Solar Panel Control panel

Casper46

Casper46

Joined
May 4, 2015
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Location
North Yorkshire
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36,190
MH
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since 2000
The MH is in its garage. We have a sun tube and a window aiming directly at the solar panel. I have never needed to touch the solar panel control panel. It's has always had 2 green lights on it, but I have no instruction manual and it doesn't seem to have a name on it. I have checked the battery readings, for the first time ever they are not fully charged. I know that I can connect it to mains and it should top it up. I didn't expect to keep it fully charged whilst it is undercover but can someone explain the readings for me please, and do I need to do anything with the solar control panel.
Thanks in advance.

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The panel shows the cab battery as 12.1v and the hab battery as 12.7v. Your cab battery is low and you need to get more current to it. On the controller you have you can adjust the ratio going to each battery ( provided they are both connected to the controller via a split charge relay for example). The default is 90%to 10,% hab to cab battery I think, see Martin funfairs link. You may want to adjust those ratios but overall you will only get out what the sun puts in and currently on your display I think you are running a 1.1A deficit.
 
paddymcc said:
The panel shows the cab battery as 12.1v and the hab battery as 12.7v. Your cab battery is low and you need to get more current to it. On the controller you have you can adjust the ratio going to each battery ( provided they are both connected to the controller via a split charge relay for example). The default is 90%to 10,% hab to cab battery I think, see Martin funfairs link. You may want to adjust those ratios but overall you will only get out what the sun puts in and currently on your display I think you are running a 1.1A deficit.
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I have 2 habitation batteries so I'm not sure what the solar is connected to. It's a Carthago E line with the solar fitted by the dealer.

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The 2 hab batteries will count as one on the control panel as they will be in parallel. I imagine in a Carthago that the cab battery will be charged but don't know how - I don't think that they use Electroblock?. Minxy Girl ?
 
The regulator is showing its charging both batteries but the control panel shows a discharge of 1.1 amps from the hab battery. The discharge will be 1.1 amps plus whatever the solar is putting in which suggests something is drawing current. The discharge with the panel on should only be 0.3 to 0.5 a so with the input from the solar it should be showing a charge.

That is a very basic PWM regulator, the reason the cab battery is so low is because the hab battery has never reached a high enough charge level for cab battery charging to turn on.
 
Thank you everyone. Reading the CBE instruction manual am I correct that I need the control panel turned on to make the Solar charge the vehicle batteries? Also will we damage anything by leaving it on permanent hook up whilst we can't use it?
 
hi.. I don't want to hijack your thread but its sort of relevant to your charge controller and I was just wondering how these dual solar charge controllers actually split the charge to the two batteries .. say you set a 30%_ 70% split for charging.. how does it actually work.. is it done on a timed basis...
the power available to charge could well change over the charging period so that might not guarantee a satisfactory outcome...
I see the instructions say it will deliver 100% charge to one bank if it detects the other bank is fully charged irrespective of setting the split percentage...
cheers...
Andy
 
paddymcc said:
The 2 hab batteries will count as one on the control panel as they will be in parallel. I imagine in a Carthago that the cab battery will be charged but don't know how - I don't think that they use Electroblock?. Minxy Girl ?
Click to expand...
Yes both are charged although obviously the hab batteries (count as one battery, ie linked) have first priority with the cab secondary.

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Casper46 said:
Thank you everyone. Reading the CBE instruction manual am I correct that I need the control panel turned on to make the Solar charge the vehicle batteries? Also will we damage anything by leaving it on permanent hook up whilst we can't use it?
Click to expand...
The way ours are wired we don't need to have the CP on, we have a MPPT controller installed by the dealer (and a very nice job they did too!), we have this controller:

www.motorhomefun.co.uk

MPPT or PWM

I have a basic PWM connecting my 100w panel to 2x 90amp batteries and wondered whether it was worth upgrading to an MPPT May have already been posted but in doing a bit of market research, I found this which others might find of interest...
www.motorhomefun.co.uk www.motorhomefun.co.uk
 
andy63 said:
hi.. I don't want to hijack your thread but its sort of relevant to your charge controller and I was just wondering how these dual solar charge controllers actually split the charge to the two batteries .. say you set a 30%_ 70% split for charging.. how does it actually work.. is it done on a timed basis...
the power available to charge could well change over the charging period so that might not guarantee a satisfactory outcome...
I see the instructions say it will deliver 100% charge to one bank if it detects the other bank is fully charged irrespective of setting the split percentage...
cheers...
Andy
Click to expand...
I don't think that it is on a timed basis but as Lenny says it will prioritize battery 1 and when that's charged will send some to battery 2 (cab probably if wired correctly). As there is little Solar that isn't happening as the hab battery never gets charged.
Casper46 you can leave on EHU, won't do any harm. Don't know if the control panel has to be on but doubt it.
Edit beaten to it by Mel.
 
paddymcc said:
I don't think that it is on a timed basis but as Lenny says it will prioritize battery 1 and when that's charged will send some to battery 2
Click to expand...
Yes I see that the % settings prioritise one battery bank but the fact that you can change that setting means it splits the charge regardless ..and im still left wondering what mechanism it uses to decide on those % settings..
I'm most probably missing something obvious..thats usual (y) :ROFLMAO:
Andy
 
Casper46 said:
Thank you everyone. Reading the CBE instruction manual am I correct that I need the control panel turned on to make the Solar charge the vehicle batteries? Also will we damage anything by leaving it on permanent hook up whilst we can't use it?
Click to expand...
No, the panel does not need to be turned on for charging on solar or mains and it's fine to leave on EHU permanently.

I'm surprised you have such a basic regulator in an E Line, probably dealer fitted, charge a fortune and fit the cheapest they can get hold of.
 
We’ve got the same, or very similar controller, fitted in our van. Two 110 Leisure batteries with 130w Solar Panel fitted by the Dealer.

I’m not sure if our solar is connected to the base vehicle, although I did ask for it. I’ve got a suspicion that it’s only connected to the Leisure batteries, but both battery one and two charging lights light up. I’m going to send the Dealer an email and see what he says.

I was thinking of fitting a remote controller. Having checked, the one in the link is a simple plug in and play, and compatible with the controller. Anyone used one of these MT-1’s? (y)

www.sunstore.co.uk

MT-1 Remote Meter for Dual Battery EPIPDB-COM Solar Charge Controller

Remote Digital Display for 10Amp/20Amp EP Solar Duo- Battery Solar Charge Controller. Displays both Solar and Battery Voltage as well as Charging and Load Current. Shows Amp-Hour and Watt-Hour charge accumulation as well as Battery charge percentage. MT-1 Remote Meter for Dual Battery EPIPDB-COM...
www.sunstore.co.uk www.sunstore.co.uk

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Casper46 said:
Thank you everyone. Reading the CBE instruction manual am I correct that I need the control panel turned on to make the Solar charge the vehicle batteries? Also will we damage anything by leaving it on permanent hook up whilst we can't use it?
Click to expand...
If your installer connected the solar directly to the batteries, then you won’t need the controller turned on.....however if they used the pre-wiring from eg a CBE Ds300 control box then you may have to have it turned on...especially if you have the remote CBE isolator relays.

Oh and on my CBE set up....it has to be on to charge from EHU too, or the batteries are isolated by the remote relays.

Here is an extract from my manual.......

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Sapper520 said:
I’m not sure if our solar is connected to the base vehicle, although I did ask for it. I’ve got a suspicion that it’s only connected to the Leisure batteries, but both battery one and two charging lights light up. I’m going to send the Dealer an email and see what he says.
Click to expand...
If you have both lights lit up I’d suggest that the cab battery is connected to your solar too.....have a look on the controller, if there’s six wires coming out it’s more than likely connected if there’s only four, it won’t be.....unless there’s a battery master type device also fitted somewhere.
 
I leave the solar controller on all the time.

When on EHU the Leisure batteries are charged, and a ‘float’ (whatever that means.....as in how much it charges) goes to the vehicle battery.

No battery master. I’ll check how many wires there are. (y)
 
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Sapper520 said:
However, I’m unsure if when just on Solar the vehicle battery gets anything.
Click to expand...
See post #17 or check your cab battery voltage with a multi meter on a sunny day.

D0CDC0FD-F346-4FC7-A75B-DBF9773EA7A7.jpeg

That’s what the manual says happens with that type of solar controller.......if both batteries are connected.

Sapper520 said:
No battery master. I’ll check how many wires there are.
Click to expand...

You shouldn’t need one if the cab battery is connected (6 wires) from controller.

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You need check the priority of the charging on the solar controller.
On the top of the unit is a table showing the ratio to which it splits the charge between the two batteries. On the chart there is a corresponding number that will relate to the number displayed on the solar controller.
It doesn't need one battery to be fully charged before the other one takes charge. Providing you have the controller set to supply charge to both batteries, it will split the output
 
6 wires. (y) Not plugged into EHU at the moment, Battery 1 light flashing (Charging), Battery 2 static. Split charge is 80% / 20%.

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I’ve fitted the MT-1 today (straight forward plug in and play) but I’m a bit baffled by the readings.

The battery level displays were alternately flashing the top bar meaning the batteries are full....that was this afternoon, with a nice bit of sunlight shining. Green lights, on the control unit, flashing slowly to indicate the batteries are fully charged.

I’ve gone into the van tonight, Battery 1 as 2 solid bars and 3rd of 5 flashing. Battery 2 as 1 solid bar and 1 flashing.

I had the van on EHU for 24 hours over the weekend, so I know the batteries can’t be very depleted.

Any ideas please?🤷‍♂️

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Sapper520 said:
6 wires. (y) Not plugged into EHU at the moment, Battery 1 light flashing (Charging), Battery 2 static. Split charge is 80% / 20%.

View attachment 461242
Click to expand...
I notice you have a Sunlight so I assume you have either an AGM or Gel battery.
If you have a Gel battery it will never fully charge with that charger only to about 80% as that controller does not have an absorption phase.
If an AGM battery if will not fully charge and shorten the life considerably.
 
Lenny HB said:
I notice you have a Sunlight so I assume you have either an AGM or Gel battery.
If you have a Gel battery it will never fully charge with that charger only to about 80% as that controller does not have an absorption phase.
If an AGM battery if will not fully charge and shorten the life considerably.
Click to expand...

Leisure batteries 2 x110’s aren’t AGM’s as far as I know. I’m going to email the dealer and find out how they set everything up. I know the Control Panel is set for Sealed Batteries, 50/50 charge (I thought it was 80/20) and is on the pre-set frequency of 25Hz.

I’ll update, when I’ve heard from the dealer. (y)
 
Lenny HB said:
I mentioned AGM & Gel's because they are normally the standard fit.
More normal to have the regulator set to 90/10.
Click to expand...

I’ll leave everything as it is until I get a reply from the dealer.

Can I assume Battery 1 is for Leisure and 2 for the vehicle, or am I assuming wrong?
 
Sapper520 said:
I’ll leave everything as it is until I get a reply from the dealer.

Can I assume Battery 1 is for Leisure and 2 for the vehicle, or am I assuming wrong?
Click to expand...
correct, if it's been wired correctly.

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