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Factory Fitted Solar Energy
System
Depending on specification, your motorhome
may be fitted with a solar panel and regulator.
This solar panel and regulator may provide
additional 12V power whenever sunlight is
available to the panel, and this will be directed
to the Power Supply unit (PSU), whether the
control panel above the entrance door is ON
or OFF. Conditions allowing, the system then
keeps the battery/batteries 'topped up' during
storage, and can provide a daily boost to the
leisure battery when camping without a mains
230V supply.
If the system shutdown button on the PSU
is ON, then via the Smart Charging facility in
the PSU, charge may be directed to either the
leisure battery or vehicle battery, as required.
If the system shutdown button is OFF, charge
will be directed to the vehicle battery only.
Note: If additional solar panels are fitted
and linked to the factory fitted panel, the
maximum combined wattage must not
exceed 150W.
Battery power
As a guide, a 40w panel is capable of
supplying up to 2.3 amps, +/-1.5%, while an
80w panel is capable of supplying up 4.68
amps +/- 1.5%. Depending on the state of
the charge of the battery it may take a few
hours to several days to recover a discharged
battery. For obvious reasons the solar panel
will only work during daylight hours.
Regulator operation
There are two LED indicators located on
the solar regulator. The first is the 'power'
LED and this flashes when the solar panel
produces energy, the flash rate increasing with
the amount of sun light on the solar panel,
until the LED is on solidly. The second LED
is bicoloured, and it will indicated the charge
condition when sufficient energy is being
received by the solar panel. If the second LED
is illuminated red, then the regulator is in bulk
charge mode supplying 14v plus, if the LED is
illuminated green then the regulator is in float
charge mode supplying 13.6v.
Maintenance and cleaning
The solar panel will require cleaning periodically
in order to maintain the performance of the
panel, a caravan, car shampoo or simple
soap can be used; no abrasive cleaners
should be used.
SOLAR PANEL
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