Solar panel - wire into panel damaged

C

Cazzanotcaz

New Member
Hello we discovered this is why our solar panel isn’t working (wire int panel damaged) but have been told we need a new panel - is that correct? Does anyone have a recommendation for someone who could either fix or install a new panel if needed. We are a bit desperate as due to go away next week!
 
Got some pictures of what you've got now or what the problem is?.

What size panel have you got. ?

What solar controller have you got?

What band have you got and have you got a pop top or not?

Whereabouts do you live?
 
Hi the van is currently with the company we bought it from as we thought we could get fixed under warranty. So unfortunately I don’t have the answer to most of your questions at the moment. Other than I think that the controller is a Victron Blue Smart IP22. We are based in South London but willing to travel within reason.

Oh and it is a pop top.
 
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Cazzanotcaz said:
Hi the van is currently with the company we bought it from as we thought we could get fixed under warranty. So unfortunately I don’t have the answer to most of your questions at the moment. Other than I think that the controller is a Victron Blue Smart IP22. We are based in South London but willing to travel within reason.

Oh and it is a pop top.
Click to expand...
Any pics of any of it?
 
Cazzanotcaz said:
Not at the moment sorry but can get some when we pick up tomorrow morning. Do you think you might be able to help?
Click to expand...
Welcome to the forum. Sorry it’s problems that have brought you here. We’re generally a helpful lot, but we’re not psychic. A few are borderline psychotic, but definitely not psychic. In order to help you, you have to help us. We need as much info as possible, even things that may seem insignificant to you maybe important. We need pics/diagrams/descriptions of symptoms/makes & models of equipment involved/age/locations/how the damage occurred/warranty, etc etc.
Give us that & you’ll get meaningful advice, otherwise we’re firing shots in the dark & you’ll end up more confused than before you started.
 
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Thanks all. Attaching some photos but I don’t know if they help. The dark photo is from underneath the roof and the wire in the photo (shown disconnected) should be welded to the solar panel but has come loose. Any thoughts on whether this is repairable or not please?
 
I think the problem is that where the wire has come loose is directly under the solar panel so not accessible hence I need a new panel?
Annoying as the panel is only 2 years old and the person who installed doesn’t know how the wire could have come loose. The conversion is still under warranty but they say this wouldn’t be covered.
 
I would put a voltmeter across the two ends of that disconnected cable. If you get no voltage on a sunny day (when you should get around 20V) then yes, you’ve lost connection to the panel. It looks like the panel has been bonded to the roof so the only way forward is to carefully peel it off. If you’re lucky then you may find a loose/disconnected MP4 connector, unlucky and your panel may have failed, which is not that unusual for a bonded flexible panel.
 
1750442393961.png

So that photo looks to me like its the inside rear of the pop top and the end of the wire (1) is where it goes through the roof to the underside of the panel and the other end (2 in the photo I have pasted) looks like the end of the short fly leads that come from the panel and are normally then connected to the leads that then go to the 100/20 MPPT, or maybe an isolator switch before the leads that go to the MPPT. What do those two leads have on the end please? Bare wire, crimp terminal?

As Anakin says, put a volt meter on the two leads (2) and if you get 18-20V then your panel is still connected, so you dont need to remove the panel (happy days!) , just find where those two leads (2) connect to inside the van (OS rear quarter?) and reconnect them. If those leads have terminals on them you may just need to plug them back in. Also if you do get a voltage put a bit of red tape on the positive for now both so you know its the positive and to insulate it if exposed.

If you can work out where the two leads (2) go to take some pictures so we can help you further.
 
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Velosaurus said:
View attachment 292679

So that photo looks to me like its the inside rear of the pop top and the end of the wire (1) is where it goes through the roof to the underside of the panel and the other end (2 in the photo I have pasted) looks like the end of the short fly leads that come from the panel and are normally then connected to the leads that then go to the 100/20 MPPT, or maybe an isolator switch before the leads that go to the MPPT. What do those two leads have on the end please? Bare wire, crimp terminal?

As Anakin says, put a volt meter on the two leads (2) and if you get 18-20V then your panel is still connected, so you dont need to remove the panel (happy days!) , just find where those two leads (2) connect to inside the van (OS rear quarter?) and reconnect them. Also if you do get a voltage put a bit of tape on the positive for now.

If you can work out where the two leads (2) go to take some pictures so we can help you further.
Click to expand...
Exactly what I thought.
The wires haven’t become attached at the panel. The wires from the panel have been disconnected from the wires that go to your MPPT solar controller.
As pointed out have a look for where those wires were attached to and reattach.
Chasing the input wires from the MPPT should help.
It might be easier to feed new cables from the wires that are disconnected, down that hole in the carpet below them to the MPPT
 
Yeah I have a similar set up in my pop top. I wonder if someone has caught the leads whilst up there , or they caught something when the roof was raised which pulled them out. 10 minute job to fix.
 
Cazzanotcaz said:
I think the problem is that where the wire has come loose is directly under the solar panel so not accessible hence I need a new panel?
Annoying as the panel is only 2 years old and the person who installed doesn’t know how the wire could have come loose. The conversion is still under warranty but they say this wouldn’t be covered.
Click to expand...
Replacing the panel will get you no further forward as you would still need to take wires from it back down to the MPPT
I think all you need to do is connect those wires to the existing wires going to the MPPT if you can find them or just put new wires in.
Removing the ceiling panel inside the van at the back should allow you access.
Then unscrewing the panel with the MPPT on it will give you access to the wires for it.
 
If the van’s been back to the conversion company surely they should have picked up the lose wires unless they disconnected them to test the panel with a meter across the the two wires as suggested above
 
Yes I would hope so!! If not the installer should be able to check the panel for voltage - I would still do it myself for peace of mind before going back to the installer though
 
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