Replacement leisure batteries panel question

In the event of changing my two leisure batteries on my 2015 AS Kingham can anyone advise me if l need to isolate the solar panel beforehand (if so how?) or can l simply swap the batteries for new ones and not worry about said fixed solar panel.
Advice would be most helpful please.

Or change the batteries when it gets dark outside! 
I’ve literally just fitted a second 80w panel on the van’s roof today and to be honest I’m thinking I may do the internal wiring tonight rather than cover the panels tomorrow.

From the horses mouth at Photonic Universe, so I hope correct, the panels don't care whether electrically connected or not.
That said I wouldn't worry about 1/2 hr perhaps but wouldn't do a whole day.
Almost anything over them will work

Dbvwt wrote:Or change the batteries when it gets dark outside! 
I’ve literally just fitted a second 80w panel on the van’s roof today and to be honest I’m thinking I may do the internal wiring tonight rather than cover the panels tomorrow.

Interesting, was your roof the same layout as mine, and if so, where did you put it?

Photo is courtesy of Greyhound who has the same van, I bought the same 80W panel.

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Almost the same, perhaps that will be a job for later in the year. I’m only just getting used to having one working 

I remember your problems now! Here’s the panel if you do decide to add another.

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Edit.. did you ever upgrade the stock controller? If not then 160W total will be too much.

The advice I have from various solar panel suppliers is that before making or breaking and connection in the solar circuit the panel should be covered. Where multiple panels are fitted in series the voltage (which is DC) can be high enough to draw an arc if the panel is generating. As a general rule, anything above 48v DC is considered a risk to the person working on it.
I realise the solar panels fitted to auto-sleepers are quite small but personally I would cover them or do it in the dark if just to eliminate any potential risks of damage to other equipment in the motorhome. Remember if the panels are in the sun the cables are live.

Dbvwt wrote:I remember your problems now! Here’s the panel if you do decide to add another.

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Edit.. did you ever upgrade the stock controller? If not then 160W total will be too much.

I would change the controller at the same time. The standard one claims to do 150W, so it would be a bit over.

To the OP, I assume you're still using the original solar controller, I think too that you should be OK swapping your batteries.

Below some of my ramblings-
When fitting our Votronic solar controller it's fussy which wires you connect to it first. It's all in their instructions.

I needed to change the battery on my wife's Audi recently and somehow expected that this would have entailed a trip to the dealer to authorise this change probably for ££ before the computer says "Yes". Instead I set up a mains powered 12v supply so when I change over the batteries the Audi car's computer would be none the wiser about what I was doing under the bonnet and in the boot where the battery sits.

A while back the radio in our previous Transit based Duetto locked up. The answer on the web was to de-power the radio to allow a reset, awkward. I had to disconnect the vehicle battery and put some mats over the solar panel. Power reconnected I could finally enter the radio key code.

With your 2015 van there should at least be less of this, you against the system that you might get with more modern computer based motorhomes.

sylvester1954 wrote:In the event of changing my two leisure batteries on my 2015 AS Kingham can anyone advise me if l need to isolate the solar panel beforehand (if so how?) or can l simply swap the batteries for new ones and not worry about said fixed solar panel.
Advice would be most helpful please.

to test a battery voltage is ok to just cover the panel
when you fit a solar system a lot of controllers say you need to wire the battery first and the panel after .the reason to this is some controllers can set to 12volt system or 24volt system and needs the battery voltage to set to the correct setting .this is the reason to have a fuse or switch to turn off the solar panel power and be safe.

glyne lock wrote:

sylvester1954 wrote:In the event of changing my two leisure batteries on my 2015 AS Kingham can anyone advise me if l need to isolate the solar panel beforehand (if so how?) or can l simply swap the batteries for new ones and not worry about said fixed solar panel.
Advice would be most helpful please.

to test a battery voltage is ok to just cover the panel
when you fit a solar system a lot of controllers say you need to wire the battery first and the panel after .the reason to this is some controllers can set to 12volt system or 24volt system and needs the battery voltage to set to the correct setting .this is the reason to have a fuse or switch to turn off the solar panel power and be safe.

So if you haven't got a solar panel fuze or switch, this is another reason for covering up the solar panel or working at night before disconnecting the battery from the solar regulator/controller.

Glyne is right. I have had a battery destroyed by a dealer who did not allow for the solar panel reaching 22 volts off load and he connected the panel before the battery. The solar controller read the 22 volts as an indication that it was connected to a 24 volt system and as a result over several weeks fried the leisure battery.

Simple rule: When connecting, connect the leisure battery first to the solar controller, then the solar panel. When disconnecting, disconnect the solar panel first from the controller, then the battery.

Follow the rule and you can do the work at any time of the day (although to reduce sparks and surges, cover the panel with a piece of cardboard / carpet / sheet of plywood etc).

Spospe wrote:Glyne is right. I have had a battery destroyed by a dealer who did not allow for the solar panel reaching 22 volts off load and he connected the panel before the battery. The solar controller read the 22 volts as an indication that it was connected to a 24 volt system and as a result over several weeks fried the leisure battery.

Simple rule: When connecting, connect the leisure battery first to the solar controller, then the solar panel. When disconnecting, disconnect the solar panel first from the controller, then the battery.

Follow the rule and you can do the work at any time of the day (although to reduce sparks and surges, cover the panel with a piece of cardboard / carpet / sheet of plywood etc).

spospe
thank you for what you have explained what can happen as did to your  camper and I don't want this to happen to any person on the forum and as I said some jobs you can just cover the panel but changing and removing power leads at the battery needs the solar panel disconnecting 
yes cover the panel and that helps reduce the spark if removing a fuse from the panel power feed
people saying what they think ref just cover the panel  are putting others in danger

Thanks once again. However, l'm still having difficulty in locating solar panel controller ie what it looks like and it's actual location. So sorry to appear clueless.

so what electrics are you a ec500 or the 328

sylvester1954 wrote:Thanks once again. However, l'm still having difficulty in locating solar panel controller ie what it looks like and it's actual location. So sorry to appear clueless.

The solar controller will probably be hidden somewhere around or inside the main Sargent unit so it’s no wonder you can’t find it!!
I’m guessing you have the predecessor to the EC500 unit I have in my van but maybe not. Can you see the EC number on the main electrical box?

Hi, I am new to the forum. I have the same issue regarding the solar panel. I have just bought a 2012 Windrush and need to replace the leisure battery but I cannot see any connections to a solar controller or fuse. I have an EC500 unit so would like some advice on what I can do to minimise any risks to the van electronics and myself! Thanks in advance.

Hi, just cover the panel on the roof if you are able to. I didn’t realise the EC500 was around in 2012 but the standard solar controller is a small black box fitted to the back of the EC500. The panel is wired directly to the controller, there is no fuse.

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Dbvwt wrote:Hi, just cover the panel on the roof if you are able to. I didn’t realise the EC500 was around in 2012 but the standard solar controller is a small black box fitted to the back of the EC500. The panel is wired directly to the controller, there is no fuse.

If disconnecting the leisure battery the EC500 or EC700 should really be shutdown.  On the EC500 this sends all the solar charge to the leisure battery so covering up the solar panel or working at night are the only options.  This is not a problem for the EC700 as all the solar charge goes to the vehicle battery when it is shutdown.  Those of us who have bypassed the ECXXX with a dual battery regulator have no choice but to cover up or work at night.

Caraman wrote:

Dbvwt wrote:Hi, just cover the panel on the roof if you are able to. I didn’t realise the EC500 was around in 2012 but the standard solar controller is a small black box fitted to the back of the EC500. The panel is wired directly to the controller, there is no fuse.

If disconnecting the leisure battery the EC500 or EC700 should really be shutdown.  On the EC500 this sends all the solar charge to the leisure battery so covering up the solar panel or working at night are the only options.  This is not a problem for the EC700 as all the solar charge goes to the vehicle battery when it is shutdown.  Those of us who have bypassed the ECXXX with a dual battery regulator have no choice but to cover up or work at night.

I did take it as a given that the ECXXX would also be shutdown but worth pointing out 

Thank you for the photos and the advice. I will ensure I shutdown the PSU and cover the solar panel before removing the battery..I assume that I then go in reverse, fit the new battery, power on the PSU and then uncover the solar panel..thanks again.

caraman
You might think it’s ok but as it was said by a member on this post his controller set to 24volts and did DAMAGE. The person that asked about fitting a battery did not say his make off controller so to do the work correctly the solar panel should be disconnected .so please do the battery change as to the solar controller instructions and not as some may think is safe 

Caraman wrote:

Dbvwt wrote:Hi, just cover the panel on the roof if you are able to. I didn’t realise the EC500 was around in 2012 but the standard solar controller is a small black box fitted to the back of the EC500. The panel is wired directly to the controller, there is no fuse.

If disconnecting the leisure battery the EC500 or EC700 should really be shutdown.  On the EC500 this sends all the solar charge to the leisure battery so covering up the solar panel or working at night are the only options.  This is not a problem for the EC700 as all the solar charge goes to the vehicle battery when it is shutdown.  Those of us who have bypassed the ECXXX with a dual battery regulator have no choice but to cover up or work at night.