Guest Patrick Winks Posted October 11, 2005 Share Posted October 11, 2005 My hymer is a 1998 model LHD and my question concerns fitting a second leisure battery under the passengers seat - the present one is under the drivers seat. I think my real question is about my 80w solar panel which is wired direct to the leisure battery through a regulator of course.It I put in a second battery in parallel to the original will the solar panel charge it as a matter of course or do I have to wire it separately to the solar panel or regulator? Thanks and regards to all Patrick Winks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest neil w Posted October 11, 2005 Share Posted October 11, 2005 hi patrick,the answer to your question is yes .It will charge your second battery if the batteries are wired in parallel .I have a 115w solar panel wired to my two 85ah batteries and they work just fine .I must add it was due to other people on this web site who also helped me out ,regards neil Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Neal Posted October 11, 2005 Share Posted October 11, 2005 Patrick Neil is right; if you fit a second leisure battery you must connect to the first one somehow or it would only be extra, unused weight! Once it is connected, the solar panel will provide charge for both batteries. Remember, however, that the solar panel output will be the same no matter how many batteries you fit, so the time required to charge your battery bank will be increased. Regards Neal Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Mel E Posted October 12, 2005 Share Posted October 12, 2005 Since Clive hasn't replied (away in his motorhome?) I'll add a couple of extra points: - the batteries should both be the same size (i.e. both 80 amphour or both 100amphour, etc) or they will not each charge equally. Ideally, they should be the same make and model. - ideally you should connect the solar panel regulator to a connecting block close to the batteries from which you run SAME LENGTH wires to each battery. However, if you use really heavy duty cable (30 amp should do) between the batteries and keep it as short as possible, it should work OK. - check each cell of both batteries regularly - once a single cell's performance drops away, that (failing) battery will pinch all the incoming charge. The best way is by checking the electrolyte in the cell with a hydrometer. - Clive would doubtless recommend getting two 80amphour 6 volt batteries and wiring them in series - a much more reliable solution, but 6 volt batteries are not easy to find and more expensive. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest bill Posted October 13, 2005 Share Posted October 13, 2005 The replies on this message board are very informative and ideal for sorting problems. Bill Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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