Factory fitted Solar Panel

[kinga]

Hi all
Got a 2017 Swift Challenger Hi Style with 100W factory fitted solar panel.
Fitted a new 110A battery earlier this year.
Last used the van around a month ago.
Left the battery isolator switch connected, so there is power to the van, but nothing is on.
Went to the van yesterday and the panel is reading 7.4V.
Surely the solar panel should be putting sufficient charge to keep the battery well topped up, especially with the recent lovely weather.
Any ideas?
Does it sound like the solar panel is not working, and is there any way I can check, and what could be the issue?
Any suggestions gratefully received.
thx.

 

[Mel]

Welcome to the forum. Can’t help you on testing the solar panel, but you should turn the black isolator switch on the Sargent off when the van isn’t being used. When it is on there is still some drain on the battery, or so I am told.
Good luck with getting it sorted
Mel

 

[Buckman]

Did you switch off the master 12v switch? If not leaving that on will drain the battery quickly.

 

[Ukdave2002]

I thought I had a sacrificial electrical drain fault on our Swift that also has the factory solar panel. It wasn't a fault but there is a constant drain.

Firstly as mentioned switching the master switch off will remove the bulk of the drain, however movers are not wired through the Sargent unit, they are normally are wired directly to the battery via a separate fuse, so the mover's wireless receiver is always on unless the fuse is disconnected. In theory the solar panel greater output should compensate for the drain but I don't rely on it, the wireless discharge is 24 hour, the solar charge is sun dependent, I charge the battery with a CTEC battery charger/ conditioner every 2 weeks.

Secondly there will a regulator for the solar panel, on ours its separate to the Sargent unit and factory mounted in a wardrobe , it has an LED indicator to show the status, this could be faulty, no big problem as replacements are sub £20 and very simple to fit, worth checking if this is performing correctly.

 

[ProfJohnL]

Good wiring practice and logic suggests that if there is an isolator for a device ( such as a mover ) that all power including the control system should be frd through the isolator. That was certainly the case for the early Carver units, a quick check of the Powrtouch Evolution model instructions

https://www.powrtouch.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/Single-Manual-Instructions-CDFMC-Issue-8-July-2019.pdf

that is still the case.

 

[Ukdave2002]

Depending on how the manufacturer has wired the van, a battery isolator may also isolate the battery from the solar panel, worth checking the van schematics (Swift are available online) if you are relying on the solar panel to charge the battery.

 

[kinga]

Thx for the replies guys.
Appreciate that there may be a small drain through the mover or the dormant electronic systems, but surely the solar panel must put more charge in that these are drawing, otherwise what chance have we got when we are away and actually using material amounts of current, like tv, lights, etc.?

 

[kinga]

I thought I had a sacrificial electrical drain fault on our Swift that also has the factory solar panel. It wasn't a fault but there is a constant drain.

Firstly as mentioned switching the master switch off will remove the bulk of the drain, however movers are not wired through the Sargent unit, they are normally are wired directly to the battery via a separate fuse, so the mover's wireless receiver is always on unless the fuse is disconnected. In theory the solar panel greater output should compensate for the drain but I don't rely on it, the wireless discharge is 24 hour, the solar charge is sun dependent, I charge the battery with a CTEC battery charger/ conditioner every 2 weeks.

Secondly there will a regulator for the solar panel, on ours its separate to the Sargent unit and factory mounted in a wardrobe , it has an LED indicator to show the status, this could be faulty, no big problem as replacements are sub £20 and very simple to fit, worth checking if this is performing correctly.

How can I check whether the regulator is performing correctly?
What lights should be showing?
Thx.

 

[Ferrodo]

I replaced the factory fitted Sargent solar controller with a Victron 75/10 blue tooth unit. This is an MPPT unit which is a good upgrade to the standard Sargent unit. I can now interrogate battery condition, solar panel performance and charge state via a phone app. Fitting is a straightforward swap. Utube as usual is your friend here , search for MPPT controllers in caravans.
Cheers
R

 

[Mel]

Which regulator is it. Mine is a Truma, but some have Sargent. I am told that Sargent are very helpful if you want to ring them.
The manual for a Truma is

https://www.baileyofbristol.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/SDC1225-Truma-Manual-REV1-OK_2021-07-15.pdf

Mel

 

[Ferrodo]

View: https://youtu.be/huGeDTOY59k?si=4ZP2KZzFYxrYLVtI

Take a look at this for interest sake.
👍

 

[Ukdave2002]

View: https://youtu.be/huGeDTOY59k?si=4ZP2KZzFYxrYLVtI

Take a look at this for interest sake.
👍

That's a really good video