BAC Forum
General Boards => Technical Support => Topic started by: Mike Shumack on May 14, 2020, 02:09:12 PM
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My Aladdin display shows the following (photo below) for Solar and House batteries:
It has always displayed these values (since I bought the coach) - and everything works as far as I know, but the VDC and AMPs values seem to be very high (I would expect something closer to 12-14 VDC, especially on the House Batteries).
Can someone with a Aladdin system (and solar panel) take a look at your display and let me know what it reads?
In the photo, my coach is plugged into 20A shore Power and parked under a roof (so there is some light shinning on solar panel but not in full sun).
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Mike, Those values are not correct. My rig, with only the one factory solar panel is parked under a roof, so I am not getting any solar charging, but I can tell you from experience that you should see your solar panel voltage around 13-14 Vdc and no more than 5 or so amps, both in full sun. You need to calibrate your aladdin is my guess. Above your house batteries is a grey box with the big boy, BIRD, and DC fuses. You should be able to find where the solar controller connects to the DC bus, and check voltage there. YOu can check charging current with a clamp on DC ammeter at the solar controller, in the bay in front of your drive axle, curb side. Let us know what you find!
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Thanks for confirming.
I'll do the calibration now and let you know how it goes.
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I did the calibration. It only allows you to calibrate Amps.
The Volts (VDC) are still high. I expect to see 14 to 14.5 volts while the coach is plugged in and batteries at full stat of charge.
What does your coach show for volts?
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Mike, what you may be reading is the no-load voltage coming from the solar panels and even that sounds high seeing you're in the shade. Perhaps the solar controller has failed internally. If there is a solar fuse between the controller output and the house batteries, it may be blown. Keep us advised what you find, good luck. Fred
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I disconnected the Solar panel by removing the power/feed wire at the circuit breaker in the main fuse box above battery compartment (per instructions above) - so amperage goes (resets) to zero but voltage displayed did not change.
I will now check this display reading while unplugged from shore power and with engine running.
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Open circuit voltage on a 100w solar panel should be about 17-22 vdc measured at the panel. Each cell makes about 0.5vdc, so 36 cells in series gets you about 17 volts; a 48 cell panel; about 22 vdc. Voltage, of course, depends on sunlight (or lack of it; i.e. clouds) and voltage drop from the solar panel to the point at which you measure the voltage. Panel temperature and panel age also affect the open circuit voltage, so an old panel (on our coach, ours are at least 16 yrs old) on a hot day (>90f or above, ambient) will produce less. Age loss is about 1% per year, so our 100w panel is now an 84w panel and on a good day would produce only 4 amps max.
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Mike, My guess is that the Aladdin takes DC voltage from an Aladdin DC voltage (or AC/DC) module. There are several Aladdin modules in the bay where the solar controller is (ahead of the drive axle). On my Aladdin, solar DC volts, since we are in the shade, reads about 9vdc, which I believe to be accurate. On the voltage module (this is just a guess) there may be a 10 turn pot to adjust the dc voltage reading. I know I've found the same on other RV voltage monitors. Now this is getting down into the weeds a bit. Might look for a new (used) voltage module. Drives me nuts when I get two different readings from different instrurments that should be reading the same thing!
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I looked up the Aladdin Troubleshooting guide on Coach Assist and yes there is a DC module (DCI, the I is interface). Says voltage is factory calibrated and can't be calibrated (humprff! Where is that 10 turn pot?). One thing you might do if you find the DCI is to check its ground reference via your ohm meter (12v power off, of course).
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The Solar and House voltage are both correct (13.6V) at the plug going into the Aladdin DCI module. If I unplug them, I show "3.3" VDC on the Aladdin display, and as you know, I get 51.2 volts with them plugged in.
it's looking like a glitch in the Aladdin module.
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Off to check the junkyards!! I think its the module, as you have high readings for both current and volts.
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Yep.
Do you know what this "sensor" is used for? it looks like it could clamp around a PEX pipe or wire bundle. I cant tell where the wire goes once it disappears into the frame wiring bundle.
It's just laying in the wet bay compartment along with all the extra wiring (bundled up and wire-tied).
Could this be the temp sensor the AquaHot uses to monitor basement temps? I know it is not the basement temp sensor that the Aladdin uses (i found that one).
Does this need to be mounted (or touching) something?
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Its a 'snap' switch for a plumbing line. I have the same on a water heater recirculation line here at our sticks and bricks. It is clipped to 1/2" copper pipe and turns on and off a recirc pump to keep hot water at all our faucets. In your basement, I don't know what its for.
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It must be for the AquaHot unit. I've read about the basement "snap disc" thermostat used for the AH, but never saw a picture of one - until now.
There are two other (different looking) temps sensors in that compartment for the Aladdin.
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It is the Aqua hot thermostat for the water tanks compartment.
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Mike Bill Fred...
On our 02 we didnt have the Aladdin. I recall that was the CMP 20 monitor. That stated we did have a similar problem to Mikes and it turned out to be a faulty house battery temp sensor. It is the connector on the battery and hooks to the phone jack and feeds data to the inverter. In that case the data was wrong and it showed on the monitor. Replacement was about $30.
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I replaced the Aladdin AC/DC Voltage monitor with a new (used) part, and the display is now showing normal values. So that looks to have fixed the problem.
My solar is showing low voltage but that may be correct as my Coach is parked under a roof. I'll confirm that the solar voltage reading is correct after I pull out into the sun, and I can recalibrate the amperage reading at that time if needed.
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Glad you got it fixed! Our PT is parked under an awning at the storage yard, so the solar never gets full sun. At 0830 the other day, voltage was about 7 volts, rising to 9 volts after an hour. So, even in full shade, the reading will change; It won't be enough to charge your batteries, but at least you know your Aladdin works! BTW, 1x 100 watt solar panel will give you about 5 amps charge current in full sun at noon. So at best, its a trickle charger.