Wiring Solar into main battery

Hey all,

I would like to utilize solar panel without needing to use a dual battery setup. Seeing the cascadia solar panels put me onto the idea. It seems like all I would need is a panel and charge controller.

My gameplan is to use the Renogy Voyager 20a controller with a 100W panel. This will keep my battery topped off while having my fridge constantly running and other accessories I may end up using at camp.

Are there any issues with this?

 

Be sure to protect the solar circuit with a diode.

 

Technically no, but you might want to read up on battery types for your application. Lead acid batteries are not very well suited, AGMs are better for dual use, i.e. car and/or 12V appliances while LiFe bats are not well suited for the car. Seems a breaker between the battery and charge controller might be prudent as well. I'm assuming you would only operate in this mode with the vehicle turned off?? If you have the room, take a hard look at using a 175W panel.

 

If this plays out how I want it to, I'll be using a Northstar 27f. And yep, it would really only be active when the vehicle is off. The goal is to just keep my battery topped off while the fridge runs.

 

That's the setup I have, 27f AGM and a 100w solar to keep it topped off. It works well and I much prefer it to a dual battery.

 

I've had a 100w panel on my truck for awhile now. In perfect conditions I've gotten about 35-40% efficiency, which isn't really enough to keep a battery topped off if the fridge is running often. I have a group 31 AGM and use mine to help keep the charging voltage closer to 14.6v. Mine is ran to a controller then to the battery and haven't had any problems. I like the Cascadia hood panels and would love to switch to that, but $500 for 85w is a ridiculous price

 

Interesting read.

https://vanconverts.com/isolators-dc-to-dc-battery-to-battery-charger-alternator-van/

 

I is it cool if I PM you and pick your brain on some of the finer details?

I live in a more moderate area, in the northeast, so my thought is that my fridge won’t see much above 80 degrees, even in the summer. I could always use a 200w panel, since I might have the space.

 

You’re welcome to PM me if you like, I don’t mind.

 

Any chance of reviving this old thread? Found it searching for examples of something similar, and any things to watch out for.

What controller, panels, batteries, application, etc.

i am looking into this to maintain battery when not driven for a period,

and also would like to be able to run ACC/stereo/head unit, speakers for a longer period of time without idling engine, or killing battery.

 

I just started looking into this too. I'm thinking a super simple set up. Panel to control box to battery. Primary use would be when we are out for weeks at a time the battery could get some help while the truck is stationary. New to the solar thing so I have some research to do. Also have a hood scoop so I have been looking for a flexible panel that will fit on the hood for a permanent-ish install. I have been looking into the Renogy set ups that you can piece together. Looking like it's achievable for under 200 bucks.

100 watt panel is on sale right now. https://amzn.to/4bQJbRd

2 kits available on sale also. I'm just not sure yet witch one will best for me without more research.

Kit 1 --
https://amzn.to/49PXnIz

Kit 2 --
https://amzn.to/3OSpGhi

 

Read up more on solar and batteries. Understand that you will only get (as stated above) 35-40W max out of a 100W panel due to latitude, pointing angle and time of the year. That puts you at no more than 3-4 Amps charging current, so a 20A charge controller would work for you. That said, a 35-40W fridge is pretty small, and if you want to run anything else you are probably already behind the power curve. Then there are batteries... Your truck battery is really not what you want to do this with. It is not the type of use a lead acid bat is built for and you will likely degrade it. Read up on discharge curves for various battery types. I'd highly recommend going with a Lithium Iron battery sized to your need. You can get a 50 A-Hr battery pretty cheap theses days. Such bat would run a 50 W fridge your for a couple days at a 30% duty cycle.

Play around with this tool and see where it takes you.

https://www.renogy.com/calculators

 

I carry a portable 200w panel with a 40a charge controller and a lithium 100Ah battery in a battery box.

 

I ran a VICTRON controller (they are better rehab a lot of the renogy and other cheap ones) and various batteries but always direct to starter. With an I line fuse for solar from panel to the controller then toe controller was fused to the battery. 100 will work but 175-200 is ideal. I found it worked most of the year but would get low in the winter for ti clouds, rain. I kept my setup on 24/7 365 days. Ran it that way for last 4/5 years. Started w/ 1 100 watt then added a 2nd. Later switched to 2 110 watt sunflower but mainly to use flexible for a new setup. 1 175 though would save space and lower cost. this was all using northstar. 31M (removed for space ) then swapped to 35 (warrantied it) now it’s on a 27.

 

Anybody know much about solar? I'm looking to just trickle charge my main battery because I run a dashcam with parking mode.

If I run a 100-200 watt Renogy solar panel plugged into a Victron Energy SmartSolar MPPT 75V 15 amp then plugged straight into my vehicle battery that's all I really need right?

What did you end up going with OP?

 

You really shouldn’t need a solar setup to power a dashcam unless you are leaving your vehicle parked for weeks at a time. Even then, most dashcam’s should have a low-voltage cutoff.
The cascadia hood mounted panel should be sufficient to keep your battery topped off while your dashcam is recording for months while your truck is parked and it comes with everything you’d need.

 

That will be plenty. You can even run a fridge. I ran 100 then 200 to an AGM off I think the same VICTRON and kept my truck topped and fridge running 24/7.

 

This is what I was gonna do, but the victron plus a renogy panel that I could mount on my roof rack is MUCH cheaper than the cascadia also gives more room for expansion or a fridge down the road.

 

I purchased the Ecoflow delta2 max that comes with a 220w solar panel plus I got a 100w solar panel for my roof rack on my 2020 TRD sport...
No need to worry about car batteries or any other Bat
My question is does anyone out have this set up? And can I run both solar panels together to charge the delta when parked?
I bought this set up to avoid having many other components and wiring to set up.
The Delta 2 max has it all built-in