finally got my solar installed.

[RCtime]

I finally installed my solar panel for maintaining my batteries while in storage,
I fabricated a metal framework, adjustable for slanting the panel to the sun and mounted it up on a storage shed next to my motorhome and ran the cable down to my battery compartment.
Here is what I have. A 40 W panel, an ICO-SC-L.5a controller. The controller is waterproof and mounted so it slides in and out on the battery tray. I connect and disconnect it to the solar panel via a short length of wire and a plug.
The solar panel is connected to my 3- 12V house batteries. My 2-12V starting batteries are charged via Trik L charge unit.
My inside panel showed a reading of 13.6V on the house batteries and 13.1 on the starting batteries as it should as the Trik L start is always about .5 behind the house batteries.
Seems like all is going well. The manual on the controller says its float charge is 13.8. It also says it has an impulse charge and a bulk charge.
What would these be?
My Winnebago also came with a built in 10W solar, so I guess I have 50W total.
I have never had much of a maintenance problem with my batteries before, only needing to add water occassionaly.
Should I expect the batteries to need water more often now?

Ron

[Ed-Sommers]

The overcharge protection on that controller is set at 14.5 so I'd say that bulk charge voltage is between 14.2 and 14.4.

If there is no draw on the battery's so as to put the charger into extended bulk charging, but they sit at float, little to no water usage should be expected as 13.6 is below gassing voltage.

Ed