If I want to enable my Votronic MPP165 solar regulator to top up my van battery, is it as simple as just connecting the II Start + terminal on the solar regulator (Blue arrow on image) to a permanent live at the fuse box (via a 5 amp fuse tap)?
Solar connection to van battery
- Thread starter Shaun Witts
- Start date
Yep, effectively. That’s how mine is wired up, works very well.
Thanks for the confirmation, thats good to know.
Are those dip switches - bottom right set correctly as they all seem to be on? Just looks odd to me.
Is his leisure battery a Lithium? If not, the first one shouldn't be up either.
Haha, some eagle eyes on this forum!
Yeah, that configuration of dip switches doesn't actually correspond to any in the manual that I can see so who knows what charging profile it's using. The first dip switch position does imply a lithium battery though.
Have a read of the manual, it's a pretty flexible device, I'm sure one of the dip switch configurations will suit your battery.
Yeah, that configuration of dip switches doesn't actually correspond to any in the manual that I can see so who knows what charging profile it's using. The first dip switch position does imply a lithium battery though.
Have a read of the manual, it's a pretty flexible device, I'm sure one of the dip switch configurations will suit your battery.
Was reading this late last night and thought about two different types of batteries in use and the dip switches. Had a look at the online manual, got to the important bit and that put me to sleep. Glad somebody else noticed the switches!
Thanks all for the input. Both my solar panel and the regulator were fitted by the same conversion company that carried out my original conversion (Exploria), so I would like to think that they know which type of leisure battery they fitted. All I know is that’s it’s 180A and is located under my van.
I will go and take another few photos of the regulator though, to try and get a clearer view of those switches.
I will go and take another few photos of the regulator though, to try and get a clearer view of those switches.
It seems the original photo is unclear and misleading:
This switch configuration appears to align with charging program b) “lead acid / AGM1” according to the manual I have, below:
This switch configuration appears to align with charging program b) “lead acid / AGM1” according to the manual I have, below:
Blimey - looks totally different at that angle. Not as bad as the other pic looked.
There seem to be charging options on these solar chargers for the Leisure Battery and never for the Vehicle battery. Do they all charge the Vehicle with the same characteristics and does it matter how much time they are connected to the Vehicle?
I have an NDS SC300M installed by my converter which seems to have a mind of its own for Vehicle battery output. Sometimes it does as described in the manual, other times it seems to make it up.
I have an NDS SC300M installed by my converter which seems to have a mind of its own for Vehicle battery output. Sometimes it does as described in the manual, other times it seems to make it up.
Mine just gives a 1A max trickle which seemed to save the battery on a 4 week layup, it had flattened previously after 3 weeks.
Yeah, agree, they’re not full chargers generally, just trickle a bit of current in to keep the battery going.
Another thing to be aware of is that I'm pretty sure they don't actually care where the charge is coming from, doesn't have to be the solar panel. This means that they also trickle a bit in to the vehicle battery when on EHU, which is kind of handy sometimes.
