tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8535660355757508633.post3734478120084960848..comments2023-04-03T00:48:01.893-07:00Comments on mv.VikingStar: Solar output when the Sun doesn't shineViking Starhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11269939254829503157noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8535660355757508633.post-24767783147673097032012-06-08T10:15:12.264-07:002012-06-08T10:15:12.264-07:00Tate, You have accurately described the situatio...Tate, You have accurately described the situation once batteries get towards their Acceptance phase - indicated by the system voltage approaching 14.5v (in our case). However, I observed this while still well in the Bulk phase - system voltage was around 13.5v - and as such I would have expected all sources to be supplying full amps in order to 'get the voltage up' :-)<br /><br />There is something else going on here I suspect. But it is a new addition to our system so more learning to do.<br /><br />-al-Viking Starhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11269939254829503157noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8535660355757508633.post-54679743592328295672012-05-29T21:18:27.914-07:002012-05-29T21:18:27.914-07:00The solar controller interacts with the alternator...The solar controller interacts with the alternator in that they both are charging the same battery. The battery has a limited acceptance rate and every charging source with a regulator will respect this and tail off its output as the batteries acceptance rate is reached. Usually the most powerful charging source continues output at near full power (so long as the batteries can accept the amps) while the others will back off. This is why you can independently connect an alternator, solar, wind, and other regulated charging sources to the same battery bank without some sort of "central brain" to control them all. They just play traffic with each other, yielding to the big boss output and to the batteries themselves. <br /><br />I don't know if that cleared anything up or not. But its pretty awesome to see those solar panels kicking butt! =)Tatehttp://sundownersailsagain.comnoreply@blogger.com