Rover 40A Error 4 Overcurrent issue

I note from Amazon reviews and another post on this forum that certain loads cause the over current protection to trip.

Is there any resolution to this?

Since I have the same issue.



Here is what I have done:



I replaced an old PWM controller in my camper van with a brand new Renogy Rover 40A MPPT.

I did not change any of the settings on the Renogy (assuming it is set up for wet lead acid)



The set up in the van has run for a year with no issues or alterations:



Solar panel is 2x 240W 38V Canada Solar in parallel

Battery is: 12V 130Ah lead acid leisure Xplorer

Load is (via fuse box):

3x 1W lights LED = 3W, 0.25A

Mobicool W40 fridge (Peltier) 50W, 4.2A at 12V
(via a relay and a thermostat, runs approx 50% duty cycle)

12V CD/Radio 3W, 0.45A max, 0.2A when not playing



Initially all seemed well, the radio and lights worked as expected, the feed from the solar panels on the Renogy showed 38V and battery was in in boost for a few minutes then float.



I attached the fridge and that started up OK, I left that to run for a while to check that the MPPT system worked as expected. I saw 6.4A* coming in from the solar panels at 37V and 5A going to the fridge at 14V. The battery remained in float. The fridge ran for some 3 or 4 hours and reached its expected temp of 5 degrees. Outside temp was 20 degrees.


* I am still a bit confused about this - 6.4A at 37V is 240 watts - where is all that power going? Does that look odd to anyone? Battery was full, at this point.


Later that day (Friday 18th) I went to check how the fridge was doing and saw that the power was off, with the MPPT unit showing error code E4 (short circuit) and the power feed LED flashing. I reset the MPPT (by holding the right hand button down for 5 seconds) and it immediately went to short circuit again.



Pulling all the fuses I found that the load from the fridge (5A at 14V) or the load from the radio (0.2A) was enough to trip the MPPT into ‘short circuit’ mode.



Only the LED lights would work without causing the error.



I have measured the current taken on the 3 items, using a Fluke multimeter in series (direct from the battery). There is no issue with the wiring as the current drawn is as expected.



I find it quite baffling that a 12V radio or a peltier effect pump and fan would cause enough current surge to trip the overcurrent.


Renogy support have suggested I experiment with having the LED lights on and then turning the radio on to see if that trips the device. Seems like an odd request? 


Is there something fundamentally wrong here, shown by the 6.4A taken from the solar panels? 

Any thoughts, please? Thx

I regret you are having issues with the load, good luck.

As for power produced while not in bulk.
The PV voltage is almost useless in anything other than bulk.
Once REGULATION has happened (constant voltage or float) the voltage reading is an average of last MPPT voltage and Voc, as the controller limit current/power to the battery to prevent overcharge, it connects/disconnects at a high freq, I call this on/off. To limit current/power the controller adjusts the on/off time based on the then sun, batt, load conditions. The OFF time voltage is Voc @ no power and the on time is last determined Vmp. So if on/off are 50% each ya can average the Vmp and the Voc and get PV displayed voltage.

So your saw 6.4v charging, 5 being used by load, that suggest to me that the battery was accepting 1.4 to stay in float or whatever mode it was in.

I suggest you look at charging current x batt V to determine watts produced by the panels.

37v would be very high for a 60 cell 24v panel (30V or something) and high for a 72 cell 24v panel (36v).

Look on the back of the panel for Vmp, generally anytime the controller displays this voltage or lower (lowered by heat) you are MPPT BULK, readings over this are 'constant voltage' (absorption) or float and may read as high as Voc (batt etal don't need much power so the OFF time is higher %).

Thanks rabird, tattoo....

Would I be correct in assuming if I can't apply any sort of load over about an amp, even a resistive load, to the Rover, it's probably a faulty unit?

THx

yes

Yes sir you should be able to get more out of it... Something is broke...

How would I be able to test the Rover's Load Terminals to isolate it is the Rover or the load (DC Unique Fridge)?
Mine will run the fridge periodically but eventually will get the E4 fault. Once reset it'll run again for a couple cycles/hours before it faults.
As I type this - I seem to think that it might be more of an issue on the fridge.....

Have an identical set up - except on a Commander Controller and no issues. Didn't get a chance to swap controllers and test that yet. That's this next weekend when I head back out to the island.

Sorry I can't help you with DC that's birds field.... But it sounds like your on to your problem... DC appliances give problems all the time....