Cleaning Battery Posts Wh On Solar Charge

[IOPSailor]

I want to clean the terminal posts on my battery bank ( 4 6V Trojans). Can I do that in the day with the panels charging the batteries or should I wait until sundown?


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[TurninTurtle]

To really clean them right you need to disconnect, clean terminals on the battery(s) and the wires then hook it back up.

If its a setup with paralleled batteries you can leave one bank connected and operating while cleaning the other. If its all in series then you'll be shutting down the electric system.

[IOPSailor]

They are in series so I guess I'll wait until sundown and isolate the batteries from the DC panel with my Perko switch.


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[Stu Jackson]

That assumes your panels are wired through the switch, which is not a good idea, unless it's not your main house/reserve switch. The solar should go to the house bank.

Batteries are storage devices. Disconnect them for the few minutes it'll take to you clean the posts. You really don't have to wait for dark. One of the funnier things I've heard in a long time.

What you should also know from your install is to always disconnect the panels from the controller first before disconnecting the controller from the batteries. You need to play nice with your expensive installation.

[Capt.Don]

I would disconnect the panels from the controller, then disconnect everything from the battery. Just the reverse order of setting up the solar panels.