E
elaine2303
Hi Guys.
I have a problem that's driving me nuts. I have a '96 lwb transit camper and am in Spain at the moment. I bought a 50W solar panel and new leisure battery, 96aH I think, both brand new. I also bought a new 15W regulator to control it all. I'm no electrician but I know enough to wire this all up. So I did and was ecstatic when I had power for the lights (I usually wild camp.) and I could run my laptop from it. What I DIDN'T know was that the panel wasn't charging the battery! I was using the power that was in it and now it isn't charging up.
That's not entirely true. I can put the panel on it all day in the sun and there is enough power to light a small strip light for about 10 minutes before it dies! There is obviously power going in but it seems to be draining straight out the other side!
I had a friend look at it as the lights didn't work at all. He is an auto electrician and sorted it no problem, (I'm too embarrassed to tell you what it was but I put my finger in my ear and said RED backwards ...) but he did say there is a residual current on the system but he wasn't worried about it. That was before I installed the solar system.
I have tried everything I can think of. Taking out the obvious fuses, disconnecting various systems etc but no joy. I still have a new system that doesn't work.
Strange things ... First, I disconnect the engine battery when I stop as I usually stay for a while and it is a bit small for the van so drains eventually of course. The thing is, when I disconnect it, the clock keeps going until I disconnect the leisure battery. When I reconnect that, the clock stops working. Secondly, the regulator looks like it's part of Blackpool illuminations! It shows the panel charging strongly (two out of three lights are lit up). But the load light is always lit as well. I have bypassed the regulator and run the solar panel straight to the battery. No joy.
So, ladies and gents, can anyone suggest where I should look? It can't be rocket science to sort this but it's beyond a little old English lady ... and it's driving me insane keep connecting and disconnecting it every day just to get 10 minutes worth of light and charge my phone occasionally.
Thanks
I have a problem that's driving me nuts. I have a '96 lwb transit camper and am in Spain at the moment. I bought a 50W solar panel and new leisure battery, 96aH I think, both brand new. I also bought a new 15W regulator to control it all. I'm no electrician but I know enough to wire this all up. So I did and was ecstatic when I had power for the lights (I usually wild camp.) and I could run my laptop from it. What I DIDN'T know was that the panel wasn't charging the battery! I was using the power that was in it and now it isn't charging up.
That's not entirely true. I can put the panel on it all day in the sun and there is enough power to light a small strip light for about 10 minutes before it dies! There is obviously power going in but it seems to be draining straight out the other side!
I had a friend look at it as the lights didn't work at all. He is an auto electrician and sorted it no problem, (I'm too embarrassed to tell you what it was but I put my finger in my ear and said RED backwards ...) but he did say there is a residual current on the system but he wasn't worried about it. That was before I installed the solar system.
I have tried everything I can think of. Taking out the obvious fuses, disconnecting various systems etc but no joy. I still have a new system that doesn't work.
Strange things ... First, I disconnect the engine battery when I stop as I usually stay for a while and it is a bit small for the van so drains eventually of course. The thing is, when I disconnect it, the clock keeps going until I disconnect the leisure battery. When I reconnect that, the clock stops working. Secondly, the regulator looks like it's part of Blackpool illuminations! It shows the panel charging strongly (two out of three lights are lit up). But the load light is always lit as well. I have bypassed the regulator and run the solar panel straight to the battery. No joy.
So, ladies and gents, can anyone suggest where I should look? It can't be rocket science to sort this but it's beyond a little old English lady ... and it's driving me insane keep connecting and disconnecting it every day just to get 10 minutes worth of light and charge my phone occasionally.
Thanks