Battery charger & Solar panel

[Mike B]

Can you charge your battery with an intelligent battery charger during daylight?

The question arises in that my solar panel is at present giving me a 14.4v/3amps (yes I know that a poor current output), will my battery charger detect the 14.4v and decide that the battery is charged?

 

[jonandshell]

No, it will apply 14.4 volts until the increased resistance of the charged battery decreases the current flow to a level at which the charger is programmed to lower the output voltage.

Will the two systems fight each other? No idea!

It also depends on your Sargent PSU. Early versions simply put out a fixed voltage of around 14v.

 

[Mike B]

Replaced the sargent with a CTEK MXS 10 - 3 leisure batteries

 

[Mike B]

Just checked Solar output 13.4v
Voltage at battery 13.17v
Switched on battery/C
voltage at battery 13.8v

So an increase in voltage, probably an increase in charge then.