Community Forums

deandec · 10-06-2015, 07:35 PM

If I connect a solar panel controller to the house battery bank will it need to be protected from the Inverter's Battery Charger or the Alternator Battery charging in some manner?

Or do they all get along just fine?

jackfish · 10-06-2015, 07:43 PM

With all sources properly fused there is no conflict.

vsheetz · 10-06-2015, 08:33 PM

They will cooperate based on the battery voltage and work just fine.

**CountryFit** · 10-07-2015, 08:42 AM

as above said, if you are using flooded/agm/gel batteries, and you connected the wires of solar controller output to the house batteries, all things will be taken care of, no need to worry about the charging. however, if you were running on li batts, that is a different story.

deandec · 10-07-2015, 08:59 AM

Great! Thanks to all who replied.

TQ60 · 10-07-2015, 08:01 PM

Dean they will not argue about it but they will play nice...

Assuming each are voltage regulated and maybe multiple stage maybe not as it does not matter.

Neither is smart enough to realize that the other is in place so their regulator just assume a battery is there and acts.

If the inverter is multi-stage and is operating at say 14 volts and the solar charger is set to 13.5 then the panels will do nothing.

If the inverter is in float at 13.5 and the solar controller is set to 13.6 then the solar will be operating at full output up to the 13.6.

No real need to worry but a safe action would be to confirm with the device manufacturers to confirm proper settings as there may be a configuration setting to allow for better marriage of the two systems.