Solar controller not charging

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  • Cariboocoot
    Cariboocoot Banned Posts: 17,615 ✭✭✭
    Re: Solar controller not charging
    castilloj wrote: »
    Yes there is a jumper cable between 2 and 4

    Crud. That ruins the logic sequence. It probably means that is the point that should be 'split' for switching to 12 Volt configuration. One of those terminals then gets paralleled to #0 and the other to #6. Probably.

    I don't suppose you have a digital camera with close focusing that could take a nice sharp picture of what you're dealing with in that junction box? That would help immensely.

    Otherwise it does sound like they are configured for 24 Volts, and when applied to 12 the Voltage will be pulled way down. Since there is no segment paralleling available in that configuration you lose 1/2 the current potential.

    There is always the possibility that these particular panels were not designed to be used as either 12 or 24.
  • Photowhit
    Photowhit Solar Expert Posts: 6,002 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Re: Solar controller not charging

    Do you have diodes like this? ignore the ugly stuff...

    Attachment not found.

    with one more between 0 and 1 like this;

    Attachment not found.

    My guess is we can use this as one configuration and I think (like 'Coot) that yours are likely in a 24 volt configuration, might try the jumpers like this panel and check voltage between '0' and '2'
    Home system 4000 watt (Evergreen) array standing, with 2 Midnite Classic Lites,  Midnite E-panel, Magnum MS4024, Prosine 1800(now backup) and Exeltech 1100(former backup...lol), 660 ah 24v Forklift battery(now 10 years old). Off grid for 20 years (if I include 8 months on a bicycle).
    - Assorted other systems, pieces and to many panels in the closet to not do more projects.
  • Photowhit
    Photowhit Solar Expert Posts: 6,002 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Re: Solar controller not charging

    OK, we got help from the previous forum member(member - f5f9) who I had hunted down the links for before, I sent him a PM and he sent me the 3 PDF files we had found. I can send them to you if you PM me with an Email address, but this is the piece from the PDF with the info you need;

    Attachment not found.

    So it looks like your panels are setup in a 24V configuration, since the charge controller is designed to charge 12 or 24V battery banks, the higher voltage should not have harmed it, but your only getting half of the amperage!
    Home system 4000 watt (Evergreen) array standing, with 2 Midnite Classic Lites,  Midnite E-panel, Magnum MS4024, Prosine 1800(now backup) and Exeltech 1100(former backup...lol), 660 ah 24v Forklift battery(now 10 years old). Off grid for 20 years (if I include 8 months on a bicycle).
    - Assorted other systems, pieces and to many panels in the closet to not do more projects.
  • castilloj
    castilloj Solar Expert Posts: 208
    Re: Solar controller not charging

    Attachment not found.Attachment not found.Attachment not found.


    and these are attached positive/positive negative/negative
  • Cariboocoot
    Cariboocoot Banned Posts: 17,615 ✭✭✭
    Re: Solar controller not charging

    Look at the diagrams Photowhit has so graciously provided. NONE of your junction boxes are wired like either example. For one thing, you seem to be taking the negative from #5, leaving out one whole segment of panel. Why?
  • Photowhit
    Photowhit Solar Expert Posts: 6,002 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Re: Solar controller not charging
    "Photowhit has so graciously provided."
    Hey it had me stumped,forum member 'f5f9' responded to a PM from the forum and sent out the info!
    Why?
    Looks like they are setup in a 24V configuration? Though I might have missed it it doesn't look like it says anywhere where to put the + and - leads.

    Here's the whole PDF so it will exist on the web (clipped from the PDF and switched to a Jpg it wouldn't let me post a large enough gif even though it was smaller band width wise...) , not sure I can post a Pdf?

    Attachment not found.
    Home system 4000 watt (Evergreen) array standing, with 2 Midnite Classic Lites,  Midnite E-panel, Magnum MS4024, Prosine 1800(now backup) and Exeltech 1100(former backup...lol), 660 ah 24v Forklift battery(now 10 years old). Off grid for 20 years (if I include 8 months on a bicycle).
    - Assorted other systems, pieces and to many panels in the closet to not do more projects.
  • Cariboocoot
    Cariboocoot Banned Posts: 17,615 ✭✭✭
    Re: Solar controller not charging

    It looks to me the OP has them configured for 24 Volt, except that his negative panel connections are on #5 terminal rather than #6. This would drop 1/4 of the power right there.

    The diagrams from 'f5f9' show what I'd expect; when reconfigured for 12 Volt there are two jumpers paralleling the panel 'halves' for positive and negative. In the 24 Volt configuration there is only one jumper connecting the halves in series. Positive is #0 and negative #6 for this, and for 12 Volt #0 is paralleled with #4 for positive and #2 is paralleled with #6 for negative (the jumper between #2 and #4 is removed of course).

    The only thing I'm wondering about is what #3 terminal is for?

    There could still be a problem with a bypass diode, but until you get the 'right' wiring figured out you can't really tell. Although you could measure for reverse conductivity across the diodes (with the panels in the dark so they aren't putting out power - good way to blow an Ohm meter).
  • castilloj
    castilloj Solar Expert Posts: 208
    Re: Solar controller not charging

    The reason I wired 0-5 instead of 6 was because the voltage was 36.2 v. Obcourse that was before I receive the new wiring info.
    But now after I wired the way Photowhit showed I get - 5.7 on the open contacts.
  • Cariboocoot
    Cariboocoot Banned Posts: 17,615 ✭✭✭
    Re: Solar controller not charging
    castilloj wrote: »
    The reason I wired 0-5 instead of 6 was because the voltage was 36.2 v. Obcourse that was before I receive the new wiring info.
    But now after I wired the way Photowhit showed I get - 5.7 on the open contacts.

    Is that 5.7 Volts between #0 and #6? If so, it's time to start checking the individual segments like I said before. That sort of indicates that one segment is shorted and when placed in parallel with the other half it 'kills' half the Voltage.

    Remove all the jumper wires. Disconnect the panel output from everything (including each other) and check one 12 Volt half's Voc at a time. It should read 20+ Volts.
    Yes I know it's tedious, but this is the way of diagnostics. Rarely can you jump in and find the problem in a single easy shot unless some component has had the courtesy to actually blow up upon failure.
  • castilloj
    castilloj Solar Expert Posts: 208
    Re: Solar controller not charging

    Attachment not found. Here is a pic of the box.
  • westbranch
    westbranch Solar Expert Posts: 5,183 ✭✭✭✭
    Re: Solar controller not charging

    what is the #0 (zero) to pin #6 reading , that looks like #1 pin to #5 pin
     
    KID #51B  4s 140W to 24V 900Ah C&D AGM
    CL#29032 FW 2126/ 2073/ 2133 175A E-Panel WBjr, 3 x 4s 140W to 24V 900Ah C&D AGM 
    Cotek ST1500W 24V Inverter,OmniCharge 3024,
    2 x Cisco WRT54GL i/c DD-WRT Rtr & Bridge,
    Eu3/2/1000i Gens, 1680W & E-Panel/WBjr to come, CL #647 asleep
    West Chilcotin, BC, Canada
  • Cariboocoot
    Cariboocoot Banned Posts: 17,615 ✭✭✭
    Re: Solar controller not charging
    westbranch wrote: »
    what is the #0 (zero) to pin #6 reading , that looks like #1 pin to #5 pin

    Yup. Wired for 12 Volt but skipping half the panel on each half. This tends to result in half Voltage.
  • Photowhit
    Photowhit Solar Expert Posts: 6,002 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Re: Solar controller not charging
    castilloj wrote: »
    Here is a pic of the box.

    Sorry it does say in the PDF positive to 0 and negative to 6, it was my mistake to think it would be the open spots.:blush:
    Home system 4000 watt (Evergreen) array standing, with 2 Midnite Classic Lites,  Midnite E-panel, Magnum MS4024, Prosine 1800(now backup) and Exeltech 1100(former backup...lol), 660 ah 24v Forklift battery(now 10 years old). Off grid for 20 years (if I include 8 months on a bicycle).
    - Assorted other systems, pieces and to many panels in the closet to not do more projects.
  • BB.
    BB. Super Moderators, Administrators Posts: 33,431 admin
    Re: Solar controller not charging

    I cannot tell... Are there dirty connections or burned/overheated connections there (or just my imagination)?

    -Bill
    Near San Francisco California: 3.5kWatt Grid Tied Solar power system+small backup genset
  • westbranch
    westbranch Solar Expert Posts: 5,183 ✭✭✭✭
    Re: Solar controller not charging

    Castilloj, there is something funny here. the first pics showed only one jumper, the latest shows 2. Are there 2 configurations in these panels 12v and 24v?
     
    KID #51B  4s 140W to 24V 900Ah C&D AGM
    CL#29032 FW 2126/ 2073/ 2133 175A E-Panel WBjr, 3 x 4s 140W to 24V 900Ah C&D AGM 
    Cotek ST1500W 24V Inverter,OmniCharge 3024,
    2 x Cisco WRT54GL i/c DD-WRT Rtr & Bridge,
    Eu3/2/1000i Gens, 1680W & E-Panel/WBjr to come, CL #647 asleep
    West Chilcotin, BC, Canada
  • Photowhit
    Photowhit Solar Expert Posts: 6,002 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Re: Solar controller not charging
    westbranch wrote: »
    Castilloj, there is something funny here. the first pics showed only one jumper, the latest shows 2. Are there 2 configurations in these panels 12v and 24v?

    Yes, that's what we're getting to, on the 4th page of this thread we got the wiring info for these Photowatt/Matrix PW-1000, Looks like they had been wired for 24V run through a 12/24v charge controller outputing 12V nominal...
    Home system 4000 watt (Evergreen) array standing, with 2 Midnite Classic Lites,  Midnite E-panel, Magnum MS4024, Prosine 1800(now backup) and Exeltech 1100(former backup...lol), 660 ah 24v Forklift battery(now 10 years old). Off grid for 20 years (if I include 8 months on a bicycle).
    - Assorted other systems, pieces and to many panels in the closet to not do more projects.
  • castilloj
    castilloj Solar Expert Posts: 208
    Re: Solar controller not charging

    I was going by the pdf file that said "This module can be used at 12V(connect terminal 0 to 4 and terminal 2 to 6) or at 24 v(connect terminal 2 to 4) as shown in the drawings . Attachment not found.
  • Cariboocoot
    Cariboocoot Banned Posts: 17,615 ✭✭✭
    Re: Solar controller not charging
    castilloj wrote: »
    I was going by the pdf file that said "This module can be used at 12V(connect terminal 0 to 4 and terminal 2 to 6) or at 24 v(connect terminal 2 to 4) as shown in the drawings . Attachment not found.

    That part you got right. The part that's wrong is not tapping #0 and #6 for the positive and negative output.
  • westbranch
    westbranch Solar Expert Posts: 5,183 ✭✭✭✭
    Re: Solar controller not charging

    the way you tested the panel output does not include 1/3 of the panels total output ie the portion of output from pin #0 to pin#1 and from pin# 5 to pin #6...

    the way you wired it is now 12 v configuration IIHIR...

    hth
     
    KID #51B  4s 140W to 24V 900Ah C&D AGM
    CL#29032 FW 2126/ 2073/ 2133 175A E-Panel WBjr, 3 x 4s 140W to 24V 900Ah C&D AGM 
    Cotek ST1500W 24V Inverter,OmniCharge 3024,
    2 x Cisco WRT54GL i/c DD-WRT Rtr & Bridge,
    Eu3/2/1000i Gens, 1680W & E-Panel/WBjr to come, CL #647 asleep
    West Chilcotin, BC, Canada