Can I use a solar controller to run my 12v system from my 24v source?

[In2cruisers]

Can Someone school me on using a/or couple solar controller/s to furnish my 12v needs from my 24v system??

 

[Gengis]

Sounds like a good plan, but I guess you would still need a 12V battery on the 12 v side to make the regulator work properly. A lot would depend on the regulator design. Also a lot of them have floating negative ( or non-earth negative) so this would need to be considdered.
Be good to for some experts to chime in as i would also be interested.

 

[In2cruisers]

My thoughts were to 24v in on the solar input side and 12 out the the battery feed ??

 

[e9999]

I'm no expert so there, but my guess would be that it does not matter much if the 24V comes from a solar system or a battery system as long as the controller can handle the voltage and current (although it could possibly throw an MPPT one through some conniptions if can't do its optimization bit?). However, the charge controller is built to charge a battery, with all the functions and constraints thereof, not to deliver 12V to some random circuit, I would think. Without the battery things may well go out of wack. But experts to the rescue!

It's unclear to me what you are trying to do but if you have a 24V battery system and you need 12V, aren't there some devices specifically built for that?

 

[george_tlc]

Why not just purchase a 24V to 12V (nominal) DC to DC voltage converter rated at whatever current you require?

Solar chargers are typically PWM or MPPT and are *NOT* what you want to create constant 12V for your various loads (radio, fridge etc).

cheers,
george.

 

[Bogo]

Unless it is a current limiting solar charge controller like some MPPT ones, you will be shorting the 24V to the 12V and the amps will easily go over what most cheap solar controllers can handle. My suggestion is either a second alternator and battery for running 12V loads, or a battery to battery charger that will only run when the 24V battery is being charged. Many 24V to 12V converter/chargers are available for vehicle use due to diesel trucks often having 24VDC electrical systems.

 

[tornio]

hi , is not possible without a 12v battery on the 12v side, regulator is not a converter ....

 

[The Dude]

You need a converter if you just want 12V. You need a converter and a charge regulator if you want a third 12V battery