Factory Installed Solar Panel - not working?

marycompetti

Total newbie here - our Tab 400 has factory solar panels installed. When the battery is turned on, it doesn't appear that the solar panels are charging the battery at all. The Victron app says O Watts for solar and battery state as OFF.  Is there somewhere else that I need to turn on the solar controller to charge the batteries? 

pthomas745

Couple of posts here recently pointed to wiring at the solar controller not connected properly. Find the solar controller and check the wiring...or send a picture for the "troubleshooters" to see. 

jkjenn

marycompetti said:

Total newbie here - our Tab 400 has factory solar panels installed. When the battery is turned on, it doesn't appear that the solar panels are charging the battery at all. The Victron app says O Watts for solar and battery state as OFF.  Is there somewhere else that I need to turn on the solar controller to charge the batteries? 

It would be helpful if you shared a screenshot of what the app is showing you.

marycompetti

Sharon_is_SAM

Did you follow the leads back to the battery and to the solar panel to confirm correct lead placement on the controller?

rfuss928

Just from an outsider POV.  It is curious that the color convention switches when comparing the BAT and the PV connections??   Seems to me one of them is reversed.

marycompetti

I agree - I would think that both greens should go to the same charge. I have not yet followed the leads to see where they go. I was hoping someone that had a working version could compare and let me know.  I will look this evening to follow them to the battery. 

tybladesmith

It looks like the PV wires are reversed. Use a multimeter to read the voltage between PV + and -. Green should be + and white should be - per your picture. I installed the factory solar panel and have checked the instructions provided by NuCamp. You could just swap PV+ and - and try it. Make sure the solar panel is not in the sun when the wires are swapped.

BrianZ

If possible, I would disconnect from panel first before rewiring at controller.

marycompetti

Because I am not familiar with the panels - is there an easy way to disconnect them from the panels?  Not sure where the connections are. 

pthomas745

I would also suppose you could cover the panel or wait until dark so no power is coming from the panel.

marycompetti

Thank you to everyone who helped! I rewired the PV wires and it worked like a charm! 

Sharon_is_SAM

Easy fix!

tybladesmith

@marycompetti Great job! You will want to try to manage the T@B electric usage to keep the battery above 12.1 volts for AGM battery health and longevity. 

Sharon_is_SAM

Does the Victron controller come preset for the battery or do you need to enter the battery amp hours?

Verna

I entered my amp hours. 

Sharon_is_SAM

I know with our Victron battery monitor we needed to enter the amp hrs and I tweaked the Peukert number based on the battery specs.  @marycompetti, did you make any adjustments?

tybladesmith

@marycompetti, Learning about the T@B systems is a life long pursuit. I post this visual as a help FWIW to recognize AGM battery (SOC) State of Charge.
I laminated one and keep in the T@B.

  

ChanW

That's a good point @Sharon_is_SAM.

If the durn thing wasn't even wired correctly at the factory, then I don't see how they could have programmed its battery specifications. The controller wasn't operable.

And the battery charge specs for the 400's AGM battery are different from the basic flooded deep cycle battery, aren't they?

I have to say, this seems pretty sloppy for NuCamp to have let these out, and then to not have corrected it in all those that went out wrong.

Or are they installed by the dealers?

Sharon_is_SAM

@ChanW There have been other cases of controller mis-wiring and I believe it was addressed at the factory.  The 400 batteries are installed by the factory and I assume the wiring is connected for system testing before release of each unit.  I wonder if there is concern about having an active solar panel on a trailer sitting on a dealer’s lot and the wires altered at the controller intentionally by either the factory or the dealer.  Speculation on my part.  I am not sure what role the dealers play in assessing the trailers before sale.  If the dealers are not familiar with solar, I can see how this would not get corrected.  

ChanW

@Sharon_is_SAM, interesting thought. I hadn't thought of that possibility... It seems inconceivable that the factory wouldn't set up the controller and test it before sending it out.

It does make more sense that they send them out with the panels disconnected or disabled, so these few that we're hearing about are simply screwups by an 'uninformed' dealer.

Cbusguy

makes for a real solid argument for doing it yourself.    I saw that picture of the charge controller and had a What the heck moment,   I wonder if the controller is damaged by being wired reverse polarity.

Oldcootcamper

I also have the factory installed solar panels and have not had any problems with the App and all appears to be working although in all fairness, I just picked this up a month ago and due to weather and work haven't had a chance to actually use it yet.  But based on reading comments here, the Unofficial resource Guide (Thanks so much Awca12a) and other sources, I've determined that I really need a true battery monitor, and plan on purchasing and installing the BMV-712.  I'm wondering if anyone else has installed this while also having the MPPT 75/15 solar controller in place, and if there's any problem with having the two.  I would think not, but want to be sure, and  if anyone has both, did they run into any installation issues in particular?   Thank you

Cbusguy

@Oldcootcamper the device you are looking at has nothing to do with charging and is designed to be used on its own or in conjunction with other hardware.   All it does is monitor current and make calculations based on those measurements.   

Sharon_is_SAM

@Oldcootcamper, is your Victron controller not the Smart controller?

tybladesmith

@Oldcootcamper, I installed the BVM-712 first, following @BrianZ install thread. I added the MPPT 100/15 solar controlled when the NuCamp solar panel I installed had a higher open circuit voltage than my CTEK D250S Dual controller was rated for.
The battery monitor accessory temperature sensor talks to the charge controller by Bluetooth, reporting the positive battery terminal temperature. The controller adjusts the voltage and current to prevent overheating the battery.
Note: the D250S Dual has a power relay that disconnects from the tow vehicle charge line 10 seconds after engine shutoff protecting the starting battery from accidental discharge, i.e. forgetting to disconnect the 7-pin trailer connector while running fridge on DC while you go shopping for too long. (halfheimers protection)

 They are all compatible and work together. 

Oldcootcamper

Sharon_is_SAM said:

@Oldcootcamper, is your Victron controller not the Smart controller?

well, when I pull up the app, the source is identified as SmartSolar HQ1828KYKUV so I believe it is a smart solar controller, but it doesn't tell me the charge percent of the battery.  It looks just like the screen shot Marycompetti shows above.  Does that help?

Sharon_is_SAM

Ok, I now see that the Victron app only shows battery voltage and not a specific state of charge.  Yes, you will benefit by the BMV 712.

Ninabean

Ok so as someone stated above the T@ b 400 has a life long learning curve.  I have addressed 2 other problem in this forum and resolved my issues with the knowledgeable input of members. I am now onto learning about the solar factory installed system and understanding the Victron app readout and programming of the app per my  installed batteries.  Questions:
1.  Are the batteries on the 2019 T@b installed by NuCamp?
2.  If so what voltage, size and number are they?
3. I have the Victron app but clueless to understanding it.  Any resources to review for it?
4.  BVM-12?? What is the advantage of having it installed?  I know nothing about solar or electric jargon and what it means.  How would it help me.?
Gosh I know this is a lot to ask but I really want to understand how to use my solar package effectively and maintain it for efficient use.

JEB

Ninabean said:

Ok so as someone stated above the T@ b 400 has a life long learning curve.  I have addressed 2 other problem in this forum and resolved my issues with the knowledgeable input of members. I am now onto learning about the solar factory installed system and understanding the Victron app readout and programming of the app per my  installed batteries.  Questions:
1.  Are the batteries on the 2019 T@b installed by NuCamp?
Yes

2.  If so what voltage, size and number are they?
They are two 6V AGM batteries rated at 224Ah, total combined capacity at 12V.  Sold by Harris Battery Company but rumored to be rebranded US Battery AGM 2224.

3. I have the Victron app but clueless to understanding it.  Any resources to review for it?
You will find a manual for the VictronConnect app at the link below.  The manual that comes with the charge controller is useless for configuring and understanding how to use the app, which is what you really care about.  https://www.victronenergy.com/support-and-downloads/software  Scroll down about a third of the page where you will find a link to the VictronConnect manual.

4.  BVM-12?? What is the advantage of having it installed?  I know nothing about solar or electric jargon and what it means.  How would it help me.?
I believe you are referring to the BVM-712.  The advantage is that the BVM-712 is a true battery monitor and gives you a much more accurate state of charge (SOC) and usage data for your batteries than the solar charge controller does.  It is installed with a shunt that isolates the monitor from any loads and/or charging sources on the batteries.  Loads will give you an artificially low reading.  Charges will give you an artificially high reading.  The solar charge controller is isolated from none of these sources.  A battery monitor like the 712 is isolated from these sources via the shunt and is thus much more accurate and useful because you can get an accurate reading of your SOC, current use, remaining useful battery life before needing to recharge, etc. any time of the day.

Gosh I know this is a lot to ask but I really want to understand how to use my solar package effectively and maintain it for efficient use.

See comments above.

Ninabean

@JEB thank you for your response.  I am just now seeing it.  You have answered several of my questions and I will definitely check out the link.  I am by the way presently dry camping in an area of no sun lots of rain and all seems to be going well .  2 days now with everything possible on propane.  Still do not understand a lot but at least I feel confident solar has been installed properly.