Solar Panel

Hi all, Can't seem to find Solar Panel control box on my Corinium duo 2019. Can anyone help please

If you mean the controller, and you have an EC700 in a cupboard, it may be behind that. I'm not familiar with your van layout specifically, but that's a common location for the standard controller.

Nascar19 wrote:Hi all, Can't seem to find Solar Panel control box on my Corinium duo 2019. Can anyone help please

In a 2019 van you probably have a Sargent EC700 system but it is possible it could be an EC500. Which system do you have and what do you want to do?

Thanks for getting back to me. I have been reading other posts which indicate Solar Panel is not up to the job. Don't know whether it's 80 or 100w but can it be added to or should I upgrade. Only had a problem because we were away for 5 weeks(not in motorhome)and batteries went flat. Any suggestions would be appreciated

Thanks for that. Will give that serious thought.

Simple question I thought, EC 500 or EC 700? They work differently and size of panel is irrelevant.

Yes its EC700, but several weeks away and both batteries were flat put it on power supply, which charged it all back up but 2 or 3 weeks it was later had to charge on power supply again. Solar panels are putting power but not maintaining.

Thanks. Full reply tomorrow.

Neither the starter battery or leisure battery will retain charge for more than a couple of weeks in your Coronium unless you charge them using either the engine 230v charger or solar.  If you leave the EC700 switched on (main power supply unit not control panel) and the solar smart charging enabled at this time of year then the energy consumed by the EC700 will exceed that harvested by the solar panel and both batteries will fully discharge.

If you operate the shutdown button on the EC700 then the permanent feeds to Fridge and heater control panels will be disconnected and drain from the leisure battery minimised.  All energy harvested by the solar panel will be directed to the starter battery and that will maintain its charge.

If its possible to hook to EHU when not using the van, do so and leave the EC700 powered, the smart charging from the mains battery charger will maintain both batteries.

If you can't use EHU, do as Ian suggests and install a dual channel solar controller between the existing solar panel and both batteries, by passing the single channel solar controller installed by Sargent.  This will keep both batteries charge but the current measurements on the Sargent control panel will be incorrect, however that is not a major issue and the best indication of battery condition is by voltage.

Thank you Peter, you have answered all my thoughts so will just carry on as normal but next winter will do things differently. Only had since June last year so winter has been a new experience. The 745 Bailey we had previous coped with no problems through winter so as I said, new experience with our Autosleeper. Thank you very much for your help. Thanks to everyone who replied to my problem.