Solar panel battery problems
I purchased a basic Windynation solar panel kit and installed it on my 26ft trailer this spring. It came with a basic controller with LED light showing if the current coming from the panel is good and...
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Without more data it's hard to say what is wrong. Could be bad controller, too long/too thin wiring run from controller to battery, bad battery, not enough sun (shadow on the panel?), maybe something else. Is the controller routed directly to battery or does it go through the trailer's converter?
You should have your battery checked to see if it's ok. If it is, use a meter to see what your battery voltage is reaching after a day of solar charge. Make sure no shadows are cast on your panel by nearby objects; one small shaded patch will cut solar panel output to almost nothing. If all else checks out, you may need a clamp meter to check actual current flow in various parts of the circuit.
I had no trouble keeping my battery topped up with a 70W panel and Morningstar controller feeding into my trailer's 12V pigtail. I don't think your parasitic load should be very high (normally), but we don't know what all you're running, either.
You should have your battery checked to see if it's ok. If it is, use a meter to see what your battery voltage is reaching after a day of solar charge. Make sure no shadows are cast on your panel by nearby objects; one small shaded patch will cut solar panel output to almost nothing. If all else checks out, you may need a clamp meter to check actual current flow in various parts of the circuit.
I had no trouble keeping my battery topped up with a 70W panel and Morningstar controller feeding into my trailer's 12V pigtail. I don't think your parasitic load should be very high (normally), but we don't know what all you're running, either.
