Wooie Posted April 18, 2012 Share Posted April 18, 2012 Hi again everyone, just a quick question. The solar panel and regulator i have fitted seems to be working fine, but there is one thing that concerns me slightly. I am regularly taking readings just to make sure everything is ok before we set off in anger with it to Scotland. I have fitted it so i can take readings at what i think are the important junctions, i.e. both sides of the regulator ( from the panel into the regulator and what comes out of the regulator ) The solar panel itself is putting out 21 volts. Both on the control panel and on a multi-meter at the battery itself especially in full sunshine i am getting readings of as much as 15.8 volts. This reading only lasts for a couple of seconds before coming down to 14.4 volts. When it reduces from 15.8 to 14.4 it happens pretty quickly and only takes 2 or 3 seconds. I was under the impression that the solar charge regulator would not let more that 14.4 volts go to the battery. The lights on the regulator are normal and no faults are showing I just wondered if this is normal or does it mean i have a problem with the regulator ? Many thanks and sorry for being a nuisance. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crinklystarfish Posted April 18, 2012 Share Posted April 18, 2012 Is it happening randomly or have you rigged a switch in there and it's just that the higher voltage is recorded during the 2 / 3 seconds it's first turned on? If it's just when the panel is switched on I'd not be too alarmed, but either way I'd venture that the battery will buffer the spikes and your equipment will be OK. All that said, I'm most definitely no electronics expert and hopefully one of the proper sparkies will pop up soon. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wooie Posted April 18, 2012 Author Share Posted April 18, 2012 It just seems to be random. I`m in there getting reading for the next trip so it`s not a problem to check it every now and then. I do not have any lights on and nothing is running apart from the control panel. Most of the time it`s fine but every now and then it just goes up and then pretty much comes straight back down again. ( maybe it`s me looking at the wrong time.......lol ) i`ve got the bench up and multi-meter ready so i have quick access to where the regulator and distribution board is. The outside locker is open and the battery in it`s tray is slid out ready to check. I just thought i would ask just in case it is a problem because i`d rather sort it now than when we are away on the Orkneys. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul- Posted April 18, 2012 Share Posted April 18, 2012 It looks like you have a good controller & its pules charging your battery, this will fully charge the battery without gassing ;-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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