Hmm, the pull-downs were already there in the OEM implement, so I just left them... ?
Define 'decent sized cap' - 100uF, 470uF, 1000uF? And I'm assuming right at the Vcc/Gnd pins on the chip?
The one that is there is a 47uF/25V...
As it sits right now, there is a 4700uF/50V right at the input from the panels, which leads across to a set of 6 22uF/50V electrolytics tied on a 'reinforced' buss that sits as close to the toroid/MOSFETs as possible.
From this, there is a trace that leads off to the 3525 headed for Vcc, which I broke in the middle to put the 7812 in. There is another 22uF/50V directly across the input of the regulator, and a 47uF/35V directly across the output, both negatives tied to pin 2 of the 7812, not to battery ground. 5.1V zener ties pin 2 of the 7812 to battery ground.
The 47uF/25V is OEM and is the last cap in the chain.
As far as the driver resistors, can they just be completely eliminated, along with the bias resistors, or will that put too much stress on the 3525?
Steve