Solar Question

jkjenn

Assuming I have a trickle charger connected to each, could I connect one solar panel to the Zamp port and one connected to the battery with alligator clips at the same time? I know the question will come up, "Why don't you run them through one charger?" I would be using panels that could not be daisy chained in the above scenario.

Normfun

In theory that would work.  However in reality it all depends on what kind of protection and how well matched everything is.  When you are running 2 power sources to charge a battery you are also putting power in to the output of each of the power sources.  If one source is a little weaker or not protected it could burn up or cause a  problem.  However if they are protected by diodes or some other voltage /current flow protection it could work.  So easy answer is NO.  but Maybe.  Need a lot more in depth information that probably won't be available.  I'm not sure I explained that really well though.

jkjenn

Thanks, Norm. What I was thinking of doing was using the Goal Zero Guardian Trickle charger with a GZ Boulder 90 watt panel and connecting to the Zamp port and possibly using the 2 small Boulder 30 watt panels daisy chained to a second GZ Guardian using alligator clips, at times. At other times, I would use the smaller panels to charge other power banks.

Normfun

You might email GZ and ask them about your plan.  With out the actual schematics for the controllers it would be next to impossible to tell.  On the other hand a lot of progress in the world came from trial and error.

jkjenn

Thanks, Norm, tat's a good idea. They are great about answering questions.

mawebb

Any multiple panel system I have seen use one controller with multiple inputs and one output. I am not sure connecting the output of two controllers to one battery is going to work without issues.

Michigan_Mike

There is some information here for connecting unlike panels Jenn that should help.

How to connect two or more panels

jkjenn

GZ said it would not be a problem to do as I planned. The Guardian charge controller has a 90 watt limitation, thus the need for  different arrangements. Yes, could use another controller, but I love the plug and play ability of the GZ stuff - no wires falling out of the controller.