Unhappy solar??

Van Living Forum

Help Support Van Living Forum:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.

bpdchief

Well-known member
Joined
Jan 27, 2017
Messages
211
Reaction score
40
Location
Republic, MO
Today I installed the second 100 watt solar panel on the roof and tied in the second 105 ah battery. Yesterday, full sun, the controller said 14.4v coming off the panel and battery floating at 13.7v. Today, full sun with both panels and batteries charge controller says 13.2v - batteries 13.0v ..
Separately both panels showed 20.9 & 21.2 volts before connecting to controller. Without panels connected the battery side of controller shows 12.8v.  Right now I have a PWM controller til I can afford better MPPT.

Did I do something wrong or do I need to be patient?
 
Charge Controller.jpg 30 amp controller   -  Edgestar 43 fridge and Maxxair fan
 

Attachments

  • Charge Controller.jpg
    Charge Controller.jpg
    43.9 KB
I have one just like that.  It has one programmable voltage.  When the battery is lower it turns on.  Full panel amps flow.  When the battery gets to the programmed voltage it turns off and on to maintain that voltage until the sun goes down.  I keep mine set to 14.4 volts summer, 14.8 winter.  To have those voltages at the battery you need to set the controller higher.  

I have a flooded battery and a hydrometer.  If you have an AGM battery you might want 14.2 and 14.6.  Use the over night resting voltage as a guide.  Having it set to only 13.7 is too low for the maximum charge voltage, particularly with a fridge.
 
It looks like the controller has jumped into float mode. You might have voltage drop in your system. The only way to fix it is to use thicker gauge wire from controller to the battery or raise the bulk voltage on your controller (if its possible). 

The way to check if this is the cause you would have to measure the actual voltage between what the controller is showing and the voltage on the battery terminals. If the controller says 14.4 volts, the voltage on the terminals should also read 14.4 volts. Once the controller reaches 14.4 volts it stays there for a while then switches to float. You can trick it to go back into bulk mode by disconnecting the panel, and then disconnect the battery to reset the controller. 

I used the same controller you have before they are good controllers but very basic. How much amps are you getting? I know when I had the same controller hooked up to my 240 watt panel it was maxing out at 6 amps output.

The directions on your controller say its programmable, you might have to adjust the float voltage higher. You can take it all the way to 14.4 volts if it lets you. That wont damage your batteries, the sun will go down before your 105 ah battery is fully charge. If you have voltage drop even 14.4 volts will be too low. But for your large batteries you have to keep them at 14.4 volts almost all day, otherwise you just trickle charging them.

If possible get a Led meter that can measure amps, with solar its all about the amps. I use the 90 volt 30 amp combo meter (cost 20 dollars) , it connects between controller and battery. Knowing how much amps your panels are putting out will bring happiness into your solar system. 
combo meter c.jpg

This is how I keep an eye on my solar system. Thats the ecoworthy 20 amp mppt (cost 100 dollars) thats connected to my 240 watt panel, it has an lcd screen that tells me volts/amps but its hard to read. I prefer the big LED's which I can read from a distance.
xt60 connector large a.jpg
 

Attachments

  • combo meter c.jpg
    combo meter c.jpg
    64.2 KB
  • xt60 connector large a.jpg
    xt60 connector large a.jpg
    95.2 KB
Wow.. all good info (as if I would get less from you fine folks)

I have 10 gauge wire from panels to controller and on to the batteries - read somewhere that was the gauge to use. Fan and fridge are both wired with 10 gauge, two seldom used LED ceiling lights are 12 gauge - each item comes off it's own fuse. In the morning I will properly unhook the system and reconnect to reset the controller... I will set the voltages as high as they will allow - 14.8 or 15 as I recall and see what happens.
1. Would I connect the combo meter shown to the battery lugs on the controller or down the line further?

Thanks for the help - thought I was ready... we move into the van August 29th while I continue to work thru Dec 31st.
 
You do not want to set voltage as high as that. The manufacture of the battery should tell you the voltages to use.
 
Weight - with flooded batteries would you suggest charging at 14.4 and float set at ?
 
The controller I have looks exactly like the picture.  It is a real $15 controller.  

The way it works is like this.  There is one programmed voltage.  When the battery is below that voltage it turns on.  When the battery is above that voltage it turns off.  When the sun comes up it goes on.  Full panel current goes to the battery.  As clouds go by and the angle of the sun changes the current changes.  When the battery voltage gets up to the set limit it turns off.  The battery voltage quickly drops and the controler turns on again.  That on off action continues until the sun goes down.  If a big load comes on, like a fridge, the battery voltage drops and the controller stays on for a while.  

There are no modes.  There is no constant current mode because there is no constant current and no mode.  There is no rebulk to switch back to bulk mode when the fridge comes on because there is no bulk mode.  There is no premature switching to float mode without holding absorb mode long enough as there are no modes, no float mode, no absorb mode.  There is one programmable voltage.  The battery will always be below that, (panel switched on) above that, (panel switched off) or the sun goes down.  

The unit I got came with a 2 inch by 6 inch instruction sheet, English on one side.  It used the word float to describe the one programmable voltage.  The unit came set to 13.7 as I recall.  If you use it that way and only let your batteries see 13.7 volts there won't be much charging going on.  

I keep mine set to 14.4 volts summer, 14.8 winter.  To have those voltages at the battery you need to set the controller higher.  The battery doesn't care about the number in the controller.  Measure at the battery and adjust the controller to get the battery voltage you want.  That way the wire size and length matters much less.  

I have a flooded battery.  They are tough and resilient.  Monthly I add water.  If you have AGM use .2 volts less than I do.  You must not over charge and then add water with AGM because you can't add water.  They are delicate princesses.  Do the internet search and find the manufacturer's data on your battery.  There will be a recommended charge voltage that might be called absorb or constant voltage.  They give the 25°C number and a temperature compensation of some millivolts per degree.  Avoid too much charging when it's hot but that's when your fridge uses more.  When it's cold the battery needs more voltage to move the ions.  

Set the controller to give the charging voltage at the battery, not the battery terminals of the controller or the fuse box.  Keep that low enough to not roast the battery.  You may need to go up or down a tenth of a volt at a time to get the hydrometer or resting voltage to show full charge.  

With a flooded battery you can tell that it is getting charged to the happy zone.  The battery makes bubbles in the afternoon.  The hydrometer shows 1.275 specific gravity.  All cells use water.  Over charging the bubbling is vigorous, specific gravity 1.3, too much water use.  I measure, 20 to 30 ml per cell per month.  

With AGM I have no idea how to tell if the battery is in the happy zone.  No bubbles, no specific gravity, no water use.  You can charge to 14 volts and watch amps taper but the sun will cause the amps to taper.  A resting voltage requires resting as in hours of no current in or out, disconnected.
 
From here down to note: this is quoted from Penn regarding Duracel GC2 batteries.
At 12V:
Max Charge Current = 30% or less of Ah capacity (20 hour)
Absorption Voltage = 14.4V - 14.7V
Absorption End Point = Current change over 1 hour period of less than 0.1A
Max Absorption Time = 12 Hours
Float Voltage = 13.8V - 14.1V
Float End Time = No Limit
Equalization = 15.0V to 15.3V
Equalization End Point = Current change over 1 hour period of less than 0.1A
Max Equalization Time = 12 Hours
Temp Compensation = -.018V for every degree °C rise above 25C
Note:
For dock charging you may want to compensate float down to 13.4V to 13.6V
the guidance above is for off-grid or deep cycling applications where the batteries are cycled daily.
Stick to the 14.7V end of the absorption range and the batteries will do much better if they are cycled while cruising.
 
Thanks for all the information which has been printed off for continued future reference... I wish I had my fathers engineering mind, but I don't ,so , I will have to study this over and over until it sinks in. I do have a general grasp, so, thank you very much.
The controller today is again showing 14.4 v and 13.8 v - about to go out with meter and hydrometer.
 
Top