New solar system. Batteries keep dying.

[Mark_K5LXP]

Phantom loads draw batteries down over the course of weeks. It's a bit more than a phantom when it takes days with solar panels supplying power. Adding panels isn't the solution, you need to know what's drawing power. Time to isolate where the current is going and resolve it.

Mark B.
Albuquerque, NM

 

[zulu]

I just upgraded my Cougar sg27 by replacing the one 12v lead acid battery with 4 6volt agm batteries with 250 AH each . . . Shouldn't my system be enough to run my fridge through the night?

Nope. When I had my 760W system with 4 AGM batteries, it wasn't enough -- and that's in the Southwest, not Maine. I had to run our generator, but I think 6 batteries would have been enough.

 

[solarman]

Thanks for the help. I'm considering getting a "suitcase" panel to help out my measly 200 watt roof panels. Do you have any suggestions? Over the past 5 days my roof panels haven't even kept up with the small "phantom" draws of the camper. With everything off and no generator going, my battery voltage has gone down from 12.5v to 12.2v. It has been cloudy, but yesterday was a sunny day. 12.3v in the morning, and still 12.3v in the late afternoon. This morning it was down to 12.2v. Thanks again.

not really, my expertise is in industrial/commercial solar design. I have no experience of small suitcase/portable systems. there are members here who may be able to help with those, my suggestion would be to install 450-500 watts on the rv roof and have done with it..!!

 

[Tulecreeper]

State of Charge (SOC) for wet cell batteries :

 

[Frank B]

not really, my expertise is in industrial/commercial solar design. I have no experience of small suitcase/portable systems. there are members here who may be able to help with those, my suggestion would be to install 450-500 watts on the rv roof and have done with it..!!

Yep. Put as many panels up there as you have room for. No one ever complains of having too much solar.

 

[huntfish]

I wanted to give everyone a follow up. I do appreciate your help. The camper is now back at the dealership. As suspected, the panels were wired in reverse polarity, so they were cancelling each other out. They are now trying to figure out why there is so much "phantom draw" bringing the batteries down when everything is off inside the camper.

 

[John From Detroit]

I wanted to give everyone a follow up. I do appreciate your help. The camper is now back at the dealership. As suspected, the panels were wired in reverse polarity, so they were cancelling each other out. They are now trying to figure out why there is so much "phantom draw" bringing the batteries down when everything is off inside the camper.

Sounds like a professional installation (Was it?) "Pro"'s are good at that kind of thign.. DIY's more likely to pay attention to polarity. may get it backwards but still more likely..
(Thinking of the central A/C install at my house the black wire to the screw... Yup that's how they wired it.

 

[huntfish]

I found out today it was actually TWO reverse polarities. One at the panels and one at the charge controller. It's still in the shop. They say the panels are now providing a very good charge. They will next be checking for the unusually high "phantom draw." At least I'm learning a little bit from this entire process.

 

[solarman]

I found out today it was actually TWO reverse polarities. One at the panels and one at the charge controller. It's still in the shop. They say the panels are now providing a very good charge. They will next be checking for the unusually high "phantom draw." At least I'm learning a little bit from this entire process.

sadly you were at the mercy of bad installers.. been there.. fired a few crews, even had one guy who was color blind and could not tell red from black.. !!

as a pro i can tell you ( certainly in my shop ) that all circuit and wiring diagrams would be correct after peer review. many of these so called "pro" shops are not pro's at all, just "sparkies" with enough knowlege to be dangerous.