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Post by Logan on Jun 2, 2019 17:38:29 GMT
Here is my issue / questions.
I have two of the 30A Adventure Controllers. Each controller has 3 x 100 watt panels powering up the controllers. I have two 125AH AGM Vmaxtank solar batteries hooked in parallel. Both chargers are feeding one battery and then a short run of 4' to the next battery. These are all inside an RV. When I'm camping, I just use some small inverters I leave in the RV. When I'm docked at home, I run a cable in my house feeding 8X NSB180FT NorthStar batteries and have a 1200 watt XPower inverter for some fans, small fridge etc. The total watts inside would never exceed 500 watts.
Everything is fused properly including the cable run inside the house which I have a DC breaker and a fuse.
The problem I am having is the charge controllers seem to cycle on and off. I thought it was an issue with the second controller I purchased, but today the original controller was like 11 watts and the second controller was 200 watts.
The eight batteries inside have not changed. They are basically in float and the voltage varies from 12.78-13.3, but it fluctuates slowly.
I'm not sure what is what is going on, but other than the controllers the system seems to be operating fine. I was going to add two more 100 watt panels to maximize the controllers, but until I can figure out why these controllers cycle, I'm going to hold off.
Thanks in advance for any suggestions......
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Post by bupkis on Jun 3, 2019 15:47:07 GMT
First you need to 'balance' the batteries, this means you parallel the batts and then have the charge/load connected to one batt + and the other batt -.  click to enlarge The concept is the batts begin charging with sun up and should charge to 14.?v and stay there 2 hrs. (two hrs is not long enough for most situations but that is the general default of a controller). You have 2 or 8 batteries? |
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logan
Solar Newcomer
Posts: 4
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Post by logan on Jun 3, 2019 18:26:47 GMT
Thanks for the reply.
In the van there are two 125AH Solar batteries (could only load three pics), from there the cable is run into the basement, where they are paralleled with 8 180AH 12V batteries. From there they go to the inverter and on to the 120V circuits in the load panel. When I was running one of the adventure chargers, everything worked well on the system with four 100 watt panels. When I purchased the new Adventure charger and hooked up 3 X 100 watt panels to each controller is when things started to act abnormal.
The load for now is pretty light as I mentioned in the original post and the drawing you sent is how I have had these batteries hooked up from day one. Today is pretty much the same as yesterday.
Controller 1 is showing PV@ 18.9V Current .63 / Watts 12
Controller 2 is showing PV@ 14.6V Current 12.32 / Watts 188
Inside when I check with my Fluke, I have 12.87V with a 200 watt load +-
Not sure what is going on?
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Post by tattoo on Jun 3, 2019 20:01:25 GMT
Could everything be getting hot?? That sure is a lot of things very close together....
It's very impressive none the less.....
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Post by bupkis on Jun 3, 2019 20:41:38 GMT
the controllers are doing what they do. Why no battery voltage reading reported?
Controller 1 senses the battery is @ 14.4v and is regulating to maintain that voltage, it seems it is reading a different battery voltage than controller 2.
Controller 2 is providing enough to maintain battery V @ 14.4 or whatever based on temperature.
The combination of the 2 is keeping the battery at a constant voltage, each one for 2 hrs starting at different times since they 'read' battery voltage different.
Bulk, boost and float.
Bulk both controllers will be providing all they can to increase batt voltage to say 14.4.
Boost, each controller will go into boost (constant voltage charing @ 14.4 at different times since they 'read' battery voltage slightly different).
Each will stay in boost for 2 hrs. Keeping battery voltage constant @ 14.4v temp corrected.
How do controlers regulate constant voltage charging? They turn on and off to maintain battery voltage at some set pt. When this happens the panel V reported is an average between battery V (on ) and Voc, voltage open circuit (off). Voc is ~20v so if a controller is turning on/off at a 50% duty cycle (on 50%/off 50%) then the panel V reported will be an average of battery V (14.4) AND Voc (~20). 34.4v/2 =17.2v. You reading of 18+ v on controller 1 indicates it is @ 40% duty cycle or so, ie on 40% of the time and off 60% of the time to maintain battery v @ 14.4, the other controller is reading slightly different battery V and is near 100% duty cycle meaning it is ON all the time.
When they go into float and try to maintain 13.?v float, they will be in OFF mode more than ON and Panel volteage will be near 20v cuz it takes less power to maintain 13.?v.
Add a big load to drop battery v below 13.2 or whatever it is and one or both will start over in Bulk then Boost then float.
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logan
Solar Newcomer
Posts: 4
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Post by logan on Jun 4, 2019 12:02:03 GMT
Could everything be getting hot?? That sure is a lot of things very close together.... It's very impressive none the less..... Nothing is hot or even close to warm. I have the fuses undersized just in case something did get hot. |
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Post by bupkis on Jun 4, 2019 12:17:56 GMT
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logan
Solar Newcomer
Posts: 4
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Post by logan on Jun 4, 2019 12:18:19 GMT
I unplugged the 8 batteries inside yesterday and used an inverter straight off of the van batteries. Both chargers came on and were pretty equal in voltage / watts and amps. I'm thinking the issue is the controllers are seeing the voltage from the batteries inside although the voltage is lower than the van batteries.
For now, I am going to source a 20 amp zener diode and put it inline with the the positive of the indoor bank, so as the voltage will only flow in one direction. I will update if this works and thanks for the reply's.
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logan
Solar Newcomer
Posts: 4
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Post by logan on Jun 4, 2019 13:04:21 GMT
That smartgauge link is very helpful. I will get some terminal strips and follow their directions.
My last post I mentioned getting a zener diode. My partner and I own a generator business and we have some 1N3209 diodes that are rated at 15 amps. I am going to re-fuse the incoming cable @ 15 amps and put one of these in-line and will update to see if this solves the problem.
Thanks!
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Post by tattoo on Jun 4, 2019 13:26:02 GMT
Nothing is hot or even close to warm. I have the fuses undersized just in case something did get hot.
That's great, Be sure and keep a check on it.... It's very nice looking.....
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