Solar

[Mr Cassandra]

I have downloaded the app
The controller is conecting to the phone and all the lights flash.
It then says on phone I need to update software to V2 1.2. this new down load fails at 1°

The controller has been on all day yesterday. And this morning on checking voltage ,I am seeing 12.7
on battery terminals.

When running the engine this rises to 13.9 ,but after dropping to around 12.7v

 

[Mr Cassandra]

I am still uncertain about this installation. In bright sunlight in Greece i am only getting a solid blue light and measuring 12.6v on the wires from the controller.

On shore power and with built in battery charger i can get 14.3v on battery terminals ,which drops down to 12 .6 v over a short time The light on controller turns yellow.

With running the engine i am seeing 13 6v controller light yellow

Should the Solar side not be giving me more than 12.6 v input?

 

[RichardS]

My Victron only produces a high voltage (above 14V) once the controller has finished it's Bulk phase which is how it always starts up. On this phase it gives out a voltage only slightly above the battery voltage so anything between 12V and 13V but is converting the volts to amps to put as much current as possible into the battery to charge it before it switches out of Bulk.

With the fridge/freezer running the batteries never reach full charge unless I am also on shorepower or the engine is running so the controller never switches into Absorbtion or Float mode.

Richard

 

[Bobc]

With an MPPT fitted, is the OP not better-off connecting the panels in series to get the volts up and make the MPPT work better?

 

[Majic]

Hi RTBoss1,
I have had a similar problem lately, also in Greece: 2x100w panels, mounted on the Bimini, failing to charge my 3x105ah house batteries. I could only check the solar voltage, due to a multimeter problem, so bought a new charge controller which has a LCD display showing volts and amps produced.
This immediately should the problem: the charge voltage was 12.6ish, but the only about 5amps, about 63 watts. And this was pretty much the maximum at mid day. This is barely enough to keep the fridge going and a long way short of the theoretical output.
The reason for this seems to be partly down to aging panels, but also to the horizontal position of the panels on the Bimini. The sun is much lower now than in June. Also some shading issues. I have moved the panels to the foredeck and am now getting about 8amps at, currently, 14v, 110w. Much better. By rotating the panels to the sun I can achieve this for a good portion of the day.
Next year I will bring 2 new 100w panels to supplement the existing.
I would suggest you check the amps yours are producing. I would have thought that the size of your batteries would also suggest that you need more panels.
Hope this helps.
Jon S/Y Majic