Dennis Knight Posted December 30, 2009 Share Posted December 30, 2009 Help! I had two solar panels fitted total 130watt, two 110amp leasure batteries fitted, but when I went to Spain I found that I could only get 0.9 amp through the panels. After three weeks I was in trouble so I disconected one panel and found that I was getting 2.9amp with only one panel. I re connected the second panel direct to the battery but when the battery was close to full I disconected it again: I have a stecca control unit and the panels are connected together, I think this must be wrong, can any one tell me how two panels should be connected, and do I need a second control unit? The work was done by a solar panel "Expert"!? >:-( Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clive Posted December 30, 2009 Share Posted December 30, 2009 Providing your Steka controller is capable of 130 watts worth of panels then just connecting the two panels in parallel should work OK. So I am suspicious of one of your panels or the wiring. Try one panel at a time to check operation. You did connect the two panels in parallel, positive to positive and negative to negative didn't you?. C. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GypsyTom Posted December 30, 2009 Share Posted December 30, 2009 I don't wish to appear negative and I'm sure that there are people on this site who can help you a lot. However, you state that your solar panels were fitted by a 'solar expert'. Isn't the right approach to ask him first? If anyone did a job for me and it didn't appear to be correct I would ask him nicely to have a look at it and, if it is faulty, to put it right. You may find that he knows exactly what the problem is and will be happy to solve it for you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dennis Knight Posted December 30, 2009 Author Share Posted December 30, 2009 hi both panels work independently, and the wiring was done by a solar panel company at a cost of £1000, when I was in Spain all the other motorhomes seem to have a control unit with provision for wiring two seperate panels,what concernes me is that the panels are differant, one mono christaline and one polychristaline, and I wonder if i need another control unit Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dennis Knight Posted December 30, 2009 Author Share Posted December 30, 2009 thanks for reply but I have deen back to the fitter and have lost confidence in him I had the second battery fitted a 110amp this went wrong after 2 months I was told I was doing something wrong but it was just a bad battery, but a replacement one was fitted of 100amp. the wiring is a mess and has broken off the inverter switch the inverter warning buzzer stoped working and he would not replace it, the stecca controler was not worknig proply until I disconected the first panel, if I can find out the correct way to do the job I would like do it myself to be sure it is done well Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pkc Posted December 30, 2009 Share Posted December 30, 2009 Hi Dennis, I'm not an expert in this field, but it could be that you need a schottky type blocking diode fitted in the output line of one of your panels, this prevents a shaded panel dragging down the voltage from the other panel. Perhaps Clive or another qualified forum member could confirm this. Hope this helps. Regards PKC. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smifee Posted December 30, 2009 Share Posted December 30, 2009 When my solar panels were being fitted I was given the choice of having them both wired through one regulator or seperate regulator for each. I chose seperate regulators having been advised that if one regulator went wrong the other would still be charging the batteries. Also chose not to have a display telling me what was being put into the batteries. I just check the vans control panel to see that the batteries are being charged. It's worked OK for 5 years so far. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dennis Knight Posted December 31, 2009 Author Share Posted December 31, 2009 thanks to u all it has been most helpfull :D and i have a good idea of whats wanted now Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vindiboy Posted January 2, 2010 Share Posted January 2, 2010 A lot of Solar panels being fitted [particularly in Morocco ] are second hand panels, I wouldn't want one of those, I would always go to someone like Solar Solutions Poole or Moore Power, I don't know where they are based but I would find out if I wanted to use them, at least these companies give warranties and are trustworthy. :-o :-o :-o Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Syd Posted January 2, 2010 Share Posted January 2, 2010 You might find something helpful on here. http://www.aireandsun.co.uk/pdf/basic_solar_system_guide.pdf Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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