# Solar Panels Fitted. Now Drawing 3amps during Darkness!!



## datasafe (Aug 8, 2011)

So I finally got my solar panels fitted - 2 x 200 watt panels.



The regulator & the remote control panel fitted


The Regulator is located under one of the seats which in turn is above the leisure battery storage area.


Remote Control Panel beneath the Burstner control panel. This shows the screen after the batteries were fully charged.


When the installation was completed and the van moved out into the sunshine, the display showed the batteries were being charged at 16amps and several hours later were fully charged.

I've been popping into the Burstner during the day just to see how things are working. The control panel is always showing the leisure batteries fully charged. 

Last night I took a look and the Burstner control panels was showing 3amps being drawn! Nothing was switched on.

So why is this happening? I'm guessing it's the Solar installation causing it, but that's just a guess. Having read the manual for the regulator it does go into some detail about programming the regulator for daytime & nightime - obviously necessary but something I haven't done! I didn't realise this was something that featured in solar panel installation or indeed whether it could be the cause of my 3amps draw!

Anyone got any theories?

Cheers

John


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## inkey-2008 (May 24, 2008)

You may need a blocking diode, Listerdiesel has been covering this subject in a thread just recently. 

Andy


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## listerdiesel (Aug 3, 2012)

The regulator should disconnect the panels as soon as daylight ends, to stop the battery backfeeding the panels.

If you had fitted blocking diodes then they would do it for you without any special provisions on the controller, but all controllers have this feature, even the little cheapy ones.

Peter


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## datasafe (Aug 8, 2011)

Thanks guys

The more I think about it, the more I believe it to be in the software control settings within the regulator (if in doubt, read the manual  )

I've been out to the van this morning and the battery is 98% charged. Now I need to undrstand the programming for night/day and the intelligent learning of this regulator!

Fitting a blocking diode will be a simple task but might be unecessary.


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## makems (Jul 26, 2010)

From the picture it looks like 0.3 rather than 3 amps. 
At that level could it just be current drain for things like the radio, alarm etc?


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## datasafe (Aug 8, 2011)

That picture was after the batteries were fully charged and shows .3amp charge  not the panel that shows the current drain I was referring to. It was the Burstner's control panel that indicated the 3 amps draw during darkness last night.

I'm into page 32 of the manual! I hate manuals


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## RhinoInstalls (May 11, 2010)

When i solar is fitted to some units you may get false readings, you may also find when you plug into mains you will get funny readings to, beacuse you have fitted the solar display read that rather than the burstner display.

So you will not have a drain !!!

Phil


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