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Old 01-22-2017, 02:15 PM   #1
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2012 25' FB Flying Cloud
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Question concerning solar vs shore power

When I am at a RV park and connected to shore power, which unit is charging my batteries, the solar (on the roof) or the converter?


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Old 01-22-2017, 03:22 PM   #2
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I believe the answer is shore power if you are plugged in and the battery disconnect switch is set to "use". If set to "store" the shore charging circuit is isolated and only the solar charges alone.
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Old 01-22-2017, 11:09 PM   #3
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Thanks for the reply. My concern is if the converter is recharging the battery and it is a single stage converter, an I tuning the risk of harming the batteries? Also is the solar being "wasted".
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Old 01-23-2017, 05:44 AM   #4
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The big questions are.......

• how much solar do you have ?
• what type and size batteries do you have?
• what type of solar controller do you have?

If you have a high quality after market solar charging system, then it would be far better for your batteries than the single stage battery burner converter that you have.

OTOH, if your batteries are full and you are plugged in at an RV park, there is no reason to eve use the batteries, as your converter will supply all of the required DC voltage to operate everything in your railer.

I would leave your USE/STORE switch in the STORE position whenever you are plugged in and exposed to sunlight. Your solar will take care of charging your batteries and your converter will take care of running the trailer. There is no reason to have both connected when on shore power IF you have solar.
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Old 01-23-2017, 05:47 AM   #5
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Typically if you are using the trailer and hooked to shorepower you do not need to worry about cooking the batteries; it seems that using DC loads while charging helps. You need to worry when storing the trailer with the single-stage converter energized. Some people on this forum put their switch in STORE mode while hooked up to power so that the converter is energizing the DC loads but the battery is disconnected from the charger section. Your batteries would then still charge from solar. Wasting solar? If you are a hookup campground person, all solar is good for is keeping your batteries charged when you store the trailer at home.
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Old 01-24-2017, 12:18 AM   #6
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My situation is this; the trailer is stored inside with no sun exposure. So I have been plugging into shore power and keeping the switch in the USE position. From what I gather I need to either (1) replace my converter with a 3-4 stage unit and continue to keep switch toggled to USE or (2) remove the batteries and put them on a trickle charger and set the switch to STORE.

Does that sound right? Any other suggestions?

Thanks for all the help. As you can probably tell, I'm not "electrically inclined".
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Old 01-24-2017, 02:43 AM   #7
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Yes

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Old 01-24-2017, 05:27 AM   #8
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IF you have good batteries (like AGMs), they have very low internal resistance which allows them to be stored in an isolated state for up to 90 days (Lifeline) without a 'boost' charge applied.

This is easily accomplished with a total battery disconnect switch (usually placed at the battery bank) which will totally disconnect your batteries from the trailer loads and completely isolate them.

Put them away in a 100% state of charge and they will be very close to that when you return to use the trailer again.

You should STILL replace the single stage battery burner of a converter that you have in your trailer, but isolation also works well.
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Old 02-02-2017, 10:34 AM   #9
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I was about to ask this question while checking which sub-forum to post on!

But just to clarify: when I buy my 16' AS in a few months & use it for a few months with the stock Parallax. Then I plan on 2 narrow roof mounted solar panels (a 2nd battery) and a Bogart SC or one of AMSolars Blue Sky/Victron offerings...these Solar Charge Controllers will then take over the battery minding when not connected to shore power? I don't need to replace the stock Parallax in this case?

When boondocking (75% of the time) does it matter if I'm in Store or Use mode? Will these Solar Controller tend the battery if there is sun in either mode?

And for the few times I'm plugged in at an RV park for 2-3 days, can I leave it in USE mode and not worry about the stock converters manner of charging?

I will be storing the AS at my home sideyard in Southern California, partially covered, when not in use. So the PV and Solar Controller will still maintain the battery between outings.
thanks, Dino
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Old 02-02-2017, 10:57 AM   #10
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Some opinions. Yes the solar will charge and maintain the battery, especially with a better controller than the stock Atkinson. If wired per the factory, the solar will charge independent of the Store-Use switch.
If you are living in your trailer for 2-3 days at a time with the stock converter charging the batteries, you should not have any problem.
However, you might be wary of partial shade when stored for keeping your battery topped up. It might be OK, but it does not take much shading to significantly reduce charging. On the other hand, parasitic load is pretty small also. I would think you would be OK.
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Old 02-02-2017, 11:29 AM   #11
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Quote:
Originally Posted by cdanj View Post
My situation is this; the trailer is stored inside with no sun exposure. So I have been plugging into shore power and keeping the switch in the USE position. From what I gather I need to either (1) replace my converter with a 3-4 stage unit and continue to keep switch toggled to USE or (2) remove the batteries and put them on a trickle charger and set the switch to STORE.

Does that sound right? Any other suggestions?

Thanks for all the help. As you can probably tell, I'm not "electrically inclined".
If you can plug into a standard 110 plug where you store it, you can put a timer on that plug, then put an adapter between the regular 30 amp plug and the timer. Set the timer for an hour a day and leave the switch in Use.

I do that for my boat, using an outdoor, up to 1500 watt timer. When we travel, I plug a 2 amp charger into the same timer and connect it to the wife's car battery to keep it topped off. (last time we were gone for 3 months her battery completely drained. It seems Siennas have some kind of monitoring going on even if the engine is off. Yes, I could disconnect the battery, but then I'd have to reset the radio, moon roof and power door.)
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