Solar Panel Wire + Water = Corrosion

[Vanagon Nut]

Hi all.

The issue could be installer error on my part, but
IMO, if one mounts a solar panel with this type of wire exposed, they might be wise to seal sheath where wires enter.

Further to corrosion I found at wires themselves, found more inside the controller. The controller has failed. Failure could be due to corrosion or me taking vehicle into daylight with controller connected, no load. d-oh. (was working on the van)

https://picasaweb.google.com/musomuso/SolarPanelInstall#5909500018535843442

I'd asked the vendor if there was any issue with mounting the controller upside down. He said "no" so I did so adding new labels. The only issue I can think of, in hindsight, is water ingress. Had I mounted it right side up, water likely wouldn't have gotten in.

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1981 Westy DIY 15º ABA

1988 West DIY 50º ABA

VE7TBN

[OhChit]

.
Bummer. Maybe you can replace the solar mounted charge unit with a fixed inside of the Van charge controller there cheap enough. I'm sure your solar panel survived.

That was one of my concerns when going solar.
and thus why I went with an installed inside of Van charge controller
with
a Portable as needed external Solar Panel not perm mounted in any one fixed location. Portable.

Also didn't want something exposed to the constant weather changes, Uv etc when mine was used so seldom.

Best of Recovery to you.
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Fast Cars, and Slow Women Makes me DrooL.

[Howesight]

Here in Raincouver, it really is hard to keep the water out of a Westy!

Here's a decent deal on Amazon for a configurable charge controller with digital display:

http://www.amazon.com/EPsolar-Viewstar-VS2024BN-Battery-Controller/dp/B00N4PTJWI

This unit is the one that came with my Renogy 100W folding panel, so I have experience with it. Mainly, it lets you know what your system is actually doing. It is totally configurable (so that you can custom tailor the charge process to what your battery likes) and reads out all kinds of useful as well as nerdy information.

By the way, most charge controllers do need to allow cooling air to flow through them by convection to cool the electronics. I think the tech who advised you was incorrect about an upside-down mounting.
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'86 Syncro Westy SVX

[Vanagon Nut]

Been away camping. Sorry for the late reply.

re: cooling. The unit was mounted with plenty of room around it but I get what you mean; the back of the unit, or the entire unit itself, may allow air to flow better when mounted right side up.

Hopefully my initial post wasn't misleading, but the controller was (and is), installed inside the van.
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1981 Westy DIY 15º ABA

1988 West DIY 50º ABA

VE7TBN

[Johns '58 pan Manx]

DEATH WOBBLES possible CAUSE
Here's a new one for me...
My Dune Buggy has the Death Wobbles and I have tried everything to fix it... then I spun the tire, noted a high spot on the right front. So I dismounted and re mounted the tire at 1/5 turn.
I found that the BRAKE DRUM was spinning with a high spot! wow. The Break Drum is manufactured WRONG! The center was bored correct with the shoe surface, but Not centered with the Lug Bolts! You can actually SEE the mis-bored hub OFF CENTER !! Lug bolts are off from that dimension by a whopping 1/16th inch.
POW! There's my Death Wobbles!
All of the parts are rebuilt or new, nice tight and right everything... the balance is good and alignment all done, steering box adjusted nice, new sway bar. None of that changed the death wobbles! At 55 mph it would start and get violent, then go smooth on new blacktop, then the death wobbles would come back.
I have new break drums on the way, fingers crossed that was the only thing left it could be!
I hope this helps you guy's out!
Check this before you spend a ton of money!
These drums look so old, I think this has been a problem for this VW for a very long time!

Good Luck too all of you, I love my Dune Buggy, and hope to do a smooth 70 mph!