Hooking up solar panels to battery.

jetj · Guru

Hooking up solar panels to battery.

gst · Senior Member

Connect leads with black plugs to solar panels connect cables showing batteries red to positive and black to negative battery don't connect the end wires unless you to run lights or things using the controller .

-- Edited by gst on Friday 17th of August 2012 01:00:33 PM

Ron and Shirley · Senior Member

jetj wrote:
Thanks heaps that makes lots of sense. I've connected to the battery and the green light load is on but no charge light. Also the controller started to smoke???????

Something does not seem right to me, particularly the smoke bit.

From memory helping a mate set his up sometime ago, so I am a bit hazy..

If you have connected the bottom two leads to the solar panel Red(+) to Red(+) and the Black(-) to Black(-) then the middle two to the battery, again Red(+) to Red(+) and the Black(-) to Black(-), then the controller should be showing some lights.

Depending on how charged your battery is then 1,2 or 3 of the LEDs in the battery section should be glowing. 3 lights suggesting that the battery is near fully charged

Again depending on how charged your battery is the Charge LED will either be off if fully charged, flickering if the controller is in float mode, or glowing if panel is bringing the battery up to near full charge.

The load light will not be on unless you have connected the third set of leads (shorter) to something like a fridge, lights, accessories etc, and shows you are draining some charge from your battery whilst it is powering whatever is connected.

By running your accessories (inverter, TV, laptop, phone charger etc) via this third set of leads you should get some low battery cut off protection. Otherwise if your accessories currently run staight from battery either remove these leads from the unit or just make sure that the alligator clips are not touching anything, particularly each other.

-- Edited by Ron and Shirley on Friday 17th of August 2012 04:18:56 PM

spice · Senior Member

Hi Janette, it looks like the bottom 2 wires with the solar panel icon would connect to the solar panel, the middle 2 with the battery icon would connect to the battery, and the top 2 with the load icon would connect to an accessory, ie fridge if you did not want to connect it straight to the battery, Rod

jetj · Guru

Thanks heaps that makes lots of sense. I've connected to the battery and the green light load is on but no charge light. Also the controller started to smoke???????

gst · Senior Member

Red should be positive and black to negative.make sure you hove same in controller +red - black

jetj · Guru

Thanks GST,

Yes I do all the positives and negatives seem ok. These are Bitoo Ebay Folding Solar Panels which I imagine lots of Nomads have same or similar.

bill12 · Guru

Watch how you conect the controller up as I have blown 2 of those cheaper controllers- there is NO FUSE.Bill

gst · Senior Member

do you have a meter to check the out put of the solar panel to make sure it's ok

jetj · Guru

Thanks for you're posts, I am getting 2 red lights in the battery section, which seems right but the green light in the load section and no charge light concerns me. I've put them away now, sun's in and it came over nasty. I should probably remove the 2 extra clips so they don't touch before trying again.

I have a multimeter, not sure exactly when to put the points, haven't really used it much.

gst · Senior Member

Red on red clip black point on black

jetj · Guru

So do I actually put the point on the aligator clip???

Ron and Shirley · Senior Member

I would remove the short load lead by unscrewing at the unit if you are not going to use it at present, dont just cut off the alligator clips. Be interesting to see if the load light comes on when you connect the system up.

Maybe the connection of the CMP12 to the panel is not quite right. Check that connection and see if you can push the connectors further together.

With the multi meter, set it to read 20v. As gst said put the red probe on the red(+) and the black probe on the black(-). I would do this where the solar panel attaches to the CMP12 then again on the alligator clips of the long battery leads before connecting up to the battery.

jetj · Guru

Thanks Heaps,

I'll give it a try tomorrow if the sun comes out. Appreciate everyones help.

justcruisin01 · Guru

jetj wrote:
. Also the controller started to smoke???????

There's a fair chance that you have buggered it already as smoke is bad news.JC

SPICE WROTE>>>>>QUOTE>>>>>>


Hi Janette, it looks like the bottom 2 wires with the solar panel icon would connect to the solar panel, the middle 2 with the battery icon would connect to the battery, and the top 2 with the load icon would connect to an accessory, ie fridge if you did not want to connect it straight to the battery, Rod..end quote>>

This is the correct wiring system BUT be sure that the positives go to pos. & negatives go to neg. Looking at the pic of the regulator the part number contains the number 12, I would suspect that this unit is a 12amp regulator, if this is the case the NEVER CONNECT a load MORE than 12 amps as that will bugger it as well, but I think you may have done the damage already.

JC

jetj · Guru

Thanks Just Cruising. It is so obvious now but I was so baffled by the 2 sets of aligator clips. I didn't have a clue that they were to attach something.

I certainly haven't overloaded it but the smoke is a worry. As long as the panel is ok I can buy another controller if need be. Thanks for posting.

Happywanderer · The Master

www.ebay.com.au/itm/NEW-G-P-MONO-CRYSTALLINE-PORTABLE-FOLDING-120W-SOLAR-PANEL-CAMPING-CARAVAN-/251056668095?pt=AU_Solar&hash=item3a7424bdb

These are the ones I bought, has photos of al lthe bits.

-- Edited by Happywanderer on Saturday 18th of August 2012 02:21:31 PM

patrolst · Senior Member

Hi Janette

Here is a photo of our controller today the panels are on the van and the volt meter is showing 14.2 volt while charging in the sun.

All LED's are alight as the battery is full even the load light. in the evening when the panels are not charging the charge light is the only one to go out and as the power is used the Led on the right will diminish, then recharge the following day (providing the is sunlight even in light you will get some input.)

I have nothing connected to my load terminal on the right as they are not required, unless you have some use for the load terminal it may be prudent to remove them so as not to chance of any shorting if they touch any metal.

I also have a 30amp fuse positioned close to the battery which is a safe guard; I cannot see any fusing on you positive battery lead/clamp.

Copy of DSC_0007 (640x640).jpg

Trust this is off assistance.

jetj · Guru

Hi Patrolst,

Thanks it it does help. I have the 2 red battery lights and the load light only, I'm missing the charge light. I have removed the 2 load leads. I am wondering if the wires from the two panels are connected to the controller properly now. I wonder if this would cause the no charge light or the smoke has done damage. The wires from the load clamps are blackened.

Thanks

patrolst · Senior Member

Hi Janette.

Have you had the wires diconnected from the panel at all?

If so there may be a blocking diode in the juction/connection box if this has been installed back to front you panels most likely won't charge.

It will have to be removed and reinstalled the opposite way, if the diode has been installed incorrectly you will get back power supply from the battery which will light up the red led's and also the green load led but not the charge led.

By what you have explained with the blackened load clips they may have touched and possibley shortened out the diode in the panel, it may be prudent to take the panel to a reputable 12volt shop who sell these items and get it checked out.

Regards Jim

Happywanderer · The Master

My gosh, I hadn't realised this would be so hard. I bought my folding panels off Ebay too but a different brand. Haven't used them yet, think I will be waiting till someone knowledgeable is with me before I even try.
Thankfully will only need them when parked for any length of time.

patrolst · Senior Member

Hi HW

It is not that hard and the units are resonable robust, but I think Janette has been unlucky.

What type of regulator have you got on your panel/panels?

Happywanderer · The Master

Have no idea, they are still folded up in their zip bag. Will see if I can find a link to the ones I bought.

jetj · Guru

I just tried to connect again, and test with the multimeter and I'm getting sparks and no reading at the battery or at the controller. I might have it on the wrong setting but don't think so.

I have a battery box with the 2 clips on the outside and I'm now thinking that this is connected to the screws on the battery and not the big round things and maybe I shouldn't be trying to charge that way. Also don't I need a fuse to protect battery?

I'm getting more dismayed as I try.

patrolst · Senior Member

HW

Your package photograghs show a regulator similar to Janette's.

the difference that I see is that yours have no load leads connected which is a good thing as it doesn't complicate the connecting procedure.

patrolst · Senior Member

Janette.

the leads that you plug into the panel, have they different profiles so that they cannot be connected incorrectly.

It may be best to try and connect the clamps directly to the battery poles.

Happywanderer · The Master

Poor Janette, you are having a time of it.
My understanding from when I was at Gympie and saw others connecting theirs, is the the clips go on what you call the big round things on top of the battery. You open the clip up and snap it around that round thing.
Thanks Jim, hope I don't have all this trouble that Janette is having.

Happywanderer · The Master

Aah, thats what they are called. The battery poles.

Sheba · Guru

You're not mixing up the Positive and Negative thingys are you ? One of the guys might step in here and clarify this aspect for us please. I've forgotten whatever I used to know about Batteries, but you used to have to be careful with "Positive" and "Negative".

Cheers,

Sheba.

jetj · Guru

Thanks Sheba,

No definitely not mixing + and - but I'm wondering now if I haven't left the panels in the sun long enough to show a charge. I might try this when the sun comes out again.