2018 Sport 22w/Solar -Battery Dead

[LiveStreamn]

Our very new Sport is in outdoor storage for the winter. I thought that since we had solar that I did not need to remove the battery as it would charge as needed. Went to check on it today (since I am furloughed) and the battery is dead. When I hooked up TV all lit up with no issues. Thoughts/suggestions?

[AirstreamInc]

Hi LiveStreamn,

Please feel free to call our customer service and technical support team at*1 (877) 596-6111, option 2 so we can learn more and help.

Thanks.

[YippieKiYa]

The Airstream folks will take good care of you. Two questions - How long was it stored since its last use, and what position was the use/store switch in? Solar only charges when it’s left in the use setting. If in the store position, the battery will fade away over time.

[overlander63]

Originally Posted by YippieKiYa

The Airstream folks will take good care of you. Two questions - How long was it stored since its last use, and what position was the use/store switch in? Solar only charges when it’s left in the use setting. If in the store position, the battery will fade away over time.

Solar is supposed to be wired to bypass the use/store switch.

[YippieKiYa]

Originally Posted by overlander63

Solar is supposed to be wired to bypass the use/store switch.

OK, which is it? It makes more sense to bypass it with solar, but I’ve seen several posts that say it has to be in use mode to get the solar charge on the factory setups.

[rmkrum]

Sometimes the wiring varies, or the installer screws up.

Our solar system started out wired to the wrong side of the relay which made it charge only in use. Then I figured out what was wrong, and moved the solar controller output to go directly to the batteries. Now it maintains the batteries no matter what.

Don’t ask why I screwed up my own install the first time...

[LiveStreamn]

It had been stored for a couple of months without use. I assume you are asking about the main power switch. It was turned off as it was my understanding that solar bypassed the switch.

[Stews]

I have a 2016 Classic and I had the same problem this Winter. I tried to get answers from the Airstream technical support, but I have found they are not helpful and haven't answered my emails or phone messages. Very disappointed in them. I finally just gave out and took the batteries out, put them in the basement, educated myself on battery chargers and maintainers, and that's where they are now.
Bryan Stewart. Fort Meade, Maryland

[Airdream99]

Originally Posted by AirstreamInc

Hi LiveStreamn,

Please feel free to call our customer service and technical support team at*1 (877) 596-6111, option 2 so we can learn more and help.

Thanks.

I too need to call and get this straight. I am very disappointed that Airstream did not include a simple solar system instruction manual with such an expensive option.

[Stews]

I just tried to call the Service Customer Support number listed on number 2. No one answered and the voice mail said the are closed for the holidays and will return on January 2nd. Today is January 23rd. Wow!

Bryan Stewart, Fort Meade, Maryland

[Stews]

Just got a call back from Airstream Service and he was very helpful. I guess persistence is the name of the game!

Bryan Stewart, Fort Meade, MD

[MrChefDave]

Just saw this and was following. What happens when the solar is connected directly to the batteries and the charge is complete? Is there a method that the solar is shut off, or goes into maintenance mode? Concerned about overcharging. Thanks Oh and what did Airstream say?

[davidz71]

You should have a charge controller between the panels and your battery to keep them from overcharging. Most solar panels put out 16-21 volts and the controllers keep the initial charge 14-14.5 volts to charge the battery. With a multistage controller, the amount of power from the controller is based on the charge level of the battery. When the battery is fully charged, the voltage drops and a maintenance charge or float charge is applied to the battery to prevent it from overcharging.

[mythbuster88]

Our 2016 is wired with the output of the stock solar controller going to the battery through a 10 Amp fuse.

[LiveStreamn]

So I finally got around to calling AS HQ today. Was on the phone with someone within 30 seconds of dialing. His guess is that I have a bad controller/fuse or a fuse issue on the roof. So that gives us two options.

Since we are under warranty I am inclined to schedule an appt to get a pro to do the checking. Only challenge is that the dealer, not where we bought, is 2 hours away.

[LiveStreamn]

UPDATE - Looking for Suggestions

Ok...here we go.

As a recap. Dead battery. Single panel, factory installed solar system. Stored in open filed with no obstructions for sun. Stored with main in off position. Stored for about 6 weeks in DC area. Cold but lots of sun.

On forum suggestions, bought multimeter and getting power from panel and out of controller. Mothership stumped.

Took to Airstream service and they confirmed that power was coming off panel and from controller. They were stumped. Based on tow to Service, TV charged battery to about 45%.

Called controller manufacturer. They suggested running 12 gauge wire with fuse directly from controller to battery. They suggested that AS routinely does not wire correctly.

Open to suggestions...

[LiveStreamn]

Also, I have been logged into shore power for more than 24 hours with nothing running and the battery has not charged at all.

It appears I am charging vehicle off TV, but not shore or solar.

[fran&frank]

SO if you are getting power from your solar controller, and you are not charging when plugged into shore power either, that suggests a problem(s) with your converter/charger, battery, or use/store switch. You or your technician should confirm your battery use/store switch is in the in use position and you are getting power from your converter/charger when plugged in. And yes you are better off wiring the solar controller with fuse directly to the battery if that's not how it is now. Your battery may also have been damaged by being in a discharged state for too long and may not be charging properly.

[alano]

Originally Posted by LiveStreamn

Also, I have been logged into shore power for more than 24 hours with nothing running and the battery has not charged at all.

It appears I am charging vehicle off TV, but not shore or solar.

When you're connected to shore power, what is the position of your Battery Disconnect switch? For the batteries to charge, the switch must be in the ON position.

I would suggest putting your voltmeter across the batteries and measuring the voltage. I would then connect shore power, make sure the disconnect switch is in the ON position and measure again the voltage across the batteries. Report back...

[LiveStreamn]

UPDATE - Thought I would give everyone an update.

After working with the Mothership and the controller manufacturer, no one really had a good idea of what was wrong.

Took to AS of Virginia and while the tech I worked with was not overly proficient with Solar, he did spend about an hour with me on a no appointment drive in. We troubleshot everything he could think of and he gave me some ideas.

So I brought the trailer home and while plugged into shore power, battery charged right up.

Checked every combination of power I could think of with battery connected and not connected, tv hooked up and not hooked up, shore power and no shore power. Everything seemed to be working.

So I took trailer back to storage lot and crossed my fingers.

Three weeks later (this weekend) I went out and battery is at 100%.

In the end the only thing I can think of is that the Northern VA cold spell we had in December/January was too much for the charge coming off solar.

I also have read that if the battery drops below a certain percentage it shuts down the controller and it will not restart until it is back up to that percentage.

So, dewinterize next weekend with the hope that I have no broken pipes and off to SC and NC for a week of Spring Break at the end of March.