Solar Controller Problems

The reason I was wondering about the bluetooth dongle/firmware, is that that appears to be something you are doing differently from most with the overland solar controller.   How are you using both the bluetooth dongle and the display?

 

I am also curious what is on the load terminals?    You have to be a little careful with these as they are only able to carry current in one direction - if these were miswired where they could have charge flowing into the controller, it would be a problem. 

Since there is only one plug on the MPPT for either the dongle of the MPPT control display I generally leave the dongle in all the time but plug in the MPPT control when I suspect the controller has failed. I bought the dongle to better monitor my solar system and try to become an informed user. I had intended to switch to the MPPT control when using the camper to avoid unnecessary RF but haven’t yet felt like I am the informed user I imagined myself becoming.

AS for what the load terminals are connected to I don’t know for certain. So little room to move around and check and no wiring diagram. Any easy way to figure this out?

You could try turning the loads off in the app and see what happens?  

I use the load terminals on my controller for all the house loads except the inverter.   However I was also careful to make sure that any sources (converter, ACR from the alternator) were NOT connected through the load terminals.    They are controlled with a MOSFET, and reverse current could cause the MOSFET to heat up and eventually burn out.  I would imagine this would only kill the load output, but who knows. 

You could try turning the loads off in the app and see what happens?  

 

I use the load terminals on my controller for all the house loads except the inverter.   However I was also careful to make sure that any sources (converter, ACR from the alternator) were NOT connected through the load terminals.    They are controlled with a MOSFET, and reverse current could cause the MOSFET to heat up and eventually burn out.  I would imagine this would only kill the load output, but who knows. 

I just went out and turned on the porch light an interior light and the fan. Went into the Victron App>Settings>Load output, switched it to Always off and nothing happened. Is this what you meant to try? And does this indicate the controller is being fed from the load side?

I just went out and turned on the porch light an interior light and the fan. Went into the Victron App>Settings>Load output, switched it to Always off and nothing happened. Is this what you meant to try? And does this indicate the controller is being fed from the load side?

The lights stayed on when Load was turned off?  That means there is another path for the power to flow.  And exceedingly strange to have some unknown connection to the load terminals.  I would have expected them to be wired like rando said...everything except the inverter.

Not that it is conclusive, but what color wire is in the load outputs and what color wire is going to the DC fuse panel?

Vic

The lights stayed on when Load was turned off?  That means there is another path for the power to flow.  And exceedingly strange to have some unknown connection to the load terminals.  I would have expected them to be wired like rando said...everything except the inverter.

 

Not that it is conclusive, but what color wire is in the load outputs and what color wire is going to the DC fuse panel?

 

Vic

Load output wires

+ side - white

_ side - black

DC fuse panel - white

and to be clear I only turned the load off in the Victron app not at the master switch which ‘does’ kill everything

Load output wires

+ side - white

_ side - black

DC fuse panel - white

 

and to be clear I only turned the load off in the Victron app not at the master switch which ‘does’ kill everything

White and white.  Hmm.. it is possible this is the same wire.  Could you try disconnecting the white load wire and see what quits?

White and white.  Hmm.. it is possible this is the same wire.  Could you try disconnecting the white load wire and see what quits?O

OK disconnected the white load wire from the controller and nothing quit. Porch light, inside light, fan all stayed on. The green blinking light on the controller tuned off though.

OK disconnected the white load wire from the controller and nothing quit. Porch light, inside light, fan all stayed on. The green blinking light on the controller tuned off though.

That makes sense (for the light to turn off) - from the manual: 

3.7 LEDs

Green LED: indicates which load output control algorithm has been chosen. On: one of the two conventional load output control algorithms (see Fig 2) Blinking: BatteryLife load output control algorithm (see Fig 2)

Yellow LED: signals charge sequence Off: no power from PV array (or PV array connected with reverse polarity) Blinking fast: bulk charge (battery in partially charged state) Blinking slow: absorption charge (battery charged to 80% or more) On: float charge (battery fully charged)

What is still puzzling is ... where does that wire go???

That makes sense (for the light to turn off) - from the manual: 

 

3.7 LEDs

 

Green LED: indicates which load output control algorithm has been chosen. On: one of the two conventional load output control algorithms (see Fig 2) Blinking: BatteryLife load output control algorithm (see Fig 2)

 

Yellow LED: signals charge sequence Off: no power from PV array (or PV array connected with reverse polarity) Blinking fast: bulk charge (battery in partially charged state) Blinking slow: absorption charge (battery charged to 80% or more) On: float charge (battery fully charged)

 

What is still puzzling is ... where does that wire go???

I can get my head inside the cabinet but can’t really tell where the wire goes. Perhaps tomorrow when I’m more awake I can get more of me in there and try to do some tracing. 

But how about this. If I disconnect each of the 3 pairs of wires from the controller and test them with a multi meter it would seem to me the battery wires would show 12+ volts, the PV pair should show about 27V when the sun is on them and I would expect the load to show no voltage once disconnected from the controller. Am I thinking correctly here, or do I have something wrong? I built and wired a house and a wood shop and a tiny solar powered camper has me completely confused!

I would also think that when the load was turned off in the app that the lights and fan would turn off as well.