Solar troubleshooting

[SmashRocks]

Hey everyone, I apologize if this specific issue has been discussed but I’m stumped....plus it’s now raining so I’m stuck in my man cave having a beer and meddling over my issue.

I purchased a 160w renology panel and a 30amp Epever solar controller with the digital remote screen. Everything is mounted and wired and I’ve checked continuity for wires but my MC4 to SAE adapter simply won’t work. I used a piece of Romex to temp up the wiring from the panel to the port on the roof to make sure the panel or controller wasn’t broken but it’s not. The adapter also has continuity on its own so in theory it should work, it’s just carrying current..

Is there another way to splice in the panel to the pre wired port other than using an adapter? I don’t want to buy another but I suppose I could to test it.

Off to Home Depot now to buy angle aluminum to build a bracket for the roof. Any suggestions are appreciated. Cheers.

 

[SmashRocks]

Update. Solar panel is recognized on the controller. Now the controller does now show amperage only voltage. So when I run my fan and lights it’s zero amps.

 

[veryactivelife]

Two things come to mind. First is that FWC solar wiring has reversed polarity, so your hookup from the panel needs to be backwards from what you expect. The second is that controllers only show Amps being received from the panel and not what is being drawn by loads. For that you will need a battery monitor which is highly recommend.

 

[Wandering Sagebrush]

Two things come to mind. First is that FWC solar wiring has reversed polarity, so your hookup from the panel needs to be backwards from what you expect. The second is that controllers only show Amps being received from the panel and not what is being drawn by loads. For that you will need a battery monitor which is highly recommend.

I could be mistaken, but I believe that reversal is only with the Zamp systems.

 

[slomo]

I had what appears to be the same problem and also tried the Romex test. I spent weeks messing with it and even tried another solar controller. In the end I cut out the SAE connector and used wire nuts to connect things together and the problem went away. It has worked perfectly since then. Someday I'd like to replace the wire nuts as I don't trust them to last forever and replace them with a through hull fitting of some sort and soldering everything and covering with with shrink wrap.

 

[Old Crow]

Update. Solar panel is recognized on the controller. Now the controller does now show amperage only voltage. So when I run my fan and lights it’s zero amps.

So can I ask what you learned about the MC4-to-SAE adapter? Did it turn out to be ok or did you end up doing something else?

.

 

[SmashRocks]

Another update..success! I started the install at dusk and figured there was enough light. I slept on it and started back in the morning. The polarity on the solar was reversed so I switched the + and - at the controller. Then I attached the MC4/SAE adapter and it works perfectly with full sun. The panel is mounted with aluminum angle, similar to pictures I found on here. An issue I had was the SAE portion would not bend properly to not hit the panel. I cut a 1/2” piece of the angle and zip tied it to the plug so it bends. Added some silicone to seal the connection for good measure. I’ll post pics. Thank you everyone for the helpful responses!

 

[SmashRocks]

 

[SmashRocks]

 

[SmashRocks]

 

[SmashRocks]

Also I added 1/4” aluminum shims or washers essentially between the angle and yak tracks to lift it slightly. Next purchase is a dometic or ARB cooler fridge.

 

[SmashRocks]

Two things come to mind. First is that FWC solar wiring has reversed polarity, so your hookup from the panel needs to be backwards from what you expect. The second is that controllers only show Amps being received from the panel and not what is being drawn by loads. For that you will need a battery monitor which is highly recommend.

Great to know now! Hard to find this info on the internet when you’re new to solar and how controllers work. I would like to know my draw though. More or less just curious.

 

[veryactivelife]

Great to know now! Hard to find this info on the internet when you’re new to solar and how controllers work. I would like to know my draw though. More or less just curious.

Your Ah draw is really the only legit way to know the battery state. Besides drawdown between full charges, the monitor can give you feedback on how much different things are drawing when they come on. Look at the Victron BMV 712.

 

[SmashRocks]

Your Ah draw is really the only legit way to know the battery state. Besides drawdown between full charges, the monitor can give you feedback on how much different things are drawing when they come on. Look at the Victron BMV 712.

well at that price I don’t care THAT much. Maybe in the future. Thanks for your help and knowledge. If things go haywire I’ll reach out.