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by dom_e
Tue Apr 06, 2021 12:40 pm
Forum: Techie Stuff
Topic: Solar panel - expecting too much?
Replies: 19
Views: 8139

Re: Solar panel - expecting too much?

The old one was purchased through Midsummer Energy and was around 4 years old. I'm guessing it was a 2 year warranty, but I have no idea where the receipt is. https://midsummerenergy.co.uk/ The new one is a Lensun 100w https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B08C7B4288/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o03_s00...
by dom_e
Mon Apr 05, 2021 11:57 am
Forum: Techie Stuff
Topic: Solar panel - expecting too much?
Replies: 19
Views: 8139

Re: Solar panel - expecting too much?

The mini saga is over. As suggested, it was the solar panel at fault. I am not sure why though - it was a good quality ETFE panel mounted with circulation underneath.

I took the plunge and purchased another panel, which is now working properly.

Thanks for the advice.
by dom_e
Sat Mar 27, 2021 10:16 pm
Forum: Techie Stuff
Topic: Solar panel - expecting too much?
Replies: 19
Views: 8139

Re: Solar panel - expecting too much?

It'd be annoying if it were a dud panel. It's not very old. It does seem the most likely scenario since both the mppt and cheap pmw controller give the same kind of reading. The bongo is parked in clear space. The only thing shading is a single roof bar that's set quite high above it.
by dom_e
Sat Mar 27, 2021 12:38 pm
Forum: Techie Stuff
Topic: Solar panel - expecting too much?
Replies: 19
Views: 8139

Re: Solar panel - expecting too much?

Here's a live readout of the Tracer BN1215 behaviour this morning https://photos.app.goo.gl/5BwPkmdBjAiZsGx5A When I connected it back up (battery first, then panel), it initially gave a panel voltage of over 18v (measured using my multimeter). This dropped over a few minutes and seems to hold at ar...
by dom_e
Fri Mar 26, 2021 9:43 am
Forum: Techie Stuff
Topic: Solar panel - expecting too much?
Replies: 19
Views: 8139

Re: Solar panel - expecting too much?

Mine's the Tracer1215BN. There's no display on it. The low cost one does have a display and changeable settings though. I do have a cable to connect the Epever Tracer to my laptop to see what's happening. My knowledge runs out on what some of it means though. I'll see if I can plug it in later and g...
by dom_e
Thu Mar 25, 2021 7:14 pm
Forum: Techie Stuff
Topic: Solar panel - expecting too much?
Replies: 19
Views: 8139

Re: Solar panel - expecting too much?

Okay - I'm stumped - how do I measure/identify the charge current to the battery? Using my multimeter?
by dom_e
Thu Mar 25, 2021 7:08 pm
Forum: Techie Stuff
Topic: Solar panel - expecting too much?
Replies: 19
Views: 8139

Re: Solar panel - expecting too much?

I'll try and figure that from the manual, here https://www.epsolarpv.com/upload/cert/f ... L-V1.2.pdf

Mine's a Tracer 1215BN
by dom_e
Thu Mar 25, 2021 6:33 pm
Forum: Techie Stuff
Topic: Solar panel - expecting too much?
Replies: 19
Views: 8139

Re: Solar panel - expecting too much?

The mystery continues. I swapped the fuse holder to something higher quality and checked the cable connections to the leisure battery. Still no noticeable difference. This time, I took the voltage from the solar panel with the + wide out of the cheap PMW controller and negative in the - terminal of ...
by dom_e
Thu Mar 25, 2021 5:51 pm
Forum: Techie Stuff
Topic: Solar panel - expecting too much?
Replies: 19
Views: 8139

Re: Solar panel - expecting too much?

I had a spare very low cost pmw controller for a shed solar set up. I just swapped that into the Bongo and got similar odd readings. It's a mystery. I am planning to check simple things now, starting with swapping out the cheap looking fuse for a higher quality blade fuse holder I have. I'm wonderin...
by dom_e
Thu Mar 25, 2021 11:52 am
Forum: Techie Stuff
Topic: Solar panel - expecting too much?
Replies: 19
Views: 8139

Re: Solar panel - expecting too much?

Another thing to note is that it was reading 13+ volts when I covered the panel with a blanket (which I did before disconnecting the terminals)!
by dom_e
Thu Mar 25, 2021 11:51 am
Forum: Techie Stuff
Topic: Solar panel - expecting too much?
Replies: 19
Views: 8139

Re: Solar panel - expecting too much?

The battery is brand new. I replaced it as the old one, which was only a couple of years old, was losing charge....possibly due to a fault with the solar set up.

If the MPPT controller is faulty, any recommendations on a better one?
by dom_e
Wed Mar 24, 2021 4:38 pm
Forum: Techie Stuff
Topic: Solar panel - expecting too much?
Replies: 19
Views: 8139

Solar panel - expecting too much?

Hi all I installed a 110w flexible solar panel hooked up to an Epever Tracer BN series MPPT controller. It's connected to the leisure battery (with a fuse close to the battery), which is also connected to the split charge relay. Over the winter, the LB gradually reduced in voltage when there was not...
by dom_e
Tue Mar 09, 2021 10:09 pm
Forum: Techie Stuff
Topic: water in passenger footwell
Replies: 13
Views: 6522

Re: water in passenger footwell

It's been a long time since posting on BF...I'm still around and sill loving the Bongo 13 years after getting it. An update. The carpets seem to be dry, but I do plan to have another proper check taking in some of the advice in recent posts. I'll need to have the windscreen removed and some patch we...
by dom_e
Sun Jan 19, 2020 9:29 pm
Forum: Techie Stuff
Topic: water in passenger footwell
Replies: 13
Views: 6522

Re: water in passenger footwell

I stripped out the leisure battery, air intake for the blowers right back to the fire wall, moved the header tank aside and checked all around the firewall. First thing to make sure was sealed was the rear washer pipe leading through the firewall. I also checked it for leaks coming through the into ...
by dom_e
Sat Jan 18, 2020 9:12 pm
Forum: Techie Stuff
Topic: water in passenger footwell
Replies: 13
Views: 6522

Re: water in passenger footwell

8 years down the line and I'm still chasing the source of the water in the passenger footwell! The carpet is soaked. There's nothing obvious leaking from the front heater matrix area and the water doesn't smell like coolant. We're also not losing coolant. The rear of the front left wheel arch seam h...

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