2019 242x Solar Panel Charging

[CDENsomnia]

I have now had my 2019 242x out on the water a couple weekends now and this last weekend my house battery has just continued to drop in voltage. I am guessing this is from running the stereo almost all day every day. On Saturday about half way through the day my house battery was reading 11.9 on connext and my amps started to turn off due to lack of proper voltage. Once I fired up the engines everything returned to normal. I charged the battery for a good 15 minutes at an elevated idle which helped a lot but I am pretty disappointed in this whole solar panel thing. I swear it's not doing anything.

I saw a few posts on wiring being backwards but what I was curious of is the new single solar panel bulot in to the bimini actually keeping the batteries topped off if they have a decent amount of sun. I really have not seen any indication the panel is working at all! While sitting and listening to music I even see my starting battery drop in voltage starting the day at 12.7 and ending at 12.4 give or take and that while we surf keeping the engines running for an good few hours.

I am going to take my multimeter with me this weekend to do some.troubleshooting but it would be nice to hear other 2019 owners that the panel is doing something. Also any tips for figuring out what might be going on would be nice but I have read some other posts so I have some idea what to look for.

Oh one thing I did try is watching the voltage on connext and then unplugging the solar panel...no difference on a sunny day!

 

[BigAbe75]

I haven’t even taken my solar panel out of the garage. I was thinking about bringing it on our upcoming vacation. But, I think we will have power in our covered slip each night. So, I’ll probably just plug it in, anyway. Right now, I guess I’m not feeling like I’ll ever use it.

 

[BigAbe75]

I’ll add, that with it now being velcro’d into the bimini... it is less useful to me. I do store my boat outside, and it could be a sweet trickle charger for me. But, I don’t want to leave the canvas deployed to let it sunfade. I like the look of the new model better, but the usefulness of having that larger rack that the 16-17 years had make the solar panels more useable to me on those boats.

 

[CDENsomnia]

I’ll add, that with it now being velcro’d into the bimini... it is less useful to me. I do store my boat outside, and it could be a sweet trickle charger for me. But, I don’t want to leave the canvas deployed to let it sunfade. I like the look of the new model better, but the usefulness of having that larger rack that the 16-17 years had make the solar panels more useable to me on those boats.

I completely agree! I love the look of the 18 and 19s but the function of having the solar panels permanently mounted to the bimini frame are better! I was just hoping that it served just as well as the two panels! I have heard from a few other members that they havent had to charge the batteries at all. I am now considering getting an onboarding dual bank charger like my old boat had. I never worried about the charge on that boat. I am also considering expanding the size of the batteries as well.

 

[tabbibus]

OP, I've seen the same on my 2018 242 lse. I don't think the panels are working. I haven't had time to look at the wiring in my dvsr.

I too have seem the start battery deplete itself a bit when floating. Something is definitely wired wrong. I've just been to busy to check.

https://jetboaters.net/threads/batt...is-normal.21887/[HASH=153]#post[/HASH]-375069

That's my recent post about it

 

[CDENsomnia]

OP, I've seen the same on my 2018 242 lse. I don't think the panels are working. I haven't had time to look at the wiring in my dvsr.

I too have seem the start battery deplete itself a bit when floating. Something is definitely wired wrong. I've just been to busy to check.

https://jetboaters.net/threads/batt...is-normal.21887/[HASH=153]#post[/HASH]-375069

That's my recent post about it

The link doesnt work...

 

[tabbibus]

https://jetboaters.net/threads/battery-voltage-charge-is-this-normal.21887/

Now?

 

[CDENsomnia]

Just went ahead and ordered a 2 bank onboard charger. But if anyone has any ideas it would be nice to have a working solar charger!

 

[tabbibus]

Just went ahead and ordered a 2 bank onboard charger. But if anyone has any ideas it would be nice to have a working solar charger!

Which one did you get?

 

[CDENsomnia]

Which one did you get?

Got the same one I had on my AR240. NOCO 2 bank charger. I heard there is some.loop to break for the DVSR but will have to do some reading to figure that one out before I install the onboard charger.

 

[BigAbe75]

Got the same one I had on my AR240. NOCO 2 bank charger. I heard there is some.loop to break for the DVSR but will have to do some reading to figure that one out before I install the onboard charger.

That’s the same one I have. Dealer installed it. @jcyamaharider and I confirmed, last weekend, that the DVSR wire was not snipped when they installed. Dealer said it wasn’t a big deal. Not totally sure I believed that, but I guess that’s what I’m going with for now.

@Mainah

 

[CDENsomnia]

That’s the same one I have. Dealer installed it. @jcyamaharider and I confirmed, last weekend, that the DVSR wire was not snipped when they installed. Dealer said it wasn’t a big deal. Not totally sure I believed that, but I guess that’s what I’m going with for now.

@Mainah

I have been reading I need to put a switch on the ground wire for the dvsr once I install the noco. Man this stuff is really getting complicated for someone with no electrical knowledge. Sad part is I worked with my dad growing up on all kinds of circuits...hes was an electrician! Gezzz I feel like I failed him!

 

[Mainah]

That’s the same one I have. Dealer installed it. @jcyamaharider and I confirmed, last weekend, that the DVSR wire was not snipped when they installed. Dealer said it wasn’t a big deal. Not totally sure I believed that, but I guess that’s what I’m going with for now.

@Mainah

What wattage are the panels? Do they have anti a reverse circuit? Do they have a polarity circuit? Basically what are all of the specs on the panels? Then how are they wired to the controller and how is the controller wired to the boat?

 

[CDENsomnia]

What wattage are the panels? Do they have anti a reverse circuit? Do they have a polarity circuit? Basically what are all of the specs on the panels? Then how are they wired to the controller and how is the controller wired to the boat?

Someone else will have to speak to that as they are the stock panels which come on the 2018 and 2019 boats.

 

[Cambo]

Just checked my panels at the tower plugs port side was 16.4 volts starboard was 0 v checked the continuity and its shorted out . I would think they should both have the same voltage . The battery switches are all set to off . Can someone else with a 16 or 17 e series check to see what they have for voltage readings . Maybe a fuse is blown somewhere a shorted electrical device would usaually burn up and ultimately create an open circuit

 

[tabbibus]

Just checked my panels at the tower plugs port side was 16.4 volts starboard was 0 v checked the continuity and its shorted out . I would think they should both have the same voltage . The battery switches are all set to off . Can someone else with a 16 or 17 e series check to see what they have for voltage readings . Maybe a fuse is blown somewhere a shorted electrical device would usaually burn up and ultimately create an open circuit

Where did you put the multimeter leads?

 

[Cambo]

disconnected the plug on the tower by the Bimini top put some aligator clips in the plug and clipped to the meter. The 2017 has a plug on each side and two solar panels I think the newer models are different

 

[Cambo]

Just realized it’s probably the plug for the light . So looks like the panels are working

 

[Julian]

@CDENsomnia your signature image is not set to "public" so members cannot see it (and if the space hold is accurate your signature is too tall as well).

 

[Kevin-yyz]

I’ve also run into this problem. I’m pretty sure that the solar panel on my 2018 242x is not charging the battery. With only the house battery on the voltage will drop below 12v. I’ve never seen the red DVSR light on. Running both engines on idle brings both batteries to 14v.

This is how the batteries were setup, does anything look off? Start battery is the first picture.