4 Trojan T-105's Dead with Solar - Dutchmen Owners
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Old 11-19-2018, 12:07 AM   #1
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4 Trojan T-105's Dead with Solar

I'm an Air Force guy and deployed for a year. My wife has been starting the Voltage 3818 every month and running the generator. I have 4 Trojan T-105's which are less than a year old, 300 watts solar with a Blue Sky MPPT controller, and a Magnum inverter.

She started the trailer last month and ran the generator, and no problems. Things have been fine for 5 months. She starts it every month.

Today she went to start it and everything is totally dead. We did a FaceTime video and I verified the switch was on, and that it wasn't just the panel. The generator wouldn't start directly from the generator start either.

I'm guessing the kids might have left a light on, and because it's in Northern CA, the fires have obscured the sun. I still can't imagine lights killing 4 batteries that quickly with solar. And she is sure she turned the master switch off anyway, so nothing could stay on anyway.

Anyone have any ideas?

Grey
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Old 11-19-2018, 11:23 AM   #2
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Originally Posted by grey3818 View Post
I'm an Air Force guy and deployed for a year. My wife has been starting the Voltage 3818 every month and running the generator. I have 4 Trojan T-105's which are less than a year old, 300 watts solar with a Blue Sky MPPT controller, and a Magnum inverter.

She started the trailer last month and ran the generator, and no problems. Things have been fine for 5 months. She starts it every month.

Today she went to start it and everything is totally dead. We did a FaceTime video and I verified the switch was on, and that it wasn't just the panel. The generator wouldn't start directly from the generator start either.

I'm guessing the kids might have left a light on, and because it's in Northern CA, the fires have obscured the sun. I still can't imagine lights killing 4 batteries that quickly with solar. And she is sure she turned the master switch off anyway, so nothing could stay on anyway.

Anyone have any ideas?

Grey
From one Air Force guy to another, thank you for your service. I installed a 100 watt solar panel and that pretty much takes care of keeping the batteries topped off and taking care of the vampire loads. I have only ONE battery and it seems to work just fine, even when I have run the slides in and out a couple of times it regens in a day or so. it's pretty difficult to troubleshoot something like that from a distance. Your solar, even with the fires, should have kept the batteries somewhat charged even with the lights left on. I would think that there may be something else, if the batteries ARE run to where they are dead. Leave everything off and they should have some charge after a day or so with the solar panels... Do you have a status indicator on your solar charger controller?
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Old 11-19-2018, 01:09 PM   #3
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Have the batteries been checked for electrolyte levels?
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Old 11-20-2018, 07:39 PM   #4
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From one Air Force guy to another, thank you for your service. I installed a 100 watt solar panel and that pretty much takes care of keeping the batteries topped off and taking care of the vampire loads. I have only ONE battery and it seems to work just fine, even when I have run the slides in and out a couple of times it regens in a day or so. it's pretty difficult to troubleshoot something like that from a distance. Your solar, even with the fires, should have kept the batteries somewhat charged even with the lights left on. I would think that there may be something else, if the batteries ARE run to where they are dead. Leave everything off and they should have some charge after a day or so with the solar panels... Do you have a status indicator on your solar charger controller?
Hey thanks! No the solar panel is completely off, and the Incommand is dead. Basically everything is dead. I also can't imagine anything killing them with 300 watts of MPPT solar. I guess I'll just have to look when I get back for Xmas. Hopefully it's nothing that got fried.
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Old 11-20-2018, 07:41 PM   #5
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Have the batteries been checked for electrolyte levels?
I topped them off with distilled water right before I left, so that was July. Maybe in 5 months they got ran low because of the constant solar voltage? I'm just going to have to look when I get back for X-mas vacation.
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Old 11-21-2018, 01:21 AM   #6
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How far from the fires were you? If you were close enough the solar panels might have gotten covered in ash?

I had a camper in the woods and had to watch for falling leaves in the fall, they would cover the panels after a good storm and I would lose power.

Aaron
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Old 11-22-2018, 02:33 PM   #7
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1. Thanks for your service... USAF myself...
2. It is most likely to be a water issue with the battery... I have noticed since I went to a solar charger I have to add water every other month even with a battery conditioner in the system to keep everything at a 2 amp maintenance charge
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Old 11-22-2018, 03:41 PM   #8
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1. Thanks for your service... USAF myself...
2. It is most likely to be a water issue with the battery... I have noticed since I went to a solar charger I have to add water every other month even with a battery conditioner in the system to keep everything at a 2 amp maintenance charge



That is a lot of charge. Does your system do trickle charge and shut off when the battery is fully charged?
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