Hank the Tanks Dodgy battery and solar system

[exwindsurfer]

The extra battery is in the van but not connected yet. Merl has the panel, brackets and Victron controller and a few other bits so just waiting on going down there to get it all fitted. Might be a couple of weeks time, not sure yet.

Sorry I thought you were going down at the weekend Barry .

 

[exwindsurfer]

I've just change the front headlight as it was really going yellow .It only took me half an hour to change so we'll pleased

 

[MERL]

Would not be keen on that solar regulator, charges van battery through the starter battery.View attachment 141296

Eh?

 

[mistericeman]

Eh?

Not just me confused then ?

 

[barryd]

Well after nearly a year and 46 pages it looks like there is a conclusion to the Hank the Tanks dodgy battery and solar system thread!

All thanks to @merl.

I've been here since yesterday morning and we only got knocked off about an hour ago. In the main because I kept giving poor Merl more jobs!

Ill try and keep it brief but he really has worked so hard sorting this. The new panel was put up straight away and its a fair bit smaller than the existing one so I guess I was right when I reckoned it was at least a 120w. (Forgot to take photos so will try when I Get home). We had to put a new roof gland in as the existing one literally fell to bits when we prodded it so that was kind of lucky really.

Everything in and working as it should and the second battery wired properly with "proper Cables". Very happy. Merl has explained all the Float, Absorption and bulk stuff to me and I have the Victron App. I think we were getting 8.5 amps in at some point this afternoon.

The bloody toilet flush had packed up so I asked Merl to look at it. After much investigating it turned out there was no power to it and the fuse was ok as its now integrated with the water pump. It took poor Merl a long time to figure it out and we had to run cables using rods round the back of the bathroom to rewire it all. I Cant thank him enough for this as I can guess if I had took it to a dealer or even my motorhome fixit guy it would have cost a fortune while they replaced everything first.

He also sorted my new bed supports as obviously I had not fitted them correctly and now all the right stoppers etc are in place. He even cleaned the old panel and roof lights!

Thanks to all who took part in this thread, I really appreciate it but a massive special thanks to Merl. You are a star!!

 

[Pudsey Bear]

Absolutely he is a star, and great couple too.

 

[barryd]

Absolutely he is a star, and great couple too.

Yep. Big thanks to Kim as well for her hospitality and giving up Merl for two days. Cooked us a lovely dinner last night.

 

[Pudsey Bear]

Yep. Big thanks to Kim as well for her hospitality and giving up Merl for two days. Cooked us a lovely dinner last night.

Aye, she rustles up a fine meal, did you try her bread?

 

[trevskoda]

Looks a neat job to me, well sorted.

 

[barryd]

Aye, she rustles up a fine meal, did you try her bread?

I did and the Jam. Lovely.

 

[runnach]

Life is going to be boring when this thread dies a death now Hank is fixed!

 

[barryd]

Life is going to be boring when this thread dies a death now Hank is fixed!

Oh I wouldn't worry about that. There will almost certainly be something else.

After an evenings use, laptop, phone charging, lights etc and heating on batteries were still at 12.74 last night when I went to bed and after leaving the heating on all night were at 12.65 just now. Happy with that. So far so good.

 

[Pudsey Bear]

I did and the Jam. Lovely.

I didn't get to sample her jam, but she makes a mean fish pie, and her chilli is good too.

 

[Pudsey Bear]

Oh I wouldn't worry about that. There will almost certainly be something else.

After an evenings use, laptop, phone charging, lights etc and heating on batteries were still at 12.74 last night when I went to bed and after leaving the heating on all night were at 12.65 just now. Happy with that. So far so good.

Yes, mine is operating at full tilt, I've been charging stuff up on the inverter to see how it goes and I can't complain I think 12.6v is as low as I've seen at the VB & I saw 14.8c at one point the other day, bearing in mind it only get a small boost due to the Gizmott, did you get one? I wonder if I need to carry a spare or not, as it is key to the success.

 

[barryd]

Yes, mine is operating at full tilt, I've been charging stuff up on the inverter to see how it goes and I can't complain I think 12.6v is as low as I've seen at the VB & I saw 14.8c at one point the other day, bearing in mind it only get a small boost due to the Gizmott, did you get one? I wonder if I need to carry a spare or not, as it is key to the success.

Yes there is a Gizmott (great name) to the left of the Victron in the pic. Just checking the app and the sun is just up and its just starting to register at 12w.

Ill be leaving this morning but will probably wait for the traffic to die down a bit.

 

[Robmac]

What a great couple Merl and the lovely Kim are Barry, so easy to get on with.

I finally fitted my solar panels to the van yesterday (with the help of a mate), bloody heavy they were and awkward to get on but we got there. So I will be bothering poor old Merl as soon as my starter motor is sorted.

 

[Pudsey Bear]

Mine seems to be pretty consistent, mine just now on the monitor off Aliexpress..

 

[barryd]

I'm back up to 12.76 volts already by 7:42am.

All seems to be working fine.

 

[barryd]

Mine seems to be pretty consistent, mine just now on the monitor off Aliexpress..

View attachment 141674

View attachment 141675

So that is monitoring the cab battery then Kev which was your main problem I believe?

I don't think I have a facility to check that short of sticking a plug in voltage tester in the cig charger although the Swift control panel shows the state of both batteries but its just sat in the green between 12v and 13v right now. Merl tested it though and it was charging the cab battery as well yesterday. Clever little device.

 

[Fisherman]

Well after nearly a year and 46 pages it looks like there is a conclusion to the Hank the Tanks dodgy battery and solar system thread!

All thanks to @merl.

I've been here since yesterday morning and we only got knocked off about an hour ago. In the main because I kept giving poor Merl more jobs!

Ill try and keep it brief but he really has worked so hard sorting this. The new panel was put up straight away and its a fair bit smaller than the existing one so I guess I was right when I reckoned it was at least a 120w. (Forgot to take photos so will try when I Get home). We had to put a new roof gland in as the existing one literally fell to bits when we prodded it so that was kind of lucky really.

Everything in and working as it should and the second battery wired properly with "proper Cables". Very happy. Merl has explained all the Float, Absorption and bulk stuff to me and I have the Victron App. I think we were getting 8.5 amps in at some point this afternoon.

The bloody toilet flush had packed up so I asked Merl to look at it. After much investigating it turned out there was no power to it and the fuse was ok as its now integrated with the water pump. It took poor Merl a long time to figure it out and we had to run cables using rods round the back of the bathroom to rewire it all. I Cant thank him enough for this as I can guess if I had took it to a dealer or even my motorhome fixit guy it would have cost a fortune while they replaced everything first.

He also sorted my new bed supports as obviously I had not fitted them correctly and now all the right stoppers etc are in place. He even cleaned the old panel and roof lights!

Thanks to all who took part in this thread, I really appreciate it but a massive special thanks to Merl. You are a star!!

View attachment 141662

Barry do us all a favour, next time you need something done to your van keep it quiet.

I mean 921 posts on a solar system………..geeeeezzz

On a serous note well dome Merl.