Battery 100% daytime 50% at night

[rayroh]

Hi,

I have 100Watt bendable solar panel connected to 40AMP EPsolar Tracer 4210RN MPPT Solar Battery Charge Controller with 105AH Trojan Deep Cycle Battery.
However, as soon as the sun comes up, charge controller monitor shows 100% charged for battery but as soon as the sun goes down, it shows 50% without using any power at all.

I asked both battery and charge controller sellers why this is happening and they have no idea why it is like that.
I invested more than $1000 to this solar power set up and wasting my money and time trying to figure out why this battery is only 50% without using any power although it was fully charged during the day.

Does anyone know why this is acting weird like this?
What did I do wrong?

 

[NeedAnEscape]

What voltage is the battery at when it says full and when it says 50%?

 

[jimindenver]

It is possible the battery is weak and the voltage rises easily. Put a load on it during the day and see if the voltage falls quickly.

I have old batteries I use for testing and they will jump right up to 14.4v when the solar is hooked up. Adding a load or removing the solar will drop them right back down.

 

[GotSmart]

Are you sure it is wired correctly? 

Look up the reviews on the controller.  

http://www.amazon.com/EPsolar-Tracer-4210RN-Battery-Controller/dp/B00N2FFZM8

A bad connection could be a problem.

$1,000 for one 100W panel system?

 

[highdesertranger]

don't you mean 2 T-105's. a T-105 is only a 6v battery that would explain everything if you only have 1. highdesertranger

 

[rayroh]

What voltage is the battery at when it says full and when it says 50%?

It shows from 13.7 to 14.4 and goes up and down during the day
I have three batteries and they are all 12V although I hooked up with only one that is 105AH

 

[rayroh]

Are you sure it is wired correctly? 

Look up the reviews on the controller.  

http://www.amazon.com/EPsolar-Tracer-4210RN-Battery-Controller/dp/B00N2FFZM8

A bad connection could be a problem.

$1,000 for one 100W panel system?

I am pretty sure wires were hooked up correctly and I invested two of 100Watt bendable solar panels ($179 each)
and two of 155AH dry cell deep cycle AGM (total $600) and EPsolar charge controller $219 and cobra 1500watt inverter $99
and all other wires and accessories.

I only set up with one 100watt solar panel with 105AH Trojan deep cycle battery to test but as I described in original post,
I keep getting this problem and wasting too much time trying to find out what the cause is..............

 

[rayroh]

don't you mean 2 T-105's.  a T-105 is only a 6v battery that would explain everything if you only have 1.  highdesertranger

My Trojan battery is 12Volt Deep Cycle battery with 105AH
Trojan 12volt 27TMX

 

[GotSmart]

I am pretty sure wires were hooked up correctly and I invested two of 100Watt bendable solar panels ($179 each)
and two of 155AH dry cell deep cycle AGM (total $600) and EPsolar charge controller $219 and cobra 1500watt inverter $99
and all other wires and accessories.

OK, It sounded like it was one panel and battery.

The controller has a glitch in the wire connector (according to complaints) and I would start looking at that first as the culprit. 

The fact that as soon as the solar is supposed to be off, (sundown) the controller is showing questionable information makes me suspect the controller.

 

[SternWake]

Battery % figures are based on voltage, there is no magical electronic sensor that can figure out a battery state of charge or health.

Can you post a link to the battery you are employing? I do not see any trojan with a 105 AH capacity. If you have trojan t-105s, as HDR said, they are 6v batteries, and you need two, in series for 12 volts.

If you are charging a single t-105 at 14+ volts, you have likely shortened its life considerably.

A t-105 has 3 cell caps, a 12v battery has 6 cells.

 

[rayroh]

It is possible the battery is weak and the voltage rises easily. Put a load on it during the day and see if the voltage falls quickly.

I have old batteries I use for testing and they will jump right up to 14.4v when the solar is hooked up. Adding a load or removing the solar will drop them right back down.

My battery is relatively new.............Trojan 12volt 27TMX

 

[rayroh]

Battery % figures are based on voltage, there is no magical electronic sensor that can figure out a battery state of charge or health.

Can you post a link to the battery you are employing?  I do not see any trojan with a 105 AH capacity.  If you have trojan t-105s, as HDR said, they are 6v batteries, and you need two, in series for 12 volts.

If you are charging a single t-105 at 14+ volts, you have likely shortened its life considerably.

A t-105 has 3 cell caps, a 12v battery has 6 cells.

Trojan 12volt 27TMX
please see attached image to verify......

 

[SternWake]

relatively new batteries can be killed relatively quickly if overdischarged and let to sit in a discharged state.

Something is not right in your system. I do not know what, but a simple voltmeter will give many clues as to what is going on when charging, and after, and during discharge.

Without some voltage readings, we can't help you other than to guess, which can lead to confusion and false leads

 

[rayroh]

relatively new batteries can be killed relatively quickly if overdischarged and let to sit in a discharged state.

Something is not right in your system.   I do not know what, but a simple voltmeter will give many clues as to what is going on when charging, and after, and during discharge.

Without some voltage readings, we can't help you other than to guess, which can lead to confusion and false

well, I tried to upload all images one by one every setting page on the monitor
but this forum won't let me upload all the images.....................

 

[highdesertranger]

ok I misread your original post I read t-105 not 105ah. check the voltage like stern says it would help give us a better idea. at a minimum check when your controller says full and check when it says 50%. you know it's bad when you mix batteries of different ah ratings and different ages. I would take the odd ball battery out of the system. highdesertranger

 

[GotSmart]

I only set up with one 100watt solar panel with 105AH Trojan deep cycle battery to test but as I described in original post,
I keep getting this problem and wasting too much time trying to find out what the cause is..............

This post seems to have been overlooked.

Test the battery when disconnected to see if anything agrees with the controller readings.

 

[akrvbob]

It sounds to me like the battery is shot. When I battery shows strong voltage readings all day (high 13s and 14s), then instantly drops to low 12s after dark that says the batteries capacity to hold a charge has been severely weakened.

Unless you are getting bad voltage readings for some reason, your only hope is to equalize it if it accepts an equalization charge.
Bob