Changing battery with solar panel

[woodsieboy]

I need to replace our battery, and have one arriving today, question is, how do I turn off the solar panel, while I fit the new battery, or shall I do it at night?

 

[Mickyjb]

There should be an inline fuse in the positive feed from the panel to the controller, remove that. I've also done battery swaps by covering the panel with something opaque.
p.s. Remember to replace the fuse, I've rushed and forgotten!

 

[woodsieboy]

Thank you
Will look for the fuse

 

[woodsieboy]

So couldn't find a fuse as cables all run behind furniture, so decide to cover panel with carpet runner,changed battery but still problem with Reverse Polarity light flashing when I turn on mains battery charger, our AWS man has checked all the wiring and done the checks as suggested by Sargent and apart from the flash when switched on all is working fine and within spec, plan to live with it and see what happens. Special praise to Tayna batteries, ordered from website on Friday afternoon , battery delivered by Yodel Saturday lunchtime

 

[otherclive]

So couldn't find a fuse as cables all run behind furniture, so decide to cover panel with carpet runner,changed battery but still problem with Reverse Polarity light flashing when I turn on mains battery charger, our AWS man has checked all the wiring and done the checks as suggested by Sargent and apart from the flash when switched on all is working fine and within spec, plan to live with it and see what happens. Special praise to Tayna batteries, ordered from website on Friday afternoon , battery delivered by Yodel Saturday lunchtime

Hope you never have cause to return the battery under warranty as Yodel and none of the normal courier companies will touch it. It’s classed “hazardous” and only a specialist licensed company can transport. I had a real fight with an online supplier based in north Wales. Told me to contact the manufacturer, in the end they sent me a new one and bent the rules by letting their delivery company collect the failed unit and had the nerve to charge £25 costs 🙁. Ever since then I’ve opted for local purchase.

 

[RogerL]

Hope you never have cause to return the battery under warranty as Yodel and none of the normal courier companies will touch it. It’s classed “hazardous” and only a specialist licensed company can transport. I had a real fight with an online supplier based in north Wales. Told me to contact the manufacturer, in the end they sent me a new one and bent the rules by letting their delivery company collect the failed unit and had the nerve to charge £25 costs 🙁. Ever since then I’ve opted for local purchase.

Battery suppliers can use the same delivery companies to collect faulty batteries as they use to deliver new ones - the reason they don't is they're charged by weight and don't want to pay it for a faulty battery - the cost of original delivery is covered by the customer in the published price.

 

[otherclive]

Battery suppliers can use the same delivery companies to collect faulty batteries as they use to deliver new ones - the reason they don't is they're charged by weight and don't want to pay it for a faulty battery - the cost of original delivery is covered by the customer in the published price.

When I looked at companies to return the used battery none of the normal ones such as Hermes, Royal Mail, Hermes etc would accept it. I’ve posted several times wrt to my experience.

Batteries Elecsol 110 Carbon

Has anybody used Elecsol 110 Carbon what were they like, is the carbon a gimmick and what would be your opinion on this battery?EFB and carbon are supposed to be best, apparently. Replaces Elecsol 110 Carbon Nordstar 12v 100ah Carbon EFB Leisure Battery Carbon EFB batteries are intended...

forums.practicalcaravan.com

 

[woodsieboy]

I would have preferred to use a local supplier for the battery for the resaons other Clive mentioned, but when I checked none was avilable in the spec I wanted, as is often the case nowadays, the local suppliers los eout to the internet, it happens to us in our business too,particularly when a supplier can cover the whole of the country from a unit in an area of low business rates etc. As far as possible return is concerned, we supply and deliver priducts that are classed as hazardous and our couriers don't have a problem, for what it's worth , when the battery arrived it was double bagged,and then packed inside a rigid cardboard box, within which it was wrapped, in thick paper, also had in transit plugs that had to be removed

 

[otherclive]

I would have preferred to use a local supplier for the battery for the resaons other Clive mentioned, but when I checked none was avilable in the spec I wanted, as is often the case nowadays, the local suppliers los eout to the internet, it happens to us in our business too,particularly when a supplier can cover the whole of the country from a unit in an area of low business rates etc. As far as possible return is concerned, we supply and deliver priducts that are classed as hazardous and our couriers don't have a problem, for what it's worth , when the battery arrived it was double bagged,and then packed inside a rigid cardboard box, within which it was wrapped, in thick paper, also had in transit plugs that had to be removed

My battery was packed the same and I’d retained the vent plugs etc but when it has been used it’s categorisation changes. Most used batteries go for recycling hence the need for licenced carriers or household recycling centres.

This link from another internet battery supplier summarises the situation. Fortunately not many have to return a battery under warranty.

Lead Acid Battery Recycling in the UK | Advanced Battery Supplies

Disposing of your expired Lead Acid battery needs to be done according to UK law. Battery acid and other components of Lead Acid batteries are toxic for the environment and cannot be thrown away as general waste. Here are a list of websites and places you can visit as relate to Lead Acid Battery...

advancedbatterysupplies.co.uk

 

[Buckman]

Hope you never have cause to return the battery under warranty as Yodel and none of the normal courier companies will touch it. It’s classed “hazardous” and only a specialist licensed company can transport. I had a real fight with an online supplier based in north Wales. Told me to contact the manufacturer, in the end they sent me a new one and bent the rules by letting their delivery company collect the failed unit and had the nerve to charge £25 costs 🙁. Ever since then I’ve opted for local purchase.

Yep we had the same issue when a new battery packed up after only 3 months. We bought the replacement locally even though it cost an extra £10. Ii possible I will never buy a battery Online again

 

[Mel]

Bit of an aside to the purchasing question but relevant to the OP point:
Hadn’t thought of this until I read this post, but if you have a solar panel ( as we do) and want to remove the battery ( eg to charge at home in the winter), do you have to somehow disconnect the solar panel before removing or replacing the battery? And what happens if you don’t?
Mel

 

[Buckman]

Bit of an aside to the purchasing question but relevant to the OP point:
Hadn’t thought of this until I read this post, but if you have a solar panel ( as we do) and want to remove the battery ( eg to charge at home in the winter), do you have to somehow disconnect the solar panel before removing or replacing the battery? And what happens if you don’t?
Mel

On our caravan when you disconnect the battery, you disconnect the solar panel.

 

[woodsieboy]

Hi Mel
My thought was that the solar pane; would try to keep charging the battery even when old battery disconnected, I covered the panel and both the lights went out on the solar control box, changed the battery and uncovered the panel, all seems good.

 

[Mickyjb]

The screenshot below is from the 2018 Coachman manual (previous caravan) and it was true of the caravan before that - also Coachman - so it's become my 'standard procedure'.

The manual for the current caravan makes no mention of removing the solar-controller fuse but, I still do.

 

[Mel]

Thank you all. Have no immediate plans to de-battery but will check out all the fuses next time we are in the van. Will also scour the usually unhelpful manual. Have never thought about it before. Every day is a school day.
Mel

 

[Mel]

Thank you all. Have no immediate plans to de-battery but will check out all the fuses next time we are in the van. Will also scour the usually unhelpful manual. Have never thought about it before. Every day is a school day.
Mel

Well guys, I duly scoured the marvellously comprehensive and totally thorough ( NOT) Swift owner manual, no mention of keeping the leisure battery connected when the solar panel is charging (but I am more inclined to the wisdom of Mickyjb’s screenshot) No mention of a fuse. No solar panel fuse listed on the Sargent electronics doodah under the front bench. However, did trawl the internet and found a picture of the Truma solar panel controller (which is what we have). There seems to be a blade fuse on the underside of the controller box. Assume this is the one I would need. Will check it is there when next in the van. Hope this helps someone else. We have a Sprite Alpine 2 btw.
Thanks again
Mel

 

[woodsieboy]

Hi Mel
Don't know who writes the Swift handbooks, but like you I searched for info about solar and battery change, waste of time,we have alde heating so can't even use your Truma fuse idea, but mine is all done now, hopefully for a few years.

 

[Buckman]

Hi Mel
Don't know who writes the Swift handbooks, but like you I searched for info about solar and battery change, waste of time,we have alde heating so can't even use your Truma fuse idea, but mine is all done now, hopefully for a few years.

Same people that write the owners manuals for every other brand of caravan and car. They like to make it as clear as mud! LOL!

 

[Mickyjb]

Woodsieboy, The heating doesn't come into it, we also have Alde, it's the Truma solar controller (as shown below) with the blade fuse in the bottom (as fitted).

In our van it's in the cupboard below the solar panel.
Mick

 

[woodsieboy]

Hi Mick
Ours is nothing like that it'sa Sargent panel ,white with 2 cables.

 

[trevormonty]

My charger (chinese noname) says connect battery first before solar panel. Disconnect solar panel (eg pull fuse) before disconnecting battery.

On your controller check that fuse is actually solar panel one, could be for battery. Ideally all 3 circuits should be fused ie solar in, battery, load out.

 

[SteveW]

I was a bit surprised by a recent comment when having an annual service, including review of the electrical systems. My DIY solar install is 2x 175W panels, they are in series and commonly output about 40V. I used a double pole solar breaker in the cables near the roof, as per regs for a home install. Not a vast cost. Bloke said my install was “over the top”, he would have just hooked the Victron charger to the panels. Each to their own I guess, but personally I don’t want 40V at this available power in the caravan without a switch off option! The voltage would be quite capable of killing someone or causing fire in the wrong circumstances during servicing. Turning off our solar is easy.

Steve