Solar build and I’m a little unsure if I have everything...

Pilotamis

Observer
I'm unclear if you have 1 x 160 watt solar panel or 2 x 100 watt panels

Good luck, but I think your setup will be fine.

I’m going to instal a 100 watt and a 160 watt in parallel unless I can convince the wife to take the cargo box off the roof. If so, I’ll be installing 2- 160 watt panels wired in parallel.

Thank you for the response.
 

Pilotamis

Observer
What if it rains a few days or there is a few days of overcast and you have less than ultimate solar input? Even if you are in the tropics it would make sense to plan for less than 100% potential output each day.

This is one reason why I’m going with 260 ah of battery. Renogy is having a sale right now and I ordered 2-6v AGM batteries. Between the extra ah and having the DC to DC charger I think we’ll be good.
 

Pilotamis

Observer
The batteries I purchased have a maximum recommended charging current of 27 amps. I assume all batteries have this. Previously, there was a Blue Sea Automatic Charging Relay that allowed 120 amps of current to pass from the alternator to the battery to charge while the truck was on. Wouldn’t this destroy the battery? It was just a 80ah AGM. My alternator puts out 155 amps and my truck would only use a small portion of that. I ended up ordering the Renogy 20 DC to DC charger after reading the maximum recommended charging amps for my batteries was 27. I feel like I’m missing something here.
 

dreadlocks

Well-known member
With lead batteries, The battery determines the charge current, not the charger.. You can hook a 2000A charger up to a battery, it'll only take what it needs.. probably far less than 30A.

You cant force it to take more amps than its capable of receiving.
 

dwh

Tail-End Charlie
Your alternator doesn't put out 155a. It puts out however much is being drawn from it. If the truck is drawing 20a and the battery is drawing 20a, then it's putting out 40a.

Up to a max of 155a.
 

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