Prostar regulator hot - smelling like burnig metal

Hi Darryl

Ours are 130 w - and they say with the 'margin for error' the Prostar 30 should be ok, however we have ordered a Tristar 45. Even with the panels covered (there is a small voltage coming in - maybe from through the cardboard) and the Prostar in town being checked over, i think there is still a trace of the hot smell there - or i am getting paranoid. It is not from the fridge area, nor from the battery area. All panels appear to be working correctly.

Mh

Motherhen,

Have you got 3 or 4 of the 130 watt panels?

On our van we have 1 by 120 watt, 2 by 125 watt and 1 by 130 watt and I have seen 33amps coming in.

Brian

Hi Chris

Still in Kununurra! We ordered a Tristar 45, as it seems the Prostar 30 was inadequate. With usual Perth idiocy, instead of sending by air that day because urgent - when it didn't arrive, the lady rang - he had sent it express post. Whatsmore, obviously not that day - because i got a parcel from my daughter - 1 day out of Perth, quicker.

Expecting it to be similar (both made by Morningstar), we found it quite a different controller - so spent the next couple of days wiring & puzzling. Eventually yesterday rang that wonderful Ian Robinson of boatandcaravan in Qld- who we didn't buy it from as we could get it quicker from Perth. He set us on the right path. We still don't understand all the displays, but at least we didn't get the smell when leaving panels all uncovered today. The batteries will be dying of shock!

Meanwhile, as we were waiting for the Tristar, we ordered rear airbags for the F250 (there is a sag) - and we also needed an air filter rather badly, plus ordered another oil filter ready for next oil change (we have the oil). He ordered the filters to come with the airbags to save freight. When they didn't arrive, he rang (Perth again) - and found they didn't have the airbags so didn't send the order - never thought to say this at the time or order. None due in until early this coming week! We would go on without but for the air filter (although he can get that quickly from Darwin - but said NT has a public holiday this Monday).

The weather is heating up already - so not only have to decide about the airbags, but whether it will be too hot for us to tour central NT when we get there. We still have a bit to see here, and may even take a long run into Purnululu leaving the van here if we decide on the airbags.

The parcel from home was a new Telstra modem, on a different scheme, and so far it seems to work (been on line twice with it).

So things in the chook run are looking up - slowly.

Mh

Hi Mother Hen.
I am so glad that things are looking up and that you are now able top see the light at the end of the tunnel. Yes, Val thought the regulator would have been marginal with your new panels. We replaced just one panel in Adelaide earlier this year, and we are now at our upper limit of regulator capacity.

Will it be too hot in central Autralia by now? - maybe not. We were scampering around there one year up until September and it was OK. Steadily gets hotter during the day, but remained cooler at night right up until we left in early October.

One place weloved in the centre was the West Macdonnells - particularly liked Ruby Gorge.

Good luckwith it all,
Chris

Hi Chris

We are going to Purnululu for a couple of days, while waiting for the elusive air bags and the filters we need. It will be a lot longer than going from Halls Creek as per my trip plan, but it will save us time in getting further along the road. I don't cope well in the heat, and need to do walks and climbs in cool weather. Our days and nights here are getting warmer, and this evening it is realy quite hot and humid. However i think we will still give it a go unless something else goes wrong, in which case my 'driver' will head for home driving 12 hour days.

Mh