Solar stopped feeding cab battery? (1 Viewer)

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Jan 19, 2012
659
674
Leicester
Funster No
19,488
MH
Coachbuilt
Exp
Since 2012
Photo shows the cab battery status of my Bailey Autograph 2017 794t, graph coming from my Phantom tracker app. Van has been stationary last four weeks. Appears to show battery gradually discharging as from 7 August and no longer being topped up by solar. Checked vehicle battery using control panel, indicates 12.4 volts. Truma panel has flashing light on hab display (charged) , solid light on cab (charging). Batteries are 2 x AGM hab, 1 x AGM cab, all changed just over a year ago. Distribution on solar set 50/50 but if one battery (hab) fully charged, then all charge should go to other (cab)
Baffled by this, does anyone have any ideas? TIA šŸ™‚



Screenshot_20240816_092413_com_phantomltd_phantomtracking_MainActivity.jpg
 
Apr 6, 2019
4,346
8,579
Eye, Peterborough, UK
Funster No
59,702
MH
RV
Exp
FourWinds Windsport 6.8L V10
have you measured voltage on each battery and from solar directly with a multimeter?
people chase charging problems around a lot and sometimes its the onboard display that has a problem?
 
OP
OP
E
Jan 19, 2012
659
674
Leicester
Funster No
19,488
MH
Coachbuilt
Exp
Since 2012
Ta - no, don't have multimeter šŸ˜’. But it's the overnight change in the graph that concerns me. And the info in it re current voltage is supported by the control panel, which suggests it is reading correctly.
 
Apr 27, 2016
7,393
8,815
Manchester
Funster No
42,762
MH
A class Hymer
Exp
Since the 80s
Ta - no, don't have multimeter
I think you need to get one - any cheap multimeter from a diy store will be OK for this. Then you can look at the voltage at strategic points along the wiring from the solar controller to the battery. Solar power is not getting to the battery. Is it being produced by the solar controller terminal? Is there a break/bad connection/blown fuse somewhere along the wire? You can only see that with a meter.

Measuring a voltage with a multimeter is easy and safe. A 12V battery won't give you a shock, it's safe to touch the terminals with your fingers.

Plug the black probe lead into the 'COM' socket. Plug the red probe lead into the socket with 'V' in the label. Set the dial to the 20V DC range. The DC symbol is two lines, one solid, one dotted. (not the AC symbol, which is a single wavy line).

Push the red probe onto the positive battery terminal, and the black probe onto the negative battery terminal. You should get a reading of between 10V and 15V. If you get them the wrong way round, all that happens is a minus sign appears in front of the voltage reading.

Once you've checked the battery voltage, you can check the solar controller output to see if anything is being produced. For example, if the solar controller output is 13.5V, and the battery voltage is 12.4V, then there's a problem in the wire somewhere.

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OP
OP
E
Jan 19, 2012
659
674
Leicester
Funster No
19,488
MH
Coachbuilt
Exp
Since 2012
Ta very much for this and sorry for late response. For some reason I'm not getting notified of replies. I will do as you suggest šŸ™‚
 

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