Seems to me that it's a poor design, unless you inadvertently shorted the
output while disconnected.

Thanks, Tom Hargrave
www.kegkits.com
www.stir-plate.com
www.towercooler.com
www.grow-sun.com
www.raspberryproject.com
http://goo.gl/niRzVw

-----Original Message-----
From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM] On Behalf Of
Alistair Bell
Sent: Wednesday, May 6, 2015 3:50 PM
To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
Subject: Re: Possible Solar Charge Controller Warning ?

Hi Neil,

Yeah my cheap 30 A PWM controller said, in not so perfectly translated
English, to be sure to connect to battery before connecting to solar.

So Neil, you have any ideas on your next controller? I'm a little miffed at
mine as the ad implied or inferred that it had user defined float voltage
setting. It doesn't, but one could make the argument that up here in BC the
daily charging profile is such that it might not be such a big issue.

Alistair

> On May 6, 2015, at 12:18 PM, Neil N <musomuso@GMAIL.COM> wrote:
>
> Hi all.
>
> short version: if you have to disconnect aux. battery(ies) tied to a
> solar panel, disconnect your solar panel from its' controller. Solar
> panel power to an unloaded controller can damage the controller.
>
> I recently did a lot of automotive work on my 1981 Westy.
> It has a solar panel, I store the vehicle in a dark garage.
> After finishing work, (I did some welding) I reconnected the
> batteries, and noticed my charge controller did not light up.
> I contacted the vendor of this solar panel system.
> We concluded I may've damaged the controller by leaving it connected
> to panel with no load (battery) connected.
> I figure this happened while moving bus outside, then inside, to
> re-orient it for automotive work required.
>
> Thankfully, this was an inexpensive PWM 10 Amp controller.   ;)
>
> Neil.
>
> --
> Neil n
>
> Blog: Vanagons, Westfalia, general <http://tubaneil.blogspot.ca>
>
> 1988 Westy Images <https://picasaweb.google.com/musomuso/New1988Westy>
>
> 1981 Westfalia "Jaco" Images, technical
> <http://tubaneil.googlepages.com/>
>
> Vanagon-Bus VAG Gas Engine Swap Group <http://tinyurl.com/khalbay>

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