86Dolphino Posted March 18, 2019 Author Share Posted March 18, 2019 I purchased whatever wme said but I got a 30amp in case I wasn't more panels down the road. https://www.ebay.com/itm/30A-MPPT-Solar-Charge-Controller-Max-Panel-100V-Common-Negative-12V-24V-Auto-/264081666078?txnId=2392387960016 It should be here by the 26th Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maineah Posted March 18, 2019 Share Posted March 18, 2019 Have at it. My sister has a 10 KW array (grid tie) but let me tell you it is huge that will run your microwave. There is a romantic ideal of powering all the toys with solar it never quite works out. With a 100 watts I can fulfill all of my needs but maybe not my wants. The very best thing you can do is reduce your power hungry devices, lights, refrigeration, heaters, etc. Led's, gas refrigeration (far more energy in a 20 propane tank than 10 batteries) water pump accumulators any thing 12 volts, do you really need it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
86Dolphino Posted March 18, 2019 Author Share Posted March 18, 2019 I have updated all coach lights to led. I have updated the fridge runs on propane. I would like a small 12v tv/dvd for at night when I go to bed. I have Yuge dreams. I also have a 3k onan genny in my rv. I'm considering pulling it out to save weight it weighs close to 200lbs Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
86Dolphino Posted March 29, 2019 Author Share Posted March 29, 2019 I have a question, so right now I have all my coach wires disconnected from the coach batteries ( for I'm waiting on the new charge controller) Yesterday I went to start the RV to move it back a little to make room for a little ford ranger pickup I bought and it wouldn't even turn over. like my start battery was to low to start. does it all have to be wired up to turn over? or is my start battery going south too? I had ordered that charge controller and it arrived with the LCD screen broken out in it. the seller sent me a new one and it arrived with a Amazon return slip in it from someone else saying this unit doesn't work. crazy thing is I bought mine from EBAY. its been a complete run around. I asked the seller to just refund my money. I was wondering instead of going with a cheaper Chinese charge controller, is there a reputable brand that stands behind the product they produce. I just want it done and done right. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WME Posted March 29, 2019 Share Posted March 29, 2019 Wow "If it weren't for bad luck, I wouldn't have any luck at all" I guess the reviews don't mean a lot anymore. Just check out Morning Star controllers good warranties. https://www.morningstarcorp.com/ If your isolator is wired correctly the house batteries should have no impact on the truck battery. Most likely your truck battery is not long for the world. Have you hooked up your old controller with the new batteries and just the single Kyocera panel??? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
86Dolphino Posted March 29, 2019 Author Share Posted March 29, 2019 no I haven't. I'm just going to move on from that controller. you hear anything on renogy charge controllers? I may go with the renogy rover 30 amp https://www.ebay.com/itm/Renogy-Rover-PG-30A-MPPT-Solar-Charge-Controller-Auto-12V-24V-Battery-Regulator/163095184322 I called the company and they said they offer a 1 year warranty. looks like morning star offers 5 year warranty which is really nice Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WME Posted March 29, 2019 Share Posted March 29, 2019 I used 2 Morningstar controllers on my past rigs. Not much in the way of monitor information. But they were totally reliable. I have installed 3 Renogy solar kits on friends RVs. The oldest is 4 years old and has been great. Another had his batteries freeze after something ate one of the charge wires 😲. That's not really a Renogy problem I have also done 2 Windy Nation kits with no problems Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maineah Posted March 31, 2019 Share Posted March 31, 2019 I got to ask did your starter just "click" or actually make an attempt to start the engine? There is a disk inside the starters and contacts, they had a finite life and when they went south the starter would just click and that was it. Any good auto parts store should be able to test your battery generally for free. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
86Dolphino Posted March 31, 2019 Author Share Posted March 31, 2019 Click. But in my cigarette lighter is my cell phone charger and I noticed the light on it and my radio went dem. I pulled the battery yesterday day and been charging it. I'll be taking it to batteries plus for them to check it. It's a interstate battery 2 years old. Says 5 year warranty so we shall see today. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
86Dolphino Posted March 31, 2019 Author Share Posted March 31, 2019 Battery is good. Must of just got low from sitting Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maineah Posted March 31, 2019 Share Posted March 31, 2019 OK there is an issue with older Toyota starters well maybe not an issue just age there is a small part in the starter that basically wore out it would just click and not crank like a weak battery so if the problem persists that could well be your problem. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
86Dolphino Posted March 31, 2019 Author Share Posted March 31, 2019 I'll keep that in mind. I haven't put the battery back in yet. But we shall see when I do. My renogy charge controller will be in Tuesday too. I'm hoping to have it all buttoned up soon. Question is it necessary to put like a breaker in line somewhere with the solar setup? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maineah Posted March 31, 2019 Share Posted March 31, 2019 16 minutes ago, 86Dolphino said: I'll keep that in mind. I haven't put the battery back in yet. But we shall see when I do. My renogy charge controller will be in Tuesday too. I'm hoping to have it all buttoned up soon. Question is it necessary to put like a breaker in line somewhere with the solar setup? Basically no. The current is low enough not to cause any issues and it does not hurt the panel to be short circuited. When you get up into the big stuff then it is a different ball game. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
86Dolphino Posted March 31, 2019 Author Share Posted March 31, 2019 Ok cool. I'm hoping to hit pyramid lake just north of Reno in the next couple weeks so I'm trying to her my babes all dialed in. Thanks for all the help from all of you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WME Posted April 1, 2019 Share Posted April 1, 2019 Put the charged battery back in the truck and see if it will start, do this ASAP so you have time to repair the starter before the trip. Last minute hustle inevitably leads to more problems. If the starter goes click again when you camping, have someone hold the key to start and give the starter solenoid a wack. You can often jar the contacts enough to get a start to get you home. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
86Dolphino Posted April 10, 2019 Author Share Posted April 10, 2019 Man so my luck with solar is so bad. after 2 bad charge controllers from ebay I was done with that and went with a Renogy Rover 20amp mppt controller. it arrived last week. I get it all setup. my two new 6v Duracell pro batteries showed 12.5 on the controller after a few days it still showed 12.5. I check my panel it shows 19.5 volts. I checked the Amps from the panel and its 6.7 to 7.2 amps ( I got a new volt meter that checks amps) the charge controller is only putting out .001 to .003 amps (nothing) multiple calls with Renogy they want videos of it all and then they want me to mail it back so they can test it themselves WHAT A JOKE. basically told them to pound sand and got the ball rolling on a replacement from Wal-Mart (where I ordered it online). I cant believe the problems I've had. the 2 charge controllers I got off ebay, I still have the seller did not want them back. the first controller had a broken LCD screen. the second one had a return label from Amazon (reminder I got it from ebay) saying this unit is broken. I took the good LCD screen out of the one believed to be broken from amazon and replaced it with the first one I got. so I believe I have one good working charge controller I'm thinking about hooking it up and see if my amps out to battery change to 6.7 to 7.2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
86Dolphino Posted April 10, 2019 Author Share Posted April 10, 2019 WME I notice my response last week about my start battery didn't save. My MH fired right up after a charge. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maineah Posted April 11, 2019 Share Posted April 11, 2019 I don't know what you are doing with your readings but batteries alone will draw more than .001 amps from just internal resistance alone even fully charged. As batteries charge the require less amps so don't expect to see full current with a charged battery. Something like this will save you a lot of headaches https://www.amazon.com/RC-Electronics-Inc-Watts-Analyzer/dp/B001B6N2WK/ref=asc_df_B001B6N2WK/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=309806250188&hvpos=1o1&hvnetw=g&hvrand=7535138448614780195&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9002804&hvtargid=pla-571652175348&psc=1 This is what I use on my panels and DC electronic gear. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
86Dolphino Posted April 11, 2019 Author Share Posted April 11, 2019 I pulled out the renogy ( still reading .001 just prior to pulling it) put in the one I got from ebay that I replaced the lcd screen on and boom. Reading 2.1 Amps out and that's at 530 in the evening. Tested Amps from panel and it show 2.1 so its working. Sent the renogy back for exchange. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
86Dolphino Posted April 24, 2019 Author Share Posted April 24, 2019 I just wanted to say the 4th charge controller was the charm. My family and I took it out to Pyramid lake last weekend and the solar worked perfect. one of the nights was windy and cold so we held up and watched movies with two TV screens running a light the furnace. volts never dropped below 12.5 come morning by 11:00AM batteries were full again. I'm very happy. I wasn't to thank Maineah. WME, both of you are a great help. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maineah Posted April 24, 2019 Share Posted April 24, 2019 Good I'm glad you got it going you will enjoy the freedom of solar power. Oh I meant to mention about your camper build dates there are two when the truck was built and when the camper was commissioned usually a year apart. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WME Posted April 25, 2019 Share Posted April 25, 2019 😀Victory....at long last. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
86Dolphino Posted May 7, 2019 Author Share Posted May 7, 2019 I hate to fire this topic up, I really want to put it to bed. I noticed my battery will charge good all day. I'll check it and my charge controller will show lol 13.9v to low 14v The controller will also show the batteries at 100% all good until the sun goes down. I'll be at home everything off nothing on tripple checked. And my batteries will slowly drain down to like 12.8 by midnight 1 o'clock. My volts maybe a little lower at times. Come morning it will charge it up to the low 14v. I now have everything unplugged from the batteries except the solar system. I'm still getting a drain. My batteries are new two Duracell Pro 6v batteries. (Bought them at batteries Plus) Any ideas what's going on here? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WME Posted May 7, 2019 Share Posted May 7, 2019 Congratulations you have a perfectly operating solar charging setup. AKA "Don't Worry Be Happy". Lest you doubt the vastness of my RV battery system knowledge 🤡 here is a voltage vs charge % chart. https://www.energymatters.com.au/components/battery-voltage-discharge/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
86Dolphino Posted May 7, 2019 Author Share Posted May 7, 2019 WME thank you. I cant stop taking my brain. Thought I'd ad Renogy has a monitoring program and I can set peramaters? Should i just leave it alone or is there a way to correlate the peramaters with my specific batteries? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WME Posted May 7, 2019 Share Posted May 7, 2019 (edited) On your Renogy chart, I don't see any adjustable parameters. It appears to just be a status report. Normally the adjustments are battery type- Lead, Gel, AGM, and if the load function is in use or bypassed. There are special controllers for LiPo batteries. Edited May 7, 2019 by WME Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maineah Posted May 7, 2019 Share Posted May 7, 2019 Common every day lead acid battery fully charged 12.7 volts. A battery just sitting there fat dumb and happy not connected to anything will lose its surface charge in short order dropping to 12.7. In order to charge a battery you need the voltage to be above the static charge because batteries are resistive so the charge voltage (in order to maintain 12.7 volts) must be above that voltage usually around 2.15 to 2.35 per cell. That charge is just that a jolt to keep a battery at it's fully charged level of 12.7 volts. Bottom line your smiling because the batteries are being charged and the resting voltage is where it should be. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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