- Joined
- May 11, 2019
- Messages
- 3,623
- Location
- United States
- Vessel Name
- Muirgen
- Vessel Make
- 50' Beebe Passagemaker
Here’s the setup, going from panels to batteries:
6 each SIL360NX solar panels w/ MC4 connectors
10 ga tinned PV dual insulation, single conductor PV wire with MC4 connectors where appropriate.
Circuit protection provided by circuit breakers (on + wire only) between panel and controller.
Victron 100/30 MPPT Smart Charge Controllers, one for each solar panel. Smart controllers have case grounds to (-) bus.
Circuit protection provided by circuit breakers (on + wire only) between controller and (+) secondary battery bus in engine room.
4/0 Ancor tinned wire from secondary battery bus to primary battery bus outside of engine room.
4/0 Ancor tinned wire from 100ah Dragonfly Energy (Battleborn) LiFePO4 batteries.
Smart controllers, and overall battery usage monitored via Bluetooth to Smart Controllers, and Victron Smart BMV-712.
The Victron 100/30 Smart controller is set to LiFePO4 batteries via preset 7 on rotary switch. Charging parameters mirror Dragonfly Energy’s recommendations. Rotary preset 7 confirmed via bluetooth to BMV-712.
System turned on with CB’s between controllers and battery bus first, then CB’s between controllers and solar panels last per instructions.
The problem. Smart Controllers show 0.01 volts, no amps charging in full sunlight. Battery voltage is 13.46 volts or so. Charge voltage in bulk or absorption is set to 14.4vdc. Using a multimeter, polarity is correct, wires are hooked up to correct terminals on controller (PV and Battery), voltage is showing 42 + or – at the controller PV terminals, yet Bluetooth on the Smart Controller still shows 0.01 volts . . . .
I’m totally stumped. This is occurring with all three of the six panels I’ve got hooked up so far. No charging is taking place. I would be pretty surprised if three of three controllers are defective, nothing was ever hooked up wrong. I’ve jumped around the CB panels in case it was a problem with the CB’s, even though voltage showed correct, no change. Double, triple, and MANY TIMES checked all routing, connections, etc, nothing wrong. Read controller manuals, etc till I’m sick of reading them. Their only suggestions are defective equipment, incorrect installation, or no sunlight . . . .
Only thing I haven't tried is manually inputting charge parameters into controllers, but since the correct parameters appear to be there, I don't see the need.
I keep thinking I'm missing something simple. Just can't figure out what it is.
Suggestions anyone?
p { margin-bottom: 0.1in; line-height: 115%; background: transparent }
6 each SIL360NX solar panels w/ MC4 connectors
10 ga tinned PV dual insulation, single conductor PV wire with MC4 connectors where appropriate.
Circuit protection provided by circuit breakers (on + wire only) between panel and controller.
Victron 100/30 MPPT Smart Charge Controllers, one for each solar panel. Smart controllers have case grounds to (-) bus.
Circuit protection provided by circuit breakers (on + wire only) between controller and (+) secondary battery bus in engine room.
4/0 Ancor tinned wire from secondary battery bus to primary battery bus outside of engine room.
4/0 Ancor tinned wire from 100ah Dragonfly Energy (Battleborn) LiFePO4 batteries.
Smart controllers, and overall battery usage monitored via Bluetooth to Smart Controllers, and Victron Smart BMV-712.
The Victron 100/30 Smart controller is set to LiFePO4 batteries via preset 7 on rotary switch. Charging parameters mirror Dragonfly Energy’s recommendations. Rotary preset 7 confirmed via bluetooth to BMV-712.
System turned on with CB’s between controllers and battery bus first, then CB’s between controllers and solar panels last per instructions.
The problem. Smart Controllers show 0.01 volts, no amps charging in full sunlight. Battery voltage is 13.46 volts or so. Charge voltage in bulk or absorption is set to 14.4vdc. Using a multimeter, polarity is correct, wires are hooked up to correct terminals on controller (PV and Battery), voltage is showing 42 + or – at the controller PV terminals, yet Bluetooth on the Smart Controller still shows 0.01 volts . . . .
I’m totally stumped. This is occurring with all three of the six panels I’ve got hooked up so far. No charging is taking place. I would be pretty surprised if three of three controllers are defective, nothing was ever hooked up wrong. I’ve jumped around the CB panels in case it was a problem with the CB’s, even though voltage showed correct, no change. Double, triple, and MANY TIMES checked all routing, connections, etc, nothing wrong. Read controller manuals, etc till I’m sick of reading them. Their only suggestions are defective equipment, incorrect installation, or no sunlight . . . .
Only thing I haven't tried is manually inputting charge parameters into controllers, but since the correct parameters appear to be there, I don't see the need.
I keep thinking I'm missing something simple. Just can't figure out what it is.
Suggestions anyone?
p { margin-bottom: 0.1in; line-height: 115%; background: transparent }