diy solar

diy solar

Help with my system - some lights work, some don't

LightOnTheRoad

New Member
Joined
Oct 8, 2020
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4
Soo, first time posting here, also first time building my own mobile, floating system. I have encountered the following problem: some of my lights/LED strips do not work.
If I plug them straight into MPPT solar charger, they work. So the wires, connections and 'bulbs' are all fine.

If I try running them through my either switch panels, they do not work.

However, running the ceiling lights through either the switch panels work fine.

They all run through the same negative bus bar.

Let me know if any more information is needed.

Please help, I don't know what else to try!
 
If I plug them straight into MPPT solar charger, they work. So the wires, connections and 'bulbs' are all fine.

If I try running them through my either switch panels, they do not work.
Do you have a volt meter? If so, I'd say start working backwards... sound like you don't have voltage at the switch panel on all the circuits...possibly a blown fuse on a circuit?
 
Do you have a volt meter? If so, I'd say start working backwards... sound like you don't have voltage at the switch panel on all the circuits...possibly a blown fuse on a circuit?
Hi, yes all the fuses are fine and the volt meter is happy with 12.3 on all switches (the ones with the working lights, as well as the ones with the lights that don't work - changing them around doesn't change anything...).
 
Hi, yes all the fuses are fine and the volt meter is happy with 12.3 on all switches (the ones with the working lights, as well as the ones with the lights that don't work - changing them around doesn't change anything...).
What is the voltage at the end of the line?
By end of the line I mean at the bulb.
 
What is the voltage at the end of the line?
By end of the line I mean at the bulb.
I'll have to check tomorrow, already away from the vehicle atm. However, if I plug them straight into the solar charge controller, they all work fine...
 
what's the voltage on the MPPT output? Possibly there's not enough power for everything? With everything else flipped off does it work?
 
One problem that I encountered with my LED light strips is that they are very particular about having positive and negative correctly wired. The do not work when those two are reversed.
 
Thanks for all the suggestions so far!

The voltage at the final connectors at the strip is also 12.3. They are correctly wired, they work when plugged directly into the charge controller (which also has the correct V). They won't come on though, when wired into the switch panels running directly of the battery (through a battery guard). Other lights wired into the switch panels work.....
 
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