cyclops2 Posted June 13, 2013 Share Posted June 13, 2013 Just purchased a solar kit from Photonic Universe. Now installed and working perfectly on leisure battery. Originally wanted a dual battery regulator but the kit I wanted did not have one so I thought I could connect the load terminals to the vehicle battery. Sure that I have heard that people have done that. However just checked with the company and they say it is better to link the 2 batteries together for charging. Can I have some advice from the experts please Pete Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tracker Posted June 13, 2013 Share Posted June 13, 2013 If, as I read it, you want the solar panels to charge both leisure and engine battery best practice is to use a split charging device something like this - always assuming you have a regulator between solar panels and battery. http://www.sterling-power.com/products-chargers-maintainer.htm You connect it so that one battery is the primary and the other the secondary. This means that it will only charge the secondary - usually the engine battery - once it senses that the primary (leisure) battery is fully charged. It has worked very well for me for over the last four years and, joy of joys, even in mid winter the engine always starts even when we have been away vanless for a month. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lancepar Posted June 13, 2013 Share Posted June 13, 2013 Very interesting as I have just done something similar. I bought a connecting lead from Sargent for an EC200 PSU2007 Power Control System. You pull out the 6way plug in the panel and insert the connecting lead plug and reconnect the original plug for the batteries (Engine and Leisure) into the connecting lead socket. Sounds easy, but it’s a struggle to get to the panel where it is in the Cheyenne. The lead has two fuses and four wires that connect to the charge regulator. When I asked Sargent for advice they said if the regulator was a Single channel device, then decide which battery you want to connect to the solar panel and remove the fuse from the other wires and insulate them. Dual channel regulators usually have two battery symbols on them for wiring in the batteries. On my regulator there is provision for connecting another load, like a lamp etc, so I too have been wondering if this could be used to charge the chassis battery in my case or just connect both battery wires into the one regulator outlet as been suggested. But doing the latter wouldn’t both batteries be discharged together as well (?). Might have another word with Sargent. Lance B-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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