Hi all, first post and all that, as is the norm I need some help with a little project and hope you guys and girls can help? I have posted this question on solar forums and it resulted in a lot of bickering and information mixed with misinformation and no conclusion. I am hoping by getting the information from the 'horses mouth' it will be valid and proper.
First the basics:
4x4 used for camping, presently has one solar panel to keep battery topped up and run fridge, works fine over a couple of days but, after a longer term the battery voltage starts to fall, this is because other devices get used, so I will eventually have two solar panels connected for any camping for more than say a weekend.
Presently fitted panel is 110 W/6.6A/16.7V and the next one I am about to purchase is 100W/5.62A/17.8V
This was chosen as it is a flexible one and will be glued to the top of the 4x4.
The issue is they are going to be paralleled two or three times per year so I guess I should put a diode on the positive lead of each of them, as one will often be shaded.
I can only find 6 amp Schottky diodes from Maplin (50v) and the guy behind the counter was not electronics savvy.....'yeh I know', and as they had nothing else shown in the catalogue he felt they would be fine as the max current was going to be 6.6 and there was 'some' tolerance.
I bought 6 thinking I could match two for each panel but after searching I found (on this site) that this practice is frowned upon?.. Will there be sufficient tolerance in the typical 6 amps I have to cover the possibility of 6.6 amps?
TIA......oh and no fighting!
regards
Dave
First the basics:
4x4 used for camping, presently has one solar panel to keep battery topped up and run fridge, works fine over a couple of days but, after a longer term the battery voltage starts to fall, this is because other devices get used, so I will eventually have two solar panels connected for any camping for more than say a weekend.
Presently fitted panel is 110 W/6.6A/16.7V and the next one I am about to purchase is 100W/5.62A/17.8V
This was chosen as it is a flexible one and will be glued to the top of the 4x4.
The issue is they are going to be paralleled two or three times per year so I guess I should put a diode on the positive lead of each of them, as one will often be shaded.
I can only find 6 amp Schottky diodes from Maplin (50v) and the guy behind the counter was not electronics savvy.....'yeh I know', and as they had nothing else shown in the catalogue he felt they would be fine as the max current was going to be 6.6 and there was 'some' tolerance.
I bought 6 thinking I could match two for each panel but after searching I found (on this site) that this practice is frowned upon?.. Will there be sufficient tolerance in the typical 6 amps I have to cover the possibility of 6.6 amps?
TIA......oh and no fighting!
regards
Dave