Solar problem

[Shokyle1]

I just installed a 100 watt panel and controller on mine and my in laws trailers. My trailer shows 12 volts to the controller from the solar panel when the trailer is in my shop. This appears to be normal. My in laws shows 0 volts to the controller from the panel. I have confirmed this at the roof connection out of the solar panel. Does anyone with solar experience have a way to test the panel or any ideas. Or do I just need a new panel? Btw windy nation controller and panel.

[JimD]

I have the Windy Nation setup on my rig with 2-100 watt panels. You definitely should read well above 12 volts at the controller feed from the panels. Seems to me I read the panel can put out 20 volts going into the controller.

My install manual had me install fuses on the battery connection plus the feed from the panels. If you have a fuse inline with your panel, that would be something to check.

Anyway, here is how you can troubleshoot the system. Remember, you need good sunlight to produce an output from the panel.

1. Disconnect the fuse going to the battery. Windy Nation wants you to hook up the battery feed to the controller before the panels are connected so might as well disconnect it to make things easier.

2. Measure the connections from the panel at the controller with a multi meter.

3. If zero, check fuse to panel if present. You can measure from the red feed wire at the fuse to the common terminal connection on the controller. Make sure you are checking the side of the fuse connector that is going up to the panel. Should read good voltage. If it does read good, there may be a problem with the fuse connector provided the fuse is good.

4. If still no voltage present, go to the solar panel and disconnect the wires that go to the controller. Measure the voltage coming right off the panel's 2 wires. It should show good voltage there with no connection to the controller.

If you have no voltage coming out of the panel when it is only connected to your test meter, and are in good sunlight, your panel is bad. If there is voltage at the panel but it isn't making it to the controller, you have a wiring problem. Since there are only 2 wires feeding the controller from the panel there isn't a whole bunch of possible failure areas.

You could have an open in the wire, a bad plug in connection to the panel (they use special connectors), or a dead shorted positive cable to ground.

[Shokyle1]

Thanks for the help found jayco never hooked the leads from the roof connector to the wiring that goes in the trailer . The upside I did find the wire nuts they were going to use on top of the insulation. I used heat shrink butt connectors instead.

[JimD]

Glad to hear you found the problem. Also very glad to hear you didn't use wire nuts and went with better connectors. Connectors should never be overlooked as they are the weak link in a wiring connection.