Adding solar panels

mtouhey
mtouhey Member Posts: 1
in Battery/Electrical & Solar

i have 300 W DOKIO solar panel I’ve been trying to charge my 100ah new Lithium battery in my 2021 NuCamp 320 boondock. I’ve tried using the Victron charge controller, the port on the side of the silver bucket. It does not seem to be charging. Then I tried to use the solar panel’s charge controller and bypass the Victron, this is also not working. The only thing I can think is the solar panel’s wiring is faulty and not producing power. I don’t have a multimeter to test just the solar panels , any other ways to check just the solar panels? Any other ideas?

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  • pthomas745
    pthomas745 Administrator, Moderator Posts: 4,638
    edited August 18

    Do you have a multimeter to make sure your wiring is basically correct? Normally, the solar controller in the trailer is connected to the panels on the roof, and then wired to the battery from the controller. The solar "port" on the trailer should be wired directly to the battery itself.

    Tell us exactly what/how you "tried using the Victron" through the port on the trailer? Did you connect the Dokio panel to the Dokio controller, and plugged that cable into the SAE port? Of did you try connecting the Dokio panel directly to the SAE port with that cable?

    The easiest way to use the Dokio, until you get this straight, will be to connect the Dokio panel to the Dokio controller, and then use the little "battery clamps" from the Dokio controller directly to the positive and negative posts on the battery. You "should" see the Dokio controller begin to work after it gets power from the battery.

    PS: Welcome to the Forums. Take some pictures, we can help.

    2017 Outback
    Towed by 2014 Touareg TDi

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