Hi Neil,

Yeah my cheap 30 A PWM controller said, in not so perfectly translated English, to be sure to connect to battery before connecting to solar.

So Neil, you have any ideas on your next controller? I'm a little miffed at mine as the ad implied or inferred that it had user defined float voltage setting. It doesn't, but one could make the argument that up here in BC the daily charging profile is such that it might not be such a big issue.

Alistair

> On May 6, 2015, at 12:18 PM, Neil N <musomuso@GMAIL.COM> wrote:
> 
> Hi all.
> 
> short version: if you have to disconnect aux. battery(ies) tied to a
> solar panel, disconnect your solar panel from its' controller. Solar
> panel power to an unloaded controller can damage the controller.
> 
> I recently did a lot of automotive work on my 1981 Westy.
> It has a solar panel, I store the vehicle in a dark garage.
> After finishing work, (I did some welding) I reconnected the batteries,
> and noticed my charge controller did not light up.
> I contacted the vendor of this solar panel system.
> We concluded I may've damaged the controller by leaving
> it connected to panel with no load (battery) connected.
> I figure this happened while moving bus outside, then inside,
> to re-orient it for automotive work required.
> 
> Thankfully, this was an inexpensive PWM 10 Amp controller.   ;)
> 
> Neil.
> 
> --
> Neil n
> 
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> 
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> 
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> 
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