All of the DC- is on a common bus, so it doesn't really matter if the PV- is wired to the CC or to the battery, as long as the DC- is connected to the CC somewhere.
Running the battery for 2.5 days until the electronics shut down is probably discharging it past safe levels, based on the loads described. Just because the battery is new doesn't mean it can't be hurt by misuse.
To really figure out what the charge controller is doing, some measurements would help. What is the voltage of the battery before the charging starts? What is it after the charging is done for the day? Measuring the amperage would help too.
Where is this system located (approximately)? At what orientation have the panels been installed (direction and tilt)? Is there any shade?
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I originally had them wired that way, Raul. Directly to the charge controller. The batteries did not charge at all that way. I found a video on you tube showing it the way I have it now. The battery does charge this way but, still not the way I think it should. It starts with one blink. I have seen it get to a solid blink. Then I come back a few hours later, and it's just one blink again. All while there is nothing drawing from it. The inverter is hooked up but, not switched on.Leave a comment:
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I think you wired the panels wrong. Positive AND NEGATIVE from panels goes to charge Controler first then from there to batt.
Your description sounds like you got your panel negative to battery? That's wrong. No wonder you are not charging.Leave a comment:
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This is a new battery. When I first hooked it up, it ran for 2 1/2 days and then died overnight. The water heater is thermostatically controlled and only draws as needed. My best guess is a maximum draw of 3 hours at 125 watts. That should be a total of roughly 50 amps a day with the 13 watt light on at 14 hours a day. Just to be clear, this gel battery is an AGM, not a sealed gel lead acid.Leave a comment:
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Sounds like the battery is dead. Gel batteries generally require a lower charge voltage than other types, and can be more easily damaged by overcharging.
According to the charge controller manual, the default charge voltage is at a safe level, although you might want to double check. See page 79 for settings, and page 22 for how to adjust it. Do you have the temperature compensation sensor attached to the battery?
Even if you've got the voltage right, some gel batteries require a much lower charge current to avoid damage, 2 X 100 W panels could be putting out 10 A... C/10 might be too much. Have you double checked with your battery supplier for any documentation?
Even if the charge settings are right, over discharging the battery or chronically undercharging it would kill it too. How many hours/day is the light on, and how long is the water heat cycle? Your battery has only 12*95 = 1140 Wh of energy, and discharging past 50% will shorten the life. The effective capacity might even be less than that in your application, since the capacity is based on a 20 hour discharge rate (steady 4.75 A), while your water heater will pull double that.
This time of year, the amount of sunlight available to charge is dropping fast. Even if your system was balanced in the summer, it might not be now, leading to undercharging.Leave a comment:
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Wrong configuration?
Need help. I bought a 200 watt kit from Grape Solar. (2x100 watt panels, inverter, and C40 Controller). Panels are wired positive to charge controller, negative to battery. negative from battery to charge controller. then positive and negative from battery to inverter. I have a 12v 95ah gelcell battery. charge controller stays on 1 blink(green). i am running a 13 watt led light and a water heater that draws 125 watts when it runs. it is in a chicken coop. Once in a while i see the charge controller with 3 or 4 blinks while the system is disconnected from the light and heater. when i first installed the battery, it ran for 2 1/2 days. now, it lasts only a few hours. so, it is not charging the battery. I had it charging for 3 days before running it again.
Do I have it wired incorrectly?
Does the gel cell change the configuration?
I installed the charge controller with no changes made to it from the factory. it is in charge control mode. Please help.
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