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STEP 4: Connect to the Battery or Battery Bank
A. Be sure the charge controller is set to the correct battery type. Do this by selecting either
Lead-acid’ or ‘Gel’ using the switch on the back. For acid flooded wet cell batteries use the
‘ Lead-acid’ setting. For sealed Gel batteries use the ‘GEL’ setting. For sealed Absorbed Glass
Mat (AGM) batteries, use the ‘Lead-acid’ setting.
B. Unfurl the 16’ cord and attach the appropriate battery connection adapter. The ideal use of
each type is described earlier. Note the location of the in-line fuse.
C. When using the Battery Clips or the Ring Terminal Adapter, make the connections directly to
the battery terminals. IMPORTANT: OBSERVE POLARITY. This means you must be careful to
attach the red wire to ‘Positive’ or ‘+’, and the black wire the ‘Negative’ or ‘-’. If polarity is reversed
accidentally, no permanent damage will occur, but the in-line fuse will blow. In this case, correct
the polarity and replace the fuse.
D. It is generally considered ‘good practice’ to remove the batteries from the vehicle when
charging. This is because dangerous Hydrogen gas, given off by many types of batteries while
being charged, can build up inside confined spaces which could explode under certain
conditions. However, removal of the battery from the vehicle is not necessary provided the
battery is being charged in a well ventilated area. A well ventilated compartment, or a battery
bank tray that has good ventilation to the outside air, is adequate for charging the battery while
installed.
E. When connecting to a multi-battery system or ‘battery bank’, see section 10 for specific details.
F. It is best to attach the Portable Solar Panel System to the battery or battery bank at the
beginning of each camping event rather than to wait until the battery is dead before connecting.
This allows the Solar Panel System to ‘keep-up’ with the loads on the battery and fully charge it
each day. This leads to longer overall battery life and better electrical system operation.
The battery wire is first connected to battery.
Battery Clamp
Ring Terminals
There will be no power output from the Charge Controller until the unit is
connected to the battery.
When the Portable Solar Panel System is first connected to a battery or battery bank, and the
panels are exposed to full sun, the charge controller undertakes a self-check and configuration
routine. In some cases this may take up to 3 minutes during which the LED’s on the charge
controller will not be illuminated and the battery will not be receiving any charge. Once the
configuration and self-check procedure is complete, the system will engage, the charging process
will commence, and the Yellow LED will illuminate.
