Arthur_ Posted April 15 Share Posted April 15 Hello, We have a solar panel on our Autosleeper motorhome with a Sunworks solar controller that helps to keep both cab and leisure batteries topped up. Unfortunately we don't have a user guide so I'm not sure what everything means. Mainly it's the letter or symbol that's displayed after the battery voltage - 'P' and a '*' in the photo. When the engine is running the display shows 'B1 FAULT P'. The controller keeps the batteries topped up nicely but it would be good to know the meaning of everything displayed. I think it has 3 stage charging so perhaps it's something to do with that? I've search for a user manual online without success - can anyone advise? Thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derek Uzzell Posted April 15 Share Posted April 15 Welcome to the Out&AboutLive forums, Arthur. As your Sunworks controller is handling the cab and leisure batteries, I assume it's the DB1C device shown here: https://sunworks.co.uk/product/dual-battery-solar-charge-controller-db1c-blk/ (or it might be the higher-output DB2C) I can't find an on-line user guide either, so I suggest you get in touch with Sunworks using the contact details here https://sunworks.co.uk/contact-us/ and ask if they can provide you with a user guide, or at least explain the meaning of the "P", "*" and the "B1 FAULT P" message. The DB2C controller is mentioned several times on this 2018 MotorHome Fun thread https://www.motorhomefun.co.uk/forum/threads/what-solar-controller.170464/ and the 1st post says "...instructions are only one page. On 'boost' or 'P' mode it seems to charge well. However on Float or Winter mode it does very little..." but that's hardly a comprehensive guide to what can appear on the display. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arthur_ Posted April 15 Author Share Posted April 15 Thanks Derek, Yes, it looks to be the DB1C. I did send an email off to Sunworks before posting here but as yet have not had a reply. As I said, it seems to be charging the batteries fine but the FAULT message is a little worrying. I'll wait to see if I get any response from Sunworks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
onecal Posted April 15 Share Posted April 15 Hi I think the fault codes for same are maybe present in the installation manual ,I personally have not installed that product ,so only going on a heads up from members in our club . I think they may also charge for the installation manual, Sorry for not been able to help more . They should reply to you hopefully with a fault card explanation of fault codes Regards Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derek Uzzell Posted April 16 Share Posted April 16 12 hours ago, onecal said: Hi I think the fault codes for same are maybe present in the installation manual ,I personally have not installed that product ,so only going on a heads up from members in our club . I think they may also charge for the installation manual, Sorry for not been able to help more . They should reply to you hopefully with a fault card explanation of fault codes Regards SunWorks does advertise installation guides (£1.99 for download) but these are general guides and not specific to the charge-controllers. (Motorhome-related guide advert here) https://sunworks.co.uk/product/solar-installation-guide-for-motorhomes/ Comments on on-line forums indicate that the installation/user instructions provided with the charge controllers are pretty skimpy, but plainly do provide information about what can appear on the charge-controller's display-screen and its meaning. There is a SunWorks.co.uk Facebook entry https://www.facebook.com/sunworksuk/ but, as Arthur has already e-mailed the company for advice, it may not be much help. (If Arthur fails to get a useful response from SunWorks, if one of your club members has the charge-controller user guide, perhaps they could let you have a copy that you could post here.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
onecal Posted April 16 Share Posted April 16 (edited) Hi Hopefully the company that is selling the product should at least as I mentioned in my previous post ,give Arthur a card explanation of the fault codes he requests. I have passed on within our club if anyone has a copy of at least the faults (Troubleshooting guide) that may be contained within the installation guide if one becomes available . Maybe the fault code is simply ( power from engine Battery when engine is on is faulty, Check 20A fuse) I am amazed this information re the fault codes on the panel are so difficult to obtain ,We wait and see if the manufacture gets back to Arthur with same Regards Edited April 16 by onecal Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arthur_ Posted April 17 Author Share Posted April 17 No reply to my email to the manufacturer and they not answering calls. I left a message but no call returned either. Another thing that I've noticed is that when the vehicle is on hook-up and the on-board charger is set to either hab or vehicle the Sunworks display cycles through 'N', 'B' & 'P' for B1 which is the vehicle battery. All very mysterious. Still the main thing is that the solar is keeping the 2 lead-acid leisure batteries and the vehicle battery topped up and I'm happy with that. The Autosleeper is 2003 so I expect that the solar was installed a long time ago. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derek Uzzell Posted April 17 Share Posted April 17 I telephoned SunWorks yesterday and my call was answered immediately. I asked if it were possible to obtain user instructions for their "Solar Control" charge controllers and was told Yes and all they needed to know was whether the controller was the single-battery or two-battery type. I replied that it would be a DB1C. I emailed SunWorks early this morning (using their 'info' technical enquiries address and providing a good deal of detail including mentioning the B1 FAULT P message) and asked for a copy of the user instructions to be emailed to me. Best I can do... 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arthur_ Posted April 17 Author Share Posted April 17 Thanks Derek, You did a lot better than me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derek Uzzell Posted April 29 Share Posted April 29 Arthur A follow up... I emailed Sunworks twice, using their 'technical advice' email address first and then their 'sales' email address. I requested a copy of the user instructions for their DB1C solar charge controller be emailed to me (not a difficult task one might think!!) and also provided my home postal address if providing a printed copy were easier for them. No response to my two emails and no user instructions emailed or posted to me. Perhaps someone in onecal's club can let you have a copy of the DB1C's instructions, or you could try asking on the MHFacts and MHFun forums, as there's evidence that some of their members have Sunworks charge controllers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arthur_ Posted April 29 Author Share Posted April 29 Thanks for trying Derek. I didn't get any joy from them either. In the course of checking the wiring to the leisure batteries and on-board charger I have managed to puzzle out what most of the Sunworks display refers to so I'm probable OK with that now thank you. It is a pity that their technical support appears to be non-existent as the controller itself is a compact and tidy little unit. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derek Uzzell Posted April 29 Share Posted April 29 What does the * mean? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arthur_ Posted April 29 Author Share Posted April 29 It means that the solar is supplying charge. When the display shows 0.0 amps the * disappears. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derek Uzzell Posted April 29 Share Posted April 29 OK - thanks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
colin Posted April 29 Share Posted April 29 What voltage does B1 show when the engine is running, it could be that the display is thinking it is over voltage due to alternator output. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arthur_ Posted April 29 Author Share Posted April 29 B1 doesn't show a voltage when the engine is running it just says 'FAULT' . It turns out that B1 refers to the leisure batteries and B2 to the engine battery. With the engine off the voltage at the battery terminals under the bonnet was 13.4V and B2 on the solar display also showed 13.4V. With the engine running the voltage at the terminals was 14.5V. I can't remember what B2 showed but I expect it was the same. My theory is that the solar output to the leisure batteries goes through the habitation electrics and not directly to the batteries like in onecals diagram above. When the engine starts the habitation electrics are isolated and the Sunstor thinks its a fault because it can no longer find the leisure batteries - just my theory mind. I did find that the 2 leisure batteries were showing different voltages where they hadn't been wired correctly but that's another story. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derek Uzzell Posted April 29 Share Posted April 29 This is the Sunworks 'motorhome' wiring diagram Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
onecal Posted May 1 Share Posted May 1 Hi sorry for my slow reply We are down in the South of Spain at the moment with the Club I have put out a request for a copy for you within the Club I await their reply Regards Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arthur_ Posted May 1 Author Share Posted May 1 Thank you Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
onecal Posted May 2 Share Posted May 2 Hi again Just got chatting a member down here in the south of Spain on tour who had one in his previous motorhome Just like both yourself and Derek he had very little joy ascertaining the required information on fault codes but rememberers that he found an faulty connection on his relay from the engine battery and had to also replace the wiring from same to the panel Some of our other members are in south of Portugal and may have the installation leaflet you requested We will be in contact over the weekend I am still a little taken aback that the company supply such little information on their product Regards Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arthur_ Posted May 2 Author Share Posted May 2 Hi Thanks for that. I'm going to have a go at tracing the wiring in the morning so I'll see how that goes🙂 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
onecal Posted May 2 Share Posted May 2 Hi Let us know how you get on Maybe a disconnected connection Of course a continuity check on the wiring may be beneficial Regards Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derek Uzzell Posted May 3 Share Posted May 3 16 hours ago, onecal said: ...I am still a little taken aback that the company supply such little information on their product .. Despite someone having answered when I telephoned Sunworks (an appallingly bad connection incidentally) and obviously knowing about the solar charge controllers, I'm wary that the company is still actively trading. This webpage is 'interesting'. https://www.enfsolar.com/pv/charge-controller-datasheet/1685 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arthur_ Posted May 3 Author Share Posted May 3 Yes, they seem a bit fishy. I think I've discovered what's going on with my setup which is that the solar controller has not been wired in typical fashion. When we look at the wiring on the reverse side: The black sheathed wires on the top left are from the solar panel and go into the back of the solar controller. 3 Wires exit the controller, 2 neutral and 1 live. The live goes to a splitter with 2 fuses ( only 1 shown in the picture) then on to the master switch on the main control panel which has 3 positions - OFF, hab & vehicle. 1 live goes to the vehicle side of the switch and the other to the hab. When on hook-up the position of this switch determines which batteries get the benefit of the on-board charger. On 12v, when the hab fuse is pulled like in the picture above B1, which is the leisure battery circuit, shows a fault. This is simulating what is happening when the engine is started. Wiring the solar output to the master switch works OK for the engine battery because there is always continuity but not for the habitation side because it's isolated by a relay when the engine is running (I think). What I need to do is disconnect the solar live from the hab side of the master switch and route it through to the leisure battery under the driver's seat. Not an easy task and something that I will have to ask about on the Autosleepers owners forum. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
colin Posted May 3 Share Posted May 3 have you got a system which disconnects the hab electrics when engine is running? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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