Preventing camper issue

[Firetrumpet]

Hello,

Currently have our camper in an outside storage facility. It's been three weeks in storage and will be using it in about a week.  Since then I took the battery home and have it in a trickle charge state.  Our camper has a 100w solar panel.  Am I doing damage to it with the solar controller on?  Should I disconnect the wires to it until it's time to use it again?  Thanks for any help.

[StirCrazy]

probably to late to be of much use, there should be a disconect between the panel and the charge controler.  if there isn't add one.  when taking batteries out you need to disconect the solar panel from the charge controler before you unhook the batteries, and when reinstalling the batteries the last thing you do is put the panel back on.  running the panel with out batteries can damage your charge controler. 

I installed THESE  on both sides of the charge controler.  that way I can disconect the panel then disconect the batteries and do the work I need to do.  when I am done I energize the batteries to the charge controler again then when it powers up I conect the solar panel.

a 100 watt panel is better than no panel, but mainly it is a battery maintainer, but it will supply about 2 to 4 amps which can extend a stay a little bit.  

this post most likly would have seen a lot more trafic if it was posted in the camper group or the tech area.  

[JDsdogs]

I note in the Amazon ad that there are 2 breakers. Shouldn't one per panel do the job?  I don't know if the OP has a single panel or multiple panels for 100w.  I too am new to RV solar systems, but have a fair understanding elect.  

[StirCrazy]

I put on on both the positive and negitive wire right at the solar controler for the lines leading to the panels and the lines leading to the batteries.  I just like total isolation instead of just a positive isolation.  it seams just as easy and the breakers are cheep.  another thing to concider is there are positive ground panels and negitive ground panels so that would add another setp if you are only doing one line to the panels.  

[ewarnerusa]

You don't really need one per panel. You need one on the input to the solar charge controller and one on the output of the solar charge controller. Their purpose is to isolate the controller if needed. The panels don't really generate enough current to pose a danger, the breakers are used as an on/off switch

[way2roll]

The purpose of your 100w solar panel is to keep the batteries charged. This includes while in storage. 

[bid_time]

Exactly what I was thinking. The only thing that 100w panel is good for is keeping your battery up when the camper is not plugged in. Otherwise, just throw the panel and controller in the trash, in practically it has no other use.

[ewarnerusa]

The solar capacity is not much and agreed it is aimed at storage. But it provides amps any time the sun is shining on the panel. This is useful, not trash.

[way2roll]

I guess the point being made, why disconnect it? It's main purpose is to keep the batts charged. If you are going to remove the batts, put them on a trickle charger and disconnect the solar panel, it renders the solar panels useless.

[Firetrumpet]

Thanks for the replies.  So would I unscrew the two wires from the solar panel to the controller?  It looks like there is no off button to the controller.

[ewarnerusa]

We can't see what you are seeing so can't confirm. But the idea is to disconnect the solar input, so your description sounds right. On my system there is a circuit breaker between the solar input and the controller so I open that circuit breaker to disconnect the controller from the solar input. There is also a circuit breaker between the controller and the batteries that I use to disconnect the controller from the batteries. It is not typical to have an off button on a solar controller. 

[JOHNBURKE]

When disconnecting; solar first, then battery. When hooking up connect battery first, solar second.

[ewarnerusa]

Are you asking about doing damage to the battery? Or damage to the camper? Or damage to the solar charge controller?

Battery should be fine, if the 100 watt panel gets at least some good direct sun throughout the day then I would have left the battery installed because the 100 watt panel would be fulfilling its purpose. The presumably healthy battery would be getting topped off daily by the sun/solar. The controller would prevent overcharging the battery. 

Camper should be fine.

Solar charge controller may not be happy though, the protocol is almost always connect the controller to the battery first to power it on and then connect solar input to the controller.  When disconnected the protocol is reversed, disconnect solar input to controller and then disconnect controller from the battery. Right now it sounds like you have the solar input hooked up to the controller but no battery.  I don't know that this means it gets immediately fried or what, but a charge controller is not meant to have solar input connected with no battery to direct the current to. 

[Firetrumpet]

We weren't going to use the camper for more than a month until the next outing.  It was recommended to detach the battery and trickle charge it until it's time to use the camper instead.  I've noticed the controller flickering as well at the amp reader inside the camper and to the CO alarm reader.  So should I turn all the breakers off?  Then when it's time to camp again put the battery back in and turn all the breakers back on?

Thanks for the help

[ewarnerusa]

This is a good recommendation about detaching the battery in between uses. But you also have a 100 watt solar panel which can accomplish the same task without the hassle of removing the battery and putting a separate charger on it.  This is assuming the camper is stored in such a way that the panel gets direct daily sunlight. 

I'm not sure about advice in the flickering lights.  Is this happening with the battery disconnected?  "Breakers" in your OEM power center are for the 120 Volt AC system (shore power) and flipping them won't make any difference to an unplugged camper in storage.