Controller dead, can I connect solar panel direct?

[ramblinrod]

Originally Posted by thomm225

As long as they monitor the voltage, it should be OK.

Example, with no load on a sunny day my 100 watt panel (and/or my 20 watt panel) will read about 22.1 volts which is the Voltage at Open Circuit (VOC) for each panel.

When you hook the panel to the battery, the voltage will read around 12.3 - 12.7 depending on how low the battery is.

The voltage will slowly increase from there as the battery charges.

If you disconnect the battery when it gets to around 14.4 volts or so, you should be fine.

No argument. But as I stated, if one allows the battery to become overcharged, and the charge voltage to continue to rise, it will most certainly hurt the batteries and can reach levels that could damage electronics.

[newhaul]

Originally Posted by ramblinrod

Charging system connections should always be on the battery side of any distribution system battery isolation switch.

Rod I dont really think that repeating what I said really was necessary but thank you for reiterating.

[newhaul]

Originally Posted by ramblinrod

No argument. But as I stated, if one allows the battery to become overcharged, and the charge voltage to continue to rise, it will most certainly hurt the batteries and can reach levels that could damage electronics.

This is exactly the reason we have ( several of us )have stated to watch battery voltage and disconnect from the panel when charged. To avoid possible damage to the batteries and shipboard systems.

[ramblinrod]

Originally Posted by newhaul

Rod I dont really think that repeating what I said really was necessary but thank you for reiterating.

Your welcome.

I am pretty savvy with marine electrical systems, and I wasnt even sure what your post was about.

If you believe that my post re-iterated your prior post using more clear and succint language, be appreciateive; we agree on the main issue, though it wasn't previously clear to me that we did.

[ramblinrod]

Originally Posted by newhaul

This is exactly the reason we have ( several of us )have stated to watch battery voltage and disconnect from the panel when charged. To avoid possible damage to the batteries and shipboard systems.

The point is, a post claimed that connecting a panel without a controller cannot reach voltage levels that can damage electronics. It can. We need to be very clear on this. If we have several posts that re-iterate the same message in different ways, that's a good thing. I think you need to relax a bit about people agreeing with you (if that is what I did).

FTR, I don't read every post in every thread before responding. I am too busy fixing boats. When I see something that is wrong, and could cause someone harm, I respond. If others respond confirming my post whether before or after it, that's a good thing.