Idiot’s guide to solar?

[maison]

Even after over 30 years of motorhoming I know less than nothing about solar so am looking for advice.

We have a 120W solar panel on our m/h charging the habitation battery only. The controller is capable of supplying the cab battery too and I have been considering connecting it up.

However, in the controller instructions it says that if a battery is connected to terminal 1, in this case the leisure battery, it will “assume” that the second battery, on terminal 2, is of the same type. They cannot be set differently.

In our case the hab battery is AGM and the vehicle is lead acid. I seem to remember reading that the two are not compatible. Am I correct?

What would be the consequence of simply connecting terminal 2 to the battery in this case?

Thanks in anticipation.

 

[Mikeco]

Not an expert but I believe that an AGM battery is still classed as a lead acid one.

 

[pappajohn]

AGM has a slightly higher charge voltage need than a regular Flooded lead acid so charging the wet lead acid cab battery may overcharge it.
If you change the controller to Flooded the hab battery won't get enough charge.

 

[pappajohn]

Not an expert but I believe that an AGM battery is still classed as a lead acid one.

Agreed, they are all lead acid.
The difference is a Flooded lead acid is just that, a liquid electrolyte
An AGM is also a wet battery but the electrolyte is Absobed into a glass matting between the plates.
A Gel uses a gellified electrolyte so can be used at any angle, even upside down, and the plates remain covered

 

[maison]

Thank you for the replies.

I will delay connecting the vehicle battery until I have a controller which can be set for the two different batteries.

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