I love my Thor | Damon Outlaw!

[Noble6047]

I swear I'm losing it. Did they really design my dinette with cushions that don't fit when converting it to a bed?!? All 4 cushions down and they are too long, by a significant amount, like 5 or 6 inches. Too much to mash together without them popping up like a tent in the middle. 3 cushions and they leave a gap so wide it won't work. The 3 slide around until your butt or your shoulder ends up falling into the gap.

I stared at that thing like I was trying to solve a Rubik's cube and tried every possible combination of cushions and positions, knowing full well that swapping the first cushion with the second one doesn't change the overall length, but tried it anyway.....just in case.

Is this a known issue, or have I finally and completely lost it?

[clarkcollins]

OK, we are back from our cruise and I checked out the solenoid today. I disconnected the actuating power and it opened the solenoid, so the solenoid is OK. I know that it is not advisable to mix different types of batteries in a battery bank ie a single 12v chassis battery and 2 6v golf cart batteries in series for 12v in the coach. The solar panel controller automatically disconnects at 3.8v, according to the manual, to prevent overcharging. It treats all the batteries as one bank. The voltage on the entire bank will be equal when charging and the solar controller, if it is operating correctly, should not cook the chassis battery.

I now have a spare solenoid, but that is not a bad thing.

BTW, I have 200w of solar and changed all the interior lights to LED bulbs. We frequently watch DVDs in the evening, using a 750w inverter to supply 110v for the 43" TV and DVD player. Even with some cloudy days I've never had to run the generator just to charge the batteries. We usually move camp every 4-7 days, and I don't run the generator to operate the slide. The batteries get a supplemental charge from the alternator on those moving days.

I don't think I would want to trade our 2007 for a new one with the residential frig, even if I could afford it. I think that was a dumb move on Thor's part, for a unit that is designed to haul toys for use in the back-country.

[Cabbage]

I've got 400 watts of newly installed solar. But it's tied just to my 4 house battery's not to the chassis battery.

[Scarab0088]

Originally Posted by Cabbage

I've got 400 watts of newly installed solar. But it's tied just to my 4 house battery's not to the chassis battery.

That's awesome, Bart

Want to share details/photos?

And...according to Scott and Clark, apparently the BCC will sense the charge going into the house batteries and charge both the house and chassis banks. I haven't tested this on mine...but I will.

Thanks

[Cabbage]

No pictures of panels on roof...and no ladder currently to get up there. But here are links to what my setup is to compliment the four 6 volt golf cart batteries. I got everything on Amazon.

HQST 100 Watt 12 Volt Monocrystalline Solar Panel (
These are same exact panels as the Renogy ones...only less money. I paid $105 per panel, but price is higher now. Got 4 panels. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B018BN5P66..._BQHpzbJA7GGAA

SolarEpic MPPT 40A Solar Charge Controller 150V PV input Tracer 4215BN Negative Ground. $192 https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00YCI48F4..._grvQm9efAxjRN

SolarEpic MT-50 Remote Meter LCD Display Suitable for Tracer BN series MPPT Charge Controller. $33 https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00YAB0UVO..._9QR6dzXqSZPhi

Nature Power 38320 Pure Sine Wave Inverter, 2000-watt. $460 https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00AZOTGSI..._9WHpzbKZ8CSS8

[Cabbage]

Came up to about $1100 w free prime shipping plus $750 for install. I've had the 4 battery bank for a few months previous to solar install. I'd say that's a pretty cost-effective 400 watt solar system that is really working well and I'm loving it. And we really haven't had any fully sunny all day days since I got the solar. Rarely have used the generator since the install... Only on really cloudy days.

[Cabbage]

Originally Posted by Cabbage

Came up to about $1100 w free prime shipping plus $750 for install. I've had the 4 battery bank for a few months previous to solar install. I'd say that's a pretty cost-effective 400 watt solar system that is really working well and I'm loving it. And we really haven't had any fully sunny all day days since I got the solar. Rarely have used the generator since the install... Only on really cloudy days.

So that cost above did not include the battery bank. I got 4 flooded battery's I believe 80 amps each. And got this sweet qwik fill battery watering system enabling me to easily water all 4 at once inside my coach via the bulb. It has a quick connect under stairs. Takes like 1 minute for hooking up and watering. Genius product. Using the flooded of course saves alot of ducats compare to sealed...and the 80 amps not as much as sealed offers but close enough...as I think I paid like $120 per battery.

[Cabbage]

Originally Posted by Scarab0088

That's awesome, Bart

Want to share details/photos?

And...according to Scott and Clark, apparently the BCC will sense the charge going into the house batteries and charge both the house and chassis banks. I haven't tested this on mine...but I will.

Thanks

Hmmm...so I should include chassis battery to also get solar mojo and include its amp hours on my controller settings?

[clarkcollins]

If you are hooked to the coach battery bank the BCC should be connecting your chassis battery into the system and it will be charged also.

[Cabbage]

Originally Posted by Cabbage

So that cost above did not include the battery bank. I got 4 flooded battery's I believe 80 amps each. And got this sweet qwik fill battery watering system enabling me to easily water all 4 at once inside my coach via the bulb. It has a quick connect under stairs. Takes like 1 minute for hooking up and watering. Genius product. Using the flooded of course saves alot of ducats compare to sealed...and the 80 amps not as much as sealed offers but close enough...as I think I paid like $120 per battery.

Attachment 164910

Today is sunny and 70° at noon, and here is what my meter shows my 400 watts of panels are pulling in. Is this 5 amps a good number?

[twinboat]

Originally Posted by Cabbage

Today is sunny and 70° at noon, and here is what my meter shows my 400 watts of panels are pulling in. Is this 5 amps a good number? Attachment 165105

That's not good at all. Your 400 watt system should output 20 amps or more with your batteries at 12.2 volts.

If you had something drawing 15 amps when you took that pix, then maybe, but your array ( the left screen ) is only outputting 5 amps. I believe that should be showing raw panel output.

You need to check your connections, it looks like only one panel is working.

[Cabbage]

Originally Posted by twinboat

That's not good at all. Your 400 watt system should output 20 amps or more with your batteries at 12.2 volts.

If you had something drawing 15 amps when you took that pix, then maybe, but your array ( the left screen ) is only outputting 5 amps. I believe that should be showing raw panel output.

You need to check your connections, it looks like only one panel is working.

Wow!! Glad I asked! Thank you. Need this resolved.....geeeezo.

[Scarab0088]

Bart,

Before spending any time troubleshooting...can you get the Solar AMPS reading to go up by adding load? Here's the rules:



Given your 400W of solar -> MAX output is 12V at 33AMPs**, when there is demand (a charge or load demand).

Shown here - it is at 16.5V x 5AMPs = 82.5Watts are being used of the 400Watts available.

I think the controller is showing 6.6AMPs at 12.2V (80.52W) draw from the battery and 5.0AMPs at 16.5V (82.50W) coming in from the solar...I think...
...The battery is at or near full charge at 12.2V - so the system is in balance. See Happy Face

**Excess charge is just dumped through a shunt in the controller to protect the batteries.

Best luck

[Cabbage]

Even if batteries are low, I've never seen it show higher than 5 or 6 amps on the meter.