Solar Panel problem

[A&W]

Solar Panel is not charging the two 6V batteries. It may be a blown fuse in solar panel controller.
Where can I locate the controller?
Or any other suggestions for this problem?

[alanmalk]

Originally Posted by A&W

Solar Panel is not charging the two 6V batteries. It may be a blown fuse in solar panel controller.
Where can I locate the controller?
Or any other suggestions for this problem?

Another simple possible problem could be a loose wire. But the starting point for any troubleshooting is an inexpensive multi-meter available at any home improvement store. If you never have used one, just read the instructions and practice with a few flashlight batteries. Let us know when you are comfortable with this essential tool.

Can't help you with the specifics because my trailer is an E'21, but you will get lots of help right here from others.

--
Alan

[Iowa Dave]

One day on the way back home after being out for three weeks, the readout on my go power controller read something like “not charging” I returned home and the next day I called Go Power. The tech was very good. I removed the panel. There were 5 or 6 dip switches on the back. One of them had been bumped to a position opposite of where it had been set and worked for the time we had the 19. I reset them according to the tech guy and the book. No more problems. The culprit was a stack of red solo cups that had been jammed against the dip panel as we packed up to get home. Check the dips.
Iowa Dave

[Ron in BC]

Originally Posted by Iowa Dave

There were 5 or 6 dip switches on the back. One of them had been bumped to a position opposite of where it had been set and worked for the time we had the 19. Check the dips.
Iowa Dave

That happened on a 19 that was in Baja this year with us. Once I established that the panels were pumping out juice it became the obvious thing to check. He'd accidentally moved one in the process of some other work.

But again, get a multi meter, it's the quickest way to find where the volts are and aren't.

Ron

[A&W]

Thanks for your advice. We think we've discovered the problem. After returning home we switched to AC power to see if the batteries would take a charge and they did. Battery returned to fully charged. Then we disconnected the AC and put the fridge on using DC only. After a few hours the charge on the batteries decreased. We then turned off the DC and left the trailer in full sunlight. The battery returned to fully charged. So we suspected that it was the lousy weather we had over 5 days of travel with no access to AC power.
Then as suggested by Iowa Dave we called Go Power and spoke to a technician. He also thinks that the problem was caused by the cloudy, foggy and rainy days we had on the Alaska Highway. We had only one day of sunshine, but used DC for the fridge while driving long distances. Also we used the motorized awning, lights, CPAP machine (for sleep apnea).
We'll see if we have any more problems with recharging on our next trip in September.
Thanks very much for your help.

[gbaglo]

You've found the answer. Use propane or shore power, not DC, which burns through batteries.

[Iowa Dave]

Glad to hear you’ve determined the problem and it was not something that was broken or worn out etc. Some users of solar, Especially folks staying in one place without hookups for an extended time and using considerable power each day closely monitor their battery level and how much is going out (being used) and how much is being delivered. From this frequent monitoring they may modify their use each day and time their drawdown with respect to how much sun they are getting, the angle of their panels etc. Obviously this is not possible when traveling down the road with the exception of optional use of large draws on the batteries like
running the Refrigerator on DC current. So now you know, you’ve had the lesson the hard way and you’ve reminded many others that while solar is great, it has limitations.
Those go power techs are hard to beat.
Iowa Dave