Solar charger issues

Machinetools1 · 09-23-2021, 02:02 AM

O.K. this is what's going on. I have a 2019 Thor 29m Windsport. I have all of the factory Solar hook ups. No solar panels on the roof yet and the factory Go Power 10 amp controller.

I purchased a new Renogy 40 amp MPPT controller for 4 100 watt panels I will be installing on the roof. At the time I had my Go Power solar charger/ battery monitor reading 12.2 volts. I unhooked the battery portion of the Go Power solar charger and placed them on the new Renogy 40 amp MPPT. The box did not work. I checked my wire voltage going to the battery portion of the charger and I have 0 volts. I plugged the battery wires back into Go Power charger and it did not work. I checked voltage again and I have 0 voltage from my wires going to my Go Power charger.

I think I might have blown a fuse somehow but I am not sure how. I looked at the wiring schematics but could not find a fuse in the lines. Any have any ideas?

**16ACE27** · 09-23-2021, 02:05 AM

Maybe a resettable breaker instead of a fuse, near the batteries.

Chateau_Nomad · 09-23-2021, 02:27 AM

When I upgraded my batteries/solar charge controller/solar panels I blew some fuses and tripped the main battery breaker (frame mounted near batteries).

Look under your MH near the batteries... you should find a resettable breaker with a red flag. It may have tripped.

Go ahead and connect your positive and negative solar inputs AND your battery to the 40amp controller. You should see an amperage reading on the controller. If you still don't see a battery voltage, start tracking down tripped breakers.

Machinetools1 · 09-23-2021, 02:47 AM

You guys are awesome.....I looked at the wiring schematic again and found an orange wire with a 20 amp fuse located in the battery compartment. Sure enough the 20 amp fuse was blown. I re read the Renogy directions again and it stated to hook up the positive and negative wires to the charging box then hook up the battery.

Well the first time I hooked up the Renogy charging box I did not disconnect the battery before I hooked up the charging box. So I must have blown the fuse then. I left the blown fuse out, then hooked the positive and negative wires to the charging box. Then I replaced the 20 amp fuse. It worked. Not sure why you have to hook up the battery last.

Machinetools1 · 09-23-2021, 02:49 AM

I have 2 100 amp flag breakers and 1 50 amp non flag breakers in the battery box. I disconnected the 2 100 amp flag breakers before I started. I did not understand how to disconnect the 50 amp breaker.

Chateau_Nomad · 09-23-2021, 03:01 AM

Wow that was easy!! Glad you got it working! I even found an under-hood fuse for the audio system blown! I don't remember the order I connected things, but obviously my system didn't like the way I did it.

But mine has worked flawlessly for two seasons now... the two 100 watt roof panels have kept both house and chassis batteries happily charged! Especially handy over the winter "down time".

Machinetools1 · 09-23-2021, 04:15 PM

Yea...I was putting off placing solar panels on the roof as we used the Renogy 200 watt portable solar suit case. It worked very well but placing on the roof might be easier in the long run. I am going to add a 3rd battery so it might be nice to have the extra juice.

Before this unit we had a 40 foot weekend warrior with a Xantrex inverter. I really liked that unit as we could run a coffee pot without the use of a generator. I would like to do something like that with the motorhome but not sure how to hook it up.

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