My house battery only ever shows 2 bars on the board, should it charge more when driving and not using any power ie fridge. Or does it need to be looked at??
PeterInSa said
09:18 AM Apr 8, 2014
Judy,
2 bars on what board? Your Solar Controller or Battery Monitor? With some setups the house battery is not charged via the Alternator, only charged by Solar regularor/240v and charger or a generator and charger. Have seen setups where you need a switch to change over to charge from the vehicle alternator. Have also seen vehicle setups where the 3 way Fridge is only powered from the alternator and when the ignition is turned off the 12v power to the fridge is cut off.
I suggest when you are camped in a CP or rest area and there is a technical person similar camped that you ask him or her for some assistance, and also suggest that you write down the details for future reference.
Getting it looked at by a professional is probablty the best way to go, but could be a costly learning exercise.
I also suggest that you should have a low voltage cutout on your house battery to save the battery from being flattened and shortening the batteries life. Note if all of your load goes thru a solar regulator, this unit may have the low voltage cutout ( and hopefully set at the correct ciut out voltage.)
Peter
barina said
03:24 PM Apr 8, 2014
PeterInSa wrote:
Judy, 2 bars on what board? Your Solar Controller or Battery Monitor? With some setups the house battery is not charged via the Alternator, only charged by Solar regularor/240v and charger or a generator and charger. Have seen setups where you need a switch to change over to charge from the vehicle alternator. Have also seen vehicle setups where the 3 way Fridge is only powered from the alternator and when the ignition is turned off the 12v power to the fridge is cut off.
I suggest when you are camped in a CP or rest area and there is a technical person similar camped that you ask him or her for some assistance, and also suggest that you write down the details for future reference.
Getting it looked at by a professional is probablty the best way to go, but could be a costly learning exercise.
I also suggest that you should have a low voltage cutout on your house battery to save the battery from being flattened and shortening the batteries life. Note if all of your load goes thru a solar regulator, this unit may have the low voltage cutout ( and hopefully set at the correct ciut out voltage.)
Peter
Thanks....I don't have solar....will get it checked out locally .....
SnowT said
01:01 AM Apr 10, 2014
Hey Judy..
I think one of the next main project's for your van is a solar panel or 2..
Best rule of thumb is 2 time the battery size -- for your solar..
-- The 2 bar's is it 2 bars of 5...
If 2 bars of 5 then the battery is only at 40% usable charge... Not Good..
Juergen
barina said
07:34 AM Apr 10, 2014
SnowT wrote:
Hey Judy..
I think one of the next main project's for your van is a solar panel or 2..
Best rule of thumb is 2 time the battery size -- for your solar..
-- The 2 bar's is it 2 bars of 5...
If 2 bars of 5 then the battery is only at 40% usable charge... Not Good..
Juergen
Solar is on my agenda to get done. The battery is 2 bars of 5. the car battery is always 5 . Thanks for the info.
SnowT said
05:06 PM Apr 10, 2014
Your house battery how is it charged..
do you have a switch that you need to hit to charge it..?
By all-right's when the van is getting driven the House battery should be getting a charge..
- if it not getting a charge, you have a major Issue.. You should not have to run a charger[Off 240v] to charge the battery, if you do then it's not done right..
If you can not get the house batteries up to full charge then there is a real good chance that you will shorten the life of the house Battery..
Juergen
barina said
06:12 PM Apr 10, 2014
SnowT wrote:
Your house battery how is it charged..
do you have a switch that you need to hit to charge it..?
By all-right's when the van is getting driven the House battery should be getting a charge.. - if it not getting a charge, you have a major Issue.. You should not have to run a charger[Off 240v] to charge the battery, if you do then it's not done right..
If you can not get the house batteries up to full charge then there is a real good chance that you will shorten the life of the house Battery..
Juergen
I cannot see a switch, but will go to battery world on Sat to get it checked out....Thanks
barina said
11:30 AM Apr 12, 2014
The battery problem has been solved. I had dead cells so it has been replaced, none too easy took an 1hr or so but the wonderful guy at Battery World Hoppers Crossing (Vic), got it done. Also purchased a 10amp to 15amp box so I can charge once a week at home, when not being used.....thanks all
SnowT said
09:11 PM Apr 13, 2014
Judy is the House battery getting any charge while you are driving..?
Juergen
barina said
06:23 PM Apr 14, 2014
SnowT wrote:
Judy is the House battery getting any charge while you are driving..?
Juergen
The new one went up a notch on the short trip home, so will soon see on friday this week when I head up to greens..
SnowT said
01:49 PM Apr 15, 2014
IF it's getting a charge while you are driving that is good..
How big an area do you have on your vehicle to mount a panel..
- If you have enough space.. I would recommend that you get a 200w panel on the roof..
Mount a good solar regulator.. and no you don't need to get a super expensive one to do the job..
A Panel and a solar Regulator should cost about $250Max..
- This does not include the Mounting hardware
- This does not include the cabling
Also the Solar regulator you need to mount as close to your Batteries as you can..
- You Do NOT want to get a Panel that has a Regulator mounted on it.. they only cause issue's of Voltage drop.. etc..
Juergen
barina said
02:05 PM Apr 15, 2014
SnowT wrote:
IF it's getting a charge while you are driving that is good..
How big an area do you have on your vehicle to mount a panel.. - If you have enough space.. I would recommend that you get a 200w panel on the roof.. Mount a good solar regulator.. and no you don't need to get a super expensive one to do the job..
A Panel and a solar Regulator should cost about $250Max.. - This does not include the Mounting hardware - This does not include the cabling
Also the Solar regulator you need to mount as close to your Batteries as you can.. - You Do NOT want to get a Panel that has a Regulator mounted on it.. they only cause issue's of Voltage drop.. etc..
Juergen
Thanks....that is the next purchase, as funds become available. My brother will get up and measure what size panel I can fit on the roof as there is already, Dometic A/C, Vents, TV Arial.
-- Edited by barina on Tuesday 15th of April 2014 05:59:53 PM
Happywanderer said
07:38 PM Apr 15, 2014
I have mine booked in next week in Emerald to get a 2nd solar panel fitted Judy.
The one already there is just not enough to keep the fridge going.
The guy was happy for me to buy off Ebay and have it sent to him directly. He's a solar specialist with the mines.
I've bought a 140 watt as that is the biggest I can put in the space provided, for $170.
That will then give me 300 in total.
barina said
08:25 PM Apr 15, 2014
Happywanderer wrote:
I have mine booked in next week in Emerald to get a 2nd solar panel fitted Judy. The one already there is just not enough to keep the fridge going. The guy was happy for me to buy off Ebay and have it sent to him directly. He's a solar specialist with the mines. I've bought a 140 watt as that is the biggest I can put in the space provided, for $170. That will then give me 300 in total.
Where is your house battery??
Happywanderer said
08:50 PM Apr 15, 2014
I have two down the back under the bed.
barina said
09:13 PM Apr 15, 2014
Happywanderer wrote:
I have two down the back under the bed.
I reckon that is a better place mine is under the passenger seat and the poor guy had to take the seat off to get it out!!!!
My house battery only ever shows 2 bars on the board, should it charge more when driving and not using any power ie fridge. Or does it need to be looked at??
2 bars on what board? Your Solar Controller or Battery Monitor? With some setups the house battery is not charged via the Alternator, only charged by Solar regularor/240v and charger or a generator and charger. Have seen setups where you need a switch to change over to charge from the vehicle alternator. Have also seen vehicle setups where the 3 way Fridge is only powered from the alternator and when the ignition is turned off the 12v power to the fridge is cut off.
I suggest when you are camped in a CP or rest area and there is a technical person similar camped that you ask him or her for some assistance, and also suggest that you write down the details for future reference.
Getting it looked at by a professional is probablty the best way to go, but could be a costly learning exercise.
I also suggest that you should have a low voltage cutout on your house battery to save the battery from being flattened and shortening the batteries life. Note if all of your load goes thru a solar regulator, this unit may have the low voltage cutout ( and hopefully set at the correct ciut out voltage.)
Peter
Thanks....I don't have solar....will get it checked out locally .....
I think one of the next main project's for your van is a solar panel or 2..
Best rule of thumb is 2 time the battery size -- for your solar..
-- The 2 bar's is it 2 bars of 5...
If 2 bars of 5 then the battery is only at 40% usable charge... Not Good..
Juergen
Solar is on my agenda to get done. The battery is 2 bars of 5. the car battery is always 5 . Thanks for the info.
Your house battery how is it charged..
do you have a switch that you need to hit to charge it..?
By all-right's when the van is getting driven the House battery should be getting a charge..
- if it not getting a charge, you have a major Issue.. You should not have to run a charger[Off 240v] to charge the battery, if you do then it's not done right..
If you can not get the house batteries up to full charge then there is a real good chance that you will shorten the life of the house Battery..
Juergen
I cannot see a switch, but will go to battery world on Sat to get it checked out....Thanks
The battery problem has been solved. I had dead cells so it has been replaced, none too easy took an 1hr or so but the wonderful guy at Battery World Hoppers Crossing (Vic), got it done. Also purchased a 10amp to 15amp box so I can charge once a week at home, when not being used.....thanks all
Juergen
The new one went up a notch on the short trip home, so will soon see on friday this week when I head up to greens..
How big an area do you have on your vehicle to mount a panel..
- If you have enough space.. I would recommend that you get a 200w panel on the roof..
Mount a good solar regulator.. and no you don't need to get a super expensive one to do the job..
A Panel and a solar Regulator should cost about $250Max..
- This does not include the Mounting hardware
- This does not include the cabling
Also the Solar regulator you need to mount as close to your Batteries as you can..
- You Do NOT want to get a Panel that has a Regulator mounted on it.. they only cause issue's of Voltage drop.. etc..
Juergen
Thanks....that is the next purchase, as funds become available. My brother will get up and measure what size panel I can fit on the roof as there is already, Dometic A/C, Vents, TV Arial.
-- Edited by barina on Tuesday 15th of April 2014 05:59:53 PM
The one already there is just not enough to keep the fridge going.
The guy was happy for me to buy off Ebay and have it sent to him directly. He's a solar specialist with the mines.
I've bought a 140 watt as that is the biggest I can put in the space provided, for $170.
That will then give me 300 in total.
Where is your house battery??
I reckon that is a better place mine is under the passenger seat and the poor guy had to take the seat off to get it out!!!!