Moon Icon on Solar Controller

Moon Icon on Solar Controller - No Incoming Solar Power

Confirmed Issue:

The solar system is not receiving/reading incoming sunlight, as indicated by the moon icon on the solar controller.

Affected Units:

Any Vandoit van with solar panels and a Go Power Solar Controller.

Issue Explanation:

The solar controller indicates that it is receiving sunlight with a sun icon in the upper left corner.  It indicates that it is not receiving sunlight with a moon icon in the upper left corner.  If the moon icon is appearing while the van is in direct sunlight, this indicates a problem with the solar system, most likely poor connection.



Resolution: 

Tools Needed:
- Ladder or scaffolding
- Utility knife
- Phillips head screwdriver
Important:  Both the solar panels and the Ford Transit van roof are not weight-bearing.  The solar panels are made of glass and will crack easily if weight is put on them.  A safe ladder, scaffolding, or other platform will be needed in order to inspect the panels and their connections.  We strongly recommend that you conduct these troubleshooting steps with a partner nearby for safety.
1.  Carefully inspect the surface of the solar panels.  If they are dirty or are in any way covered, they will need to be cleaned/cleared.  Move the van so the solar panels are in direct sunlight.  Check the solar controller after cleaning/clearing the panels and moving the van.  If the moon icon is still showing, proceed to step 2.

2.  Locate the solar connections on the roof of the van:

3.  Carefully remove the black electrical tape or shrink wrap covering the connections; this can be done by cutting a slit in the tape using a utility knife, but be careful not to cut the wires or connectors underneath.

4.  Use this video to check how well seated the connectors and wires are:  https://youtu.be/RQ7S3k4yLk8. Take a photo of the connectors; you may need to send this photo to the Vandoit team in step 10.

5.  After following the troubleshooting steps in the video in step 4, check the solar controller again.   If a moon icon is still showing, proceed to step #6.

6.  Locate these connections underneath each solar panel and check them for tightness, as instructed in the video:


7.  Check the solar controller again.

8.  If the moon icon is still showing, remove the four screws on the solar controller using a Phillips head screwdriver, carefully pull the controller from the black panel, and check the connections on the backside of the controller. There should be no stray strands coming from a connection that are touching any other neighboring connection.


9. Re-seat any connections that appear to be loose or have stray strands coming out, and take a photo of the backside for future reference (i.e., step #10).

10.  Put the solar controller back in place.  If a moon icon is still showing, submit a ticket through the Customer Support portal or email support@vandoit.com with a description of the problem and troubleshooting steps you have taken.  Include photos of the solar connectors you checked in steps #4 and #6 and the backside of the solar controller in step #8.

    • Related Articles

    • Understanding Your Van's Solar System

      Article Objective: In this article, you will get to know the components that make up the solar system in your van: what they do and what their potential limitations are. Affected Units: Vandoit vans with rooftop solar panels This video provides a ...

    • Solar Controller Not Working

      Confirmed Issue: No power to solar controller. Affected Units: Vandoit units containing the GoPower solar controller Summary: The solar controller has no power. There is no information displayed on the screen. The screen will not turn on. All other ...

    • Maintaining the Solar System

      Article Objective: In this article, you will learn how to maintain the Vandoit rooftop solar system. The solar system requires periodic upkeep in order to receive incoming solar energy at maximum efficiency. If panels become covered by dirt, snow, or ...

    • Nothing Turns On - Vandoit Power Is Not Working

      Confirmed Issue: Vandoit power is not working. Affected Unit Any Vandoit with an AGM battery system Summary: The Vandoit power system does not power anything: Outlets are not working. Lights are not turning on. Buttons do not work. Plugging into ...

    • GoPower Solar Controller Manual

      GoPower GP-PWM-30-UL Manual