69 replies to this topic

[Vic Harder]

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. 

Yes, those assumptions make sense to me.

[Vic Harder]

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

 

Me too, hence the confusion all around. 

Edited by Vic Harder, 24 March 2020 - 05:11 AM.

[rando]

What is the load current (in the app) when you turn various devices on?   That may tell you what is actually connected to the load terminals.    

 

The other option is just to beep it out.  Disconnect the load wire from the controller and use the continuity setting on a multimeter to see where the wires go. 

 

This may all be a red herring, but something doesn't seem quite right here. 

[acmedave]

I’m thankful for everyone’s input and I do agree something doesn’t seem quite right.

 

Today I disconnected the wire pairs and did a voltage check.

The battery pair had a reading of 0V

The PV pair read up to 27V, varied with solar intensity

The load pair read 12.95V

 

With the battery and load wires disconnected lights, fan, etc. still worked. Wasn’t expecting that.

 

I reconnected everything the way it was.

When I turn anything with sufficient draw on I get a current reading in the app that reflects the load.

 

But is seems the battery and load wires are on the wrong terminals.

Is it safe to swap them out?

[rando]

Assuming the measurements were on the wires, I would agree that it sounds like battery and load are reversed.  

 

It should be safe to swap them, but I would feel better about it if you new for sure.   Can you at least beep out the battery wires and verify the wires that were going to load are actually directly wired to the battery?

[acmedave]

By beeping them out i’m thinking you mean I should disconnect the wires in question from both the battery and the controller and do a continuity test?

 

Also the suspect wires are red and black at the battery but black and white at the controller. So somewhere at least on of them is not continuous.

[rando]

By beeping them out i’m thinking you mean I should disconnect the wires in question from both the battery and the controller and do a continuity test?

 

Also the suspect wires are red and black at the battery but black and white at the controller. So somewhere at least on of them is not continuous.

Yes, do a continuity test.  Something is wired incorrectly here, and it would be better to have a firm idea of what is going on before attempting to fix it. 

[acmedave]

Did a continuity test of the battery wires and load wires. Turns out the battery positive wire from the battery to the controller has a fuse in it at the battery that was burned out. Once a new fuse was installed the disconnected battery wires at the controller had the same voltage as the battery. 

 

Could this have been causing solar controller failure?

 

The load positive wire is connected to the fuse box and the fuse box has power whether the load positive was connected at the controller or not.

 

So I dont understand how the system worked at all unless the battery was being charged through the load terminals which seem to be also connected to the battery independently of the connection at the controller. Should I consider this a problem? I don’t really see where I would have a need to disconnect the load via the app. 

Edited by acmedave, 26 March 2020 - 10:25 PM.

[pvstoy]

Are you the original owner?

 

If it was my system I would have the output of the controller only going to the battery.  If the controller is not only seeing the battery voltage, then the controller is working hard to adjust to charge your battery.

 

If by chance the previous owner did not know there is a fuse in the controller to battery and it stopped working, then perhaps it was easy to bypass the proper wire and hot-wire to the fuse box thinking it would charge the battery.

 

Maybe show a quick wire diagram as to how it is wired. (I see things better than reading them)

Edited by pvstoy, 26 March 2020 - 10:53 PM.

[acmedave]

I am the original owner. And have been plagued by solar controller failures. Unfortunately I don’t have a wiring diagram. But I am wondering if you’re suggesting just doing away with the wires at the load terminal of the controller so the controller is ‘only’ connected to the PV and battery.

 

While the load terminals of the controller go to the load at the fuse box they are connected to a hot wire coming from the kill switch. So it seems the load circuit is fed from 2 sources. Unless the wire from the fuse box to the controller is just to get a load reading. Sorry  if this is a confusing explanation.