- Thread starter
- #21
I don't remember - I think it's 14+ due to lithium, but I never changed it from initial set up a few months ago. I'll check that though, as it's bugging me. Have to remember how to do that.
Epever Controller/solar/battery question (2 Viewers)
- Thread starter Tennessee Jed
- Start date
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It would be better to have more information to make sense of all this.
That graph above in post 19 could simply show the controller going from float to absorption to float on the battery side, depending on settings. Nothing wrong with that. The question is whether the fridge was going or not at the time.
I'm sure you do realize that if you put your smartshunt next to the battery, as you normally would, the current displayed in the graph above does not necessarily reflect the current coming out of the load port of the controller, which is what you seemed to have connected the fridge to earlier.
Does your controller provide power from the battery on the load port if there is no power coming from the panel?
That graph above in post 19 could simply show the controller going from float to absorption to float on the battery side, depending on settings. Nothing wrong with that. The question is whether the fridge was going or not at the time.
I'm sure you do realize that if you put your smartshunt next to the battery, as you normally would, the current displayed in the graph above does not necessarily reflect the current coming out of the load port of the controller, which is what you seemed to have connected the fridge to earlier.
Does your controller provide power from the battery on the load port if there is no power coming from the panel?
- Thread starter
- #23
OK. Drawing this to a close - I solved it, and I guess I'm an idiot, but in my defense this is the first time I've heard of this.
It was exactly as someone said here - the 5v difference issue. My battery sat at around 13.5 volts and I was getting max 16 - 18 volts from the solar panels. So there was almost no time at which I had more than a 5v difference.
I reconnected the panels in series, not parallel, and problem solved. I only get half the amperage but it starts charging in a soft twilight and before it would take full sun after 10am to kick things on. You can see the situation after I kicked on the panels, it immediately started charging. These numbers are low because it was early morning on a cloudy day so I was only getting about half an amp, but like 30+ volts.
The incoming amperage started off at about 1/2 amp and is steadily rising as the sun comes up. So it's charging and the battery is taking the charge as expected.
It was exactly as someone said here - the 5v difference issue. My battery sat at around 13.5 volts and I was getting max 16 - 18 volts from the solar panels. So there was almost no time at which I had more than a 5v difference.
I reconnected the panels in series, not parallel, and problem solved. I only get half the amperage but it starts charging in a soft twilight and before it would take full sun after 10am to kick things on. You can see the situation after I kicked on the panels, it immediately started charging. These numbers are low because it was early morning on a cloudy day so I was only getting about half an amp, but like 30+ volts.
The incoming amperage started off at about 1/2 amp and is steadily rising as the sun comes up. So it's charging and the battery is taking the charge as expected.
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- Thread starter
- #24
Thanks for suggestions and help. For future reference, don't assume that panels connected in parallel (maximizing your amperage) and an MPPT controller are going to necessarily be the best solution. For my setup, which is kinda common, wiring in series doubles the voltage coming off the panels and guarantees that you'll start charging sooner and keep charging longer, albeit at a lower amperage. At least the charger will turn on.
Good news! FYI, yes you only get 1/2 the amps in series, but 2x the voltage & therefore the same watts from the solar charge controller to the battery. Plus a little less wire resistance between the panels and the charge controller. Win-win.
FWIW, in the OP you kept saying" 18 watts ) which as shown in your pic of controller is actually V. 17 volts is low, like shaded or evening time. 18 to 21 is oper range in my exp. Does your controller have a charge indicator aside from the amp reading ? It seems like your controller knows the batt voltage, is getting some input from solar but not connecting charge mode. Could be a setting for the batt voltage threshold, could be the solar input is not enough to trigger the turn on of charging batt, could be the connecting device for charging solar to batt inside controller is bad. You said 2 panels, if you test them independently what sthe output voltage ? could get a 30 dollar amazon controller to hook up and see if system works as normal.
