Solar panel not working

[almichie]

Hi all,

we picked up our motorhome yesterday and once we’d cleaned it we started to look around a bit more deeply. I noticed the battery indicator was at 12v which seemed odd since the sun was shining brightly and there is a large solar panel on the roof. The charge control display is blank and there is 0v dc coming from the solar panel. Has anyone experienced tia before ? Do solar panels just stop out putting?
Many thanks

 

[Robert Clark]

Have you checked the solar controller?
This sits between the solar panels and the battery

 

[Cush]

Is there possibly an inline switch that isolates the solar charge? Or a fuse that has blown?

just a thought. I would be on the phone to the dealer.

pictures of your kit / setup may help others identify your system and possible solutions

 

[Rob Turner]

Put a meter across the incoming supply on the charge controller. That will tell you if the panels are producing.

 

[almichie]

Put a meter across the incoming supply on the charge controller. That will tell you if the panels are producing.

I’ve checked this - no voltage

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[dunnah01]

You may need to check the wiring from the panels, it may have come adrift on the roof.

 

[Rob Turner]

If you have MC4 connectors on the roof, pull these apart and check across them.

 

[almichie]

If you have MC4 connectors on the roof, pull these apart and check across them.

There were connectors and you were correct to check there - looks like one of the inners was/has been replaced with a bullet type connector which wasn’t in correctly a little pull and the cable came out… I will order more and bill the dealer

 

[Revolvor]

There were connectors and you were correct to check there - looks like one of the inners was/has been replaced with a bullet type connector which wasn’t in correctly a little pull and the cable came out… I will order more and bill the dealer

If you are connecting MC4 plugs/sockets to existing cable, you need a special tool.

Amazon product ASIN B00TO7FMNK

 

[almichie]

If you are connecting MC4 plugs/sockets to existing cable, you need a special tool.

Amazon product ASIN B00TO7FMNK

Thanks - I’ve order a kit but in the meantime effected a repair. I’ll keep an eye on the box and if it stays dry I think I am going to leave it - the connectors are single core and the cable going into the can is multi core so I would always have to re-seal the connectors with tape. The way I’ve done it should be a more weather tight solution…