Same reason I'm one of the viewers. Looking to improve my knowledge of solar panels too. I have an idea of what they do but have no idea of how they are connected nor what muso is saying about his ampmeters and negative thingos and loads on voltage. Thats foreign language to me.
Hi Rosco.
In my opinion I should not have mentioned the ampmeter or even installed it for that matter. I have found the voltmeter more value (and a lot cheaper than an ampmeter). Considering my 12v battery is fully charged at 12.7 volts and the float charge is around 13.7 volts (to keep it at 12.7v), I know if the solar regulator is putting in more than 13.7, then my batterys state of charge must be lower than 12.7 (because the battery is accepting more charge). The solar panels are capable of generating over 17volts.
Now that should be as clear as mud and I apologize for drifting off the thread.
Muso, you didn't do the wrong thing by fitting a amp meter, this is the best way to go.
Every one only talks volts, which is wrong, To put it into prospective volts is the carrier, like power lines, Amps is the energy that runes equipment so knowing what amps go in & out is the info that you need to know.
A reading of 12.5 or 13.8 doesent mean you have that amount of volts to dispose of, eg a open circut battery can easly read 12.5 volts & have no amps at all.
A battery discharged to a point that it will do nothing is still at 10.5 volts . As a battery discharges towards this point the amperage load will increase slightly as the load tryies to compensate for the drop in volts.
A battery under charge reading 13+/14+ volts doesn't mean its charged, that is the voltage being deleivered from the charger, being a 240 &/or solar. This is where the amp meter comes into place, when it returns back towards the zero then you battery is charged.
Now you even more confused but that is how it works. A simple explanation, give you an empty coffee mug, thats you volts, the carrier. Fill the coffee mug with coffee & thats your amps, the bit that makes things work for you.
JC.
Smokeydk said
04:11 PM Mar 23, 2012
rosco said
05:29 PM Mar 23, 2012
justcruisin01 wrote:
Muso wrote:
Same reason I'm one of the viewers. Looking to improve my knowledge of solar panels too. I have an idea of what they do but have no idea of how they are connected nor what muso is saying about his ampmeters and negative thingos and loads on voltage. Thats foreign language to me.
Hi Rosco.
In my opinion I should not have mentioned the ampmeter or even installed it for that matter. I have found the voltmeter more value (and a lot cheaper than an ampmeter). Considering my 12v battery is fully charged at 12.7 volts and the float charge is around 13.7 volts (to keep it at 12.7v), I know if the solar regulator is putting in more than 13.7, then my batterys state of charge must be lower than 12.7 (because the battery is accepting more charge). The solar panels are capable of generating over 17volts.
Now that should be as clear as mud and I apologize for drifting off the thread.
Muso, you didn't do the wrong thing by fitting a amp meter, this is the best way to go.
Every one only talks volts, which is wrong, To put it into prospective volts is the carrier, like power lines, Amps is the energy that runes equipment so knowing what amps go in & out is the info that you need to know.
A reading of 12.5 or 13.8 doesent mean you have that amount of volts to dispose of, eg a open circut battery can easly read 12.5 volts & have no amps at all.
A battery discharged to a point that it will do nothing is still at 10.5 volts . As a battery discharges towards this point the amperage load will increase slightly as the load tryies to compensate for the drop in volts.
A battery under charge reading 13+/14+ volts doesn't mean its charged, that is the voltage being deleivered from the charger, being a 240 &/or solar. This is where the amp meter comes into place, when it returns back towards the zero then you battery is charged.
Now you even more confused but that is how it works. A simple explanation, give you an empty coffee mug, thats you volts, the carrier. Fill the coffee mug with coffee & thats your amps, the bit that makes things work for you.
JC.
Thanks JC, even I can understand that, and I'd probably be the least tech minded person on this forum.
Muso, you didn't do the wrong thing by fitting a amp meter, this is the best way to go.
Every one only talks volts, which is wrong, To put it into prospective volts is the carrier, like power lines, Amps is the energy that runes equipment so knowing what amps go in & out is the info that you need to know.
A reading of 12.5 or 13.8 doesent mean you have that amount of volts to dispose of, eg a open circut battery can easly read 12.5 volts & have no amps at all.
A battery discharged to a point that it will do nothing is still at 10.5 volts . As a battery discharges towards this point the amperage load will increase slightly as the load tryies to compensate for the drop in volts.
A battery under charge reading 13+/14+ volts doesn't mean its charged, that is the voltage being deleivered from the charger, being a 240 &/or solar. This is where the amp meter comes into place, when it returns back towards the zero then you battery is charged.
Now you even more confused but that is how it works. A simple explanation, give you an empty coffee mug, thats you volts, the carrier. Fill the coffee mug with coffee & thats your amps, the bit that makes things work for you.
JC.
Thanks JC, even I can understand that, and I'd probably be the least tech minded person on this forum.
Cheers
Ross