JJ
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- May 1, 2008
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I have had solar power in my van(s) for years and years and years.
When I fitted the first panel I used to stare at the regulator display for hours...
As time went on, I got more panels and ended up with a Steca 2020 regulator (bought from our Blessed Leader second hand). This was fitted in my self build Iveco (aka The Black Beast or Wagon).
Again, lots of button pushing and looking at the amps and volts and state of charge and so on.
As time passed I overcame this obsession and stopped looking. It just worked. When other motorhomers start going on and on about their solar amps and volts and watts, my eyes glaze over and I move away...
The classic Hymer I bought had a solar system fitted decades ago. No fancy controller, just a box with a light. I never knew what the light meant. Sometimes it was on and sometimes it wasn't. It was postioned practically out of view.
This regulator/charger put electricity into the leisure batteries and the starter battery. It worked perfectly.
Last year I took one of the panels off the Iveco and fitted it onto the Hymer. Double the power.
All was fine until a couple of weeks ago when I started to notice a problem. I knew something was wrong because the interior lights started to go dim.
I suspected the batteries. They went very low then very, very low. Then, after a few more days, the lights went out!
Time for action... I bought a (very expensive) new battery. On fitting it I saw the charger was doing nothing. My trusty multimeter told the tale. Power at the panels and going to one battery but nothing to the leisure ones. GRRRRRR.
Today I took the Steca charger (which had been going a bit funny... not set correctly) out of the Iveco, reset it and fitted it into the Hymer. This only charges the leisure batteries...
...but for the last hour, I am back to pressing buttons and watching the wretched display again...
Got to go now and see if my SOC has gone up...
I bet your eyes have glazed over and you have switched over to a different thread, haven't you.
JJ
When I fitted the first panel I used to stare at the regulator display for hours...
As time went on, I got more panels and ended up with a Steca 2020 regulator (bought from our Blessed Leader second hand). This was fitted in my self build Iveco (aka The Black Beast or Wagon).
Again, lots of button pushing and looking at the amps and volts and state of charge and so on.
As time passed I overcame this obsession and stopped looking. It just worked. When other motorhomers start going on and on about their solar amps and volts and watts, my eyes glaze over and I move away...
The classic Hymer I bought had a solar system fitted decades ago. No fancy controller, just a box with a light. I never knew what the light meant. Sometimes it was on and sometimes it wasn't. It was postioned practically out of view.
This regulator/charger put electricity into the leisure batteries and the starter battery. It worked perfectly.
Last year I took one of the panels off the Iveco and fitted it onto the Hymer. Double the power.
All was fine until a couple of weeks ago when I started to notice a problem. I knew something was wrong because the interior lights started to go dim.
I suspected the batteries. They went very low then very, very low. Then, after a few more days, the lights went out!
Time for action... I bought a (very expensive) new battery. On fitting it I saw the charger was doing nothing. My trusty multimeter told the tale. Power at the panels and going to one battery but nothing to the leisure ones. GRRRRRR.
Today I took the Steca charger (which had been going a bit funny... not set correctly) out of the Iveco, reset it and fitted it into the Hymer. This only charges the leisure batteries...
...but for the last hour, I am back to pressing buttons and watching the wretched display again...
Got to go now and see if my SOC has gone up...
I bet your eyes have glazed over and you have switched over to a different thread, haven't you.
JJ