RAPIDO SOLAR PANEL PROBLEMS

[noni]

i.ve just bought a 2006 rapido 986m and as part of the deal they had some one fit a solar panel which does not seem to work. On the Scheiber panel there are flashing signs of a charging battery with a bar above it, plus a symbol like a stair also flashing.but the battery is not getting current and is showing 12.6.I checked the cable from the panel that is fed into the pre wired circuit in the wardrobe and that is connected into a set of wire 4 wires on a block next to the fuse box under the bed. 2 from the panel showing 20.5 volts the other 2 for taking the current to the battery.Yesterday i fitted a a charge controller to these cables and it appears to be charging, but nothing has changed on the panel.They also for some reason fitted what appears to be a split charger to the connections to the battery no1 and battery no2 terminal in the main fuse box which seems rather strange i.ve disconnected it but nothing changes . i.ve tried to get info from Brownhills@ Newark ( not the seller) but no joy they are working flat out . Can any one help me with this, bearing in mind i.m not very technically minded, but have in the past had several motorhomes and fitted panels /inverters etc, It is the panel that is worrying part, i.ve tried to contact the seller who is part of a large operation down south but their lines are always busy ,so before i email them i would see what the members can advise. thanks

 

[andy63]

It is the panel that is worrying part,

I dont reall follow your description..and its hard to visualise what you actually have..
But from your description of the panel voltage its working fine..
The wires from the pannel would normally terminate in the charge controller and then you would have a couple wires feeding the relevant battery..
The voltage on them would be the charging voltage..
You are describing a block connector..so not really sure..
Andy

 

[Clivefog]

Need photos to understand the layout.

 

[autorouter]

They also for some reason fitted what appears to be a split charger to the connections to the battery no1 and battery no2 terminal in the main fuse box which seems rather strange i.ve disconnected it but nothing changes .

Can you do a photo of this? It might be a BatteryMaster, which is a device that trickle charges the starter battery from the leisure battery, to stop it going flat over a period of weeks. If you disconnected it nothing would change, at first. These are especially useful if the MH is not driven or connected to a mains hookup for several weeks, if the MH has solar panels.

 

[noni]

Hi thanks .when i said panel i meant the Scheiber control panel. i have not thought of the extra fitting being a battery master as i.ve never fitted one. The wires from the solar panel just ended in a terminal block near to the main fuse box in a crude terminal connector, but the wires did not go anywhere. I have now fitter a solar controller and all is fine. But the Scheiber is still amiss, when the engine is running it should show that the batterys are connected and the 240 volt lead is plug in but it does not.i,m hoping to be in touch with the installer @ some point. thanks again for your input.

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[andy63]

But the Scheiber is still amiss, when the engine is running it should show that the batterys are connected and the 240 volt lead is plug in but it does not.i,m hoping to be in touch with the installer @ some point. thanks again for your input.

Again a little confusing.. im not grasping what you are saying.
If you have wired the panel directly to the battery via the controller it is quite possible that you won't see some function on the built in control panel of the vehicle.
I dont get the bit about the 240v showing as been connected when the wngine is running..
Andy.

 

[noni]

Hi AUTOROUTER just been looking into your theory about a battery master. have checked the maker and model and you are indeed correct that is exactly what it is thanks

 

[autorouter]

I'm not familiar with the Scheiber panel, do any of the switches and display functions work?

On the Scheiber panel there are flashing signs of a charging battery with a bar above it, plus a symbol like a stair also flashing

The stair symbol is probably related to the electrically powered step. Does the step retract and deploy correctly?

 

[noni]

HI YES ALL THE SWITCHES AND DISPLAYS WORK. IT IS NOT THE STEP IT HAS ITS OWN LOGO ON THE SCREEN. I THINK IT MAY BE INDICATING THAT IT IS CHARGING FROM THE SOLAR PANEL BUT BECAUSE IT HAS THE BATTERY MASTER FITTER THE DISPLAY PANEL IS NOT PROGRAMMED FOR IT. I.M MEETING A FRIEND NEXT WEEK WHO IS QUITE TECHNICAL PERHAPS HE WILL BE ABLE TO SHED SOME LIGHT ON IT . THANKS AGAIN FOR YOUR THOUGHTS

 

[autorouter]

One quick check you could do is make sure that the connectors at both ends of the data cable between the panel and the fuse box are making a good connection. Someone working on that area could have disturbed them.

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[noni]

Thanks i was not aware there was such a cable.What i did not say that the stair logo flashes in such a way that it could be a charging indicator. i.m hoping that my friend will throw some light on it next week . thanks again for the thoughts