Solar or Battery Problem?

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Update on my Solar system. Working great battery was up to 13.9 charging from panel last 2 days. Right now my battery voltage shows 12.6. I also added an alternator charging system yesterday with the help of another member. We are good to go! My battery is happy now!
Cold drinks for everyone.
 
Your battery would be even happier if the solar got it upto 14.8v for a while, but 13.9v is certainly an improvement.

What kind of voltage do you see on house battery with engine running. Idle vs revving it a bit?
 
Tomcor said:
Idle 14.4. 14.8 running

Good numbers.  Wonder how long they last after engine start.

If interested, check again after a longer drive when everything is hot, and do not be surprised to see mid to high 13's. 

Most vehicles drop maximum allowed voltage with time and or heat and or just because they want to.
The alternator only produces as many amps as required to maintain the voltage the vehicle's Voltage Regulator has chosen.  Some alternators have their own VR internal to them.

With lesser target voltage chosen by the VR, much less recharging amps flow, especially on a sulfated abused battery.

Ideally, after driving any distance, the solar by itself would be able to maintain 14.4v to 14.8v for 3 to 4 more hours while still powering the fridge.

That, would be a truly happy and loyal long lived battery if treated that way since new.

If abused early in its life, the abused battery will hold a grudge, but do its best under the newly applied 'ideal' regimen, and only slowly lose capacity from there.

Without ever achieving 'ideal', the abused battery will continue to fester in anger, holding that increasing grudge, until it judges the best time to fail where it will most be able to inconvenience you.

Invoke 70's hippy accent:

Battery Karma Maaaaaaaannnnnnn!

Tick tick tick.
 
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