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I had my main battery on solar panel yesterday to bring it up but today I went to start it and it was down to 30% charged and wouldn't quite turn over. My second battery was about 31% charged. WTF is going on?
I know it needs a good run, but it was on solar recharge all yesterday and it's flat today!!
Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. It's currently sitting on the battery charger.
Ross
did you have the panels the right way up?? *LMFAO* ... sorry old mate .. couldn't resist, and let's face it, like I could add any pertinent technical response to the question!!! LOL
Are these the main and secondary batteries that normally live under the bonnet of your Patrol? How did they get that far discharged?
If your batteries were OK but you put them on the solar for a top up then you may have a problem with your panels or their controller.
Tony
I'm thinking if you had a short in the solar circuit you would drain your main battery only if its isolated from secondary..Have you got an isolator between the 2 batteries??
If you have a faulty solar circuit and a stuffed isolator it's possible, but what are the chances of that.
If you have a multimeter you could check for a short or whats coming out of your solar circuit as a start
I don't know what type of solar panel you have but some of the older ones have a diode mounted directly on the back in series with the active wire. If the diode goes short circuit, while the sun is up it will charge but when the sun goes down your battery will back feed into the solar panel. I used to work with these and it was a common problem.
Archie sounds perfectly feesable and would come seem like like short as Nisspat thought.
No one seems to be paying any attention to my suggestion ... I feel so ... I dunno ... isolated!! LOL
oh switch it over! hahahahahaaa.
Of course the panel's the right way up you clown, it's pointed directly at the fluro light in his shed!
Tony
See ... I'm still not with you as to why it wouldn't be working!! LOLQuote:
Originally Posted by YNOT
You Bass teds
ross, have a go asking over at myswag - there are plenty of solar dudes over there..
You know it has to be daytime and not night dont ya , sorry im of no use at all Ross
Thanks for the helpful and not so helpful posts, guys. lol. The solar panel is a small panel that was a Xmas present for me, so it's brand new. The instructions are useless and I think I've plugged it in correctly. I'll Google the make/model and see how I go from there.
Stay tuned. It'll either brighten up my life or be a shocking experience. lol.
Take care out there.
Hope you get it sorted and the batteries are still OK.Quote:
Originally Posted by DX grunt
Let us know how you go
Cheers
They're fine Kris.Quote:
Originally Posted by NissPat
There's a leak in there somewhere. I'm getting a heap of electrical mods done in a couple of weeks and the guys are going to rip out all the ex Telstra wiring and going to remove the thing that automatically turns the headlights off and on. Apparently there was an issue with some/many of these vehicles having flat batteries. It might be because of all the extra wiring that was added.
I'm just peed off that my Xmas present doesn't work. It might be me, then again, it's probably not.
Ross
Hmmm, seems strange both batteries went flat though. Unless you have a problem on both battery circuits as they should be isolated from each other.
Anyway hope it gets through till you get the rewire.
Cheers
Thanks. It's fine. It's a bit embarrasing when I need my truck in a hurry in the middle of the night for callouts and I have to use the missus' car.Quote:
Originally Posted by NissPat
That's when the 'deadly treadly' comes out of moth balls. lol
I would leave them charging over night and see what they're like in the morning!! Sorry ..... couldn't help it!!
Have you got a multimeter which you can check the charging voltage and current? Is the electrolyte up to the correct levels in the batteries?
I assume you meant mine?? ... But truly, sometimes the simplest answer is the most obvious!!! LOL ... sorry old mate ... I'll try to be more constructive from now on ... honest!! lolQuote:
Originally Posted by DX grunt
You're fine Bigrig. Gotta have some competition. lol..... back onto a serious subject my batteries.....
Took the mains of charge this morning and read 13.1. After a few hrs it dropped down to 12.8, which, my guide tells me is 100% charged at 12.7. Took the 2nd battery off charge after a couple of hours and it read the same - 12.8.
I'll leave my truck sit idle today and ride my deadly treadly to work and see what the multi metre says tonight at about 7.30pm EDST, when I get home from work.
It's inconvenient more than anything.
Hiya Roscoe...
OK, the boys have got into you enough... I'll try and help ya... now, to test the system you will need a live Chicken, a light bulb, a mankini and two metres of garden hose...
Just jokin (maybe)... First off, is it one of those "battery charger top up" dash mat panels with a ciggy plug or is it a genuine solar panel that had to be connected to the battery.
If it is a genuine panel you will probably need a regulator or as soon as the PV (solar cell) output drops due to night, clouds or too far off angle then the Battery will very slowly discharge thru the Panel if there is no blocking diode and it relys on the Reg.
If it is one of the dash mat style ones with a ciggy plug make sure that where you plug it into is actually a connection to the battery with the ign OFF. I have seen plenty of people who connect them to a Ciggy Plug outlet that is only "powered" when the ign is in accessories or on and the wonder why the Battery won't charge thru there when ther is no circuit when the Key is off and removed.
Check those things out and post back up.
Nah Rosco ya just hooked it up back to front and ya batteries recharged the sun, I know this cause it just got hotter over here :smileyvault-cute-bi
Poor old Rossco, he just wants some help and well all give it to him...lol
I reckon he'll wise up to us at the 2012 meet up, bring a gigantic deep cycle battery hooked up to a 2m dipstick and start arcing the lot of us....LMAO.
THE EVIL TWIN has hit the nail on the head,if its dash mat you,ll be waiting a while,if its 80amps or bigger a couple of hours in good sun
will charge ok
I might just have to test my batteries using a ground level electric fence. Don't peeeeeee too far from the loo at night. lolololQuote:
Originally Posted by AB
Don't you worry about that (in the style of Joh B.P.) ... Roscoe has something waaaay better in mind.Quote:
Originally Posted by AB
It rivals a Z.P.M. powered Dilithium Flux Capacitor for all you Sci Fi fans out there...
I’m sick of my thread being hijacked, so I thought I’d put up some real pics for real men to answer. lol
http://i1015.photobucket.com/albums/...setup001-1.jpg
http://i1015.photobucket.com/albums/...arsetup002.jpg
http://i1015.photobucket.com/albums/...arsetup004.jpg
Please tell me the aligator clips go into the 'Battery' spot on the regulator and not the 'Load'
Thanks.
Ross
Sorry mate but I cannot help you, I don't do solar stuff.
That would be the way I would do it too Rosco so if it is wrong don't feel to bad as you wouldn't be on your own
Hiya Ross,
Yes ... the clips go on the Battery and then the Regulator will supply power to the "LOAD" terminals from the Solar Panel if the Output is high enough or switch to the Battery if the Solar panel drops down and use the Battery until it hits 11 ish volts then shut off.
Anyway here is how to test your setup
1. Measure the voltage at the terminals of the Battery
2. Open the Solar Panel and put in the sun and measure the voltage at the battery Clips, don't let them touch and don't connect to the battery yet. (should be 14 volts or higher, might be Zero if it has a battery connected sensor, unlikely tho).
3. Now connect the alligator clips to the Battery and measure the voltage at the Battery Terminals and check that the "Charging" LED is lit
If the Battery is low the voltage should only be slightly higher in step 3 than in step 1 but it should def be higher EG 12.4 in step 1 then 12.7 or so in step 3
It won't be like an Alternator where it goes up to high 13.s and stays there. Solar Regulators are current regulated not voltage
DO NOT leave the battery connected with no Solar Power if you are recharging it as when the Soalr Power is unavailable the battery will power the Regulator
Now... that Unit looks like their 15 Watt system to me. If it is that means in absolutely ideal conditions it will recharge your Battery at approximately 1 amp per hour... so if you have an N70 100 Amp Hour Battery and it is down 10 % then it will take 10 hours of ideal sunlight and angle to recharge it assuming absolutely nothing else is running.
The system is designed to run a couple of lights OR a "small" Fridge IE a 40 litre or less off a battery by using battery power at night and topping the Battery up in the day so you need to start with a fully charged battery in that case.
As a recharger, yes that will work but it will take yoinks... if the Battery is down say 30% it will take about 4 days
As a battery "Keeper" IE connected to your fully charged vehicle Batteries and keeping them at 100% charge then Yes, it will do that quite well.
Hope that helps matey...
BUMP...
I'm still here Roscoe... lingering like that bad smell in the crapper that just won't go away...
I think his solar battery in the PC has gone flat.
Hehehehe.... could be...Quote:
Originally Posted by Finly Owner
... Don't you make me come down there, Roscoe :SNruQWn369624407:
I know, I know. lol Been really busy and tired from work, I start my 3 days off from Sunday, so I'll get to it then.Quote:
Originally Posted by the evil twin
I know you won't go away. lol
I would ask...
have you charged the batteries successfully before with these same solar panels?
Is there any draw from a electrical fault within the car?
Try charging with a 240volt battery charger... if this works then the regulator might be out.
The solar charge regulator main task is to charge the battery and to protect it from deep discharging. Deep discharging could also damage the battery. Solar regulators also help to improve charge quality. It is generally recommended to use charge controllers with solar panels with the rated output of 5W or more. Furthermore, you can also bypass the battery and directly connect your appliances to the solar panel regulator In order to run them. Solar regulators are maintenance free. All you need to do is regularly check the connections, ensure normal air flow to the device, and avoid placing it in direct sunlight.Quote:
Originally Posted by the evil twin
Thanks mate, why not jump over to the Introduction section and introduce yourself, sounds like you are someone with a bit of knowledge about this sort of stuff.Quote:
Originally Posted by angeline
It's a brand new set up. I sussed it out and it's a German brand. Surely it can't have a flat battery already. It was a Xmas pressie.