How to shut off the Zamp Solar charge controller on 2018m Elite II

[Dave and Kimberly]

   While helping a friend with his 2018 E2 (with AGM batteries and solar panels) .... in an effort to prepare it for storage (no electricity is available at the facility), I was showing him how to shut down anything that might have any "phantom" electric draw, ie... the inverter, Furrion sound system, etc., I discovered that there is no apparent way to shut off his Zamp Solar charge controller.   On mine (2022 E2) I can turn the red switch up in the street side storage area and shut off the lights (on the controller).    

   Anybody know how to do this on a 2018 Oliver configured like his?   

[Wandering Sagebrush]

Nope, but I’m following.  Thanks for getting the question started.

[KenB]

On 10/31/2023 at 6:24 PM, Dave and Kimberly said:

   Anybody know how to do this on a 2018 Oliver configured like his?   

I asked Service the same question while upgrading to Battleborn batteries this spring.  Here is a copy of their response:

The zamp system does not have an easy disconnect. The best way would be to pull the zamp controller from the wall & then disconnect the battery connections on the backside. 

[Dave and Kimberly]

   Thanks for that!   It was my suspicion that something like this was the case... but I was hoping there was an ON/OFF somewhere between the solar panels and the Zamp charge controller that I had overlooked.   If this is done (pulling it off the wall and unplugging it) does it then lose it's settings (ie battery type, float charge, etc.)?

    A related question:   Since I have noticed that mine goes off at night and then comes on with the daylight (with the solar charge starting up)... maybe the phantom drain isn't such a big deal.   My original concern (for my friend) is that he is putting it in storage for 3 ~ 4 months, and leaving the AGM batteries in place... that any electrical draw, no matter how minimal is not a good thing.

[Wandering Sagebrush]

With our Airstream, the simplest method was to just disconnect the trailer leads to the battery negative terminal.  If I recall, there were three, the heavy gauge for the trailer, the lead from the solar controller, and the tongue jack. That eliminates all paths for current draw.

[Geronimo John]

More than a few of use a 350 amp BlueSeas master switch to eliminate any parasitic losses.  It for sure would solve the problem and provide an emergency cut-off for peace of mind.

GJ

[ScubaRx]

17 hours ago, Dave and Kimberly said:

...A related question:   Since I have noticed that mine goes off at night and then comes on with the daylight (with the solar charge starting up)... maybe the phantom drain isn't such a big deal.   My original concern (for my friend) is that he is putting it in storage for 3 ~ 4 months, and leaving the AGM batteries in place... that any electrical draw, no matter how minimal is not a good thing.

A phantom draw (AKA Parasitic loads) are the electrical draws from appliances that continuously suck power from your RV battery. Items like carbon monoxide detectors and other electronics with lights or display screens can be parasitic loads.is a loss The phantom draw on our trailer is 0.4 amps. That's 9.6 amps daily. On a typical AGM battery bank, you will have between 200-225 amp-hours available for use before they reach that critical 50% mark. Our trailer with no power input and those same batteries would be at that point in about 3 weeks. I'd warn that friend because there's no possible way those batteries won't be completely, irrevocably dead in 3-4 months.

Even if he disconnects the batteries, AGM batteries will have a self-discharge or internal electro-chemical “leakage” of between 1% and 15% per month, depending on storage temperature.  The warmer it is, the faster they will discharge.

He basically has two choices. He can remove all the batteries, take them home and put them on a 3 stage charger for the winter OR he can go to his storage unit about once every month and pull the trailer into the sun or use a generator to run the charger and charge them there.

Regardless of their construction, whether it's a "sealed" AGM deep cycle or flooded auto starter battery, a fully charged lead acid battery has a freezing point down around -55°C/ -67°F.

 

[Dave and Kimberly]

  (edit) Thanks to all for your educated responses!   Its what I suspected.   I've shared this all with him... and strongly encouraged him to take them out and bring them home this winter and put them on the appropriate charger (mentioned above).   We've worked thru a lot of the more basic items for providing our Ollies with the tender loving care they deserve.   He's off to a good start going forward now.