If you rely on solar panels for getting juice to your RV, a failure in the system can be a major problem. The system isn’t difficult to diagnose. If you’re new to solar, make sure you have your panels in open sunlight, and that they’re clean–dirt free.
1. Start at your solar panel regulator. Measure the voltage coming into the regulator from the solar panels–it should be 15 volts or above. If not, your problem is somewhere before the regulator–you’ll want to keep going in the checklist. Be sure to take your voltage measurements during the daylight hours! Disconnect the leads from the battery side of the regulator and measure the voltage across the terminals of the regulator. If there is no voltage or it is significantly less than the voltage reading from the solar panel side of the regulator, your regulator is defective. If the voltage is close to the same reading as on the solar panel side, your problem has nothing to do with the solar system.
2. If the voltage on the solar panel side of the regulator is less than 15 volts, check your wiring connections at the regulator, and all other connections between the regulator and the solar panels. Ensure they are tight and corrosion free. 3. COVER the solar panels so that they are blocked and not allowed to produce power. A heavy cloth, chunk of cardboard, etc, should do the trick. Then run a continuity test using the resistance reading of your digital multimeter. Disconnect the wiring from the solar panels at the voltage regulator and check for continuity by hooking your meter leads to the wiring from the solar panels. An infinite ohms reading or open indicates a bad connection or broken wire to the panels.
3. Inspect the solar panels for signs of damage. This could include a cracked or broken panel, or corrosion of the panels’ cells. Corrosion is irreparable. We have seen some work on fixing a cracked panel to keep the weather out, but it’s a touch-and-go proposition.
4. It’s also possible that one or more of the panels could be defective and not show a physical sign. You’ll need to disconnect each panel from the system and individually read its voltage output. Again, each panel should produce at least 15 volts. If the reading is less, the panel is defective and should be electrically disconnected from the system.
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