Factory Installed Solar Panel - not working?

tybladesmith

@Ninabean, The NuCamp factory solar panel output is impressive, even on cloudy rainy days. You are over the hump of the learning curve. Good job and keep asking good questions! You've got this! 

Ninabean

Thank you @tybladesmith.  I learned a lot this weekend and do love the solar.  When we ran out of propane ( only one tank still) we pack d up and headed home 🤣 because it is still raining with complete overcast.  Central Oregon.  All in all a good maiden voyage.

davidden

I’m having the same issue as @marycompetti and can’t figure out how to fix it. The PV connections seems right, but I’m lost here. Not sure what to do next. I can’t figure out how to check that the wires are connected correctly to the battery. Frankly, I’m not even sure where the battery is at this point! 2020 Tab 400. Can anyone help?

Verna

@davidden your dual 6 volt batteries are under the bed in a black plastic case, close to the passenger/door side of the 400. I honestly have not looked at mine and I've had mine for over a year. 

Sharon_is_SAM

@davidden, once you find the batteries, please post a picture.  I believe you will find a square junction box like this:

davidden

@Sharon_is_SAM Thank you. Here are a couple of pics. Helpful? I can start switching wires around, but I’m not sure which to switch.

Edited for photo size.

Sharon_is_SAM

First picture is your battery circuit breaker (fuse) on the positive battery cable.  You need to back up the camera view to be able to identify the other wires.  Also, make sure the wires are secure in the charge controller.

davidden

Like this? Not really understanding what I’m supposed to be looking at or for.

davidden

@Sharon_is_SAM or maybe you mean like this ...

Sharon_is_SAM

You need to trace the wires from the charge controller back toward the batteries and panels.  Make sure any wires and fuses along the way are intact.  

davidden

@Sharon_is_SAM thanks. Unfortunately, I’m mostly an idiot when it comes to this stuff. I have no idea what a charge controller nor can I figure out how to trace the wires when they are mostly hidden. 

Michigan_Mike

Your trailer is under warranty so if you are unfamiliar with the solar hook-up you would be best served contacting your dealer as opposed to risking damaging the circuitry.  

davidden

@Michigan_Mike Dealer is 600+ miles away. I’ll be talking to them Tuesday but was hoping it was something simple. If it’s just switching two wires, I could handle that.

Michigan_Mike

I would let someone familiar with solar look at it if you’re not familiar with the install, let them troubleshoot it as it may be a simple fix and not related to the wiring.  And I hear you on the 600 mile trip and agree, but without seeing firsthand what you have and being able to trace things out and doing some testing it’s a shot in the dark.  

davidden

Yeah, seems that the issue is an awful lot like @marycompetti’s issue. I was looking for more specifics on exactly what she found and fixed as I think that will help when I talk to my dealer and troubleshoot over the phone. 

pthomas745

That blue thing in your first photo is the solar controller.  The red wire from the + terminal where it says "Batt" should trace to the + (or positive) terminal of where your battery connects.  The white - wire should go to the negative side.  It would be easy to read the battery state and whether it is wired properly with a multimeter, if you, or some nice person you know, can use one.   

If the VDC setting on the multimeter shows a negative value (like -12.6 or something) from the battery with the red probe on the + and the black probe on the -, then there is something crossed between the controller and the battery.  If that same test gets you a positive number, then the battery wiring is fine.

Also, does that controller (the IP43) come with access to the Bluetooth Victron app?  That will also tell you a ton of things, just like marycompetti's screens from earlier. That will tell you if the panels are wired correctly, too.

davidden

@pthomas745 Thanks! That was the description I was looking to get. The app is one of the ways I knew it wasn’t working. Can you tell from the screen shot if it’s wired correctly or just that it’s not charging. I’m going to pick up a multimeter tomorrow, but if the attached image explains something about the wiring, that would be good to know. Thanks a ton.

pthomas745

That shot appears to tell me the battery (the "voltage" row in the battery section) is 12.33, which means to me the controller to the battery is properly connected.  Which is good!  When you get your multimeter, you can (hopefully) get the same info directly from the controller.

I'm assuming it is dark outside at the time of your early morning post, so have a look at this screen again with the sun up and see what the solar voltage and current reads.  You can also use your multimeter on the controller's solar terminals to see the panel's output, but the Victron display will answer the question instantly.

davidden

@pthomas745, helpful. Thanks. Got the multimeter. The wiring is correct. Positive readings all around. The app always shows the same reading, sun or no sun. I disconnected and reconnected the positive leads on both the battery and the solar controller to no avail. I have blue blinking light only just like what’s called out in the below thread, but disconnecting and reconnecting the solar controller doesn’t fix anything. Frustrated. 

https://tab-rv.vanillacommunity.com/discussion/9068/solar-controller-blinking-light

pthomas745

What did you get when you used the meter on the Solar input at the controller?  And did the meter pretty much match up with what the Victron shows on the battery voltage?

davidden

12.28 on the app vs 12.32 on the input at the controller 

pthomas745

And what about the voltage from the solar panel at the controller?  Anything?

davidden

0.0. Nothing coming in from the panel. 

pthomas745

This was mentioned in another thread, and it is also mentioned in the Victron controller manuals.  The battery terminals need to be connected first, the controller reads the battery info, and then you plug in the solar terminals.

Most solar controllers require connecting them to your battery first, before connecting to your solar panels.  It's possible the dealer did this backwards and what you're seeing is the controller being confused because of this.

Try disconnecting both and reconnecting your battery first to see if that makes it work better.

Just a thought...

Here is what Victron says.  (Ignore the first part about the "loads" )

First:connect  cables to the load, but ensure that all loads are switched off.

Second: connect the battery (this will allow the controller to recognize system voltage).

Third: connect the solar array (when connected with reverse polarity, the controller will heat up but will not charge the the battery).

davidden

I saw that thread, too. Tried disconnecting the battery-controller connection and the panel-controller connection then reattaching the battery then the panel. Same thing. 0.0 volts and blinking blue light.  

pthomas745

So, we are back to the solution from opposite wiring of the controller from the panel. 

davidden

Switched the PV leads, but still nothing. No voltage showing in the app nor on the multimeter.

pthomas745

Have you been up to the top of the trailer and looked at the wiring from the panel and found the fuse? (if there is one?) You have eliminated the battery wiring, so that would be another place to look at.

davidden

I checked the fuses at the solar controller and battery. They’re all fine. The solar panel is flush with the roof and sealed on there. No fuse access for the solar panels from the roof nor from the removable vent covers on the side of camper. Seems like the only way to check the wiring to the solar panel is to start removing walls and such. Guess I’ll need to talk to the factory or dealer after all. At least now I’ve troubleshooted a lot of it for them. Thanks a ton for all of your help! I’ve certainly learned a lot about the set up.

N7SHG_Ham

In the 400, it is pretty easy to gain access to the panel wires from the roof, remove the panel in the back left side of the closet (assuming small fridge here) and you can trace those wires from the roof.

It really isn't too long of a run to check, that will show if the wires at the controller have any splice joints that may have come apart.

The panel should be showing quite a bit more than 12v at the input to the controller. Before taking off the wall panel, you might disconnect the PV wires and check across them with a volt meter and see what the reading is in sunlight.