Solar panals
Can some one tell me how solar panels work? I have one in a class A that I bought used. Put a new battery in it and dont know how it works. Does a switch need turned on to make it work?
Forum Discussion
Almot wrote:reddfox77 wrote:
No thats not my controller...
This doesn't matter much. They all look and work similar, in this power range.
Disconnect the panel cables from controller as above. Check the voltage. If there is 17V, part of the system before controller works.
If there is a voltage from panel, reconnect the panel cables to controller, disconnect the battery cables from controller, check the voltage ON THE CONTROLLER "battery" contacts - not on the battery. If there is a voltage, controller works and indicators are dead, replace the controller because it's a pain to use it without indicators. Any controller with the same Amp rating will do. 3x5 ft panel sounds like 170-200W, so the controller should be around 15A rated. To know exactly what controller you need, lift the panel and check the label on the bottom, it should tell the wattage - AND VOLTAGE, this is important too, see the last paragraph.
What pianotuna suggested with carboard, makes sense though. You will know whether the whole system works - but if it doesn't, you won't know which part doesn't. So - get multimeter and go ahead, the "cardboard way" or not, it's up to you.
It is possible that the previous owner didn't have a slightest idea what he was doing, and installed 24V panel with a cheaper controller that can handle only 12V (called PWM controller), then controller would be either dead or output very little power.
I'm gonna say that maybe the solar panel installer didn't know what he was doing....Guy had receipts and owners manuals for every thing in the MH....
