Solar Charge Controller for a 100W Panel and Lithium Battery

[jlhog]

Our 2026 Coachmen Clipper 17FQ came pre wired for solar. I ordered this panel shown below. I now need a charger controller from what I understand. My only intention for the solar is to recharge my Lion Energy UT-1300BT-H battery during the day. I just need something simple that will work for this. Would this be a good option?

Amazon.com

Or would you all recommend something different?

Renogy Flexible Solar Panel 100 Watt, 240° Ultra Flexible 100W Solar Panel 12 Volt​

 

[John From Detroit]

Controller likely good.. Panel ????? (not sure) I have both a 100 watt panel that just don't got the OOMPH and a 200 that works

 

[jlhog]

Controller likely good.. Panel ????? (not sure) I have both a 100 watt panel that just don't got the OOMPH and a 200 that works

Hopefully the 100 watt will keep the battery up after a full day in the sun. Only thing that runs at night is the fridge.

 

[klook]

Under ideal perfect conditions a 100 watt panel will produce 8.3 amps.....a 105 Ah battery will take more then 12.5 hours to charge from 0 if the sun stayed perfectly aligned and there were no losses in the system.
I think it will help.... But it won't make up for much use during the day. Depending on location, more south and less north, you can figure on 4 to 5 hours of mostly peak production on perfect days. So still using 100% efficiency you are looking at 33.2 - 41.65 Ah. This is optimistic. But give it a whirl. You can always add another. Get a controller that will handle an expansion.

 

[jlhog]

Under ideal perfect conditions a 100 watt panel will produce 8.3 amps.....a 105 Ah battery will take more then 12.5 hours to charge from 0 if the sun stayed perfectly aligned and there were no losses in the system.
I think it will help.... But it won't make up for much use during the day. Depending on location, more south and less north, you can figure on 4 to 5 hours of mostly peak production on perfect days. So still using 100% efficiency you are looking at 33.2 - 41.65 Ah. This is optimistic. But give it a whirl. You can always add another. Get a controller that will handle an expansion.

Get a controller that will handle an expansion. Suggestions?

 

[klook]

No, I took a solar class but figured out while in it that it was not worth it. I do think small systems work well for what you want to do. The most talked about brand is Victron. That is what we installed in the class. Things to remember, when you start increasing watts of panel, the wire size goes up if you stay at 12v. At some point you need to go to 24v(36v & 48v) to keep the wire size down. This changes the controller. I suggest looking at an online calculator to build your system. Actually, I think all the companies have that on their websites. Check out Renology and Victron. I am sure there are more astute solar people in this forum then I. I am surprised they have not commented.

 

[DonTom]

Get a controller that will handle an expansion. Suggestions?

In my Y2K RV, I use a single Victron Solar controller with three 200-watt panels in series, feeds a 300 AH Lifep04 battery. IOW, 600 watts of solar, but that does not mean I will get 600 watts often or for very long. And I aim mine right at the sun, since they are external and on the ground.

I installed this monitor, so I do not need to look at my smartphone app.

100 watts will not be enough, IMO.

-Don- Maricopa, AZ

 

[jlhog]

No, I took a solar class but figured out while in it that it was not worth it. I do think small systems work well for what you want to do. The most talked about brand is Victron. That is what we installed in the class. Things to remember, when you start increasing watts of panel, the wire size goes up if you stay at 12v. At some point you need to go to 24v(36v & 48v) to keep the wire size down. This changes the controller. I suggest looking at an online calculator to build your system. Actually, I think all the companies have that on their websites. Check out Renology and Victron. I am sure there are more astute solar people in this forum then I. I am surprised they have not commented.

All I want to do with my system is recharge the battery during the day. Nothing more ever

 

[DonTom]

All I want to do with my system is recharge the battery during the day. Nothing more ever

Most RVs have 12V current drains, such as when your refrigerator is on propane--it still draws some 12 VDC current. The 100 watts of solar will barely keep up with such stuff, and most of the day, the battery won't get much of a charge with only 100 watts of solar panels.

With my 600 watts of solar, I have a fully charged battery by the end of a sunny day. I only run my generator (from now on will be generators, ~7 KW at 240 VAC) when I need to charge up my electric motorcycle far from any AC charge stations (such as when boondocked in Quartzsite, AZ).

I probably drain my battery a bit faster than most, playing around with my ham radio every night, and using the MW oven, hair dryers, TV, etc, all from the battery.

I will not a need to ever run the generator for anything in the Class C RV.

BTW, this Class A has 100 watts on the roof. When I was in the Everglades a few years ago, boondocked, I forgot to run my generator. Even under the sun, my refrigerator reminded me with a "low 12 Volt" alarm by the second day boondocked.

FWIW, I configured this one so I can use more solar panels easily on the ground. ., But I rarely boondock in this Class A, I did not even bring any solar panels for this trip as I plan to only be in RV parks with this Class A for this trip.

BTW, I highly recommend installing a Smartshunt to monitor the facts--how much you need to charge. It tells you all you need to know.

-Don- Maricopa, AZ