Pod 179 Hood River
2015 Ford F150 SuperCrew 4WD 3.5L Ecoboost
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lostagain
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Joined: 06 Sep 2016
Location: Quaker Hill, CT
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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.
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Never leave footprints behind.
Fred & Maria Kearney
Sonoma 167RB
Our Pod 172
2019 Ford F-150 4x4 2.7 EcoBoost
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Olddawgsrule
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Joined: 20 Sep 2017
Location: New Hampshire
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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.
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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.
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Unclewillis
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Joined: 26 Aug 2014
Location: NV
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Posted: 20 May 2018 at 12:04pm |
thanks everyone!!
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Daddy, Mommy and Daughter.
BlackJack & Keno (boston Terriers)
Rpod 176T 2015
Nick:
ouR-pod
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Tom A
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Joined: 04 May 2018
Location: Evanston, IL
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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.
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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?
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2018 Sequoia--2018 RP 190
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mrm435075
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Joined: 16 Aug 2018
Location: Eagle, Idaho
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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.
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Michael
2019 R-Pod 179 HRE Cocoon
2011 Tacoma TRD 4 door
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