Outback off grid system generator not turning off (settings)

Hi everyone, this is a great forum! I spent a lot of time reading and studying and have some questions about an off grid cabin set up that not working correctly.
The system is composed of an Outback VFX 3524 inverter, A MX 60 PV mppt charge controller, the battery bank listed below, A mate3S controller, outback hub, two temperature sensors one plugged into the MX 60 and one into the inverter monitoring battery temperature, Generac propane 5000 watt generator, Solar array unsure of wattage(approximately 10 to 15 year old panels not exactly safe to get on the roof and check them)
The battery bank was a 1200 amp hour battery bank with mixed Trojan (4) wet cells and AGM! The plates on three of the Trojans were exposed. We just got 12 new 400 amp hour AGM 6v that will be wired in three banks (I know it's a lot) but it also has a 120 to 240 transformer in the basement for the well pump.
Basically this is an off grid set up that needs several things redone and tweaked. Most pressing issue right now is that the generator will not turn off once it auto starts.
There is no Internet on site and it's like a 3 Hour drive to get there so I'm trying to get some stuff figured out.
The system originally did not have the hub and so the Mate3S was only plugged into the inverter and the MPPT was pretty much running on its own with no synchronization.
Currently we have the generator set in time or mode not state of charge mode which means if it reaches X voltage it will turn on in 24 hours, if voltage keeps dropping and it hits Y voltage then it will turn on within two hours, and then if it hits Z voltage it will turn on within two minutes.
(these are AGM batteries and I'm not sure what the settings should be ideally).
Once it turns on it will not turn off. Even when it's really sunny in the solar cells are dumping 20 or 30 A DC in.
The generator was turning off on its own in the past with the old battery bank but the settings were so screwed up that we want to start fresh (one of the settings was set to equalize every week at 30 V)
Basically the generator was turning on and off somewhat correctly in the past but everything else was screwed up and now that everything else is closer to correct the generator turns on and won't turn off. The hub is seeing everything.
The system is composed of an Outback VFX 3524 inverter, A MX 60 PV mppt charge controller, the battery bank listed below, A mate3S controller, outback hub, two temperature sensors one plugged into the MX 60 and one into the inverter monitoring battery temperature, Generac propane 5000 watt generator, Solar array unsure of wattage(approximately 10 to 15 year old panels not exactly safe to get on the roof and check them)
The battery bank was a 1200 amp hour battery bank with mixed Trojan (4) wet cells and AGM! The plates on three of the Trojans were exposed. We just got 12 new 400 amp hour AGM 6v that will be wired in three banks (I know it's a lot) but it also has a 120 to 240 transformer in the basement for the well pump.
Basically this is an off grid set up that needs several things redone and tweaked. Most pressing issue right now is that the generator will not turn off once it auto starts.
There is no Internet on site and it's like a 3 Hour drive to get there so I'm trying to get some stuff figured out.
The system originally did not have the hub and so the Mate3S was only plugged into the inverter and the MPPT was pretty much running on its own with no synchronization.
Currently we have the generator set in time or mode not state of charge mode which means if it reaches X voltage it will turn on in 24 hours, if voltage keeps dropping and it hits Y voltage then it will turn on within two hours, and then if it hits Z voltage it will turn on within two minutes.
(these are AGM batteries and I'm not sure what the settings should be ideally).
Once it turns on it will not turn off. Even when it's really sunny in the solar cells are dumping 20 or 30 A DC in.
The generator was turning off on its own in the past with the old battery bank but the settings were so screwed up that we want to start fresh (one of the settings was set to equalize every week at 30 V)
Basically the generator was turning on and off somewhat correctly in the past but everything else was screwed up and now that everything else is closer to correct the generator turns on and won't turn off. The hub is seeing everything.
Comments
2nd - parallel battery wiring - read this site = http://www.smartgauge.co.uk/batt_con.html
3rd Battery EQ is tough on cells, only run an EQ cycle when specific gravity diverges from cell to cell. Weekly EQ has likely cooked your AGM cells
Failing batteries can take a lot of charging, you may be at the point where the batteries are toast.
What is your generator turn off setting ?
|| Midnight Classic 200 | 10, Evergreen 200w in a 160VOC array ||
|| VEC1093 12V Charger | Maha C401 aa/aaa Charger | SureSine | Sunsaver MPPT 15A
solar: http://tinyurl.com/LMR-Solar
gen: http://tinyurl.com/LMR-Lister ,
There's a thing I did as soon as we put the new batteries in with turn off the equalization AGM's don't necessarily need it, and I think the previous 'professional' installer didn't actually know what he was doing.
The batteries were definitely toast. I'm used to working with Victron stuff and the menu system on the outback stuff is somewhat overwhelming you can actually, it turns out, have settings that contradict each other pretty easily. I really appreciate the quick response
I allso don’t trust the auto generator start/ stop function , I like to start and stop charging manually .
An optional battery Remote Temperature Sensor (RTS) is recommended for accurate battery charging. o Only one RTS is needed for multiple OutBack inverter/chargers and charge controller units when the system includes an OutBack HUB and a system display. o When one RTS is used, it must be connected to the component plugged into PORT 1 of the HUB
That pretty much means that it must be connected to the inverter.
The only physical problem had nothing to do with the genset, AGS after market module or OB equipment. It was the cheap 12vdc automotive relay I got on Amazon. I bought a quick replacement from NAPA. It was the same physical size but looked to be a better quality relay. It's worked flawlessly for years. It really has a simple job to do, anyway.
Just recently I found a problem that had plagued me for months. AGS was not working. The genset would start and warm up and when it was time to connect it shut down with an AGS Run Failed. Manual operation worked fine from the Mate. Then I happened across the problem. You can not have the Warm-up time and the Fault Time be the same value. Duh. It was winter and I increased the Warm-up duration but didn't pay attention to anything else. Like I said above, keep it simple. If you have problems or reliability issues its probably something really simple.
I use a 2800 watt Honda it starts on the first pull even below zero .
We have a snow storm coming Sunday into Monday so that could end my production for the next couple of months
Then I went for SimpliPHIs. Three at first then added a fourth out of a new love (DW is still primary). I have excess battery capacity. The $ hurt but that has passed. The goal was one generator warm-up and run per day. Yup, I can go for two days with no input. The PHIs could care less. I've never hit low battery cut out. So I didn't have to worry about absorb (6 minutes) or a short charge. So I changed to the time of day to when we used the most power: suppertime, lights on, Sat TV and the TV itself and Sat internet, wood burner fan and ceiling fan and whatever. So I run the generator during that evening time time to charge the PHIs full out and carry the highest loads of the day.: ~2.8+ kW total.
Bottom line it was the batteries. The PHIs are fine whether charged in the morning or evening. They don't care and don't have to be charged fully. But since the genset is already warmed and running another bit to run the highest loads of the day is the best time so those loads are covered and with a full 20aac going to recharging. I get the best possible "fuel mileage" possible.
Lastly: 1) The EU7000is. What a wonderful, efficient, reliable and quiet unit, and 2) the PHIs with virtually no maintenance other than an occasional visual. If something happened to me the DW would have not problems continuing on with little to no technical detail or charges needed season to season.
Sorry to be long winded but you asked (wink).
It’s very interesting , I use lead acid battery’s and charge in the am , but I’m sure with no solar input I could charge at nite.
on day 2 I charge for 11/2 hours
day 3 I charge for 2 hours
on day4 I charge to full with 2 1/2 absorb total charging is about 4 hours then I leave for the week .
I’m going to try charging at dinner and see how it gos .
I start after thanks giving .