Electrical Solar Reg single wire load terminal...mystery solved.

[Drover]

Over time I have come across Solar Regs with only a single red wire from the load plug, often a 1230 unit or similar base line job......................... have always wondered and asked whats going on, nobody could tell me.........

Today I discovered the answer while rewiring a mates Supreme, his battery had had a melt down so we were doing the whole shebang properly, he had unidentified wires from fuse block as well as some hanging off the battery, proper dogs breakfast, so before replacing the 240v charger and battery, we needed to work out what each cable was and in the process with the panel all open, saw the power feed to the fuse block wasn't coming from the battery at all, it was white and headed into the van, the neg though was connected to the battery Neg post, I had a light bulb moment and went inside pulled out the 12v power switch and there it was, the white feed from fuse block, a continuity test showed it connected to the Load output of the solar reg drawing battery power for van via the battery terminals on the solar reg........... not my ideal solution but at least when folk loose all power I have an extra spot to look................... This was in a Supreme van but I'm sure I have seen it in a Jayco and a New Age before....
Most impressed that the wiring in this Supreme is far better than the minimum gauge often used in most vans, this stuff is certainly capable of carrying extra load...

 

[Boots in Action]

Over time I have come across Solar Regs with only a single red wire from the load plug, often a 1230 unit or similar base line job......................... have always wondered and asked whats going on, nobody could tell me.........

Today I discovered the answer while rewiring a mates Supreme, his battery had had a melt down so we were doing the whole shebang properly, he had unidentified wires from fuse block as well as some hanging off the battery, proper dogs breakfast, so before replacing the 240v charger and battery, we needed to work out what each cable was and in the process with the panel all open, saw the power feed to the fuse block wasn't coming from the battery at all, it was white and headed into the van, the neg though was connected to the battery Neg post, I had a light bulb moment and went inside pulled out the 12v power switch and there it was, the white feed from fuse block, a continuity test showed it connected to the Load output of the solar reg drawing battery power for van via the battery terminals on the solar reg........... not my ideal solution but at least when folk loose all power I have an extra spot to look................... This was in a Supreme van but I'm sure I have seen it in a Jayco and a New Age before....
Most impressed that the wiring in this Supreme is far better than the minimum gauge often used in most vans, this stuff is certainly capable of carrying extra load...

@Drover , that sort of "hook up" is just a lazy way to get power from battery because a closer point just happens to be the "load" terminals on the solar controller were closer.....maybe??
But probably the real reason is that the person doing the electrical connection did not realise that that a single load connection does NOT provide any readings at all on the solar controller as all the power outputs are not THROUGH the controller so no discharge reading would be shown on display screen. Not only that, but with only one connection (not (both pos and neg) there would be no LVD when battery was low and the same thing when LVR when battery above settings on solar controller which may be different from BMS. Sounds like a half a#### attempt to get TP1250 to show discharge current A little knowledge can be dangerous in that regard.

 

[Drover]

@Drover , that sort of "hook up" is just a lazy way to get power from battery because a closer point just happens to be the "load" terminals on the solar controller were closer.....maybe??
But probably the real reason is that the person doing the electrical connection did not realise that that a single load connection does NOT provide any readings at all on the solar controller as all the power outputs are not THROUGH the controller so no discharge reading would be shown on display screen. Not only that, but with only one connection (not (both pos and neg) there would be no LVD when battery was low and the same thing when LVR when battery above settings on solar controller which may be different from BMS. Sounds like a half a#### attempt to get TP1250 to show discharge current A little knowledge can be dangerous in that regard.

Its done by the manufacturers, so not lazy, economical for them, with battery, 240v charger, fuse block in the boot, the solar reg inside usually around the middle of the van in a cupboard and the need to provide a 12v on/off switch inside van, they run the battery cables from solar reg to battery then run a line from load to fuse block with an On/Off switch in line, the fuse block NEG is straight to battery, mate still wanted a switch inside so no drama as he doesn't care about any data display, as he said means nothing to him and with a 1250 why bother really ..................... sorted the birds nest hanging off his battery chopped off all the crimped connectors on the current carrier cables and used some decent jobs and fitted an extra fuse block for some stuff to save power loss doing an extra 20 odd foot run for nothing with supply coming from a battery direct buzz bar.... Fitted an Enerdrive 240v mains charger, quite a nice unit, far better than the dodgy job originally used......

Ive been wondering for many years this one wire set up, now I know...........................

 

[Boots in Action]

Its done by the manufacturers, so not lazy, economical for them, with battery, 240v charger, fuse block in the boot, the solar reg inside usually around the middle of the van in a cupboard and the need to provide a 12v on/off switch inside van, they run the battery cables from solar reg to battery then run a line from load to fuse block with an On/Off switch in line, the fuse block NEG is straight to battery, mate still wanted a switch inside so no drama as he doesn't care about any data display, as he said means nothing to him and with a 1250 why bother really ..................... sorted the birds nest hanging off his battery chopped off all the crimped connectors on the current carrier cables and used some decent jobs and fitted an extra fuse block for some stuff to save power loss doing an extra 20 odd foot run for nothing with supply coming from a battery direct buzz bar.... Fitted an Enerdrive 240v mains charger, quite a nice unit, far better than the dodgy job originally used......

Ive been wondering for many years this one wire set up, now I know...........................

Thanks @Drover for your explanation on how some van manufacturers save money on cabling. Now I even understand why there are two different instructions on how to operate a TPS1230 or similar model Topray. One does not mention anything about displaying discharge current - only battery voltage and current IN from solar controller. The other instruction details how to get up the Discharge current on the display (different sequence of pushing buttons) as well as battery voltage and charging current (from solar).
What they do not say is that the latter is only possible with both pos and neg lines for loads must be connected to load terminals on controller. No wonder there is often confusion on how to understand the different instructions for the same model - all to save money. But then a lot of people could not be bothered knowing how to operate controls on solar controller anyway, let alone be able to understand what each display meant.

 

[Drover]

Well thats just my assumption @Boots in Action , the only plausable reason I could think of, at first I thought the Load specs might be lacking but 30amp is more than enough for a van and the external anderson is 2 way so was connected direct to battery so it could have a compressor hanging off it............ also chucked the little fuse holders off the battery cable and spliced in a Maxi on Pos and Neg cables ................... Big Mal never had a 12v switch inside at all, it was pull the fuse in the boot so with the fuse panel inside I dug around behind it and found the 12v feed and ran it thru a switch so I can shut down from inside...

I stay away from trying to explain electrical displays, like weights it just rolls eyes to back of head.

 

[Boots in Action]

Well thats just my assumption @Boots in Action , the only plausable reason I could think of, at first I thought the Load specs might be lacking but 30amp is more than enough for a van and the external anderson is 2 way so was connected direct to battery so it could have a compressor hanging off it............ also chucked the little fuse holders off the battery cable and spliced in a Maxi on Pos and Neg cables ................... Big Mal never had a 12v switch inside at all, it was pull the fuse in the boot so with the fuse panel inside I dug around behind it and found the 12v feed and ran it thru a switch so I can shut down from inside...

I stay away from trying to explain electrical displays, like weights it just rolls eyes to back of head.

I would go along with that assumption @Drover , as my first comment stated. But if one is running as single cable through the innards of a van, why not make it a twin cable?? Additional cost I agree, but surely a simple way to provide more info on battery charging/discharging for those that want it. Maybe too early in the van world to provide that info when there are other electrical devices to provide more basic details eg. how much time left in battery at current consumption rate. Easier for the less educated to understand??

 

[Drover]

Anything with a Topray 1230 or similar is basic solar set up so your not going to find any flash guestimate monitor.............. and in the more elaborate set ups with monitors for everything most haven't got clue but in this day and age gimmicks sell ..................

Off topic, while in Marborough saw a very nice Grand Cherokee, top of the line with all the bling towing a fancy off road van, big nobby tyres, rock rails, with the chassis about level with the Jeeps door handles, I just couldn't see why you would need a van that could go anywhere with a tug that couldn't, this van so so high a lifted Cruiser even Landrover would hang up before the van........................ on the back of a Mog it would be awesome.........

 

[Boots in Action]

Anything with a Topray 1230 or similar is basic solar set up so your not going to find any flash guestimate monitor.............. and in the more elaborate set ups with monitors for everything most haven't got clue but in this day and age gimmicks sell ..................

Off topic, while in Marborough saw a very nice Grand Cherokee, top of the line with all the bling towing a fancy off road van, big nobby tyres, rock rails, with the chassis about level with the Jeeps door handles, I just couldn't see why you would need a van that could go anywhere with a tug that couldn't, this van so so high a lifted Cruiser even Landrover would hang up before the van........................ on the back of a Mog it would be awesome.........

Yep @Drover, with a large high off road van as you described, a Unimog also has the ground clearances and would make a great tug!! With an 8 speed box (low ratio on gears 1 to 4, and high ratio on gears 5 to 8), and all wheel drive, they can go almost anywhere. I think it was a 6.0 liter turbo diesel ands a minimum road range of over 600kms. Drives like a car when you get up to 5 or 6th gear and heaps of torque. Drove several during my military service. Hate to pay to fill up tank though.

 

[Drover]

Yep @Drover, with a large high off road van as you described, a Unimog also has the ground clearances and would make a great tug!! With an 8 speed box (low ratio on gears 1 to 4, and high ratio on gears 5 to 8), and all wheel drive, they can go almost anywhere. I think it was a 6.0 liter turbo diesel ands a minimum road range of over 600kms. Drives like a car when you get up to 5 or 6th gear and heaps of torque. Drove several during my military service. Hate to pay to fill up tank though.

Fuel tank was a kero tin size which gave a round 500kms and drove me nuts on a run to the Gulf Country and Cape York, I carried a few 44's in the tray to refuel from but I loved driving them, won a bottle of Bundy off a stockman racing a 'Cruiser in reverse down Silver plains airstrip, they near fell over as I went thru the gears as i got up to full noise in reverse, a Mog can go faster than a Landcruiser backwards.............. scary stuff though.... Of course we all polished it off around the campfire that night.............. Perfect vehicle for retirees as not in a hurry suits, RAAF ones had a winch which could be handy...