Checking Solar Charge rate?

[RedFrame]

I wonder if anyone can advise on how to check if we're getting any charge from our Solar Panel, we were told it's a 100w unit (no details came with the van), but I would have thought that over the past week or more (7 days clear Skies in May), there would have been enough sunlight to keep the leisure system fully charged?

Everything is off, Water Pump, 12v, Inverter, and the panel is in full sunlight all day, but the voltage is still slowly dropping, now down to 12.3 on twin 100Ah cells.

Is there any way to check the output of the panel using a multi-meter, also is there a decent looking digital display that I can permanently install in the Hab area?

Any advice appreciated.

Cheers
Red, Bannock and Chris.

 

[jollyrodger]

What type charge controller do you have ?

 

[Reallyretired]

Disconnecting the panel and measuring the open circuit voltage when the sun is shining will indicate that it is working. Should give 15-25v according to how much sun.

 

[funflair]

It certainly sounds like its not working at the very least you should see higher voltage during the day than at night, it's worth checking the panel voltage at the controller and then working either way looking for a problem depending on the result of the panel test.

Martin

 

[Pausim]

I have found my Victron battery monitor really useful for the last week. I have been using 2x100w panels but I know one is underperforming so probably equivalent to 150w. I have been using 30Ah overnight (inverter running medical equipment) and this has been replaced by the panels by about 5pm each day, by which time their output is dropping. Most of the time the panels are delivering 3 to 6 amps.

A big battery bank might give a bigger buffer but I find knowing what is going in and out far more helpful. 100Ah of battery is fine for me as long as I can replace what I use overnight. I have a LiFePO4 battery so a voltage comparison will not help.

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[RedFrame]

Thanks for your replies, we have a 2012 Burstner (don't know if that's relavent), where would I find the "controler", would that be the thing under the bench seat behind the driver with lots of electrical connectors attached?

*edit

This is what's behind the seat and has a fuse marked solar (blue).

I also found this cable (red/yellow) which comes from the back of the van somewhere (I can't trace it easily). It's connected to the positive and negative terminals on one of the cells and has a 10A fuse.

Cheers
Red, Chris and Bannock

 

[Minxy]

That's the Schaudt controller for your whole camper, it looks like an EBL 99:

The solar regulator (LR1218) will look something like this I suspect with wires coming out of it:

If they haven't used the Schaudt regulator it could looks something like this:

 

[Minxy]

Whilst your checking stuff, see if you have trickle charge connection from your leisure battery (or elsewhere) to your cab battery as the solar reg doesn't send any charge via the EBL to it ... I've only JUST found this out myself.

 

[RedFrame]

Cool, found it, it's a grey cable running to an LR1218, the first example you posted @Minxy Girl.

It looks like there are two black cables encased in the grey cable and they are both plugged into the two sockets on the far left of the picture (bank of two, rather than bank of five).

Do I just unplug these and check what voltage/amperage is being delivered?

Cheers
Red.

 

[Lenny HB]

If you measure the input on the LR1218 in bright sun you should see 18-21v, the output should be 14.2v if the batteries are charged but could be as low as 12.5v if they are flat.You can measure the current by just pulling off a connector and putting the meter set to current in line, you can do this on both input & output.

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[Stealaway]

2012 Burstner

My dual battery solar controller is entirely independent of the EBL 99 and it also has a remote amp meter attached to it see grey cat5 cable

Solar On

Solar Off - battery is pretty full

 

[RedFrame]

Right, checked the DC voltage across the two black cables which seem to run back towards the solar panel and I'm getting nothing at all, I've checked the multi-meter is working, any ideas on other checks, is it possible that the whole panel will just fail or could it be fused further up the line?

*edit Having been "up on top", the cables are underneath the panel which is held down by approx 8 screws each end, is it worth removing the panel and checking the output at the connector underneath it?

Cheers
Red, Bannock and Chris

 

[Stealaway]

Mine is fused. Have a look at the wires coming out of the panels? its important that the wires are marked with the correct polarity Red and Black.

 

[tonyidle]

If you have checked the output of the panels and are reading nothing then the next logical step is to go to the other end of the black wires (ie the panel) and see what's happening there. There's little point in performing more tests on the solar regulator if nothing is coming in.

Just looked again - you seem to have pulled the cables off the -ve terminals. You need to test across the - &+ coming in from the panels.

 

[Lenny HB]

I think he has done it right, this may help.

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[RedFrame]

OK, so, yes I've checked output across the two cables attached to 1 in @Lenny HB 's post above and there is nothing, I've now been "up top" unscrewed the actual solar unit and checked across the poles in the plastic box underneath, it's reading around 19.9V and 5.8A.

I've traced the cable from the Solar unit to the regulator and there is no fuse that I can see, so I'm guessing one of the wires in the cable has broken and it'll need to be replaced?

Cheers
Red, Bannock and Chris

 

[Richard n Ann]

How did you measure 5.8amps?

 

[RedFrame]

How did you measure 5.8amps?

With a multi-multimeter across the pins?

Cheers
Red, Chris and Bannock

 

[Lenny HB]

With a multi-multimeter across the pins?

Cheers
Red, Chris and Bannock

 

[tonyidle]

With a multi-multimeter across the pins?

Cheers
Red, Chris and Bannock

Those readings are spot-on for 100W panel. Just be aware that measuring current across the output of most devices is a risky business. You were OK this time as the short-circuit current of a 100W panel is around 5.8A so your meter, acting as the short-circuit, was able to cope. Do the same with a 12v battery or a single li-on cell & your meter would be toast. Maybe you knew this?

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[RedFrame]

Those readings are spot-on for 100W panel. Just be aware that measuring current across the output of most devices is a risky business. You were OK this time as the short-circuit current of a 100W panel is around 5.8A so your meter, acting as the short-circuit, was able to cope. Do the same with a 12v battery or a single li-on cell & your meter would be toast. Maybe you knew this?

Yeah, of course I knew...

No, honestly @Pausim had mentioned an output of 5-6A so I figured (rather than knew) the multi-meter would be ok set at 10A, but the advice is taken on board for the future... Is there a different way of testing, or is this normally just a calculation?

Cheers
Red, Chris and Bannock.

 

[Minxy]

To check if it is definitely the cables you ideally need to connect a new (single) wire to one of the connectors on the panel and take the other end down to where it comes out near the LR1218 and then check if there is a circuit, then do the same with the other one, if both are okay then the fault lies somewhere else ...

 

[RedFrame]

To check if it is definitely the cables you ideally need to connect a new (single) wire to one of the connectors on the panel and take the other end down to where it comes out near the LR1218 and then check if there is a circuit, then do the same with the other one, if both are okay then the fault lies somewhere else ...

This I will do, the original installer has used connectors, that IMHO are not properly protected from the weather, between the wires from the Solar unit and the cable that runs from under the unit into the Habitation area, I have a feeling that corrosion at this point may be the problem... maybe... hopefully...

In my limited experience I would have thought it would be unusual for one of the cores in a two core 8mm cable to give up the ghost...

My plan is to cut the cables upstream (Solar unit) of the joints and test for voltage.

Cut the cables downstream of the joints and test for continuity to the regulator, on each core.

If that's all good then I'll re-connect everything using a good amount of shrink wrap and silicone, ensuring polarity is correct...

If not then I'll need to find a supplier of 8mm twin core!

Cheers
Red, Bannock and Chris.

 

[RedFrame]

To check if it is definitely the cables you ideally need to connect a new (single) wire to one of the connectors on the panel and take the other end down to where it comes out near the LR1218 and then check if there is a circuit, then do the same with the other one, if both are okay then the fault lies somewhere else ...

This I will do, the original installer has used connectors, that IMHO are not properly protected from the weather, between the wires from the Solar unit and the cable that runs from under the unit into the Habitation area, I have a feeling that corrosion at this point may be the problem... maybe... hopefully...

In my limited experience I would have thought it would be unusual for one of the cores in a two core 8mm cable to give up the ghost...

My plan is to cut the cables upstream (Solar unit) of the joints and test for voltage.

Cut the cables downstream of the joints and test for continuity to the regulator, on each core.

If that's all good then I'll re-connect everything using a good amount of shrink wrap and silicone, ensuring polarity is correct...

If not then I'll need to find a supplier of 8mm twin core!

Cheers
Red, Bannock and Chris.

 

[RedFrame]

To check if it is definitely the cables you ideally need to connect a new (single) wire to one of the connectors on the panel and take the other end down to where it comes out near the LR1218 and then check if there is a circuit, then do the same with the other one, if both are okay then the fault lies somewhere else ...

This I will do, the original installer has used connectors, that IMHO are not properly protected from the weather, between the wires from the Solar unit and the cable that runs from under the unit into the Habitation area, I have a feeling that corrosion at this point may be the problem... maybe... hopefully...

In my limited experience I would have thought it would be unusual for one of the cores in a two core 8mm cable to give up the ghost...

My plan is to cut the cables upstream (Solar unit) of the joints and test for voltage.

Cut the cables downstream of the joints and test for continuity to the regulator, on each core.

If that's all good then I'll re-connect everything using a good amount of shrink wrap and silicone, ensuring polarity is correct...

If not then I'll need to find a supplier of 8mm twin core!

Cheers
Red, Bannock and Chris.

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[RedFrame]

duplicate

 

[RedFrame]

duplicate post... sorry

 

[Lenny HB]

MC4 connectors are normally used, very reliable I've never had one fail in 10 years & 3 vans.

 

[tonyidle]

Yeah, of course I knew...

No, honestly @Pausim had mentioned an output of 5-6A so I figured (rather than knew) the multi-meter would be ok set at 10A, but the advice is taken on board for the future... Is there a different way of testing, or is this normally just a calculation?

Cheers
Red, Chris and Bannock.

Normally you're interested in the current being drawn by an appliance or being fed into a battery under charge. Under those circumstances you would connect the ammeter in series with one lead or the other. You still need to be certain that the current you anticipate is within the range of your meter. In the case of the panel seeing a correct voltage reading would (have been) be sufficient to prove the output from it.

 

[arto stu]

Better still fit a shunt ... then u can see load beeing drawn all the time... cheap.

£7 on ebay

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