Independent Solar Power

I've fully removed the Sterling Power unit and now just use a 5 amp solar dash panel to keep the main battery topped up as I'm not using the van much so can sit for a couple of weeks etc. This seems to work ok now I've unlinked the liesure battery from the main. 

The liesure battery is now topped up by my 160 amp solar panel on the roof. Using a basic MPPT charge controller. On a sunny day it'll pump 13 + volts to the liesure battery as needed. 

Already in last 24 hrs the main battery has gone up to 13.5 v from 13.1.using just the 5amp solar panel. Bearing in mind I've smart alternator regen breaks and switch off the stop start and battery is only 2 months old!  I just don't think the SP unit is coping as it should for some reason. 

Wired as per SP's diagram. 

There's also a lot going on in modern car electronics, as instructions for the dash top solar panel state best connection is to use the DIN socket ( mines just under dash easy to access) yet over a 24 hrs period the battery lost nearly .50 volts causing the monitor to send me warnings! 

I moved the charge cable to direct connection to main battery. And top up is as expected! Warnings have stopped and over the next day battery should be topped up as per needed!

Minor hassle I will need to disconnect the dash solar under the bonnet before using van 2 min job! There's plenty of cable so I've drapped it over steering wheel so not to forget! 🥴

01/05/22

Back from a week away ( not in van) to come back to a depleted liesure battery again!!!

Solar control ok 

Liesure battery 7.8 volts!!!

Tested all supplies

Tested all negatives

Whilst checking the cut off switch couldn't make my mind up all seems ok but controller saying no charge in battery! At fuse end shows 7.8v .

It's a long shot but I've removed the cut off switch wired battery input live direct to busbar, solar controller live re tightened to busbar. 

By the time I'd tightened nuts and tidied away liesure battery etc it reads 7.9 v !

So it's raining and a 160 amp solar panel will take forever to re charge from 7+ volts I've set a timer for an hour to see what if any charge the liesure battery has! Even it's it's just .1 or .2 more then the problem is the cut off switch! 🤞🤞

Them there doors!

Google have finally excepted that there's nothing " wrong" with Tambour doors 😂🥳🙄

Here is the offending picture! 

The kitchen unit in my VW T6 😂

I'd said previously these doors are the white plastic roller doors used in many a camper conversion they are light weight and easy to fit or be fitted. These are 6 yrs old as this is a rebuild. Phew 😂 

There's a small one below the oven for pots n pans but basically it's about weight saving! 

All that's left is finding my screw caps to cover the 2 screws on the vented panel above oven! 

The unit is an IKEA basic unit cut down as required  ( wheel arch / wiring / fresh water inlet- outlet/ gas piping) . 

Those doors !

This is the 3rd time I've tried to post this! If I don't mention the white plastic sliding doors that begin with T a brand name I wonder if that this will stay posted? 

I'll wait and see before I continue post! 🙄

Rethink kitchen unit

The kitchen unit has 2 cupboard doors below the drawer, and in the scheme of things they weigh a lot! So had a rumage and remembered I'd got some tambour doors that might be long enough. I did, they do! 

I've two that are long enough infact a little to long but you can remove slats easily. 

So, removed the cupboard doors and hinges (amazed how weighty they are!) 

To allow space for the opening spirals and then access to top shelf, I need to drop the shelf to midway, but the fresh water supply and LPG filler hose as usual are in the way so will need to cut corresponding holes in the shelf on left side. No big deal just cut a little and check etc to keep holes as small as possible! Marked the shelf from underneath but will cut about half away to start as there is some flex in the LPG pipe.

Once that's in, need to fit a central pillar to fix the runners onto, with width allowance for the spiral at the top below the drawer. 

Nowt happening today as it's raining and no where else to use the jigsaw in the dry! 

On a weight saving issue, I was amazed just how heavy the doors actually are compared to the lack of weight of the Tambour ones! Despite the obvious that is 😂

Note to self!

In the shenanigans of fitting the panels under the RIB seats must of turned on the power to the sub-amp under my seat! It's wired to the liesure battery ! Flat as the preverbial pancake! Hoping my "smart" 12v battery charger can sort it! 

27/03/22

Overnight charge & desulphate if it needed it! All back in place and sub amp SWITCHED OFF! 🙄😂

Could've been worse could've been the main battery! Which is why I choose to take power from liesure battery! 

Although, as the liesure battery is only charged via solar panel best have the 12v system live! It's not used on campsites etc so won't be a problem.  But wouldn't be a problem if I'd switched it off! Need a on/off with a light methinks!

So far so good

Been monitoring the main battery.

I connected the 5amp solar dash panel to the DIN socket as per AA advice. .03 discharge over a few days which were dull/ raining/cloudy so that was less than what was happening when Sterling Power unit connected!

A few days later and under sunny skies increase in volts from 12.3 - 12.54! So far so good 

Battery is a Exide 80 amp Stop/ Start so it's looking like this basic setup is working well. 

When the new SP unit was fitted it was wired up exactly as the diagram. I sent the unit back and SP were very helpful updated the program etc. But although a little better, wasn't good enough for my use. My van isn't a daily driver, it's a holiday vehicle or trips the tip occasionally lol, 21k miles 2016 T6

06/03/22

Removing the sterling power unit. 

Isolated the live feed from main battery. Disconnected liesure battery.

Removed main battery feed and ignition feed

Refitted the MPPT unit to leisure battery and solar panel.

All working fine! 

So disconnected battery temperature from SP unit. And removed the SP unit. 

So I will be able to check how the two batteries respond to this.

The leisure battery feed via the MPPT unit is working fine on a sunny day today feeding 13.2 amps with an output of 12.6 v checked lights, fridge and propex heater all live and all off when I turn off supply from solar panel.

I can know monitor the main battery properly to see if the sterling unit was draining it, doesn't make sense at this point, but I can't isolate leisure battery with this new SP unit, as it causes all sorts of problems if the leisure battery is isolated. Alarm going of on SP unit telling me it's not connected to leisure battery! 

The campervan won't be used as a daily drive so often now I'm retired, so the only way to stop the two batteries from "equalising" is to isolate, and if I forget to reconnect the SP unit sounds alarm that won't turn off straight away and last time I needed to do a reset! So a few weeks of monitoring will show up any issues but hopefully none!

Wires everywhere but if this works I'll buy a better MPPT unit ( current one is basic but does the job) the newer albeit 3 X the price at least has more controls and possible adjustments to suit. 

We'll never freecamp as it frightens the wife, we have mains hookup when on official sites so probably won't need a fancy unit!