59 replies to this topic

[Beach]

You mentioned the batteries are brand new. If you weren't having this problem prior to replacing the batteries, I would suspect a faulty new battery and/or recheck the connections to the batteries. I'm in the marine business and I see brand new batteries that are not good, its rare but does happen. You'll need the manufacturer's specs on the batteries to test, use a known good volt meter and hydrometer.

[radarcontact]

Thanks for the reply. I installed the charge controller after I installed the batteries, so can't do a comparison to prior to the new batteries. I will check then out, though, per your suggestion.

[radarcontact]

pv, thanks for your detailed reply.  Can't believe I didn't think of using the truck battery for a test LOL.  I'm a knucklehead.

 

Going to pull the truck battery this aft. and see if hooking it up to the camper makes a difference.  I tried running new wires from the controller to my batteries but it didn't change anything, so it's not the wiring.  If the problem is in the controller to battery connection, it has to be either 1) the batteries, or 2) the controller.  I'll know if it's the battery(ies) today.  

 

I thought of the heatsink high temperature issue, and if heat was building up behind the controller, but that's not it, either.  I keep the camper in the garage at night, plugged into shore power.  In the morning I pull it out into sunlight, and disconnect shore power prior to taking it out of the garage.  This morning the temperature here in Jackson Hole was 26F.  The controller started it's cycling in and out of float immediately, and continued to do so indefinitely.  

 

Wanted to mention that I HAVE had it float a few times, the way it's supposed to.  But that has happened maybe two or three times since I installed the controller, which was in mid-July.    The couple of times it did float correctly didn't correlate with anything I was doing different, if that makes sense.  Just checked it now...truck is in full sun, and it won't stay in float.  I will yank on the connections and see if that makes a difference.  I've taken them apart and reconnected them at least 4 times so far.....

[radarcontact]

Beach I checked my 6V batteries w/my voltmeter....both are fine.  Don't have a hydrometer but I'll pick one up when I can.

[craig333]

Interesting.

 

System appears to operate OK, but will not switch between Bulk, Absorption & Float. Not set for 3-stage charge. Will not switch out of Bulk. Will not switch from Absorption to Float. Confirm Float voltage setpoint is not set to OFF. Available net charge current cannot bring battery voltage up to the present charge voltage setpoint. Battery state of charge may be too low, battery too large, PV power too low, and/or loads too high. PV’s should produce at least 3 amps per 100 amphours of battery –and– daily PV amp-hours produced must be greater than daily load amp-hours consumed. Battery not fully charged. Unit will not switch to Float until 3000i remains in Absorption continuously for the Absorption Charge Time period. Periodic load pulls battery voltage low causing 3000i to re-enter Bulk resetting the Absorption Charge Timer. Consider using a shorter Absorption Charge Time setting. Momentary decrease in PV power allows battery voltage to drop causing 3000i to reenter Bulk resetting the Absorption Charge Timer

 

 

The 3000i will return to Absorption should battery voltage remain below the Float Voltage setpoint for more than 10 seconds.

 

Something wired in you aren't aware of that might do that?

[pvstoy]

Beach I checked my 6V batteries w/my voltmeter....both are fine.  Don't have a hydrometer but I'll pick one up when I can.

Don't think you are going to know if your batteries are fine with just a volt meter without putting a load on them. Might find a local place that can test deep cycle 6 volt batteries.

[Happyjax]

Try not plugging into shore power for a day or 2 and see if the batteries act differently.......

[PaulT]

Since those are likely GC2 golf cart batteries, you might check out your local golf course’s cart rental/maintenance shop. Bet they can easily test them.

Paul

[radarcontact]

All helpful responses, thanks to everyone.  Last time I took my AGM batteries to a local place that said they were the end-all in battery testing they were wrong....they said they were fine, but the batteries were bad.  But, I will test them more thoroughly.  Paul, that's a great idea.  I'll probably take them to our local CC and see what they say.

 

Jax, I was thinking the same thing...still wondering if my IOTA is butting heads with my controller.  I'm going up to Yellowstone tomorrow and will have the camper off landline for a couple days, so I'll see if that makes a difference.

 

Craig, the one part of your post regarding the absorption charge time.....I have a compatible battery monitor that comes from Blue Sky, IPN Pro Remote.  It communicates w/the controller continuously.  One of the settings on the monitor is absorption charge time measured by current vs. time, which is called 'Float Transition Current' on the monitor....once the current drops below 1.5A per 100 Ah of battery capacity (or whatever you set it for, this is adjustable), the controller goes from absorption to float.   I left the setting on factory default (1.5/100Ah), and my Ah capacity is 230Ah, so it transitions when the current drops below 3.45A.  Supposedly it's a better way of transitioning, instead of doing a standard 4 hours of absorption, or whatever the time parameter is.  In theory it makes sense, but have no idea how efficient it is in practice.

 

pv...I couldn't do the swap-out of my 12V truck battery.  My connections from the controller to my 6V batteries are via the screw-on 1/2 in. threaded post....my truck battery only has the fatter terminals.  I don't have any adapters, so I couldn't do it today.

Edited by radarcontact, 27 September 2018 - 03:39 AM.

[craig333]

That method makes more sense. I had to think I was misunderstanding something. The IOTA charger shouldn't be doing anything at all if you're not plugged in.