Sunworks Solar Controller - help needed interpreting display

[Derek Uzzell]

Arthur's motorhome is a 2003 Auto-Sleepers Executive SE and will undoubtedly  have been built with an 'isolation relay' intended to disconnect (most of) the habitation-area's 12V electrics when the vehicle's motor is running. However - given the age of the motorhome - there's no guarantee that a previous owner has not disabled that arrangement to (say) have reading lights in the vehicle's rear area operable while travelling. However, although Arthur has not owned the Executive long, he should have little difficulty confirming whether or not 'isolation' still takes place.

I notice that Arthur asked about this charge controller on the Auto-Sleepers Owners Forum (ASOF) on April 20 (It will be necessary to login to the ASOF to view the thread)

https://www.autosleeper-ownersforum.com/t43848-sunstor-db1c-solar-battery-charger-controller

At least one ASOF participant (meanchris) has ownership experience of the SunWorks dual-battery controller, but may no longer be an active ASOF member. However, it might be worth Arthur PMing meanchris just in case installation/user instructions can be provided.

Plainly, if the charge controller has been installed differently from how SunWorks recommends (Why?) its readouts will be unpredictable.  

[colin]

I'm thinking that the controller is wired on isolated side of wiring, so when engine is running it doesn't see a voltage and throws up the fault message.

[Arthur_]

On 04/05/2024 at 09:09, colin said:

I'm thinking that the controller is wired on isolated side of wiring, so when engine is running it doesn't see a voltage and throws up the fault message.

Yes, I think you are right Colin. There may have been an easier method but I solved the problem by running a pair of wires directly from the leisure battery(LB) channel of the charge controller to the +ive of one leisure battery and to the -ive of the other. There was a bridging wire linking the -ive's of the LB channel & engine battery channel in the charge controller itself and this still had to be present in order for the LB display to work correctly (i.e. to not show 'FAULT'). I do not understand this, but at least now my leisure batteries will be charging whilst driving along🙂

meanchris got back to me. One of the channels in his packed up so he replaced it with an MPPT one - I don't think it was Sunworks. He still had the old unit but no documentation. Actually me-an-chris so not so mean after all.