Now what do I do?
Me again! Well I got the portable solar panel. Is it just a matter of connecting the clips to the battery? Do I take off the plugs from the sockets on top of the battery and then clip the alligator clips to whatever is underneath the plugs?
Thanks xxx
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It looks like the panel has a proper controller so you should not need to disconnect the existing terminals. A dirty and dangerous job anyway as even with sealed batteries there seems to be acid and corrosion about.
Unless you are going to use the panel once only I suggest you ditch the crocodile clips and arrange an easy to connect/disconnect plug and socket arrangement. These clips do fly off at inappropriate times and make for a poor, sometimes overheating, contact anyway.
So down to Maplin for a look at the plugs/sockets they sell for solar panels. A couple of short lengths of wire the same size as on the panel - matching colours as well even - and a couple of terminals that you can piggy-back onto the existing battery terminals. Take a picture of your terminals on your phone so they can give you appropriate terminals.
And Sainsburys for a pair of Marigolds and you are just about there. The only help you will need is to connect plug/socket and terminals onto the wires, and your local independent garage will have the kit to do that for you - or pop in here anytime I'm about!
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Appearances can be deceptive (to me anyway) - I thought I was looking at a blue and red plugs like domestic plugs and sockets but I found they were actually Quick Power Battery Terminal connectors
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e_FxZ5T0LnU&index=1&list=FL8-g0VpaLkSe7qKZTiZRgzA
I lifted them up and got a better picture for underneath - can't see where I would lock on the crocodile clips though?
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I know what I would do... sell all the kit on e.bay and plug into mains electricity.
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Helpful
I agree that the best thing to do would be to remove the crocodile clips and have a plug wired to the battery. Actually it would be best to remove the controller from the back of pannel and place it permanently wired to the battery and then connect the panel to the controller. Worth say some caravan 12v distribution \ fuse units allow you to plug the controller in their, saves having multiple wires attached to the battery.
All of the above is good in theory but not much help to you. With the connectors you have you have 2 choices in my opinion. The first one is to replace them with standard battery terminal connectors, the type you have to tighten up with a spanner. The second choice is to butcher those connectors to remove the plastic covers so that you can attach the clips.
Finally I think that you have the part that holds the cable upside down. It should form a circle, as shown in the you tube link that you posted.
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Dunno if it helps, but we've just bought a panel, and it came with two rings for attaching to the battery terminals - had to find the right size nuts - once I'd snipped off the crocodile clips, and crimped the rings on instead. And on our van, there's no room for anything more in the battery box like large extra clips, it's hard enough cramming battery and wires in as it is!
Then there's an in-line connecting plug already attached a short way down the wires, so I just marry the two together, then when we've finished, unplug and leave the wires in place on the terminals, one half of plug connector safely in the battery box, other half stashed away in the folding solar panel. Nice and clean and easy. I've only had the chance of briefly testing it so far, but it seems to work well.
Would it be possible to get such a plug installed into your wires in a similar way? Once it's set up it's no hassle.And we're looking forward, like you, to EHU-free trips, so no, don't sell it and plug in instead :-)
Best of luck,
Richard
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Believe us - ditch the crocodile clips! Sell them off on eBay - somebody, somewhere will want them!!
Those existing battery terminals will accept the additional wires just fine. I would suggest you remove the battery to give space to work on the terminals. Whoever did it before made an untidy job - the wire strands do not need to stick out the back of the clamp so much. Three millimeters would be fine. I'm sure you could tidy that up a bit when you have them apart.
Also gives you the chance to have a wipe around in the battery compartment, and clean the top of the battery. I use wet wipes for this as they can go straight in the bin afterwards.
You are nearly there now.
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OK - from all your very helpful replies and having to think hard to make practical side of brain work - this is the plan
Would like to have solar panel leads wired permanently into battery as will be using it a lot.
So - cut the leads from the solar panel about 18" down from the clips end. Then find connector plug and sockets to be able to join up the cut leads again (MC4??). Wire up the connectors. Do this with the solar panel covered or face down as there might be a charge coming though?
Then at the other end, cut off the crocodile clips from both leads. Strip back the wire covering a bit to expose the wires. Move the leisure battery into a good position to work on it ie on a small table in front of the box. Unscrew the battery terminals enough to slip the wires through next to existing wiring - red to red side and black to blue side. Then tighten up screws. I can then tuck away the solar panel leads until I need them and then connect them to the sockets on ends.
Just one question - all different leads ie motor mover/solar panel/caravan etc all wired into the battery terminals - are they OK touching each other? Looking at my pics above the motor mover and caravan power lead seem to be side by side going through the connecty thing.
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Yes. Same as an adaptor in a socket in your home where you could have an iron and a lamp "joined" together at the wall outlet.
Remember to tidy off the stragelly ends. Also, a slight smear of Vaseline on the battery terminals and the connectors will help keep them clean and working well. There is technical reason for it being Vaseline, other similar cosmetics will not be any use.
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What you suggest will work and it doesn't matter at the battery if leads from the panel touch other wires attached to the battery as long as ithey are all the same polarity.
It would be better if you moved the controller to near the battery. 3 reasons for this.
1. It is more efficient
2 some controllers have a temperature compensation to sense the temperature at the battery and adjust the charging accordingly.
3. Best practise is to connect the battery to the controller then to the panel.
I wouldn't use MC4 connectors because these are used to make a fairly permanent connection and you need a tool to remove them Better off seeing what Maplins have
some people have used a cigarette plug and socket to make the connection. When I had a free standing panel I used a 110v socket and plug. I used this simply because it was lying about in my garage. It was supposed to be temporary but I used it for about 4 years until we changed the van.
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We use a free standing panel.
Bought it from a specialist firm who also wired it in
for us. The leads from the panel have been lengthened to 6 meters so it will comfortably reach around the ends of the van when necessary.
Connection is made via a 12S socket. The male part connected to the panel and the female connected to a short lead and hooked onto the battery wires. Wires taken from the charging circuit and earth into the pins.
All tucks away in the battery box when not in use.
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I caution against using plug/sockets that are recognisable for another purpose as someday, someone, will plug them in to the "obvious" connection and something will go wrong. There are recognised 12 volt connectors for this job. Maplin (and others) will have them.
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Right then, just been down to Maplins and ordered 4 x inline connectors - 2 x male and 2 x female plus a solar crimping tool. ETA 3 working days.
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LOL! Probably more tinkering than fixing! I'm on a roll now, just ordered a multi meter. Looking forward to poking it into all sorts of places
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So Maplins isn't that bad a place after all, once you get into it. Apart from, of course, coming out with things you never knew existed before.
When I was first taught how to use a multi meter it was a box about the size of a large box of cornflakes, but it weighted many many times more. The first lesson was to always leave it switched too the highest AC (alternating current - the way the house mains work) range so that when you tested something new that you didn't know about you would not damage the meter. Still applies today - start high and work low. Oh - and keep your fingers off the metal bits of the probes when taking a reading!
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Sounds like my old AVO 8 Nav -- Still prefer a 'swinging stick' meter myself as long as it is treated with the care and respect it deserves.
{ Swinging stick is a non-digital meter, and AVO is a high quality calibratable but definitely mistreatable make }
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The AVO was a great improvement - small, compact and light compared to the Eversheds Bridge Megger. Still got one in its magnificent mahogany case.
Rosie, you don't need to bother about these last two posst!
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Are you thinking of setting up as a 'Mobile Caravan Mechanic { electrickery my speciality } ' 