Question about solar installed on 2013 2650 CDWS

[stevemoores]

I have an ex rental 2650, there's a 40w solar panel on the roof and two charge controllers in the battery compartment.

There's also a switch by the door which the salesman said was for the solar.

The switch has the red safety cover over it, is this to isolate the solar for servicing perhaps?

In that case, switch down (red cover can be closed) is Solar ON, and switch up (red cover cannot be closed) is Solar OFF.

Motorhome is in storage at the moment, so I don't have pictures of the switch, sorry.

Steve

[Splitshaft]

40W is not much solar power (3 amps at best). Likely enough to keep batteries topped up when in storage. And as panels age, their power output can decrease. Unless the red switch was labeled, there is really no way of knowing what it does without measuring system voltages or tracing wires. The solar installation is likely an aftermarket installation rather than OEM. There is really no need for two solar charge controllers for only a 40 watt panel. My recommendation is to go though the solar side of the electrical system connected to the batteries and clean it up. I fail to see a need for a switch for the solar system. It should charge the batteries as it is able to without over charging as controlled by a charge controller. Even at 3 amps for 10 hours and likely less, batteries do not absorb 100-percent of charging current so a best, 15 or 20 amp hours might stored in the batteries. The panel is more beneficial for supplementing battery power in sunlight than charging them.

[stevemoores]

Thanks. I agree, at 40W, it's just a top-up.


I was hoping it was a FR installation and somebody with a similar motorhome would chime in.


I'll trace the wires when I get it out of storage. No biggie, just one of those 'what does this do' questions.


Steve