Odd things going on with my solar system...

[galladanb]

Couple of things occurring with my solar system...

1.) The "load" icon on the meter will show it has a load when it actually has nothing wired to it. I push the load button on the controllers and it changes to indicate no load. Then randomly, it goes back to showing a load. I assure you, nobody is turning it on without me knowing about it. Quite odd...

2.) I have my overhead led lights wired to a dimmer, and several times now when we go out at night to walk the dog, we find the lights on. Again, I assure you, nobody is turning them on that we don't know about it. Again quite odd...

Renogy 20amp commander controller ( Eclipse premium model kit).

I've thought I might go out an remove or disconnect the dimmer, and wire in a temporary switch, but I don't think it is the switch.

I rather think that the 12v system somehow drops enough voltage and everything resets...
If that makes sense?

Such fun!

 

[tx2sturgis]

The Zombies, Ghouls, Goblins, Ghosts and Poltergiests are getting ready for Halloween!

 

[jimindenver]

You may want to call Renogy on the controller. I would not worry since there is nothing on the load terminals, still it shows that there is something up with the controller and it may affect more critical functions.

On the lights my first thought would be to remove the dimmer.

 

[jonyjoe303]

the loads on all the controllers are programmable, they are used sometimes to control streetlights. Thats probably what has happened to yours. There is a setting to make the load manual (thats how I have mine setup). In the direction manual it will show you how to set it up to manual for your brand of controller. When on manual it will be always on or off depending on your preference.
On the renogy you might need the external handheld meter (seperate purchase) to program the load timer.

 

[galladanb]

On the load icon, It shows on the mt-50 meter and I get the red light on the controller.
So, a double confirmation, that the system is indicating a load.
BUT... to be clear, I have not turned it on. IN fact, when I see it is on, I turn it off. Then it randomly comes back on anyway...

In any case, what is the REAL purpose of the load there anyway? What would be a good thing to plug in there???????
And why would I want a switch on the controller for it??? I mean, what did Renogy have in mind to be used there?

By the way, the lights without the dimmer are sooooooooo freakin bright!
I usually turn the dimmer way down to about 15 or 20%...

 

[jonyjoe303]

When you mention that your lights came on at night by themselves, that got me thinking that the timer was operating. How mine works when programmed is to turn the load on 1 hour after sunset (the controller uses the panel to decide when it's nightime), but it can be 2 or 3 hours after sunset. It will also shutoff the load 1 hour after sunrise etc. But some controllers you can actually program the actual time of day and will use that instead. 
Its not just renogy, even the cheap 10 dollar controllers have timers.

But also if the battery is too low it might turn the load off, and then come back on when the voltage gets back up, like if you put a major drain on the battery bank.

One thing I notice on mine when my battery is charging and I have a load, if there a sudden increase in voltage (like a cloud stops blocking the sun suddenly and voltage increases) it will shutoff the load (overvoltage protection) but when it does this I have to manually turn the load back on. I use to have a cooling fan connected to the load out,but it was always turning off during the day, now I just connect it directly to the battery. I rarely use the load out.

 

[tx2sturgis]

This is a random, shot-in-the-dark question:

Are you leaving a cellphone or wifi hotspot anywhere near any of the electronic components of your system?

RF emitted from those items can sometimes do weird things to nearby electronics.

Otherwise, we are back to the Poltergeists.

 

[galladanb]

Tx2, no, the van sets in the driveway here at the s n b... Great thought however...

Jony, I just dived into the rabbit hole of my user manuals, and the one thing I found was that the "load set" is on manual control by default, so I'm thinking that means there is a timer to control it like you mentioned, but it is not turned on. I will go out and check it to make sure. But I'm thinking ALL of the settings are at the default settings... I didn't change anything other than set day and time when I first plugged the meter in back in March.

Now, if the date and time is wrong, then to me, that means the system IS RESETTING itself.
That might mean a warranty issue, I feel.

If the system has been resetting, that might explain the lights? Maybe the electronics in the dimmer is getting confused by a reset.... I don't know...???

At any rate, I will be calling Renogy on Monday.... I have a few questions for them on other silly dumb user things....

 

[frater secessus]

BUT... to be clear, I have not turned it on. IN fact, when I see it is on, I turn it off. Then it randomly comes back on anyway...
In any case, what is the REAL purpose of the load there anyway? What would be a good thing to plug in there???????
And why would I want a switch on the controller for it??? I mean, what did Renogy have in mind to be used there?
By the way, the lights without the dimmer are sooooooooo freakin bright!
I usually turn the dimmer way down to about 15 or 20%...

Can you post a pic of the controller with the wiring going into it?

LOAD outputs generally have Low Voltage Disconnects (and Reconnect) and High Voltage Disconnects (and Reconnects).  This can cause the loads to activate and deactivate automagically.  The LOAD switch on the controller allows one to turn off all loads at once.  

A common use for the LOAD output is to keep from running batteries below 50% depth of discharge.  Set the LVD to 12.2v or whatever and power automatically shuts down to protect the bank.  Or maybe keep critical stuff like the fridge running off the battery and everything else through the LOAD output.

If total loads are less than the rated output of the controller (not common) you can run everything off that output.  It's probably a better practice to run a constant-duty relay off the LOAD output and activate your loads off that.  This will allow you to exceed the capacity of the controller.

 

[highdesertranger]

it has to be Tommy Knockers, everyone knows Zombies, ghosts, poltergeist, and goblins are make believe. call Renogy. what is the dimmer hooked up to? highdesertranger

 

[galladanb]

Ok, the day was correct, but the time was not, so I reset that.
Now, honestly, I don't recall if I set that or not....

But, I will recheck the day an time if and when the lights come back on.
And, the timer control says its on manual.

 

[galladanb]

Frater/Jason,  here is what the controller has wired to it, l to r, pv+, pv-, battery+, battery-
That's all. The meter plugs in to the far right with the modular plug...


HDR, the dimmer is wired battery to 12v distribution panel, to fuse, to dimmer, to led lights.
If I pulled the fuse, that would kill the lights....

 

[tx2sturgis]

Gremlins!

If you don't have a 'gremlin bell' on your rig, they see that as an invitation to cause trouble.

 

[frater secessus]

Frater/Jason,  here is what the controller has wired to it, l to r, pv+, pv-, battery+, battery-
That's all. The meter plugs in to the far right with the modular plug...

Looks good to me.

BTW, I think there is also a night-sensing mode that might turn on load (for lighting) when the panels are no longer making power.

 

[John61CT]

My vote is for swapping out the controller

 

[galladanb]

A swap out was my first choice also, but we'll see what Renogy says tomorrow...

And btw, the lights are not attached to the controller at all.
Only via the 12v distribution panel and batteries...

 

[highdesertranger]

sounds like you might have two separate issues. highdesertranger

 

[frater secessus]

Couple of things occurring with my solar system...

1.) The "load" icon on the meter will show it has a load when it actually has nothing wired to it. I push the load button on the controllers and it changes to indicate no load. Then randomly, it goes back to showing a load. I assure you, nobody is turning it on without me knowing about it. Quite odd...

Just re-read this.  The LOAD indicator doesn't mean there is a load;  it means the LOAD output is enabled.   You can set LOAD control in the config to MANUAL to override auto functions.

 

[tx2sturgis]

Good catch on that last one....

I have a MorningStar PWM that has a Load ON/OFF push button...when the loads are turned off by pushing the button, a red light comes ON to indicate loads are OFF.

Kinda counter-intuitive.

But as far as I know, on mine, that circuit stays OFF until you turn it back on again.

 

[galladanb]

Frater, My "LOAD" control is currently set to manual control by default... So, it's not on AUTO for me...

Now for an update of sorts...

Renogy says that the LOAD icon is indicating the circuit status, but since there is no actual load there, it a "never mind" kinda thing...
So, I guess I can ignore the icon status. whatever its indicating, there is no actual power loss or power usage.

I asked them if the controller will ever "Reset" to an off then back on again status, and he said it would not. I was thinking that was why the load icon was changing, but no... ( I'm still confused by why the icon would ever change form one symbol to another... But whatever...)

I also asked if I should adjust the voltages for adsorb, boost, and float should be tweaked if needed. He suggested that the numbers would be based upon the battery Manufactures specs, but that if they were only off by a couple of hundredths, that it might not be that big of an issue. In other words, tweak to spec, but it's ok if not... He also suggested that minor tweaking could corrupt some other setting and that lead to bigger issues...
SO, Because my numbers by default are so close, I may not...

AND, best news so far, the lights have stayed off for several days now... Who knows, maybe it was gremlins, LOL!!!