Simple circuit system question.
Simple circuit system question.
(OP)
Hi guys,
I am a Civil Engineer, and have a simple charging question I was hoping to get some help on.
I have a few sites where I am having power issues at, here is the layout:
Solar panel -> charge controller (one input, two outputs) -> each output runs to a 12V battery which powers a piece of equipment(resistor).
Occasionally, one or the other pieces of equipment experience a power failure.
I was wondering if I was to connect the batteries in series rather then parallel, if this would give me a better chance of not occurring a power failure.
Both of the layouts are depicted on the image attached.
Please let me know what you think and thank you for your time.
J. Myles Gardner
I am a Civil Engineer, and have a simple charging question I was hoping to get some help on.
I have a few sites where I am having power issues at, here is the layout:
Solar panel -> charge controller (one input, two outputs) -> each output runs to a 12V battery which powers a piece of equipment(resistor).
Occasionally, one or the other pieces of equipment experience a power failure.
I was wondering if I was to connect the batteries in series rather then parallel, if this would give me a better chance of not occurring a power failure.
Both of the layouts are depicted on the image attached.
Please let me know what you think and thank you for your time.
J. Myles Gardner





RE: Simple circuit system question.
Mike Halloran
Pembroke Pines, FL, USA
RE: Simple circuit system question.
Short answer: probably not. The two batteries in series would be nominally 24 volts (12 + 12). The information you've provided hints that it's a 12-volt system (as is quite common).
RE: Simple circuit system question.
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RE: Simple circuit system question.
RE: Simple circuit system question.
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RE: Simple circuit system question.
Mike Halloran
Pembroke Pines, FL, USA
RE: Simple circuit system question.
Solar input: 6.5 A
Battery charge: 10A (Not sure on that, might have been 10V)
The third spot is actually for load.
RE: Simple circuit system question.
For each component, PV panel, charge controller, battery and load, there is probably a datasheet or intallation manual of some sort. Usually downloadable from the manufacturer's website. For free. Troubleshooting always starts with knowing how the equipment works.
You should take a multi-meter out into the field with you, and determine the status of the battery, even try disconnecting the solar panel to see if it's delivering a reasonable current with respect to the dataplate on the back and the amount of sun shining on it. If the panel passes, but the battery doesn't, then test the controller because it's responisible for maintaining the battery charge. If there's no manufacturer name on the top then you're probably dealing with cheap consumer stuff from china.
STF
RE: Simple circuit system question.
Bill
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RE: Simple circuit system question.
RE: Simple circuit system question.
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RE: Simple circuit system question.
RE: Simple circuit system question.
Put the 2 batteries in parallel and connect the load to the controller where it's supposed to connect. Of course, this could also just blow up the controller since you can't provide any useful data to determine if this can work. But hey, it seems you're just messing around with this stuff wihout really knowing what it does, right?
Saying one of the 2 loads has a power failure seems to imply that the other battery is still charged enough to work. Putting both batteries in parallel would mean both have to be discharged before you experience a power failure. But then, one load could be more demanding and just kills it's battery quicker.
If re-wiring the batteries doesn't keep the system powered long enough, then you need more storage or more charging, or possibly both.
You should pay an electrical engineer to review these sites if you actually need them to work to some specification.
RE: Simple circuit system question.
To answer both Operas and Lionel questions, Yes, I do not know much about electrical, that is why I sought help in the first place.