I need HELP!!!: Adding 12V Battery in Parallel and Solar Charging

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Adding 12V Battery in Parallel and Solar Charging

Printed From: R-pod Owners Forum
Category: R-pod Discussion Forums
Forum Name: I need HELP!!!
Forum Discription: Perplexed/need help with a problem - ask here
URL: http://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=15300
Printed Date: 07 Jun 2025 at 10:46pm
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Topic: Adding 12V Battery in Parallel and Solar Charging

Posted By: timirey
Subject: Adding 12V Battery in Parallel and Solar Charging
Date Posted: 02 Jun 2022 at 11:41am

I just took delivery of my 2022 Rpod 202 and love it. I am buying a second battery and will set it up in parallel. Question: Do I need to set the solar charging connections positive to one battery and negative to the other like you do with the trailer positive and trailer negative? Any advice will be welcomed! Picked the unit up on Tuesday last week and on Thursday left for Montana (10 hour drive). Did I mention gas is expensive but it was worth it. Thanks!

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'19 Dodge Ram Laramie
'22 RP202

Replies:

Posted By: offgrid
Date Posted: 02 Jun 2022 at 12:04pm

Yes, that would help balance the parallel batteries better. Also try to get the same manufacturer and model battery as you got with your new trailer.

And make sure there is an appropriately sized fuse or circuit breaker in the +12v line to the solar charge controller, as close to the battery as you can. Appropriate being at least 1.56 times the short circuit current (Isc) of your solar module (should be on the module label) but not more than the max fuse size on the label. Why 1.56 you might ask? That's 1.25 x 1.25, the first 25% being the normal fuse oversize requirement to avoid nuisance trips, the second being to account for high solar output due to edge of cloud reflection. Anyhow that is the code requirement for solar.

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1994 Chinook Concourse
1995 RV6A Experimental Aircraft
2015 Rpod 179 - sold

Posted By: timirey
Date Posted: 02 Jun 2022 at 1:10pm

Great information! Thanks

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'19 Dodge Ram Laramie
'22 RP202