Trying to find break in solar panel wiring

[ssheriff]

Sometime during the winter my solar panel quit trickle charging the battery in my 2006 Granby. The PV panel puts out ~21 volts when I check it at its plug. The connectors are clean. When I measure volts from the PV panel at the two central terminators on the ASC regulator I get less than 0.1V. The battery at the regulator is 13v. I checked the wiring behind the folding front panel, the insulation is cut but the copper is intact. So, some questions:

1. Is there another place, besides behind the folding panel, where the wires regularly get broken?

2. There are no visible/apparent fuses in line with the solar panel. Is there a fuse hidden somewhere?

3. The only crimp connectors I found are behind the folding panel, are there others elsewhere?

4. Is the solar wiring continuous from behind the folding panel to the ASC regulator or does it go through something else? The ASC manual suggests the wiring should be continuous but it isn't visible for long after it leaves the regulator.

thanks for any insights.

 

[K7MDL]

I do not know specifics for your particular equipement, and I assume you are looking at equipment all located outside the camper?. If the wiring to the controller is inside the camper, there may be an inline fuse under the cabinetry. There are many different solar installations and brands in use.

In general, you can try tracing wires using a few techniques:
1. With power in the circuit, measure voltage to ground along the wire length at key points by using a very sharp tipped test lead and poking through the insulation. Divide and conquer. Check the source, then the end, then half way, then half of that, and so on. If you are tracing a ground wire, then measure the wire relative to the voltage source (+).
2. With the power off, measure continuity along a wire using the sharp tipped test lead. Using spare wire you can keep one end attached to the source, then divide and conquer looking for an open or really high resistance. Works for both positive and negative wires.

 

[wuck]

I would disconnect at least one lead at the regulator, then measure both the open circuit voltage and the short circuit current coming from the panel. If those compare favorably to the panel specs, suspect the regulator.

My hawk (04) has way too many butt connectors in the panel leads - two panels, four leads, two regulators. And, no fuses which caused problems when a previous owner connected the battery backwards.

 

[ssheriff]

Turned out it was the ASC controller. Thanks.