Solar voltage???

[djhinds]

I have a 2004 Monaco Sig with 1 solar panel and a controller. I just noticed on the display that the solar voltage is about 13 to 14 volts and 1 to 2 amps. When I plug in the coach the voltage jumps to 24 volts and the amps are blank. I don’t remember that happening before. I don’t know if that is right, I put my Fluke meter on the controller and it was right (24 volts). What do you think is happening????

Any ideas will help

Dave

[Tincup]

Dave,

Does the voltage settle at 24V on the button or does it fluctuate at all? The open circuit voltage of a 12V panel is about 21V. But in order for you to read OC voltage on your controller, the panel would have to disconnect from the load, I can't imagine how that would happen when you plug into shore power. Unless, there is a relay that operates when you go to shore power so that you do disconnect the panel.

Has it always operated this way or did it just start?

I've got 6 135W panels on my rig and have never seen that happen when I plug into shore power.

[djhinds]

Paul, it stays at 24 volts with 0 amps showing. On a sunny day it, unpluged it will read 13 - 14 volts and 2 - 3 amps. The panal is a 100 w with a Heliotrope RV 45 D controller. I just got back from where it is parked, I unpluged it for 10 minutes the voltage came down to 14.5 volts. I then pluged it back in and the voltage stayed at 14.5 for 15 minutes before I left again. I always jumped to 24 volts within 1 minute. Maybe a selinoid was stuck????

Dave

[Tincup]

I've been doing some reading on your RV 45D controller it will charge your house and starting batteries. By the way, Heliotrope no longer makes it but you can get repair work and parts for it, just an FYI.

It could be a stuck relay and it was looking at both the house and starting batteries. Sounds like you've cleared the problem

[Mike Canter]

Just called Heliotrope and they say that reading 24 volts when plugged into shore power is 100% normal. What he said is that it is the voltage the RV45D controller indicates for an open circuit because when plugged into shore power the controller shuts off the charge to the batteries and it therefore reads 24 volts. 24 volts is NOT going to the batteries.

[djhinds]

Ok, I guess that is the way it is supposed to work. I still have lots to learn about this coach. Thanks Mike....

Dave

[Mike Canter]

We will always be learning on these things.