Solar controller upgrade.

[weldted]

Just replaced my Solar boost 2000E single output with a Voltronic 350 mttp, linked to a remote display and shunt and battery temp sensor. This gives me all the info re charge, discharge, state of batteries etc.

Ran all the wiring and connections. At point of change over Solar boost was showing 6.7 amps charge, five mins later new system online 9.4 amps charge. Batteries were fairly well up at time of change over.

Just waiting for the arrival of my two Youasa L36-EFB batteries to arrive (none at Youasa warehouse but expected any day) to complete the set up.

 

[aandncaravan]

Some more feedback that arrived yesterday re a 'DIY' solar regulator upgrade to a Dealer fit Solar install that was so poor, my teacher would have marked it

"3/10 see me".

 

 

"Hi Allan, I wanted you to know that I purchased the Votronic Solar Regulator that you recommended when we popped up with Hymer in June.

I fitted it as per your advice. I got a bit apprehensive prior to fitting but in reality it was pretty straightforward. I now know how everything fits together, so if anything electrical goes awry I feel pretty confident I can fix it which is brilliant.

The difference it makes to the charging of our Leisure Battery is significantly better - really amazing.

So a very BIG THANK YOU for your advice and website".

 

 

When we told Alistair his Solar set-up wasn't the best, he said "it works ok, not had any issues".

 

Very few Solar installs we see are as good are they can be, most can harvest about 30 - 50% more Solar energy. The Dealer installs might work, but most can be improved so muchr by just small changes.

 

 

Can I remind everyone that we don't do Solar nor answer individual emails on Solar. All we know has been published on the web pages for both guidance to DIY and trade.

http://www.aandncaravanservices.co.uk/solar-power.php

 

 

 

 

 

[david lloyd]

I have to agree about the state of some dealer fits. My 2015 Hymer had been fitted with 3 x 40W VisionPlus solar panels wired directly to the (AGM) leisure batteries via a very poor VisionPlus regulator - no fuse between panels and batteries - and a battery master wired at the back of the Electrobloc EBL99 bypassing the solar input socket at the front of the EBL - and I had thought that Hymer dealers would only follow Hymer requirements.

 

So, after receiving similar advice on here, I stripped out the VisionPlus regulator, removed the battery master and replaced with a Votronic MPPT 165W regulator with a fuse where the solar panel wires entered the vehicle and then fed the new supply direct to the solar input of the EBL99. I took the opportunity to install a battery temperature sensor and solar computer too while I was at it.

 

The difference is amazing and I just hope that the previous setup (which had been on the vehicle with its first owner for 15 months) has not caused permanent damage to the AGM batteries. But so far, so good - well worth the cost and effort. Maybe the next upgrade will be to replace the heavy VisionPlus panels with a new MIPV flexible panel.

 

David