Re: Where is Controller for solar panels on 1996 Sahara

[Joe Burch]

'My 1996 Sahara still has the original solar panels on top.  However, I have looked high and low for a controller but can not find one anywhere.  I am assuming there must be one somewhere.  If they are still any good I would like to get them working. Does anyone know where the controller should be located ??
regards,
Joe Burch1996 Sahara3126 Cat..  '

[Gary Smith]

'Joe,You say "panels", meaning more than one?  Do you know the rating of your panel(s)?  Anything under 100 watts can probably operate without a charge controller, however the wire from the panel(s) runs down the refrigerator vent on the roof and likely ends up in the forward wall under your bed.  Raise the bed and take a look.  My single original panel is a 60 watt panel, and the positive lead from the panel was connected to the isolator so as to actually provide some charge to both battery banks, but without a controller that I could find.  On some of the older coaches with that size panel I have seen a small isolator with output to the two output terminals of the larger isolator so they feed both battery banks.

Gary
'98 Sahara 3006 300CAT

On Sat, Dec 22, 2018 at 8:42 PM Joe Burch burch1945@... [Safarifriends] wrote:
 
My 1996 Sahara still has the original solar panels on top.  However, I have looked high and low for a controller but can not find one anywhere.  I am assuming there must be one somewhere.  If they are still any good I would like to get them working. Does anyone know where the controller should be located ??
regards,
Joe Burch1996 Sahara3126 Cat..  

--
Gary Smith
'

[burch1945]

'Attachments :

1. [url=file:///D:\---.safarimotorhomes\Attachments\SafarifriendsDatabase\Attachments\Safarifriends\54A50AD5D16044DAB2C5AD16CB64D7A5.png]54A50AD5D16044DAB2C5AD16CB64D7A5.png[/url]

Gary,There is a  small panel about 16” x16” and another one about 20”x 48”  and these are rough estimates.  I’ll see if I can chase it out in the next few days.  Thus far I have not seen any loose wires or wires identified an solar panel wires.  Thanks for the tip.Joe1996 Sahara3126 cat  Sent from Mail for Windows 10  From: Safarifriends@yahoogroups.com
Sent: Saturday, December 22, 2018 10:44 PM
To: Safarifriends@yahoogroups.com
Subject: Re: [Safarifriends] Where is Controller for solar panels on 1996 Sahara    Joe,You say "panels", meaning more than one?  Do you know the rating of your panel(s)?  Anything under 100 watts can probably operate without a charge controller, however the wire from the panel(s) runs down the refrigerator vent on the roof and likely ends up in the forward wall under your bed.  Raise the bed and take a look.  My single original panel is a 60 watt panel, and the positive lead from the panel was connected to the isolator so as to actually provide some charge to both battery banks, but without a controller that I could find.  On some of the older coaches with that size panel I have seen a small isolator with output to the two output terminals of the larger isolator so they feed both battery banks.  Gary '98 Sahara 3006 300CAT  On Sat, Dec 22, 2018 at 8:42 PM Joe Burch burch1945@... [Safarifriends] wrote:

  My 1996 Sahara still has the original solar panels on top.  However, I have looked high and low for a controller but can not find one anywhere.  I am assuming there must be one somewhere.  If they are still any good I would like to get them working. Does anyone know where the controller should be located ??  regards,  Joe Burch1996 Sahara3126 Cat..  

-- Gary Smith
 '

[fountking]

'Joe, my 96 Serengeti did not have a solar controler when I bought it.   It was wired to fuse  in front check the labels asI believe it was labeled for solar.
It didn't work right this way as when I was plugged in on shore power on sunny day it would show I believe overload on inverter panel .  Rewired to controler no problems

Bob 96 Serengeti
'

[mel96safari]

'JoeMy solar controller is in the front run bay, behind the hood/door, near the center of the front firewall/bulkhead.
However your coach may not have one (I've seen other "single large Solar panel equipped Safari coaches" with NO solar controller).Mel'96 Sahara 3530

---In Safarifriends@yahoogroups.com, wrote :

My 1996 Sahara still has the original solar panels on top.  However, I have looked high and low for a controller but can not find one anywhere.  I am assuming there must be one somewhere.  If they are still any good I would like to get them working. Does anyone know where the controller should be located ??
regards,
Joe Burch1996 Sahara3126 Cat..  '

[ke6vut@sbcglobal.net]

'My 96 Sahara has a large panel that goes to ASC controller up front for the coach batteries and a smaller panel that goes to the chassis batteries. I don't think the smaller panel has a controller.'

[Bill Edwards]

'In some cases later coaches I believe 2000 and later the controller is built into the fuse control box located adjacent to either the battery box or on the forward bulkhead frame.
In my 1999  Panther it was on the inside face of the electrical panel bay up front of the front wheels
Bill Edwards1999 panther '

[Robert Lewis]

' My controller is as Bill said on the forward wall of the bedroom engine bay, there is a photo in the files section. See my signature for the coach.
Robert and Bev Lewis2000 Continental3126B Cat, 330hpMD3060 Allison

On December 25, 2018 11:25:19 AM "Bill Edwards billedwardsrs@... [Safarifriends]" wrote:  
In some cases later coaches I believe 2000 and later the controller is built into the fuse control box located adjacent to either the battery box or on the forward bulkhead frame.
In my 1999  Panther it was on the inside face of the electrical panel bay up front of the front wheels
Bill Edwards1999 panther 

'

[astrnmrtom]

'Mine is located in the fuse panel area in the outside door in front of the driver's side wheel.'