I'll not be able to get onto the solar panel job till sometime next week, maybe? But will do as you say when I pull it off.
Got a heap of projects on the go at present. Fridge out, Gas Hob out, Rebuilding (modifying) the double bed, Fitting two batteries, Modifying the stabilisers.
This happens every time we come back from a trip. Big list of tweaks before the next trip.
Think we enjoy ripping things apart, and putting em back together, more than camping.
I'll not be able to get onto the solar panel job till sometime next week, maybe? But will do as you say when I pull it off.
Got a heap of projects on the go at present. Fridge out, Gas Hob out, Rebuilding (modifying) the double bed, Fitting two batteries, Modifying the stabilisers.
This happens every time we come back from a trip. Big list of tweaks before the next trip.
Think we enjoy ripping things apart, and putting em back together, more than camping.
Regards
and Thanks again
Mike and Ellie
Mike
Did you disconnect the wiring that comes from the panel to the regulator before disconnecting your battery?
If not you may have blown the regulator and require a new one. It happened to a friend of mine and he had to replace the regulator.
This is a new Regulator I put in about 3 months ago. I first noticed the original little regulator that came with the van was not charging. Also that original Reg. was possably cooked !! As I'd had a bit of 12v wiring altered, about October of last year. Only noticed the green charge light was not on in full sunlight, just before (about 3 days before) we headed East in January.
So bought a new Regulator. Installed it as per instructions , but no charge from the panel still. Did not have time to remove the panel off the roof at the time to check that. As we were heading for Tamania I did not want to chance any leaks in the roof from a rushed job. Ellie tells me that this coming week is clear of rain in the forecast, So I will get into the panel on Monday.
Well I got stuck in this morning, and prised the Panel from the roof. That is, I ran a Stanley knife around the sealing, and it came free with a slight bit of leverage.
Lot of water/moisture under the panel in the frame.
The junction box was full of green copper corrosion.
The panel was still able to produce 20.44 v when I put it in full sunlight with the meter on the teminals
Also I found the wire from the connections to the reg, was fitted though the junction box without a rubber grommet in the hole. The J/box is a plastic one, but it had still worn a big piece of insulation off the positive red wire where it passed through the hole.
The Positive- red wire was full of creeping corrosion for about 300 mm inside the insulation, and copper wire broken.
I stripped all the wire out and replaced it. About 3 metres in all to the first crimped connection joiners.
Cleaned up the J-box and terminals. Replaced the blocking diode as well, as it was in a sorry state but still working.
All this job was reasonably easy, just time, patience, and a trip to the 12v shop.
The sun had gone over the roof by the time I had it connected up this arvo.
So tomorrow I will see what it is doing now it is connected to the reg. If all is OK I will re set and seal it on the roof again tomorrow.
Make sure you fit the blocking diode back in the right way if it is installed the wrong way the panel won't work.
I know as I installed one of mine the wrong way.
Regards Jim
Thanks Jim
There is a circuit diagram on the back of the panel alongside the J/box with schematic of the teminals and Diode. Fairly failsafe if you follow that.
The beauty of these modern cell phones is having a camera and instant playback. I photograph stuff like this before undoing terminals and removing bits.
I also (out of habit) made a mudmap in my notebook. Learnt my lessons the hard way when I was a "smart aced" apprentice. Ripping into gear without any forethought, and looking stupid wondering where all the bits go later.
We've all done it !!!!!!
Regards
Mike
P.S. My mate worked where they made "Chieftain Tanks" They had an apprentice sent to them from Germany for some experience on the tanks gearbox.
He had to strip one down, and the reassemble it as training test.
He did all the right things with Notes, Sketches, and Manuals, as you do when the eyes of the world are on you.
But the other apprentices in Leyland's had slipped a helical gear from and old Austin A40 gearbox onto the table where all the bits were neatly laid out.
Then watched the poor sod suffer in silence. "Wonder where this bit goes ??????
Jim The positive wire was broken completely where it passed through the hole in the Junction box. No grommet fitted. It also was full of creeping corrosion when I stripped the complete wire out it was green corrosion for about 300 mm down inside the plastic coating. The copper falling apart.
Also the panel had been fixed hard onto the roof with Sikaflex. Probably for drainage reasons. A 100mm gap in the Sikaflex sealing Fillet was left open. This was centere of the forward faceing alluminium panel frame. That is the edge just behind the long roof dome window you can see in my Avatar. The gap was useless if that is what it was there for. I might have been able to force a hacksaw blade through it. Obviously water was getting in but not getting out. The J/box lid is not a sealable type, and with the Avan stored (roof flat) the rain water would pond in the frame under the panel.
Refitted the panel with good drainage this time, and a bit of air flow as well.
It's a bugger when they use standard copper wire when it's exposed like that . I buy my wire from a marine outlet when doing exposed work like that, little bit more expensive but a guaranteed long-term job is assured .
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Pets are welcome but children must be leashed at all times
It's a bugger when they use standard copper wire when it's exposed like that . I buy my wire from a marine outlet when doing exposed work like that, little bit more expensive but a guaranteed long-term job is assured .
Best to seal every joint with some type of non corrosive sealant (silicone will do but make sure it's the NON acid cure type) and dual layer heatshrink is good over wire joints and crimp connections) Even tinned copper wire will corrode in wet enviroments, but it is definitely better than straight copper. Silicone spray or Lanox spray is also pretty good where sealants won't work ie termnal blocks.
Sticking the panel to the roof is the wrong thing to do. There should be a 25 - 30 mm gap between the back of the panel and the roof. Without that ventilation the panel heats up and reduces the capability of the panel somewhat.
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PeterD Nissan Navara D23 diesel auto, Spaceland pop-top Retired radio and electronics technician. NSW Central Coast.
Sticking the panel to the roof is the wrong thing to do. There should be a 25 - 30 mm gap between the back of the panel and the roof. Without that ventilation the panel heats up and reduces the capability of the panel somewhat.
Peter
The panel is mounted in the Alluminum frame, the glass panel being 30 mm off the roof. It was the standard Ally frame that was hard on the roof and filling up with water.
I refitted it, With adequate airflow under the frame, and now about 35 mm between the roof, and back of Solar Panel. No chance of water accumulating now.
