Cascadia 4x4 VSS hood solar not charging - any advice or similar experiences? (1 Viewer)

[slowtraveladv]

I have had the Cascadia 4x4 VSS 85 watt system installed since April 2023, I bought the full system which includes the MPPT charge controller from Cascadia. After install everything was working fine with the system, it was charging the house battery and I had no issues, but also at the time I was parking in a garage and didn't really need the solar, but I should have caught the fact that it wasnt working right sooner, I noticed that my dash cams were off (low voltage cut off) and the battery was below 11.2 but just ignored it because I wasn't driving a lot and was hardly ever parked in the sun. Currently I am staying in a place where I park in the direct sun for 6 hours a day and noticed my battery not staying topped off again so went to do some troubleshooting and found the Cascadia system is not charging. I am getting a solid green light and a solid yellow light (mppt light diagram photo below). I have tried everything that I know to do, I have reset and unplugged the entire system, I have pulled everything off of the battery except the solar, I have tried a different battery, and I have taken voltage and short circuit amp readings straight off the solar panel through the MC4 connectors. (readings below in full sun)

Voltage = 19-21
Amps = 0.00-0.07

I am assuming the amps reading is the problem? I never see the blinking green light which means its charging, but also never any red lights, just solid green and solid yellow or slow blinking yellow if I leave some accessories on.

I am leaving for Mexico for 6 months October 28th and I am not a solar expert by any means, and Cascadia has been incredibly slow and not that helpful via email so far.

House battery is a costco interstate group 35 flooded lead acid, bought in April same time as the solar. I just ordered an odyssey AGM group 35 that will be here next week, so I will be swapping that once I have it.

 

[lx200inAR]

I have had the Cascadia 4x4 VSS 85 watt system installed since April 2023, I bought the full system which includes the MPPT charge controller from Cascadia. After install everything was working fine with the system, it was charging the house battery and I had no issues, but also at the time I was parking in a garage and didn't really need the solar, but I should have caught the fact that it wasnt working right sooner, I noticed that my dash cams were off (low voltage cut off) and the battery was below 11.2 but just ignored it because I wasn't driving a lot and was hardly ever parked in the sun. Currently I am staying in a place where I park in the direct sun for 6 hours a day and noticed my battery not staying topped off again so went to do some troubleshooting and found the Cascadia system is not charging. I am getting a solid green light and a solid yellow light (mppt light diagram photo below). I have tried everything that I know to do, I have reset and unplugged the entire system, I have pulled everything off of the battery except the solar, I have tried a different battery, and I have taken voltage and short circuit amp readings straight off the solar panel through the MC4 connectors. (readings below in full sun)

Voltage = 19-21
Amps = 0.00-0.07

I am assuming the amps reading is the problem?

I am leaving for Mexico for 6 months October 28th and I am not a solar expert by any means, and Cascadia has been incredibly slow and not that helpful via email so far.

House battery is a costco interstate group 35 flooded lead acid, bought in April same time as the solar. I just ordered an odyssey AGM group 35 that will be here next week, so I will be swapping that once I have it.

View attachment 3427451

View attachment 3427459

That's not how you would measure amps for a solar panel. The meter has no "draw" so there is no current to measure. Assuming your panel is lower than the 10amps the meter shows is the max it can measure (Based on voltage listed above that would mean less than 200w), you would want to put the meter in-line with the solar panel circuit. To accomplish this, you'd put the negative (black cable) back into the system and then put the meters red and black cables in line with the red cable connected back into the system.

Based on the voltage you are seeing, I'd be surprised if the panel was the issue. Seems like it's the charge controller is being wonky.

MPPT black (MC4) -> Solar Panel Black (MC4)

Solar Panel Red (MC4) -> Black port on Multimeter -> Red Port on Multimeter -> Red Port on MPPT (MC4)

 

[slowtraveladv]

That's not how you would measure amps for a solar panel. The meter has no "draw" so there is no current to measure. Assuming your panel is lower than the 10amps the meter shows is the max it can measure (Based on voltage listed above that would mean less than 200w), you would want to put the meter in-line with the solar panel circuit. To accomplish this, you'd put the negative (black cable) back into the system and then put the meters red and black cables in line with the red cable connected back into the system.

Based on the voltage you are seeing, I'd be surprised if the panel was the issue. Seems like it's the charge controller is being wonky.

MPPT black (MC4) -> Solar Panel Black (MC4)

Solar Panel Red (MC4) -> Black port on Multimeter -> Red Port on Multimeter -> Red Port on MPPT (MC4)

Gotcha, thanks so YouTube failed me with how to read amps.
Just went out and took another reading in-line as you said and got 0.04amps.
I have the multimeter on the same settings as the pic above, am I doing something wrong with the settings?

 

[lx200inAR]

Gotcha, thanks so YouTube failed me with how to read amps.
Just went out and took another reading in-line as you said and got 0.04amps.
I have the multimeter on the same settings as the pic above, am I doing something wrong with the settings?

Well, since the controller has a solid green light, the manual says that means it's not charging. The controller is not putting a load on the panel either, therefore, it probably makes sense there you are not seeing any current on that circuit. The charge controller is what would control that, and for some reason it's not kicking on. Might check t-shooting steps in the manual for solid yellow and green lights when you know you have proper panel voltage (the 20v you measured above, quick note, you were measuring voltage correctly, assuming you had the leads in the right place on your meter). Also, what's the voltage of your battery? If it's high enough, the controller probably doesn't turn on. All of those details should be in your manual.

 

[slowtraveladv]

Thanks again for the help, there's not a lot of other details or tips in the manual, im guessing since its such an easy plug and play system but I will give Cascadia another call and see if they can offer any help.

Battery voltage was 12.2, turned on accessories and let it run down to 11.2 but the mppt never switched to charging mode. Really hoping its a faulty MPPT and not the panel.

 

[lx200inAR]

Thanks again for the help, there's not a lot of other details or tips in the manual, im guessing since its such an easy plug and play system but I will give Cascadia another call and see if they can offer any help.

Battery voltage was 12.2, turned on accessories and let it run down to 11.2 but the mppt never switched to charging mode. Really hoping its a faulty MPPT and not the panel.

Just a shot in the dark and since you are out there testing. Is the yellow light definitely on? DId you check for good voltage at your fuse from the battery to the MPPT controller (looks like the fuse is the last thing in the line that you can check at). Do you have the accessory plugs connected to anything? I can't imagine that would matter, but might try disconnecting those in case there is something weird going on.

 

[slowtraveladv]

Ya yellow light is definitely on, watched it switch to slow blinking today while testing. voltage at the fuse is good. nothing plugged into the accessory wires off the MPPT.

Talked to Cascadia on the phone today, consensus is likely the panel is bad, he asked for voltage and amp readings and I asked him to clarify how to take the readings and he said to measure both directly off the two MC4 connectors coming from the panel...so waiting for confirmation but seems like I am in for a replacement, not looking forward to pulling this thing off the hood, but at least they are willing to replace.

 

[lx200inAR]

Ya yellow light is definitely on, watched it switch to slow blinking today while testing. voltage at the fuse is good. nothing plugged into the accessory wires off the MPPT.

Talked to Cascadia on the phone today, consensus is likely the panel is bad, he asked for voltage and amp readings and I asked him to clarify how to take the readings and he said to measure both directly off the two MC4 connectors coming from the panel...so waiting for confirmation but seems like I am in for a replacement, not looking forward to pulling this thing off the hood, but at least they are willing to replace.

I dont guess there is any chance you have some other device that you can connect the solar panel to? The Renogy 10A PWM charge controller is under $20 on Amazon, and in my app says could be delivered tomorrow. Personally I’d be attempting to bypass the controller before I guessed that it was the panel.

i would think if you put your multimeter between the positive and negative leads you’d be creating a short, so I guess the panel should dump it’s entire load through the leads. Depending on how much power it’s generating, you might get a bit of jolt or spark.

 

[lx200inAR]

I dont guess there is any chance you have some other device that you can connect the solar panel to? The Renogy 10A PWM charge controller is under $20 on Amazon, and in my app says could be delivered tomorrow. Personally I’d be attempting to bypass the controller before I guessed that it was the panel.

i would think if you put your multimeter between the positive and negative leads you’d be creating a short, so I guess the panel should dump it’s entire load through the leads. Depending on how much power it’s generating, you might get a bit of jolt or spark.

Here's a post on how to test a solar panel. Testing the current between the positive and negative leads of the solar panel does create a short but should also show you the max output capable of the panel, I definitely wouldn't do this test for a long time, but I guess it's not destructive or anything. If you were in full sun and everything was operating correctly you should see between 3-4.5 amps with the Cascadia 85w panel. If in sunlight the panel wasn't generating any current when you measured it that way, then it's most likely got an issue, either in the panel itself or in some of the components that are probably in line (i believe there is typically a diode wired inline).

 

[dubyahard]

I had a Lensun panel (probably from same ChiNa factory) on my hood and it didn't last long. My MPPT was from Overland Solar and they helped me trouble shoot the panel/controller and even replaced the controller. In the end I returned it to Lensun. Now I have a 90W Zamp on the roof that always works. Sucks sacfrificing the roof space but it was the best solution for me.