captainphx
Senior Member
Hi guys, been a while. We just got back from a 9 day trip in Northern AZ. Hadn't had the camper out in a while. Having an issue with my solar wiring.
I originally had the FWC 85 watt on the roof. Removed it and installed two 9 amp 160 watters on the roof along with trimetric charge controller and monitor. I use the 5 amp 85 watt as a portable plugged into the side of the camper and going to the same controller. On this trip, the roof panels sometimes charged and sometimes did not. When I plug in the portable...it charges.
When I got home, I connected the portable into the roof where the two 160's plug in and it charges. So I believe everything downstream of the roof connector is good. I disconnected everything starting at the panels, and checked for Amps with a multimeter.. Checks good. As I started reconnecting I checked for Amps at each connection...all good. No loose connections or anything. I can't wiggle wires or connections to make it stop charging. Camper sitting in full sun. Sometimes it keeps a full charge. Sometimes I check few days later and the battery is down. I plug in the portable..charges. Plug the portable in to the roof... charges. Plug the roof panels back into the roof...charges. A few days later. Battery is down again...to maybe 95 %.
The roof panel that sits over the roof connector, sits really low above the roof, pushing down on (stressing) the roof connector. See photo. Not sure if that is the issue. Can't think of anything else. Has anyone ever seen a DC type connector that is similar to the floor plug-ins ( in your house) that are for under a rug? You know, the kind that lie flat? Otherwise, I will place some spacers under the roof panel to raise it up a bit, to take the stress off the plug. Don't know what else to try.
During this last trip, in the morning, I saw a charge rate of more than 15 amps/hr. So I know they were all working. Conversely, though, I also saw no charging on some mornings, full sun, battery down to 80%. Plug in the portable...and it charges.
I originally had the FWC 85 watt on the roof. Removed it and installed two 9 amp 160 watters on the roof along with trimetric charge controller and monitor. I use the 5 amp 85 watt as a portable plugged into the side of the camper and going to the same controller. On this trip, the roof panels sometimes charged and sometimes did not. When I plug in the portable...it charges.
When I got home, I connected the portable into the roof where the two 160's plug in and it charges. So I believe everything downstream of the roof connector is good. I disconnected everything starting at the panels, and checked for Amps with a multimeter.. Checks good. As I started reconnecting I checked for Amps at each connection...all good. No loose connections or anything. I can't wiggle wires or connections to make it stop charging. Camper sitting in full sun. Sometimes it keeps a full charge. Sometimes I check few days later and the battery is down. I plug in the portable..charges. Plug the portable in to the roof... charges. Plug the roof panels back into the roof...charges. A few days later. Battery is down again...to maybe 95 %.
The roof panel that sits over the roof connector, sits really low above the roof, pushing down on (stressing) the roof connector. See photo. Not sure if that is the issue. Can't think of anything else. Has anyone ever seen a DC type connector that is similar to the floor plug-ins ( in your house) that are for under a rug? You know, the kind that lie flat? Otherwise, I will place some spacers under the roof panel to raise it up a bit, to take the stress off the plug. Don't know what else to try.
During this last trip, in the morning, I saw a charge rate of more than 15 amps/hr. So I know they were all working. Conversely, though, I also saw no charging on some mornings, full sun, battery down to 80%. Plug in the portable...and it charges.
