Confusing Solar Charge Controller TYPE 1024 (10A 12/24V)

[minesapint]

Hello, Not sure if I am on the correct forum but here goes!

I have bought an electric outboard motor, 70AHr leisure battery and a 25W solar panel kit for charging. The solar controller manual is written so small it is impossible to read with any certainty even with best specs and a magnifying glass. However I have the panel & controller wired up and lights on on the controller. The battery is new and has its own indicator that is showing green (fully charged). The controller battery indicator is showing red (LOW CHARGE). The charging level indicator is flashing fast green (equalising). Weather is very dull. Long shot I know but can anyone suggest why the battery indicator shows fully charged and the controller shows low? Thanks Mike

[SunEagle]

Hard to tell what the problem is.

Did you connect the charge controller first to the battery and then to the panel. That is usually the proper procedure so that the controller "boots" up and recognizes the battery voltage before it does anything else.

The other problem may be that the 25watt panel is not big enough to "charge" that 70Ah battery because it does not generate enough amperage. Something that small is nothing more than a "maintainer" to keep the battery at float voltage but not enough to charge it up from 10% or more of a discharge.

To properly charge a battery you need at least 1/10 the Ah rating or for that 70Ah about 7amps. That 25watt may get you about 1.5amps which is no where near enough.

The other possibility is that your "cheap hard to read instruction" charge controller is a piece of junk.

[Wy_White_Wolf]

Hello, Not sure if I am on the correct forum but here goes!

I have bought an electric outboard motor, 70AHr leisure battery and a 25W solar panel kit for charging. The solar controller manual is written so small it is impossible to read with any certainty even with best specs and a magnifying glass. However I have the panel & controller wired up and lights on on the controller. The battery is new and has its own indicator that is showing green (fully charged). The controller battery indicator is showing red (LOW CHARGE). The charging level indicator is flashing fast green (equalising). Weather is very dull. Long shot I know but can anyone suggest why the battery indicator shows fully charged and the controller shows low? Thanks Mike

Battery is fully charged at 12.7 to 12.8 at rest.

But the charge controller isn't looking for resting voltages. It's looking for surface or float voltages. It most likely cuts out at about 14.4 volts and kicks back in @ 13.2 volts. Usually a flashing green with a red battery low is to indicated a charging problem. Dull cloudy day means very little power so that's your charging problem. All normal. Wait until a full sunny day to evaluate the system.

Bad thing is you have a bigger problem. Undersized panel for your battery. With the PWM controller you need a 100 watt panel to properly charge the battery.

WWW