I've set up a solar panel system on my converted van, and it seems to be working intermittently. The panels generate power for about 10 minutes before shutting down for the rest of the day. The previous owner had the same setup running in parallel. I'm not sure what to check first to diagnose the issue. The panels seem to stop providing power when the current exceeds 10 amps, and they only kick back on when it's cloudy or late in the day when the current drops. I've wired everything as I believe it should be, but I recently got a multimeter to help troubleshoot. Any insights on what might be wrong?
2 Answers
First, you should check the battery voltage right at the charger terminals when it shuts off. If it drops below the threshold too soon, that could be the problem. Also, see if the charge controller is getting too hot; that could indicate an issue. Lastly, confirm whether you've wired the panels in series or parallel. It sounds like you may have them in parallel, which can cause issues if the system isn’t configured correctly.
It might be related to the charge controller you're using. If it's a PWM type, they're often less effective than MPPT controllers. Maybe look into getting an MPPT charger; they’re designed to better handle varying loads and could potentially solve the intermittent shut-off.