controlling charge for solar in 1998

jojo · Post by **jojo** » Wed Oct 19, 2011 6:06 pm

There appears to be a charger control to avoid overcharging the battery built in stock to the 1998 converter. Does anyone know if this would control the charge were a solar panel tied in to the red and white wires on the roof?
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Post by **skater** » Wed Oct 19, 2011 6:47 pm

Does your camper have a solar panel? If not, I don't know why it would have a solar controller. The converters I'm familiar with do not have solar controllers.

jojo · Post by **jojo** » Wed Oct 19, 2011 8:29 pm

I hoped that if the red and white wires tied into the converter it would regulate voltage to the battery just as it does for the shore line. Wishful thinking? There is no panel on the roof, yet.

Post by **skater** » Thu Oct 20, 2011 7:51 am

jojo wrote:I hoped that if the red and white wires tied into the converter it would regulate voltage to the battery just as it does for the shore line. Wishful thinking? There is no panel on the roof, yet.

Probably not. But it's an in-depth discussion:

If you have the original converter, it will just try to keep the 12 volt system at some voltage (probably 13.8 or 14.2 or something like that). That's it. This is a great way to destroy batteries, by overcharging them.

If you have a 3 stage aftermarket converter, it will sense the voltage of the battery, thus determining its charge, and select the appropriate 'line' voltage to charge the battery or maintain the battery, as appropriate.

Now, if a solar cell is contributing power to the system, that just means the converter (single stage or three stage) won't have to work as hard to charge/maintain the battery. But it won't provide any regulation of the current from the solar system; if the solar system is putting out more current than needed to charge the battery, it'll theoretically overcharge it while the converter stands by. In reality you need a fair-sized solar system compared to your batteries to make that happen, but a solar controller is a good idea for all but the smallest panels.

(For example, I have a small 10 watt panel I use in the truck to help keep its batteries topped off since they're old and getting weak. No controller at all, but there's no way that 10 watt panel is going to overcharge even one battery...let alone two.)

jojo · Post by **jojo** » Thu Oct 20, 2011 5:35 pm

Thanks, again. Skater, I have a portable 15 watt panel with up to 25 feet of line but the manufacturer says the controler has to be within 5 feet of the battery. Why? I suppose it easiest to put the controler under the sofa when I start using a 120 watt jobby on the roof instead of this little portable unit i keep under the mattress. Of course the rear battery is beyond a five foot distance. ???? Can it be that critical?

jojo · Post by **jojo** » Fri Oct 21, 2011 3:20 pm

Airstream has a 3 stage charger with the converter for the 1998 . There is a lot of talk on the forum about overcharging, but, some of us are OK with the stock equipment. I have the 32 amp model with option "C" (means has the charger). NO worries. But, I don`t think the solar would be regulated without an aftermarket controller. I am getting mixed opinions about it. Anyone done it with a 97-99 model? Thanks if you can settle this.
Take Care--jojo

Post by **skater** » Fri Oct 21, 2011 6:37 pm

Please don't start multiple threads on one issue. It makes it hard for others to find things. Thanks!

jojo · Post by **jojo** » Fri Oct 21, 2011 10:11 pm

Thanks for the tip. wilco

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