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Post Info TOPIC: caravan solar power


Senior Member

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caravan solar power


can anybody help re the wwiring of caravan solar panel in particular from the panel into the caravan and then to the regulator located in the front locker box of caravan, many thanks gitsho

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Guru

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I take a sheet of siding off the van and that will let you run the wires easily through, just make sure when you mount the panel that you find a decent peice of timber/aluminium to screw it down to, and give the panel a little air space underneath for cooling

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thank you, getting the panel off maybe a bit harder than we think.  we are getting no reading whatsoever from the panels, so I guess that is what we will have to do.  rgds

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Guru

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do you mean to say that you have the panels in place and the wiring is already run but nothing is showing, amp or watt wise, from the two wires

if this is the case then perhaps you have a non return diode up at the rear of the panels and this has blown or maybe one of the connections either at the panel or at the regulator has come loose

get it tested before you dismantle the system, you should have a reading as soon as the solar panel hits sunlight, in fact a few people have been injured by not respecting the output power of these panels, they are not benign and can spell danger if not respected

the other way of running wires through the side wall from top to bottom is to use a piece of stiff but flexible wire or a fibreglass flexible rod, secure the wires to the end of the flexible rod with insulation tape and pass the thing through a hole and in the direction that you wish to go

the problem with this method is that sometimes it grabs the insulation from the sidewall and can ball it up in front of your rod, but most times it goes quite swimmingly

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 me, the dragon, & little blue,  never stop playing, live long,  laugh lots, travel far, give a stranger a smile, might just be your next best freind.  try to commit a random act of kindness everyday

 http://daventhedragon.blogspot.com



Senior Member

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Date:

Thanks Davo, We have a vott reading of 18 Volts, But no amp reading on our Amp metre, a  local electrian says I could either have a short or the panel itself is not working but he has no solar experience, any thoughts would be welcome                   REGARDS GITSHO

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Guru

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if you disconnect the panel from the rest of the setup and take a reading from the panel itself that will rule out any shorts and will tell you if it is in the panel

on the back of the panel (if you can get to it) should be a little black box, take off the cover and remove the two wires (isolating the panel from any possible short) take a reading directly from the panel, this will tell you if it is the panel or if there is a short

__________________
 me, the dragon, & little blue,  never stop playing, live long,  laugh lots, travel far, give a stranger a smile, might just be your next best freind.  try to commit a random act of kindness everyday

 http://daventhedragon.blogspot.com



Senior Member

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Posts: 117
Date:

THANKS DAVO.  we  will have to do that.  Unfortunately the panel frame is welded to the supports of the caravan and will be a difficult job requiring a grinder but is this is the only option we will do it.    GITSHO
ANY OTHER HELP YOU CAN GIVE WILL GREATLY BE APPRECIATED.

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Guru

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well you must isolate various parts of the system in order to isolate the problem, unfortunately there seems to be no other option

is there any where that the wires are exposed between the panel before entering the van, if so you could cut them there and carry out the conductivity and power test, that way after testing you could then just solder them and insulate them after making the necesary tests

wish I was there to give you a hand mate, this long distance stuff is killing me!!

__________________
 me, the dragon, & little blue,  never stop playing, live long,  laugh lots, travel far, give a stranger a smile, might just be your next best freind.  try to commit a random act of kindness everyday

 http://daventhedragon.blogspot.com



Senior Member

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Date:

Thanks Davo, will let you know how I go, not looking forward to it though. rgds Gitsho

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Newbie

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Hi,can anyone help me with a problem with my solar power. The error on the solar control panel keeps flashing E07, which is low battery I have tested both batteries and they show 12.4v. I need some help please. Cheers. Terry

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Guru

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TerrycollettBigbadbox wrote:

Hi,can anyone help me with a problem with my solar power. The error on the solar control panel keeps flashing E07, which is low battery I have tested both batteries and they show 12.4v. I need some help please. Cheers. Terry


 12.4 is most probably a low battery, give them a boost charge for 12hrs with a charger, also check the water level in the batteries if they are sevicable wet cell

cheers

blaze



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Newbie

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Thanks for your reply but I found a dead cell in one of the batteries so now I'm up for a new battery. Cheers Terry

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