Solar charging - Connection protocol?

[Robert Bills]

So am I the only one who is wondering why would you want to disconnect the battery from the charge controller? It never occurred to be that this is something I might want to do.

The OP uses a solar panel to charge his vehicle battery during times the vehicle sits idle for extended periods. I use a "suitcase" solar system to provide enough electricity in camp to run a 12v fridge and keep my batteries charged. Both of these applications require disconnecting the solar charging system from the battery when the vehicle is being driven. I'm sure there are other examples.

 

[pugslyyy]

The OP uses a solar panel to charge his vehicle battery during times the vehicle sits idle for extended periods. I use a "suitcase" solar system to provide enough electricity in camp to run a 12v fridge and keep my batteries charged. Both of these applications require disconnecting the solar charging system from the battery when the vehicle is being driven. I'm sure there are other examples.

Ah gotcha, my bad. I was thinking about permanent installations where the charge controller is a big separate unit from the panels.

 

[moabian]

So am I the only one who is wondering why would you want to disconnect the battery from the charge controller? It never occurred to be that this is something I might want to do.

I would leave it connected, but my '82 Scrambler doesn't have the payload capacity to carry my garage around.

oh...I see dwh littered the forum with another one of his posts. Reading his previous posts was a complete waste of time, so can someone tell me if his latest is worth reading or if it is just more of his pitiful, self-aggrandizing bull****.

 

[andytruck]

Did anyone actually know the answer to this? I read a lot of knee-jerk answers and "duh" statements…
I never knew any of this with my previous system over many years, and had no issues as I disconnected batteries many, many times, but never solar. I read it when installing a new panel the other week and decided to follow the suggestion.
I connected the battery wires first then the solar, but then realized I had not connected batt wires to the battery. No problems fortunately.
The only thing I can think of is that the battery will absorb any spikes so it should be connected first as a safety measure. Otherwise the solar panel or the battery is still providing 10-13 volts each or either way - either can spark.
I like to run heavy gauge wires on DC but the little controller seems to be made for lamp cord. It is difficult to connect big wire, and it seems too easy for big wire to pull out of little controller. That is a bigger issue on a camper.

 

[dwh]

Normally they tell you to connect battery first because the charge controller gets the power to run itself from the battery.

Some that can do dual voltage also have the voltage sensing as another reason to connect battery first.

But while they all say connect the battery first, they usually don't say, "NEVER connect the solar first". (With caps.) That's a statement unusual enough, and emphasized enough to take it seriously.

 

[moabian]

So I've taken it seriously. This is what I ended up with:





Large handle on the side of the switch box disconnects panel from controller. It's probably overkill...but it works perfectly. It will maintain the battery in this:

 

[TacomaAustin]

Kudos on the awesome CJ Scrambler photo.

 

[verdesardog]

I kinda figured that from your name. I assume you are a dog handler from your photo. We have a fantastic dog handler. She and her dog train a HUGE amount in Utah and Colorado. Looks like it might be the same breed of dog as yours...australian something if I remember right. Congrats on the commendation...did it come with money for the group? Just curious...how busy is the busiest in the Arizona? We had 2 today...for a 2016 total of 106 so far...and there may be another one in the works. It looks like we will smash last year's all-time record of 138. I shouldn't have spoken so soon...pager just went off again...I'm off on number 107.

We normally get about 60 call outs a year. I found my dog Aimee in the forest when she was just a pup, still had her puppy teeth. I can't believe some one just threw her away. She has been the best dog ever! She was a wonderful air scent dog but alas she has past away after 13 awesome years together. At first I thought she was part coyote and Australian shepherd, I sent a dna sample, she was 30% border collie, the rest was Australian shep, German shep, akita and great Pyrenees.

 

[moabian]

Beautiful pup. It's way too damn hard when you lose them. Our dog person has had 3 Australian Shepherds...currently has 2. She went clear to the SE U.S. to pick up her latest. They make great search dogs in the hot desert. We had number 112 last night...8 calls in the last 6 days. It's getting slightly absurd.

 

[andytruck]

So, moabian has some words that say to never connect solar first, be we all do it with no issues, so what is the threat?
dwh says it gets its power from the battery, but so what, how would that matter?
I have been connecting it correct, but forget that i took the fuse out where the battery is, so really connecting it wrong… No issues

 

[JPShooter]

Does leaving a Renogy Wanderer connected to the battery (when not charging from panels) use a significant amount of battery power? The lights are on but I don't know if it's using much juice.

It's what I've been doing with mine. It's connected full-time to an ArkPak via Anderson Power Plug and I have a quick connect for the panels to the controller when it's time to go solar. It's not registering as a draw on the ArkPak LCD when not hooked to panels, so that probably answers the question.

I figure by leaving it connected I can't mess up and connect the panels first by accident!

 

[Borrego60]

Just installed a Renogy kit in my tundra today. Read the instructions first and did catch the battery hook up first. They also show to put the fuse on the negative side of the battery from the controller/ Not sure why? But that is what the picture shows. Weird????

 

[JPShooter]

Just installed a Renogy kit in my tundra today. Read the instructions first and did catch the battery hook up first. They also show to put the fuse on the negative side of the battery from the controller/ Not sure why? But that is what the picture shows. Weird????

Here's the online manual for the Wanderer charge controller.

Fuse is on the positive lead.

Perhaps your controller is different. This is the one I installed with my kit, so I had to go check when I saw your post, as I did fuse the positive lead. Had me doubting myself

 

[Borrego60]

Here's the online manual for the Wanderer charge controller.

Fuse is on the positive lead.

Perhaps your controller is different. This is the one I installed with my kit, so I had to go check when I saw your post, as I did fuse the positive lead. Had me doubting myself

View attachment 364724

I have the View Star. I had to double check it too. Shows the ground to be fused, strange.