Swift Challenger 530 Solar Panel Problem

[Ray4*]

Hi all, I have a 2022 model and seem to have a problem with my solar panel. The controller is constantly flashing the MPP indicator, whether the mains is on or not.
No other indicating lights are lit.
It was charging up until a couple of months ago.
Hopefully this has been covered before.
Any ideas please?
Thanks.

 

[Mr Plodd]

A flashing controller usually indicates that the solar panel is providing some charge. EHU power doesnt connect in any way with a solar charge controller so whether EHU is connected or not will not influence the charger.
I assume from your post that your leisure battery isn't being charged from your solar panel?

 

[Ray4*]

Thanks for the reply. I was hoping the solar panel was charging the leisure battery. The van is situated at home, so I can charge the battery via the mains. I want to keep the battery charged for the alarm.

 

[birdman101]

Our Swift is kept at home and I never have to connect it to the mains as the Solar panel keeps the leisure Battery charged at all times. If you have no Green LEDs at all then the Battery is not charged or charging and you will have an Yellow LED showing.

 

[JTQ]

Presently there is not a great deal of solar energy getting though, compared with a couple of months back. The sun angle coming down is one factor that makes thrown shadows on the panel more likely.
It then becomes a balancing act between what charge is getting through to fill the battery and what drains there are draining the battery. In this how big the panel is, how much exposure it gets to direct sun light, and reflected sun light, and what you have in the van supping away its energy.
I always like starting with info, important bits are the actual powers flowing in and out of the battery. To aid getting this using a simply current meter can give some point in time values.
A very cheap meter that simply plugs into the battery's power fuse, can give some revealing info LINK. There are way more technically refined solutions but this is very suitable for those not overly technically inclined.

 

[Ray4*]

OK, I will investigate further.
Thanks for all the replies.
This forum is amazing for all the help and rapid responses.

 

[IanB1485]

The battery fuse, if located in the EDU is not the one to plug the current meter into (as this only shows current flowing into or out of the battery to /from the EDU ( A current meter is a good investment if you know what you are reading) The solar regulator may have an inline fuse to the battery and this is the one to monitor the current . On Swifts the solar panel regulator feeds into the Sargent EDU and the 'command' display will show the current the regulator is providing. Not too sure about the BCA units on coachmans and Baileys if it a similar set up. I was installing a solar panel on a motorhome the other day ( 100W) and even in full sun it only achieved about 0.4 amps and that was when the leisure and vehicle batteries were both down around 12.4V ( just above half charged). If the leisure battery is Full then the solar regulator will not provide any current into it ( battery voltage at 13.8V)

 

[JTQ]

Okay up to a point if it is known that a Swift Challenger 530 connects its solar and main charger/system controller unit as separate feeds.
I not knowing, assumed factory fitted instals by a company like Swift would do solar connecting more professionally.
However, we will still require to measure the flow from the battery to the system controller as we need to know of any parasitic drains.