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Solar Panels on Valor 37v13

Focker

Well-known member
I ran my fridge and was disconnected from shore power when battery was 100% and the out was around 1.4a, checked next morning and battery was around 70% and being charged by solar. I shut fridge off and was then a +.5a to the battery, next morning (fridge off) battery was dead.

My thoughts and I'm not totally familiar with the electrical system:

1. Not enough daylight (overcast etc.) to charge battery
2. Gas detectors drawing a lot at night

As mentioned I didn't have it for most of the summer so hard to compare just wondering if this will be sustainable if I ever go dry camping as I don't want to run generator full time unless I use to charge the battery
Your battery is very close to what I would expect for a percentage overnight. This time of year with the sun low in sky I get less than half the incoming watts from solar as I do in the summer. Add to this that you mentioned overcast skies, it will further reduce your recovery power.
For dry camping "insurance" I would suggest you consider a set of ground deploy panels. Having something you aim at the sun is super helpful.

Two weeks ago I just installed a 2nd charge controller on my Valor for ground deploy panels. This will give you an example of what I get from the roof in winter sun compared to the ground deploy. Both are shown in the photo. I will also attach a photo of a typical summer full sun overhead day.
Just to lay it out clearly, in winter full sun I get 430 Watts, in summer full sun I get 1149 Watts.

On the roof I now have 4 Renogy 320 watt panels. The ground deploy is a Bluetti 380 watt portable set.

IMG_6555-X4.jpg




This is what I get in full sun in the summer just from the roof panels:

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Jim Beletti

Owner Experience Liaison
Staff member
@JandKRip - you're getting some great feedback on tracing down your phantom (undetermined source) load.

Another thought is to use a multimeter with a DC amp clamp on it. Then pull the fuse panel out and one at a time, clamp onto the positive wire of each fused circuit and record the reading and what circuit number, wire color and number plus the date and time. Note too, your total DC current draw for the coach at that time.

Leave the fuse panel pulled forward and check again later when you're total DC current draw for the coach has changed significantly, then do the circuit current measurements again.

A lot of work, I know, bit it could help you narrow this down to a specific circuit.

Of course, another fast way is to start pulling fuses one at a time while monitoring total current draw,
 
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