Charging from External Solar Source

[Nemesis]

Good Evening,

This may sound like a rookie question, I am just about to take delivery of my 14.44.4. I have a 120w solar panel set that I have had for a little while which I have used to charge the two batteries in the Pajero.

My question is, it has the ability to plug into a cigarette lighter point (ext 12v point) on the van, if I plug it into the outside 12v point on the van, will it charge my battery? Is there a Jayco quirk that wont allow this to work??

Thanks

Paul

 

[boots33]

You could use the cigarette lighter plug but you will be limited by the fuse in the setec and the rather light wiring jayco use. A better way would be to plug it into the trailer plug wiring instead. The trailer plug wiring will be much heavier and offer a more direct connection to the battery. You need to also check that your panel regulator does not exceed 14.8v as this is the limit for the setec power unit.

 

[Nemesis]

Thanks Boots, regulator is all good, max's out at 14.2v, I will have a look at the trailer plug option, unfortunately Jayco have gone to 12 pin instead of Anderson plug (which would have been convenient) so might have to look at something else. I will give it a go and see what the output is like at the battery.

Cheers Paul

 

[Xpandafan]

How about fitting an Anderson plug and socket into your current solar panel leads and then make up another lead with a 12pin socket and Anderson plug.

 

[fishinglizard]

Sorry to jump on your thread, but seeing your getting advice about solar, my battery is under the seat just inside the door, so if I buy a portable solar panel with the regulator thingy can I just lift the seat up and alligator clip it straight to the battery?

 

[Nemesis]

Apparently if I try and put different plugs on the van (Anderson for eg) it will void my warranty...go figure...I believe this is a recent change for new Jayco van's.

I also considered the lifting the seat option, but I have a little fella who would pull it out or trip over the wiring, but in theory Fishinglizard it should work just fine.

Thanks all for the options though, some more to think about.

 

[Xpandafan]

Sorry to jump on your thread, but seeing your getting advice about solar, my battery is under the seat just inside the door, so if I buy a portable solar panel with the regulator thingy can I just lift the seat up and alligator clip it straight to the battery?

I'd run it thru the Setec. Last van I drilled small hole in floor and ran wires from Sectec 12v aux inputs to an Anderson socket screwed to underside offside of van. Anderson plug on cable from solar panels. Kept everything quite neat.

 

[cruza driver]

Apparently if I try and put different plugs on the van (Anderson for eg) it will void my warranty...go figure...I believe this is a recent change for new Jayco van's.

That's odd and if true (not saying its not :thumb as they use to offer the Anderson as an option. That's how we plug in our portable solar panel.

Let us know what you decide on doing Nemesis

 

[Brad]

Apparently if I try and put different plugs on the van (Anderson for eg) it will void my warranty...go figure...I believe this is a recent change for new Jayco van's.

I also considered the lifting the seat option, but I have a little fella who would pull it out or trip over the wiring, but in theory Fishinglizard it should work just fine.

Thanks all for the options though, some more to think about.

i must say that I can't ever remember reading the fine print for what was in and out of warranty.
was there one?

 

[Bmhdg76]

i must say that I can't ever remember reading the fine print for what was in and out of warranty.
was there one?

They would have to be careful in that they would have to prove that your change in fact caused the issue. Eg if you added an Anderson plug, they couldn't deny you a warranty claim on a water leak.

 

[Holden_man]

Hi Paul,
my roof mounted panel after going through its own regulator is connected via heavy gauge straight to the battery I believe, don't think it goes to the setec. Reckon it would be worth dropping a heavy gauge cable connected to the battery out the bottom of the floor with Anderson connection for your panel.
HM

 

[Nemesis]

Ok so here is an update, I picked up the van today, looks great, everything seems to work which is a good start.

I asked one of the service guys about the Anderson plug issue, he stated that Jayco are using a new all in one loom for their wiring so they have told their sales staff that 12pin plugs only on all new models, they are not fitting Anderson plugs from the factory any more. He then went onto state that I could have an Anderson plug fitted going to the battery direct, provided I didn't interfere with the wiring loom from Jayco (trying to tap in etc.) then my warranty will be OK. He said this change has created a great deal of confusion, clearly.

I cannot plug the solar into the socket on the side as it goes back through the CTEK and it wont like it? His words, so I will have a look an Anderson plug arrangement in the future, in the meantime I can connect straight to the battery via existing -ve and +ve terminals.

So a little clearer, as muddy water anyway, thanks to all who have responded I am just looking forward to getting into it and travelling around in under a week to go....

Cheers

Paul

 

[cruza driver]

Thanks for letting us know mate.

Its funny how each dealer is different though my cousin picked up his OB Swan 2 months ago and it had a 12 pin. He wasn't told that it was going to be a 12 pin so his car plug was incorrect, the dealer then tapped into the loom and put a seven pin next to the 12 pin so he has both

The Anderson sounds like the go for a future mod though :thumb:

 

[boots33]

I cannot plug the solar into the socket on the side as it goes back through the CTEK and it wont like it? His words

Hey paul

Electrically speaking there is no reason why you could not connect through you cigarette socket. It connects directly to your battery via the setec fuse. The only limitations are as stated earlier, light wiring, small fuse size and the 14.8v setec limit. While i would agree that this would not be an ideal setup it could be used for moderately sized panels. Your 120w panel would really be too large to connect that way, especially if you only have an st-20.

I will have a look an Anderson plug arrangement in the future, in the meantime I can connect straight to the battery via existing -ve and +ve terminals.

Yes the best solution is to run 6mm (minimum) twin sheathed directly from your battery to an anderson plug. If you do decide to do that you should run it all the way to the front of your van and make it the same length as your trailer wiring. That way if you ever have a vehicle with an anderson plug fitted you can connect to it as well. Make sure you fit an inline fuse as close as is practical to the battery end of the wire (but not inside the battery box) and us a fuse around the 20amp mark.

In the meantime I would do as Xpanadafan has suggested and make up a small adapter lead to connect to the trailer plug. That is a far more convenient and safer solution than connecting to your battery with jumper clips.

 

[Nemesis]

Hey paul

Electrically speaking there is no reason why you could not connect through you cigarette socket. It connects directly to your battery via the setec fuse. The only limitations are as stated earlier, light wiring, small fuse size and the 14.8v setec limit. While i would agree that this would not be an ideal setup it could be used for moderately sized panels. Your 120w panel would really be too large to connect that way, especially if you only have an st-20.




Yes the best solution is to run 6mm (minimum) twin sheathed directly from your battery to an anderson plug. If you do decide to do that you should run it all the way to the front of your van and make it the same length as your trailer wiring. That way if you ever have a vehicle with an anderson plug fitted you can connect to it as well. Make sure you fit an inline fuse as close as is practical to the battery end of the wire (but not inside the battery box) and us a fuse around the 20amp mark.

In the meantime I would do as Xpanadafan has suggested and make up a small adapter lead to connect to the trailer plug. That is a far more convenient and safer solution than connecting to your battery with jumper clips.

OK so it got the better of me boots33, I knew that the you were right about the wiring after looking at a few wiring diagrams of the set up in the van, so I borrowed a mates 80w panel and knowing that my van was in for its first service the end of next week I plugged it in. Low and behold it worked just as you said, charging the battery straight away and sat on 13.2v max the whole time in direct sunlight, so I am going to borrow it for the next trip and see how it goes, it is really just a fall back position. I am also thinking of isolating one of my panel's (a mate is an electrician and said he would switch it for me), that would give me the ability to run 2 or three panels, at either 80w or 120w (40w each folding panel).

It is really just a back up when we don't have somewhere to plug into for a few days or if we want to avoid generator use, thanks again for the reply, we hit the road just before your reply for the first trip, which went really well. I will no doubt add the Anderson plug at some stage, too many things to do, not enough reddies to facilitate it......welcome to caravanning I guess lol

Thanks again

Paul

 

[boots33]

Hi Paul

Glad to hear your first trip went well, they are great these little 14's. we are very happy with ours.

 

[chartrock]

Hi Paul

Glad to hear your first trip went well, they are great these little 14's. we are very happy with ours.

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