Community Forums

jacwjames · 04-04-2020, 06:56 PM

I've been fighting this off and on for a while. Last year I checked connections, batteries, cleaned the solar panels. It seemed to get better.

I have the coach plugged in but the switch off with with sales man switch off. I've been monitoring the batteries. The solar panels had been keeping up but then a couple weeks ago I decided to dewinterize the coach and fill the water tank. Everything was fine. Turned the sales man switch back off.

Then this week I noticed the batteries going down slowly. Finally turned the power on to fully charge the batteries.

What could be causing solar to be hit and miss. Anything I need to check.

jacwjames · 04-05-2020, 07:59 AM

Also, I have 325 watt of solar panels. I inspected and cleaned them a couple months ago. Up until 2 weeks ago the solar was keeping the batteries charged. Only thing that changed was I turned the salesman switch on to run the water pump. Turned the salesman switch back off but now the batteries seem to drain. I have turned the power on to charge the batteries, I checked yesterday and the batteries held a charge. Haven't checked today yet.

I am bewildered and confused.

SteveJ. · 04-05-2020, 08:21 AM

We need data. Panel voltage, battery voltage would be helpful. If you have a shunt based battery monitor(hopefully), are you showing current moving in or out, how much with solar on and off. Does the solar controller have a read out for amps and/or volts?

This issue should be quite easy to nail down, if you have the above mentioned monitor. If not, it can be a challenge as you have to do a bit(or a lot) more guessing and trouble shooting.

creativepart · 04-05-2020, 08:29 AM

Nothing’s changed? How about the weather?

twinboat · 04-05-2020, 08:54 AM

Is the battery disconnect ( salesman switch )actually disconnecting ?

jacwjames · 04-05-2020, 09:05 AM

Yes, I have a solar display.

The inverter display was showing the batteries being depleted.

The solar display was showing voltage for both the house and chassis battery were +13.5 volts. Haven't checked it today yet.
As far as I know the salesman switch is working, when I turn it off no lights will come on.

Last year at one point the batteries went down to where the keyless entry wouldn't work. This is when I first suspected a problem and I did check amperage draw on the house circuit with everything off and it was very low, some draw but this was probably parasitic. When I turn the switch off it goes to zero on that circuit.

Historically the solar has been able to keep up with the salesman switch on.

I have not turned the main disconnect switches off at this point

jacwjames · 04-05-2020, 10:54 AM

I just checked the display. After +2 days the batteries are still 100% on the inverter display. The solar display shows the chassis batter to be 14 volts, house battery is bumping between 13.8 and 14 volts. The solar display is showing 3.4 amp charging but with batteries fully charged this is probably skewed, I know if I use a load it will shower higher amperage output.

Timaz · 04-08-2020, 02:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jacwjames

I just checked the display. After +2 days the batteries are still 100% on the inverter display. The solar display shows the chassis batter to be 14 volts, house battery is bumping between 13.8 and 14 volts. The solar display is showing 3.4 amp charging but with batteries fully charged this is probably skewed, I know if I use a load it will shower higher amperage output.

This sounds like it's working fine. (If they are at float)

YC1 · 04-15-2020, 07:28 PM

How old are the batteries? Have you checked the specific gravity of each cell?

jacwjames · 04-19-2020, 06:59 AM

Yes, I checked the SG with a hydrometer, all appeared to be good. Connections are good.

It's been about 2 weeks since I plugged in and charged the batteries and then shut the power off again. The charge has held and the solar is now keeping up again.

Not sure what is going on but I'm not going to fret over it for now. At some point I may dig into it but since I don't have any planned trips now I'll just live with it.