Solar Panel on a van - safe or not?

pullandbang

I bought a 100w flexible solar panel and charger to use on my van when I'm away. The van is parked up all day while I'm out fishing and the fridge is running the whole time. (Oh it's now a fridge and not the cooler box I used to have). It's great for putting a little power back into the leisure battery over a couple of days. It's also brilliant for recharging my 12v 7ah batteries for my fish finder.

My question is though, is it ok to leave the solar panel running while I'm not using the van. i.e. when it's parked in my driveway and there's no load on the lesiure battery. I've been leaving the solar panel on the dashboard and it seemd to be keeping the leisure battery up around the 13v mark but is that ok in the long term?

I think a 100W solar panel connected to your battery directly will overcharge your battery and eventually kill it. However if you have a MPPT charge controller it should both improve the charging efficiency and stop the panel from overcharging your battery.

Having said that, depending where you are in Ireland your panel will likely only be putting out 20W in the winter which would do no harm to your leisure battery. My 20W panel isn't enough to stop my 100ah battery from going flat in the winter.

StupidLikeAFox

You need to get a gadget like this one - it goes between the solar unit and the battery, it will regulate the charger and stop charging when the battery is full to prevent over charging

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Controller-Topcloud-Parameter-Adjustable-Regulator/dp/B08XX6ZPBP/ref=asc_df_B08XX6ZPBP/?tag=googshopuk-21&linkCode=df0&hvadid=500896843639&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=10108029302999724266&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=m&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=1007867&hvtargid=pla-1225226701125&psc=1&ref_=d6k_applink_bb_marketplace

pullandbang

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117947117#Comment_117947117

Meant to add I do have the controller in between the battery and solar panel so it seems I'm good to leave it running. Thanks folks.

pullandbang

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117947155#Comment_117947155

You'll pick those controllers up on Ali Express a lot cheaper than Amazon - just choose one of the EU warehouses to ship from. Think my last 40amp one cost €9 delivered.