Clueless on solar

[97243]

The van (which we bought in December) is due to go back to the dealership to fix a few snagging points.

I don't know whether the solar panel on our van is doing anything. So far as I can see, the only indicator is the led top right above the control panel display and that has remained stubbornly unlit.

We had a good run out seven days ago and the van has been sitting outside since then with only the alarm likely to be causing any drain on the batteries. I haven't hooked up to the mains this week in order to see how the battery levels go. All the batteries were renewed last year, with the leisure ones being 2 x 80 amp.

I appreciate that it is winter, but we have had plenty of sunny days in the past two months and I would have expected some sort of action.

The single LED seems hopelessly inadequate, but our last van had this nice little blue unit that was easy to understand. I am thinking that we probably need something similar, so what do I have to consider ? Where do I start ?

 

[stevewagner]

It might be that the controller is connected straight to the leisure batteries so won’t register on the panel. You could buy a dongle and then download the Victron app which will allow you to monitor the unit. If you have a multimeter you could check the charge at the leisure batterie.

 

[97243]

It might be that the controller is connected straight to the leisure batteries so won’t register on the panel. You could buy a dongle and then download the Victron app which will allow you to monitor the unit. If you have a multimeter you could check the charge at the leisure batterie.

The leisure battery levels are shown together as "2" on the display. "1" is the engine battery and, according to the handbook, unless they are receiving a charge they are shown as disconnected, hence the differing voltages.

The control panel and display are OE, but maybe the solar has been added later and the panel bypassed ?

Electrics are not my area of expertise at all.

 

[Just smiffy]

Does no:2 voltage go up if the sun is shining on the panels, if not then something is wrong…

 

[Tombola]

Are you saying you have got a victron in this van aswell, or the victron was in your last van, and you dont have one in this

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[97243]

Does no:2 voltage go up if the sun is shining on the panels, if not then something is wrong…

No, that's what has been concerning me. The van is on the south side of the house and has been getting a decent amount of sun off and on.

 

[97243]

Are you saying you have got a victron in this van aswell, or the victron was in your last van, and you dont have one in this

Sorry for confusion. The Victron was in our Laika. There isn't anything of any significant help in this one.

 

[Tombola]

No, that's what has been concerning me. The van is on the south side of the house and has been getting a decent amount of sun off and on.

2 things, dodgy panel or wiring/panel/connection/fuse problem

Get a voltmeter and see if voltage across the input wires of your solar cables when sun is shining...if so, then control panel issues, if not trace cables and check back toward solar panel or fuses.

Disconnect panel maybe power down the whole 12v system and restart to see if resets,
they do have capacitors in the rear could have gone, maybe remove and take a look if anything is obvious, (cracked solder etc)

could be quite simple when you get stuck in.
could even be a loose wire in one of these

 

[97243]

2 things, dodgy panel or wiring/panel/connection/fuse problem

Get a voltmeter and see if voltage across the input wires of your solar cables when sun is shining...if so, then control panel issues, if not trace cables and check back toward solar panel or fuses.

Disconnect panel maybe power down the whole 12v system and restart to see if resets,
they do have capacitors in the rear could have gone, maybe remove and take a look if anything is obvious, (cracked solder etc)

could be quite simple when you get stuck in.
could even be a loose wire in one of these

View attachment 868775

That's brilliant, thanks !

We are still in warranty and I have alerted the dealer to this potential problem. As I said, I know nothing, so I can sling it back to them fairly certain that a fault does exist somewhere. Maybe I'll get them to install a more convenient Victron charge controller anyway. They tried to fob me off on two issues that were identified when I picked the van up but have agreed to look again at those when the van goes back to them.

 

[Tombola]

They tried to fob me off on two issues that were identified when I picked the van

dealers doing that....nooooooooooo,

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[97243]

I have just seen this in another thread and I am wondering whether our solar is not kicking in as the batteries are maintaining a good level of charge anyway ?

 

[Just smiffy]

I have just seen this in another thread and I am wondering whether our solar is not kicking in as the batteries are maintaining a good level of charge anyway ?

View attachment 868807

Correct, your solar is not working… as I asked earlier when the sun is shining on the panels the voltage on the screen should increase as it would also be showing the charge that’s going into the battery…

Your going to have to get it sorted…

 

[97243]

Correct, your solar is not working… as I asked earlier when the sun is shining on the panels the voltage on the screen should increase as it would also be showing the charge that’s going into the battery…

Your going to have to get it sorted…

Thanks, this helps !

As I said above, we are in warranty, so this can be added to the snagging list.

 

[autorouter]

Maybe I'll get them to install a more convenient Victron charge controller anyway.

One thing worth knowing - there are two versions of the solar controller in your picture. The BlueSolar is the one in the picture, and it doesn't have Bluetooth built-in. The SmartSolar looks almost identical but has Bluetooth built in.

What use is Bluetooth? First it will communicate with a VictronConnect app on your phone, to show you in real-time what it's doing - panel voltage and power, output to battery, voltage and power. Also it will store data history so you can see how it did previously.

And that's just the start. There is a function to compensate for battery temperature, and also to accurately measure terminal voltage to avoid inaccuracy due to voltage drop along the cables. For that you will need to get a small 'SmartSense' unit, that sticks on the battery side and has a couple of thin wires to the battery terminals. That will send voltage and temperature readings automatically to the solar controller via Bluetooth. If you ever get any other Victron devices they will all communicate to each other and to the App by Bluetooth