Just introducing myself to the forum. Im new to PV/RE and installed my own small system a couple weeks ago. for now i have 2 sharp 175w panels mounted on a fence getting alot of morning/afternoon shading. on a good sunny day in spring in new england im getting about .9kwh with an mx60, a section of roofing i plan to redo within the next month will be the new home of those panels ( and at least 2 more this summer) i hope

we're in a suburnan/urban location and for some reason i chose batteries.
the local utility has an offer for a gridtie system (1/2 price) which im entertaining in addition to this battery system.. but somehow the red tape prospect puts me off.

anyhow ill ask my first of a million questions.. somedays my batteries dont reach absorb or float levels and mppt/bulk charge all day. is it ok for the batts to only get topped off every few days? i do undertsand about not dicharghuing them below 50%. i have 2 t105's at the moment, wired for 12v. i actually dont have a battery meter yet and am shopping around.. trying to find something with a computer interface so i can log that to web (for my own amusement )

I in fact am running my website (thanks to something i read posted by mr guppy here) on my PV power using the same mini-itx system i read about here.. i put a small webcam on my mx60 so i could monitor from work or wherever , its been a blast... i really am surprised im not getting more output but i attribute to the partial shading a get throughout the day.. (any oither ideas im open to hearing believe me)

http://lamplight.no-ip.org

theres a link for the cam on the main page.. cant miss it

Hi mattl,

It's OK to not reach full charge each and every day. Keeping between 50% and 90% for several days af the week migh be better for the batteries than keeping them at 100% all of the time as long as they get to 100% at least once a week. Don't forget to equalize occasionally.

Ive since discovered as much ,thanks!