Solar silliness

[lostscout]

Hello, all
Situation
2008 Glendale Titanium 30E35SA
I have tried to use our solar/converter system. Converter on, it spools up as expected. Test for power at the converter indicates power available. Sounds good so far. Power from converter to tv is dead, appears to be no power available.
Suggestions?

[oscarvan]

Originally Posted by lostscout

Hello, all
Situation
2008 Glendale Titanium 30E35SA
I have tried to use our solar/converter system. Converter on, it spools up as expected. Test for power at the converter indicates power available. Sounds good so far. Power from converter to tv is dead, appears to be no power available.
Suggestions?

Yes..... get someone with a multi meter in there who knows what they are doing.

Not sure what you mean by "solar converter system". Do you mean inverter? Solar charges batteries, inverter makes 120V feeds TV? Or do you have a 12V TV and you are feeding it with your Converter (which is 12VDC) What is the state of charge of your battery bank? See what I mean? Back to my first sentence.

[TXiceman]

Originally Posted by oscarvan

Yes..... get someone with a multi meter in there who knows what they are doing.

Not sure what you mean by "solar converter system". Do you mean inverter? Solar charges batteries, inverter makes 120V feeds TV? Or do you have a 12V TV and you are feeding it with your Converter (which is 12VDC) What is the state of charge of your battery bank? See what I mean? Back to my first sentence.

Ditto
Ken

[lostscout]

Batteries fully charged, yes inverter, trying to power 120 volt tv. Switch for system (“shore power/ inverter) in correct position

[rarebear.nm]

Does the TV work on shore power?
If yes then many things are OK.

Do other 120 volt devices work off the inverter? If not then need to test power at the inverter output terminals.

A common issue is a bad GFCI outlet in the 120 volt circuit.

I agree you need someone with a meter and understanding how RV electrical systems work.

[wildmandmc]

well i'm kinda new to this also, but so far i learned that. Need more solar panels to run a TV. If lights come on but no tv then this could be the case.

[Tightwadted]

Number of solar panels should not be a factor. Typical system: Solar charges batteries; batteries power inverter; inverter makes 120 volt. Have you tried plugging TV directly into inverter? The SOC of the batteries will determine if there is enough to run the TV (or any other 120 volt load)

[oscarvan]

Originally Posted by Tightwadted

Have you tried plugging TV directly into inverter?

Or anything else with a plug for that matter..... Because here's a catch: I have an inverter, but it is installed so as to ONLY power the residential fridge........

So, throw us a bone..... which make/model inverter is it? And a picture with the setup would help.

[oscarvan]

Originally Posted by wildmandmc

well i'm kinda new to this also, but so far i learned that. Need more solar panels to run a TV. If lights come on but no tv then this could be the case.

Lights are 12VDC. TV's are (mostly, there are exceptions) 120VAC. Inverters have power requirements which are less than an LED lamp, so while your statement is technically correct in that it describes "A" scenario, it does not give proper context and shows a lack of understanding. (That's not an insult, we all started in the same place knowing nothing.....)

Do some Googelizing and Youtube searching.

*Learn what Volts, Amps and Watts are and their relationship.
*Learn the difference between DC and AC and how you make one from the other.
*Learn to make an energy budget by understanding and adding your consumption.
*Learn different battery chemistries and how they store energy, and more importantly how much energy and what that energy will do for you and how you need to replace it.
*Buy a multi meter and "see" all I am talking above.

You don't have to do this. A properly designed system can be operated if someone who DOES know all the above tells you which buttons to push.

But that's not enough to have a reliable, properly managed system. And it's not enough to go boon docking and making adjustments as necessary. You have to UNDERSTAND the system if you want to answers questions like:

*Gonna be cold tonight. Can I run the furnace all night?
*What kind of inverter installation do I have, what all can it power, how much can it power total at any given point in time? For how long?
*And along those lines: What should happen when I plug this in and turn it on.... And if it doesn't turn on: Why?
*If relying on solar: Gonna be cloudy...... What SOC will my battery get to today? Do I need to make adjustments tonight?

And in totality: Do have a system that meets my needs, or do I need to make adjustments in the design?

ALL these questions can be answered using simple concepts and simple math. It's all just physics.

Knowing how stuff works and being able to fix/adjust it on the fly makes you a happier camper. Otherwise it's best to buy a time share.

My opinion is, of course, worth what you paid for it.

[lostscout]

Everything works on “shore power “. There is an orange cord that leads away from the inverter, and appears at a plug in behind the refrigerator. There is another lead that runs to the bedroom tv. There is power available at the inverter outlets. As far as I can tell, the inverter is set up to feed the 2 TVs and the DVD machine.

[oscarvan]

Originally Posted by lostscout

Everything works on “shore power “. There is an orange cord that leads away from the inverter, and appears at a plug in behind the refrigerator. There is another lead that runs to the bedroom tv. There is power available at the inverter outlets. As far as I can tell, the inverter is set up to feed the 2 TVs and the DVD machine.

So there is power out of the outlets on the inverter itself, and there are a few cables plugged in to them? that go to the TV and the fridge.

If you plug a simple test light (for minimal draw) into the outlets behind the fridge and or the TV do you have power?

[lostscout]

Now that is something I have not done

[Goingsouth]

I have a solar system in a new to me 2016 jayco eagle and I went crazy trying to get the solar to work come to find out I needed to turn the converter off using the breaker in the panel to be able to use the solar

[rarebear.nm]

Originally Posted by Goingsouth

I have a solar system in a new to me 2016 jayco eagle and I went crazy trying to get the solar to work come to find out I needed to turn the converter off using the breaker in the panel to be able to use the solar

That system is wired very strangely. No fundamental reason for that relationship.