BAC Forum
General Boards => Technical Support => Topic started by: JOHN KAMP on September 09, 2011, 04:39:51 PM
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ON MY '03 MARQUIS, I HAVE 2 LARGE SOLAR PANELS. THE READINGS ON MY ALADDIN SHOW 14+ VOLTS, BUT NEGLIGABLE AMPS. ANYBODY GOT ANY IDEAS WHERE TO START TROUBLE-SHOOTING?
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My single panel feeds a black box controller under the bed. So, if I wasn't getting what I thought I should get out of the panel, I would start by finding the make and model of the controller. Then I would look for an "owner's manual" on Google.
Even with two panels, I don't think you should expect much. Panels and controllers used by Monaco had very limited use.
The main purpose was not for us campers. Instead, it was intended for the dealer staff. There is supposed to be enough coming out of the panel on mine to keep the batteries charged IF the coach power switch by the door is turned off. That is great for the sales staff because, when the show multiple coaches, they can flip that switch as they enter and exit.
When our Beaver was nearly new I wanted to park it for a few weeks and fly to see the grandkids for Christmas. I thought I might leave the fridge on propane and leave everything else off. Turns out that the circuit boards on the fridge alone takes more than the solar panel can do.
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At high noon on a sunny day, in mid-summer in the southern states, you may expect 6 amps output at 14 vdc, if the panels are pointed at the sun. You will get less output under any other conditions. You need an ammeter in line with the output of the solar panels to measure the current.
Larry
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The solar panels will maintain the batteries fine in the summer time if you remember to turn off the inverter which draws, I understand, around 5 amps
Butch
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Amps is a measure of current flow; volts is the power behind it. If a city water tank is high up, there is a lot of potential there (voltage), but if no one is using any water at any one moment, there is no net flow (amps) downstream. If your batteries are fully charged, and nothing is drawing power from them, the solar panels have no need to flow to the battery bank, and thus no amps measured except for a small predatory draw from devices in standby mode.
Joel
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John,
I assume that you are not plugged into shore power. There can be negligable amps if the batteries are fully charged which the high voltage reading would also indicate. It could also mean that something is stopping the current flow like a fuse or breaker , or a control board for the solar panels. If you add some 12V lighting load like some halogens you should see the voltage drop some and the current flow pick up. If you are plugged into shore power then the charger/inverter is supplying the voltage and current that is necessary and the solar system is not providing any current. To test the solar panels you would need to drop shore power.
Later Ed