Solar Panel charger controller. (1 Viewer)

Teasy2007

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How can you check whether the solar panel/charger is working properly.

We have an 80 watt solar panel but the display panel in the motorhome says the battery is discharging even in sunshine. We dont know whether the display panel is faulty or the solar panel controller is faulty, any ideas anyone???

Ginny and Mike
 

Wildman

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have you switched everything off? At this time of year charge rate from an 80W panel could be as low as a few milliamps, anything greater than that drawing power will show a discharge. Have you actually measured the battery, preferably at least an hour after dark to get a true reading using a multimeter.
 
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Teasy2007

Teasy2007

LIFE MEMBER
Sep 26, 2007
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1,159
Rotherham South Yorkshire
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428
MH
Carthago Malibu PVC
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Since 2005
have you switched everything off? At this time of year charge rate from an 80W panel could be as low as a few milliamps, anything greater than that drawing power will show a discharge. Have you actually measured the battery, preferably at least an hour after dark to get a true reading using a multimeter.

The trouble is the display panel shows red (Status of the habitation battery), with 4 bars discharging even when it is sunny and the solar panel should be working well.

Ginny

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pappajohn

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if you can beg, steal or borrow a clamp type digital ammeter simply clamp it over ONE of the panel feed wires TO the controller.
this will show the amps/milliamps being sent from the panel to the controller.
if thats ok then clamp it over ONE of the wires FROM the controller.
again, this will show the amps/milliamps being sent to the battery.

only clamp over one wire...it wont work if both wires are clamped.
 

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