Solar panel - no display, no lights on the panels, no power

[nics610]

Hey everyone,

I’m a new member and I’m hoping to pull on your massive experience to help me.

I have a 2018 T6 which has a solar panel, not sure what output to be honest, Titanium Ultimate Power XV110 12v (110AH) leisure battery with Photoionic MT50 display and plug-in-systems Volta 3 stage intelligent battery charger. There is also a CTEK D250A charger. I seem to have no power coming from anywhere and my display on MT50 is dead, plug in systems panel is showing batter is not charged. I have used a multi meter to test input from panels 17.67v (it’s a scorcher in Edinburgh today) but the output to batter is 6.7v, the voltage out the battery is around 6.4v.

I have included some photos but to be honest I am not quite sure where to start.

The battery I believe should charge as I drive but not entirely sure that’s happening either.

I’d love to be more clear on the problem but it’s basically dead.

 

[Dellmassive]

Looks like the battery has been over discharged.

Stopping the CTEK or solar charger from detecting the battery.

You need to charge the battery a bit so the other unit detect it.

 

[Dellmassive]

Have you tried running the engine for the CTEK to start?

Have you got a jump boost pack? - that you can connect to the battery?


What loads are you running from the battery?

Running it down to dead flat will have knackered it slightly.... They don't like being run flat.

How old is battery?

Do you know that the battery is good?

Maybe look at fitting a low voltage disconect to prevent the same happening again?

Or

Look at upgrading that battery to a lithium?

 

[Salty Spuds]

I guessing the battery is FUBAR

 

[Howzat]

If it's the batery then you could check by connecting your starter battery instead of the leisure battery. If you still get nothing then it must be wiring or the unit.

 

[nics610]

Have you tried running the engine for the CTEK to start?

Have you got a jump boost pack? - that you can connect to the battery?


What loads are you running from the battery?

Running it down to dead flat will have knackered it slightly.... They don't like being run flat.

How old is battery?

Do you know that the battery is good?

Maybe look at fitting a low voltage disconect to prevent the same happening again?

Or

Look at upgrading that battery to a lithium?

Hey,

So to take those in order.

Yes I think it has run flat, I’ve tried running the engine and that doesn’t seem to have worked. It had a good run out yesterday and to no avail.

What’s a jump boost pack?

If it’s FUBAR then I’ll get a new one, this one is at least 4 years old as the van is a 2018 and I haven’t replaced it.

Are the CTEK and Photoionic things doing the same thing?

Sorry guys I’ve got no idea how all this works and it’s difficult to stitch it all together without some insight, so thank you?

 

[nics610]

If it's the batery then you could check by connecting your starter battery instead of the leisure battery. If you still get nothing then it must be wiring or the unit.

Hey, I’m not entirely sure how I’d go about that?

Please feel free to share any YouTube resource vids if you have good ones, or a channel on YouTube that covers this sorta stuff, save you writing war and peace

 

[nics610]

Hey,

So to take those in order.

Yes I think it has run flat, I’ve tried running the engine and that doesn’t seem to have worked. It had a good run out yesterday and to no avail.

What’s a jump boost pack?

If it’s FUBAR then I’ll get a new one, this one is at least 4 years old as the van is a 2018 and I haven’t replaced it.

Are the CTEK and Photoionic things doing the same thing?

Sorry guys I’ve got no idea how all this works and it’s difficult to stitch it all together without some insight, so thank you?

Loads well some low voltage lighting but the fridge would have been the main culprit I expect. I had it plugged into ship to shore power but I think by that stage the battery was juked!

 

[Howzat]

Hey, I’m not entirely sure how I’d go about that?

Please feel free to share any YouTube resource vids if you have good ones, or a channel on YouTube that covers this sorta stuff, save you writing war and peace

Take your battery out the engine bay and plonk it near the leisure battery. Disconnect terms off the leisure battery and attach them to the starter battery.
If the solar starts working then you know the leisure battery is the issue.

If that is the issue then stick your leisure battery on a mains charger overnight and reconnect the following day. You may be lucky and it starts working but more likely you'll need a new battery.

The first step is to make sure it's a battery issue and not a wiring/dead charger issue.

 

[nics610]

Take your battery out the engine bay and plonk it near the leisure battery. Disconnect terms off the leisure battery and attach them to the starter battery.
If the solar starts working then you know the leisure battery is the issue.

If that is the issue then stick your leisure battery on a mains charger overnight and reconnect the following day. You may be lucky and it starts working but more likely you'll need a new battery.

The first step is to make sure it's a battery issue and not a wiring/dead charger issue.

Awesome thank you, sorry total beginners questions but really appreciate you coming back. Will try that tomorrow and see how it goes :0)

 

[nics610]

Awesome news the battery seems to be the problem, took everyone’s advice and whipped the battery out the engine bay and connected, an array of lights jumped on and the MT50 display kicked in. Going to charge the leisure battery overnight and see if it’s banjaxed and if so get a new battery.

Thanks so much you guys

 

[Dellmassive]

@nics610

Boost pack....

Have a look here:

Which Jump Starter?

Advice required. Hi guys - I thought it would be prudent to carry one of those small JumpStarter powerpacks about with me as I have an electric lift seat installed for my better half and am a little concerned that with the extra demands on the van battery I might get caught out one wintery...

www.t6forum.com

.

 

[Dellmassive]

Loads well some low voltage lighting but the fridge would have been the main culprit I expect. I had it plugged into ship to shore power but I think by that stage the battery was juked!

..

It looks like you have a Volta silver EHU battery charger....

So all being well, when your plugged in that should keep the battery charging.

But if the battery is dead.... Non of the chargers Will work.... As they need to detect a battery voltage before starting the charge.

 

[Dellmassive]

Some good advice from @Howzat about charging the battery ..

Try a 24hr recharge...

Then test the battery..

You can test yourself with a battery test tool....


.

https://amzn.to/3MeCESx

.

 

[nics610]

Brilliant The battery is on charge at the moment so going to give that a good overnight (24hr) charge and see what happens tomorrow. I’ve got a multi-meter the indicator light on the battery is green so that gives me some hope.

Thanks you guys I really appreciate your help on this, I also feel very chuffed with myself that I’ve managed to do all of the above with absolutely never having done any of this kinda stuff before.

 

[nics610]

Leisure battery is back in and all is well with the world, lights are on, CTEK lighting up nicely so I think we have a win.

Thank you again

 

[Salty Spuds]

Leisure battery is back in and all is well with the world, lights are on, CTEK lighting up nicely so I think we have a win.

Thank you again

Don’t wish to pee on your parade, but the battery may still be goosed. The only way to tell is to give it a stress test. Stick a decent load across it & measure current/time/voltage. If it’s fresh off the charger it may seem ok, but only putting under load can tell for certain.

 

[nics610]

@Salty Spuds

Ok good to know, I guess we are thinking the fridge for example?

So I’d fire that up then use the multimeter to test the voltage and amp output across the terminals?

It may well be juked in the long run to be honest I’m just relieved that it was at least diagnostically successful even if the battery ultimately needs to be replaced.

It was charging well on the solar last night so fingers crossed