17' Series Factory fitted solar not registering input on regulator

[createit]

I just picked up our 17.56-2 two weeks ago and it has been under the carport since getting it and finally got to take it on a test run on the weekend. Boy do we love the new van after upgrading from a jayco dove.

It came with 2 x roof mounted solar panels as the show special when ordering. My problem is that when investigating all the new gadgets on the weekend, when it was middle of the day and I pressed on the reg to show input amps it sits on 0.00 . It does show the voltage correct as shown on my drifter control panel. Any ideas on where I should investigate first? It has a positive and negative connected to the input and the battery wires are connected to the reg?

 

[relgate]

It might not show amps if the battery is already 'full'

 

[dagree]

Not an expert on solar but.... (Edited) @relgate beat me to it !

 

[createit]

Thanks guys. I did have the battery charge via the Anderson plug on the 3 hour trip to the inlaws. Was going to run all unplugged until we needed the baby monitor which is AC so I plugged in over night. So it would have been very full.

It's cold down here in Vic on the great ocean road so the first mod to the van got a great test out - Truma gas heater. Kept the van very toasty over night. Not that you would need one of these over in the west dagree.

 

[createit]

 

[dagree]

It's cold down here in Vic on the great ocean road so the first mod to the van got a great test out - Truma gas heater. Kept the van very toasty over night. Not that you would need one of these over in the west dagree.

It does get cold enough here to need one @createit ...... For maybe 2 nights a year

 

[dagree]

I like how they put the stickers on yours @createit to allow matching them on the fold down tables...
Ours has the Expanda Outback wording under the bunk bed window making it hard to find a location for the table without much mucking around with stickers

 

[Mick&Vanessa]

We thought that our solar regulator wasn't working on our 1756-2 when we picked it up a few months ago. Was reading voltage but no current flowing to the battery. We ended up turning the battery switch located on the Drifter unit 'on'. Bingo current flowing. Not sure if you have a Drifter control installed but hope this helps.
Michael & Vanessa

 

[Ligedy]

I just picked up our 17.56-2 two weeks ago and it has been under the carport since getting it and finally got to take it on a test run on the weekend. Boy do we love the new van after upgrading from a jayco dove.

It came with 2 x roof mounted solar panels as the show special when ordering. My problem is that when investigating all the new gadgets on the weekend, when it was middle of the day and I pressed on the reg to show input amps it sits on 0.00 . It does show the voltage correct as shown on my drifter control panel. Any ideas on where I should investigate first? It has a positive and negative connected to the input and the battery wires are connected to the reg?

Hi @createit - sounds just like the problem I had with my panda...

Jayco incorrectly wired one solar panel with reverse polarity (at the underside of a panel). Thus don't rely on the wiring colours...

Don't ask me why (I can't recall the forum member who put me on the right track) but it still had the correct voltage reading at the solar reg input but the current output from the solar reg was always on zero / not charging.

Mine has two small HPM terminal blocks in the overhead cupboard (white covers) where both the positive and negative solar panel wires come down from the roof then go two-into-one for connection to the solar reg. On first inspection all looked good i.e. black + black and red + red into the terminal block ... but one red cable was actually negative and one black cable was positive apparently messing up the solar reg and cancelling out the solar charging goodness.

I did run the multimeter across the terminal blocks but they still showed correct polarity - it wasn't until I disconnected the wires to check each panel separately that I found the reversed wires, given they were also arcing out as I pulled/touched the wires together when removing from the terminal block...

Jayco's wiring was factory standard - i.e. pretty ordinary as the terminal blocks used were too small for the cable and barely held in so it's worth a look anyway.

 

[Ligedy]

Thanks guys. I did have the battery charge via the Anderson plug on the 3 hour trip to the inlaws. Was going to run all unplugged until we needed the baby monitor which is AC so I plugged in over night. So it would have been very full.

It's cold down here in Vic on the great ocean road so the first mod to the van got a great test out - Truma gas heater. Kept the van very toasty over night. Not that you would need one of these over in the west dagree.

Nice - whereabouts did you install the gas heater and vents? got any pics of it?

 

[jeff]

@createit It still gets cold over here, you don't have that on your own. What model Truma heater did you have installed ?

 

[Matthew keough]

View attachment 24793

Nice van createit, Like the double table and some serious outdoor plugs, got me beat why the standard install doesn't allow for the table and more power and TV aerial, so you can kick back and watch the footy/cricket with a few cold ones in the annex.

 

[Bushman]

The other thing you could try is throwing away the Jayco supplied control (mine is Topray branded) absolute rubbish
Mine works when it feels like it, low battery alarm will go off even it as been on power the whole time. there's nothing to say what the alarm actually was. could only stop it by find the right fuse and remove it.

 

[createit]

@createit It still gets cold over here, you don't have that on your own. What model Truma heater did you have installed ?

I installed the e2400. It takes the chill off the air quickly and had no trouble keeping it at temperature. This is my second truma and is ideal for free camping in winter and traveling up though the centre on those chilly nights.

 

[createit]

Nice van createit, Like the double table and some serious outdoor plugs, got me beat why the standard install doesn't allow for the table and more power and TV aerial, so you can kick back and watch the footy/cricket with a few cold ones in the annex.

That was my aim. Enough power for kettle and toaster when on mains and the engel and tv on 12v.

 

[createit]

Nice - whereabouts did you install the gas heater and vents? got any pics of it?

It is under the front seat under the table and the vent is as close to the drawer as I could get to be able to aim the vent into the van. I will take some pics tomorrow night for you Ligedy.