Remove Battery....Solar Panel??

Jul 30, 2007
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Hi.
On our previous Bailey Pursuit,I removed the battery for the winter(it had a solar panel on roof)
Chap at work reckons that I need to disconnect the solar panel before I remove the battery on our 2015 Unicorn Cadiz.
Is this correct?
Have taken a picture of the control panel but not sure how to switch off if it is indeed correct.
We have no alarm/tracker working on the van but would like to store the battery at home and periodically use the ctek charger on it.
 

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Jun 16, 2020
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I installed my panels 4 years ago. At that time, like you, I was told that the panels should be disconnected before removing the battery, so I installed a switch on both panels. (To be honest I forget to use them when I have removed the battery).

Unlike you I leave the battery in and let the panels do their job. Works fine.

John
 
Mar 14, 2005
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Hi.
On our previous Bailey Pursuit,I removed the battery for the winter(it had a solar panel on roof)
Chap at work reckons that I need to disconnect the solar panel before I remove the battery on our 2015 Unicorn Cadiz.
Is this correct?
Have taken a picture of the control panel but not sure how to switch off if it is indeed correct.
We have no alarm/tracker working on the van but would like to store the battery at home and periodically use the ctek charger on it.

I can see some sense to disconnecting the panels first before removing the battery, and equally reconnecting the battery before connecting the solar panels, Its just good practice - becasue without the battery to "load" the circuit, the terminal voltage on the panels in strong sunshine can rise quite dramatically and some items connected to the system might be damaged by the voltage surge.
 
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Reactions: GeorgeandAde
Jun 16, 2020
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I can see some sense to disconnecting the panels first before removing the battery, and equally reconnecting the battery before connecting the solar panels, Its just good practice - becasue without the battery to "load" the circuit, the terminal voltage on the panels in strong sunshine can rise quite dramatically and some items connected to the system might be damaged by the voltage surge.

I agree, you would have thought that with a factory fitted system a switch would have been fitted.

John
 
Jul 30, 2007
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At the handover of caravan(the chap was brilliant and took his time to explain/answer any questions) said the solar panel was set to "optimal performance"
I didnt question this and dont want to adjust any settings on it or try turning it off incase I "mess up".
I think in the future though,I will have to when the battery needs replacing.
Plenty of time to contact Truma for advice though before that happens.
Batteries only 9 months old.
 
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Reactions: Jcloughie
Jan 31, 2018
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Simply cover the solar panel. If you are replacing the battery(no light no leccy) but no need to remove battery. The solar panel and controlle r does a superb job of this.
 
Mar 27, 2011
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I’ve got the same controller as shown in the picture from OP, if the controller is charging a single battery, as mine is, there are 4 wires going into/out of the bottom of the controller, a pos and a neg into the battery and the same out of the solar panel I wanted to check how well my battery wold hold it’s charge in the event of a system failure, it’s easy to disconnect the negative supply wire and insulate the bare end, if you wanted to fit a switch for regular disconnection, though I can’t envisage why it would be needed, get a wall mountable switch from somewhere such as awlfords and divert one of the wires through the switch.

BP
 
Sep 26, 2018
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The wiring instructions for all solar controllers is the same "connect the controller to the battery before connecting to the panel". As for removing the battery, for about 10 years I have had solar panels on my boat. I have never done anything other than let the solar do its job throughout the winter...You'd be amazed how much input you get even in the depths of winter..
 

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