Solar battery

[Simon Meadwell]

Sunny all day battery showing 12.8 from tracker data i have on my phone is this low.
Two batteries only 18 months old.

 

[Happy Jim]

With the sun beating down on your panels I’d expect the voltage to be >13. Once the panels stop producing an output then batts at 12.8v would say fully charged to me.

rgds

jim

 

[cmcardle75]

Sunny all day battery showing 12.8 from tracker data i have on my phone is this low.
Two batteries only 18 months old.

For lead acid, 12.8V is 100%, or still showing some residual charging/not enough time since charging ended for the voltage to settle.

 

[Lenny HB]

Need to know what solar regulator you are using.

A single stage regulator will charge until it reaches the set voltage usually around 14.2 - 14.4 or 14.7 for AGM, then it will turn off. The battery voltage will drop off to around 12.8 - 13.2v.

A two stage regulator will charge to the set voltage and then drop to a float voltage of 13.6-13.8v.

A 3 stage charger will charge to the set voltage then either hold or reduce the voltage slightly with a limited current for 1 to 4 hours (dependant on battery type) , then it will drop to the float voltage.

 

[cmcardle75]

Need to know what solar regulator you are using.

A single stage regulator will charge until it reaches the set voltage usually around 14.2 - 14.4 or 14.7 for AGM, then it will turn off. The battery voltage will drop off to around 12.8 - 13.2v.

A two stage regulator will charge to the set voltage and then drop to a float voltage of 13.6-13.8v.

A 3 stage charger will charge to the set voltage then either hold or reduce the voltage slightly with a limited current for 1 to 4 hours (dependant on battery type) , then it will drop to the float voltage.

However, a solar charger will be able to do none of those things once there is no sun. It will be effectively completely disconnected and once the battery has settled down, a lead acid remaining at 12.8V would be considered fully charged.

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[Lenny HB]

However, a solar charger will be able to do none of those things once there is no sun. It will be effectively completely disconnected and once the battery has settled down, a lead acid remaining at 12.8V would be considered fully charged.

True.

 

[ontheroadagain]

Our tracker is connected to the vehicle battery, not the leisure batteries. Are you sure yours isnt the same?

 

[Simon Meadwell]

Thanks for the replies. In answer to all your questions i dont know. No good at electrics and the van is in storage.
Im happy with the 12.8 being fully charged no more worries.

 

[Lenny HB]

As ontheroadagain says I think you are reading the starter battery voltage.