Solar addition to system with a multi-stage converter/charger

[drboyd]

OK, so last year I took out the old Univolt and installed a new Progressive dynamics 9245 charge controller to manage the charging while I'm hooked up to 120/1/60.

This year, we're looking at more camping without an electrical hookup, and I'm thinking about solar with an MPPT charge controller. Everything I know about electricity (which you could write on the bottom of my shoe with a can of spray paint) tells me that the 120 volt charge controller and the solar charge controller just connect to the battery in parallel.

Seems like it would probably not be a good idea to have the solar and the shore power feeding into the battery at the same time... that might let some smoke out of something.

Is there anything else I need to know, do, or buy?

[idroba]

The 120 volt converter/charger and any solar charge controller are indeed simply connected to the battery together. When both are operating (line power connected) and the sun is shining, once the battery voltage increases to the charged condition, both will regulate down and not overcharge the battery.

So, no problem with them both connected and on at the same time. You won't let the smoke out.