Thread: Solar controller to aux batt connection.

I reckon your Disco will have enough time to top the batteries up......

I’m assuming you will be driving a good portion of the day each day....if you pull up early or depart late on the odd day just leave your portable set connect and let it be the last thing you deal with.

check out this pic but read the info from this web site on dual battery install. i found it very very useful.

Dual Battery Systems | Alternator charging, how it
should be done

BATTERY - SOLAR.jpg

You certainly can leave it connected and it shouldn't cause any problems going through a PWM or other regulator. Mine doesn't. When driving the battery will draw from whatever is the strongest source.

Whether you actually need it depends what you draw down from the battery and how long you drive.

Oh and leave you roof rack space for important stuff like fire wood.

To answer your question - yes, fine to connect the panel straight to the aux battery.

As noted, you'll probably be fine with driving anyway - waht are you actually running? Just a fridge and a few LED lights/charging the phones, etc? You'll probably not pull more than 10 to 15 amp hours out of the battery overnight just doing that, so would only take a couple of hours to charge it again the next time you're driving.

If you're moving every day I wouldn't see too much of an issue but if parked up for more than a couple of days you'd want to start looking at something else.

Originally Posted by Homestar

If you're moving every day I wouldn't see too much of an issue but if parked up for more than a couple of days you'd want to start looking at something else.

He has portable for multiple days....given its big enough to put more in than what’s being used

car battery plus aux plus solar.jpg

It doesn't have to be that complicated, really. Solar is just another power source.
This is now mature technology. Just connect a solar panel with PWM regulator to either battery and you are done. The dual battery controller will do the rest.