HPV-22B install August 08, 2009, 11:42:00 am Yahoo Message Number: 104601Hi everyone, I'm about to upgrade my solar controller from the HPV-22A to the 22B. Looks to be pretty simple swap, but I see there is included in the package a Temperature Compensation Sensor and cable that attaches to the battery and must be routed to the controller from the battery compartment. Just wondering if others who have done this upgrade have any advice on how to route the cable. This is for my 2005 26' mid-bath. I'm not near the RV at the moment, so I can't really investigate the possibilities. I gather it is not essential I include the sensor, but it seems like a good idea, in the long run, for better battery health. Has anyone made the upgrade and included the sensor and how did you route the cable?ThanksDavid G.
Re: HPV-22B install Reply #1 – August 08, 2009, 11:59:38 am Yahoo Message Number: 104604Quote Hi everyone, I'm about to upgrade my solar controller from the HPV-22A to the 22B. Looks to be pretty simple swap, but I see there is included in the package a Temperature Compensation Sensor and cable that attaches to the battery and must be routed to the controller from the battery compartment. Just wondering if others who have done this upgrade have any advice on how to route the cable. This is for my 2005 26' mid-bath. I'm not near the RV at the moment, so I can't really investigate the possibilities. I gather it is not essential I include the sensor, but it seems like a good idea, in the long run, for better battery health. Has anyone made the upgrade and included the sensor and how did you route the cable? When I replaced the RV-30S controller in our 2002 MB with an HPV-22B, I'm pretty sure there was already a temperature sensor in place in the battery compartment. I recall it even had the same kind of connector. So you might find there is already one installed you can use.Art
Re: HPV-22B install Reply #2 – August 08, 2009, 12:16:23 pm Yahoo Message Number: 104605older_fossil wrote: When I replaced the RV-30S controller in our 2002 MB with an HPV-22B, I'm pretty sure there was already a temperature sensor in place in the battery compartment. I recall it even had the same kind of connector. So you might find there is already one installed you can use.--- For the "find out" part, one might want to call Greg at AM Solar and ask; phone and email contact information is on the website.www.amsolar.comAM Solar replaced the RV-30s in my 2003 with the HPV-22B, but I *think* that the original temperature sensor was used; the paperwork from the deal lists only "HPV-22B charge controller with switch" and the adaptor plate for the upgraded controller.Joan
Re: HPV-22B install Reply #3 – August 08, 2009, 01:06:26 pm Yahoo Message Number: 104606Quote AM Solar replaced the RV-30s in my 2003 with the HPV-22B, but I *think* that the original temperature sensor was used; the paperwork from the deal lists only "HPV-22B charge controller with switch" and the adaptor plate for the upgraded controller.Joan For What It's Worth... My original two 85w panels, RV-30 controller, etc. installed by the factory did NOT have provisions for a Temp. Sensor. When Lazy Bones was reconfigured with two 100w panels and HPV-22B controller by AM Solar I was asked if I'd like to have the Temp. Sensor. I declined and to this day I do not have the Temp. Sensor nor have I seen any need for it. YMMV.Steve S. Lazy Bones & Jiggs
Re: HPV-22B install Reply #4 – August 08, 2009, 02:19:35 pm Yahoo Message Number: 104610"Has anyone made the upgrade and included the sensor and how did you route the cable? "David G.I changed our controller last summer. Your LD already has the correct temperature sender and the kit will come with a spare. You can use the existing one after checking to make sure it is still functional. You do this by measuring the resistance of the sender with a volt-ohm me. The sender should measure about 10,000 ohms (10K). I found that ours was defective and probably the cause of the excessive water usage. The controller can also be configured not to use the temperature sender. Instructions are included with the new controllers.Larry
Re: HPV-22B install Reply #5 – August 08, 2009, 02:23:48 pm Yahoo Message Number: 104611Thanks for that Larry. Did you then go on to replace the defective one with the spare? If so, how did it go?David
Re: HPV-22B install Reply #6 – August 08, 2009, 02:25:31 pm Yahoo Message Number: 104612"to this day I do not have the Temp. Sensor nor have I seen any need for it." The temperature sensor lets the charging controller decide how fast the batteries can accept a charge, something that varies with their temperature. Without it, the controller has to assume the worst case, so charging is less efficient. Now, it's probably not a huge difference (I'm sure AM Solar could tell you), but with solar power, every little bit helps. I recommend that anyone getting a solar charging system have the temp sensor installed; otherwise you're throwing away power that you could be using. By the way, this isn't just true for solar charging controllers. My proSINE 2.0 converter/charger/inverter has its own temperature sensor, for the same reason: to allow it to charge the batteries as fast as it safely can.Andy Baird http://www.andybaird.com/travels/
Re: HPV-22B install Reply #7 – August 08, 2009, 02:26:20 pm Yahoo Message Number: 104613Quote For What It's Worth... My original two 85w panels, RV-30 controller, etc. installed by the factory did NOT have provisions for a Temp. Sensor. When Lazy Bones was reconfigured with two 100w panels and HPV-22B controller by AM Solar I was asked if I'd like to have the Temp. Sensor. I declined and to this day I do not have the Temp. Sensor nor have I seen any need for it. YMMV.Steve S. Lazy Bones & Jiggs Yes, the only real advantage is that the sensor can help prevent excess water loss or plate sulfation build-up. I check my batteries often enough to where I don't see that as a big problem and probably not worth trying to thread the cable in a non obtrusive way. But I am hoping the sensor is already there from the 22A. I'll probably do the swap tomorrow sometime and will report back what I find.David G
Re: HPV-22B install Reply #8 – August 08, 2009, 02:30:18 pm Yahoo Message Number: 104614QuoteFor What It's Worth... My original two 85w panels, RV-30 controller, etc. installed by the factory did NOT have provisions for a Temp. Sensor. ... The RV-30 has the ability to use or not use a temperature sensor; this is controlled by a jumper on the rear of the unit. (There is a RV-30 manual in the Maintenance and Repairs folder of the Files section of this site.) The RV-30 in my 2001 MB has a temperature sensor so the two wires required are already installed in my coach. I am surprised that LD did not install one on later or earlier(?) units. Without temperature compensation, there is a major danger of either over or under charging the batteries, depending on what voltage the controller's voltage adjustment and the battery's temperature. Post #16483 shows the charge and float voltages as a function of temperature that Trojan recommends. For instance, at 35 degrees F, the battery should be charged to about 15.3 volts daily, while at 80 degrees F, it requires only 14.3; a full volt less. If the controller is set for some mid point like 14.8, the batteries will be well overcharged in the summer and use water, but undercharging them in winter and perhaps allowing them the sulfate. If you not using an ordinary (flooded) Trojan battery, temperature compensation will be more, not less important. All in all, temperature compensating the solar panel controller is a pretty good idea.Linley
Re: HPV-22B install Reply #9 – August 09, 2009, 12:01:24 am Yahoo Message Number: 104629Quote Hi everyone, I'm about to upgrade my solar controller from the HPV-22A to the 22B. Can anyone list the differences between the 22A (which we have) and the 22B? -- jon
Re: HPV-22B install Reply #10 – August 09, 2009, 12:29:53 am Yahoo Message Number: 104630Quote "Has anyone made the upgrade and included the sensor and how did you route the cable? "David G.I changed our controller last summer. Your LD already has the correct temperature sender and the kit will come with a spare. You can use the existing one after checking to make sure it is still functional. You do this by measuring the resistance of the sender with a volt-ohm me. The sender should measure about 10,000 ohms (10K). I found that ours was defective and probably the cause of the excessive water usage. The controller can also be configured not to use the temperature sender. Instructions are included with the new controllers.Larry Where is the sensor in the batt compartment or what does it look like? I have a digital multimeter but not sure how you would use is for this. Are there simple instructions?Jim
Re: HPV-22B install Reply #11 – August 09, 2009, 09:49:50 am Yahoo Message Number: 104635Quote "Where is the sensor in the batt compartment or what does it look like? I have a digital multimeter but not sure how you would use is for this. Are there simple instructions?"Jim Jim, scroll to the bottom of this link: http://www.amsolar.com/bargains.html and you will find some info about the 22 and then you can read about the 22b on the same AM Solar site and see the diffs. I believe my temp sensor is at the rear of the battery compartment, sort of hanging there on the back wall, but I think it looks something like this: http://tinyurl.com/leeqwz Can't remember for sure.Chris
Re: HPV-22B install Reply #12 – August 09, 2009, 10:24:42 am Yahoo Message Number: 104636"Where is the sensor in the batt compartment or what does it look like?" The battery sensor is a small, slightly flattened black lump--smaller than a pea--at the end of a thin cable. It's much smaller than the one shown in the drawings on the Solar Blvd website. Proper installation technique is to sandwich it between the two batteries, so it reads only their temperatures, thus allowing the controller to avoid overcharging. Chris, if yours is hanging on the compartment's back wall, it isn't doing the job it was designed for. I suggest moving it if you can.Andy Baird http://www.andybaird.com/travels/
Re: HPV-22B install Reply #13 – August 09, 2009, 11:02:58 am Yahoo Message Number: 104639Quote From: Andy Baird To: lifewithalazydazerv@yahoogroups.com Sent: Sunday, August 09, 2009 7:24 AM Subject: [LD] Re: HPV-22B install The battery sensor is a small, slightly flattened black lump--smaller than a pea--at the end of a thin cable. Proper installation technique is to sandwich it between the two batteries, so it reads only their temperatures, thus allowing the controller to avoid overcharging.Andy BairdI agree with Andy about making sure the temperature sensor sees battery temperature and not battery compartment temperature. I've seen a couple of types of temperature sensor. The one on my Prosine mounts to a battery terminal, so has metal to metal contact to insure accuracy. For the "pea" module type Andy refers to, putting it between the batteries, I prefer mounting the sensor to the side of the battery, covering it with a scrap of foam insulation (the closed cell packing foam works well) and then covering that with tape to hold it in position. The foam acts to insulate the sensor from the outside air, while intimate contact with the battery case gets the temperature right.all the best,bumper Yonder
Re: HPV-22B install Reply #14 – August 09, 2009, 12:09:34 pm Yahoo Message Number: 104641Quote From: Andy Baird To: lifewithalazydazerv@yahoogroups.com Sent: Sunday, August 09, 2009 7:24 AM Subject: [LD] Re: HPV-22B install The battery sensor is a small, slightly flattened black lump--smaller than a pea--at the end of a thin cable. Proper installation technique is to sandwich it between the two batteries, so it reads only their temperatures, thus allowing the controller to avoid overcharging.Andy Baird"I agree with Andy about making sure the temperature sensor sees battery temperature and not battery compartment temperature. I've seen a couple of types of temperature sensor. The one on my Prosine mounts to a battery terminal, so has metal to metal contact to insure accuracy. For the "pea" module type Andy refers to, putting it between the batteries, I prefer mounting the sensor to the side of the battery, covering it with a scrap of foam insulation (the closed cell packing foam works well) and then covering that with tape to hold it in position. The foam acts to insulate the sensor from the outside air, while intimate contact with the battery case gets the temperature right."all the best,bumper Yonder Thanks for those tips about placing the temp sensor/module, Andy and bumper. I'll have to check mine out.Chris
Re: HPV-22B install Reply #15 – August 09, 2009, 04:23:02 pm Yahoo Message Number: 104646Quote Where is the sensor in the batt compartment or what does it look like? I have a digital multimeter but not sure how you would use is for this. Are there simple instructions?Jim Jim, The sensor that came with the unit I just purchased is cylindrical in shape and about 1/4 in in diameter. It is about 1 3/4 inch long and attached to a long cable that is to be routed to the controller from the battery. If you have one, it should be located attached to one of the batteries. But I like Andy's idea about placing it between the two batteries.David G.
Re: HPV-22B install Reply #16 – August 11, 2009, 02:21:36 am Yahoo Message Number: 104683I recently upgraded the RV-30S solar controller that came with my 2001 27RB to the HPV-22B and I like it much better with the "shore power" setting to keep from cooking the batteries when the rig is sitting
Re: HPV-22B install Reply #17 – August 11, 2009, 11:52:01 am Yahoo Message Number: 104691Just to let everyone know, I did switch out the 22A with the 22B and it was quite simple. It was actually easier than changing my heater thermostat which I did at the same time. The new thermostat's instructions really didn't cover what wire goes where, so I ended up calling India and they gave me the proper wiring. I wouldn't have guessed correctly at the proper wirings arrangement. There were five possible places to attach the two wires. But back to the solar controller. The only thing I would do different would be to NOT also purchase the faceplate adaptor as someone mentioned in one of the threads. Turns out the screw holes on the 22B matched exactly the holes on the 22A. It was 10 bucks I didn't need to spend. But perhaps I misread that portion of the thread. Turns out my 2005 mid-bath did already have the sensor installed, but it was installed on the back wall of the battery compartment. At some point I will probably splice in an extra length on sensor wire so I can extend it to the batteries themselves - as it should have been done at the factory.Thanks all for the help and comments.David G.
Topic: HPV-22B install (Read 4 times)
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Topic: HPV-22B install (Read 4 times)
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