Solar installation works ! A few questions ..

[Gliderbee California 6.1]

I bought a solar panels installation from Solar Camper Solutions (Roger Donahue) in February of this year, and yesterday, the weather finally was good enough to install it.

The instructions that came with the kit, the messages on this formum (especially the youtube-video) were excellent help, though I heeded the advice of the carpenter: "measure twice, cut once".
All in all, after a few hours thinking, thinking again, reading again, thinking again and only then doing what needed to be done, it all worked right away (I did connect everything first without running the wires through the van, just as proof of concept).
If I had to do it a second time, I guess three hours would be plenty to have everything installed !

This is what I bought:
VW CALIFORNIA (T5 & T6) Solar Panel Kit
T6.1 (2020 onwards T6.1 update) : Yes
SE or Beach : California SE/Ocean/Coast (full conversion with cupboards)
Panel cable type : Curly self retracting cable
Single or Multiple Panels : 200W Dual panel kit (2 panels)
Charger Type : Victron MPPT 220w 75/15 + Integrated Bluetooth

I do have a few questions:

- Will the panels charge the leisure batteries to 100% (my guess is they will) or 80% ?
- I connected the negative not straight to the minus-pole of the battery, but to the bolt that keeps the battery in place, in front of it, so directly to the chassis. I read somewhere here that connecting it directly to the minus-pole might be better because then the system measures the condition of that battery alone, and hence can indicate problems in an earlier state. As I understood, a good battery might "hide" a problem with the other "bad" battery. Is that correct ? If so, it might be better to connect it directly to the minus-pole of the battery ?
- The Victron MPPT installed fine, although for the app, it took me some tries before I found the original PIN somewhere (000000, I didn't find it on the Victron itself). I changed it of course, but if I'd like to change it again, I need a PUK. Where can I find that ?

Thanks for all help,

Stefan.

 

[WelshGas]

I bought a solar panels installation from Solar Camper Solutions (Roger Donahue) in February of this year, and yesterday, the weather finally was good enough to install it.

The instructions that came with the kit, the messages on this formum (especially the youtube-video) were excellent help, though I heeded the advice of the carpenter: "measure twice, cut once".
All in all, after a few hours thinking, thinking again, reading again, thinking again and only then doing what needed to be done, it all worked right away (I did connect everything first without running the wires through the van, just as proof of concept).
If I had to do it a second time, I guess three hours would be plenty to have everything installed !

This is what I bought:
VW CALIFORNIA (T5 & T6) Solar Panel Kit
T6.1 (2020 onwards T6.1 update) : Yes
SE or Beach : California SE/Ocean/Coast (full conversion with cupboards)
Panel cable type : Curly self retracting cable
Single or Multiple Panels : 200W Dual panel kit (2 panels)
Charger Type : Victron MPPT 220w 75/15 + Integrated Bluetooth

I do have a few questions:

- Will the panels charge the leisure batteries to 100% (my guess is they will) or 80% ?
- I connected the negative not straight to the minus-pole of the battery, but to the bolt that keeps the battery in place, in front of it, so directly to the chassis. I read somewhere here that connecting it directly to the minus-pole might be better because then the system measures the condition of that battery alone, and hence can indicate problems in an earlier state. As I understood, a good battery might "hide" a problem with the other "bad" battery. Is that correct ? If so, it might be better to connect it directly to the minus-pole of the battery ?
- The Victron MPPT installed fine, although for the app, it took me some tries before I found the original PIN somewhere (000000, I didn't find it on the Victron itself). I changed it of course, but if I'd like to change it again, I need a PUK. Where can I find that ?

Thanks for all help,

Stefan.

1. Batteries will be charged to 100%.

2. Do Not connect the -tve lead directly to the battery -tve pole on a T6.1, but to a chassis bolt/earth point. This way you do not bypass the battery monitor module that each leisure battery has on the T6.1 and you willavoid possible problems with the Control Panel battery monitor.

3. The PUK is normally on a card or back of the Victron on a label.

 

[yossarian]

I read somewhere here that connecting it directly to the minus-pole might be better because then the system measures the condition of that battery alone, and hence can indicate problems in an earlier state. As I understood, a good battery might "hide" a problem with the other "bad" battery. Is that correct ? If so, it might be better to connect it directly to the minus-pole of the battery ?

Connecting to the negative pole of the battery will cause massive problems. The way you have connected it is correct.

I need a PUK. Where can I find that ?

There's a sticker (usually on the side) of your mppt. If that's missing your dealer can obtain the PUK from victron using the serial number.

 

[Gliderbee California 6.1]

Got the PUK, thanks ! It was on top of the mppt (I'm not sure how I could miss it: I looked at both sides and the back, but not on top ..).