Quote:
Originally Posted by rockaw
Greetings,
I have a Renology 50 watt 12v Monocrystalline Solar Panel with controller.
Unconnected the panel is giving me 15v, once I hook it up to the solar port on the trailer, I can't get 12v (11.8) in trying to charge my battery. I'm about to try skipping the "solar ready port" and hook up to the battery directly.
I'd figured that the Volts and 4+ amps the solar panel was giving me would be enough to keep it charged and I can't imagine that the trailer is sucking more than 4 amps just sitting there?
Any comments or am I missing something in the hookup?
Thanks
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There are a few more hidden loads in your TT, the fridge low voltage circuit, the radio if you have one, the CO/LP sensor... These will add close to 1 Amp of load.
Do you have a fully charged battery to start with?
Is the water level filled?
Disconnect main 30 amp fuse by the battery box(or disconnect a battery cable), so that the TT loads will be disconnected. Let it sit for a hour without any loads (at rest). Then take the battery voltage (with no loads/charger)? it should be at least 12.6 - 12.8VDC if it is fully charged. It sounds like the battery voltage and the TT load have reduced your battery voltage to a point below 12.0. If you disconnect the battery (remove main fuse or take a battery cable off) may be able to recharge the battery. If the battery voltage is to low that little SOLAR charger may not be enough as they really are designed to KEEP the Fully Charged batteries topped off at 13.2VDC. They do not have enough power to recharge a battery.
Did the battery ever get drained below 10.5 VDC? Or lower? 0?
Is the panel sitting in the direct sunlight at high-noon with no cloud of haze in the sky above? That is the only time/way that the panel will produce at its full potential, although it will never do that. Your panel should at least be putting out 18.5 VDC according to the specifications that I looked at briefly.
Also, a battery that is now at 12VDC or above will pull the SOLAR panel voltage down to its level, until it is able to recharge the battery, which in your case may not be possible. You may have to take the battery out and recharge it.
If the battery voltage dropped to low, it is possible that it may have permanently damaged the battery and it will no longer hold a charge.
As for the SOLAR panel, check it in full sun. If it is not producing at least 18.5VDC, call Renogy. There isn't a chance that you may have reversed the leads when hooking up the controller to the batteries is there?
One last item. Your panel is rated at 50 watts (2.1Amps)
@ 24VDC (MAX Sunlight). So that is the max. The unit has a PWM Solar controller. So if your battery is at 11.8VDC and your pumping in 2.1Amps * 11.8 = 24.78 watts (max sunlight) of the 50 watt panel, only about 50% of its potential. The most you can pullout of this setup is 2.1Amps*5hours=10.5Ah, which is enough to maintain a Fully Charged battery (no loads) with no problems.
Pick up one of the below Digital Voltage Monitors to make it easier to see your battery status. Just plug the one in the 12VDC accessory plug one when you have the TT in storage and want to take a reading.
Sorry about the length of this post.
Don
My Regestry
Linear Mode
