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Post by smarttech on Apr 14, 2017 8:27:34 GMT -8
I purchased a kit with single solar panel and the PWM30LCD charge controller with LCD screen. Ever since I installed it, it doesn't seem to be doing a very good job charging my battery. During the day, I will see the voltage show that it is getting up around 13.1 +/-, but at night when the sun goes down, I have somewhere around 12.2. I bought a new battery thinking that maybe the old had a problem. Same thing. Any ideas what I should look for? I have adjusted settings in the controller and thought maybe I screwed something up. Is there a way to reset the controller back to defaults?
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Post by rabird on Apr 14, 2017 9:50:27 GMT -8
what load(s) are you putting on the battery and for how long? pardon my french!, that's one crappy controller with just one set pt, read the manual below and set the ceasing charge voltage to mid to upper 14vs, like 14.8v www.overstock.com/downloads/pdf/16295050a.pdfhow big is the single solar panel, they come in sizes as small as 2 watts of so and up to 200w or so for a '12v' panel. 100w panel and 100ah batt is an OK match if big enough for your loads. You left out most of that info! If the panel can never get the batt over 13.1, either the loads are too big or on too much, not enough panel, not enough sun, ... nothing wrong with using a portable charger and 120v utility or generator power to get the batts fully charged. |
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Post by smarttech on Apr 14, 2017 10:07:27 GMT -8
Solar panel is 100w. The battery is actually a 155ah so it should be holding up amazingly, but it isn't.
I have hardly ANY load. I have all lights switched out to low draw LED lights. No fans running. It really is hardly any draw. I will try to reset some of the variables in the controller.
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Post by rabird on Apr 14, 2017 10:35:53 GMT -8
Have you ever FULLY charged this batt, ever? disconnect all loads and fully charge by whatever means, if solar let it get to 14.8v for 2-4 hrs, if it can't, why not, not enough solar, not enough sun, , too discharged a battery, bad controller, blah blah blah. 100 watts ought to recharge ~ 20 ah a day back into a battery. on a ave sunny spring day. if ya use more than that daily you are in a downward sprial. how many do ya use? Is this a travel trailer with parasite detector loads and 12v fridge load? not much sun? The controller has a read out of how much charge current happens! 100watt or 5-6 amp charger for an 155 ah battery 5.5A/155A that's 3.5% charger, not much for 155 ah battery. use this to determine what solar may do for you at different times of year, location, tilt of panel etc. www.solarelectricityhandbook.com/solar-irradiance.html^^ I generally use a multiplier of 4, as you can see from the above calculator it varies thoughout the year, time angle etc. Replacing 1/2 batt a day or 78ah divided by 4 would require a 20A charger or 3-400 watts o' panel! repeated undercharging is the death of many a battery as the capacity is reduced with each undercharge. |
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