Adding Starter Battery Charging via Solar

[Nigel Whitwood]

Would this be an option?

Sterling Battery-Battery Maintainer 12V-12V, 3A

The Sterling B2B Maintainer diverts a small current from a charging source to a second battery, preventing self-discharge & extending battery service life.

www.12voltplanet.co.uk

Has anyone tried this?

 

[RSMarco]

Has anyone tried this?

Yes I have one. Currently isolated by the two fuses as my solar panels have both failed (another story which I'm unhappy about).

 

[Nigel Whitwood]

Yes I have one. Currently isolated by the two fuses as my solar panels have both failed (another story which I'm unhappy

On a couple of occasions, after 3 or 4 nights off grid, I have ended up with a flat engine battery due most likely to the courtesy lights, (now switch off), the powered side door and the luggage compartment light, (bulb now removed). I don't use the radio but do have a security camera that stays on unless the engine battery voltage drops below 12.2V.
I'm planning to add another panel to my single 110W.
In your experience, is this unit likely to maintain the engine battery under this use case?

 

[WelshGas]

On a couple of occasions, after 3 or 4 nights off grid, I have ended up with a flat engine battery due most likely to the courtesy lights, (now switch off), the powered side door and the luggage compartment light, (bulb now removed). I don't use the radio but do have a security camera that stays on unless the engine battery voltage drops below 12.2V.
I'm planning to add another panel to my single 110W.
In your experience, is this unit likely to maintain the engine battery under this use case?

So does the security camera actually switch off?

 

[Nigel Whitwood]

So does the security camera actually switch off?

It has, but more likely due to a 24 hour timeout than a voltage drop, (not that I checked the couple of occasions the battery flattened). It doesn't record continuously, only when it detects movement.

 

[GrumpyGranddad]

It has, but more likely due to a 24 hour timeout than a voltage drop, (not that I checked the couple of occasions the battery flattened). It doesn't record continuously, only when it detects movement.

Hi @Nigel Whitwood
If your camera is anything like mine it is recording all the time but only saves the footage if movement is detected. That’s how it captures the scene before the movement takes place.

 

[Nigel Whitwood]

Hi @Nigel Whitwood
If your camera is anything like mine it is recording all the time but only saves the footage if movement is detected. That’s how it captures the scene before the movement takes place.

Not in this case,. It uses a PIR to detect movement rather than analysis of a video feed. There is no buffer to allow recording of the moments before detection of movement and a moments delay in recording after.

 

[WelshGas]

Not in this case,. It uses a PIR to detect movement rather than analysis of a video feed. There is no buffer to allow recording of the moments before detection of movement and a moments delay in recording after.

So the PIR function is continious?

When you say “ powered side door “, is that fully automatic sliding door or just the electric soft close?

 

[KGCali]

On a couple of occasions, after 3 or 4 nights off grid, I have ended up with a flat engine battery due most likely to the courtesy lights, (now switch off), the powered side door and the luggage compartment light, (bulb now removed). I don't use the radio but do have a security camera that stays on unless the engine battery voltage drops below 12.2V.
I'm planning to add another panel to my single 110W.
In your experience, is this unit likely to maintain the engine battery under this use case?

As long as the sun is shinning then it should be fine, no sun, no charge to the engine battery.