From: no@never.com   
      
   On Sun, 20 Jul 2014 03:16:26 +0000 (UTC), danny burstein   
    wrote:   
      
      
   >I'd like to hook up a solar panel and charge it that way.   
   >   
   >So my key question is... anyone have a recommended charge   
   >controller to pump in at the higher rates, and then   
   >shift downward as the batteries get full?   
      
   48 volts is a common battery bank voltage for off-grid electric   
   systems.  So most any online seller of solar system parts will have   
   what you need.   
      
   The device is called an MPPT (Maximum Power Point Tracker).  It is a   
   special buck/boost converter with charge controller that is designed   
   to work over a wide range of input voltages as the sun crosses the sky   
   and extract the maximum power available at any instant.   
      
   The other half of the unit implements a smart 3 stage charge algorithm   
   that maximizes your battery life while charging as rapidly as   
   possible.   
      
   The trick will be in finding a small one.  Most off-grid battery banks   
   are hundreds to thousands of amp-hour capacities.  A large MPPT won't   
   hurt your batteries; it'll just be expensive.   
      
   I'm not really into solar so I can't recommend a dealer but Google   
   should help.  Expect to pay a couple hundred bux even for a small one.   
      
   John   
      
      
      
   John DeArmond   
   http://www.neon-john.com   
   http://www.fluxeon.com   
   Tellico Plains, Occupied TN   
   See website for email address   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)