Blue Sky SB3000i controller

[Lord Jim]

I just got it an connected to 36cell 120W panel through 100AH battery. Except for enabling equalization I did not change anything in setup. Strange though AUXOUT is on all the time, even if there is no charging from panel. The other thing according to manual "an automatic night time dimming feature dims the display at night when the 3000i is in a Charge Off state. That does not seems to be as my display stay same bright all the time. Is something fishy with this controller? any input appreciated.

[jflorey2]

I just got it an connected to 36cell 120W panel through 100AH battery. Except for enabling equalization I did not change anything in setup. Strange though AUXOUT is on all the time, even if there is no charging from panel. The other thing according to manual "an automatic night time dimming feature dims the display at night when the 3000i is in a Charge Off state. That does not seems to be as my display stay same bright all the time. Is something fishy with this controller? any input appreciated.

First off, I have not had good luck with Blue Sky stuff. It is marginally designed and specified.

Secondly, if you are trying to use AUXOUT to turn something on - did you configure it correctly from the front panel? Default is a battery charger. And when it's in battery charger mode, it will not turn off just because charge current is low or zero. It depends on the phase of charging.

[Lord Jim]

I did some more checking: voltage on panel when disconnected ~29V, as soon as controller connected voltage drops to max 13.5 and about 0.5A current. no load connected, just default settings - should I concluded this controller is dead on arrival?

[Mike90250]

I did some more checking: voltage on panel when disconnected ~29V, as soon as controller connected voltage drops to max 13.5 and about 0.5A current. no load connected, just default settings - should I concluded this controller is dead on arrival?

Sounds like a properly working PWM controller, when ON, the battery 13.5V is connected directly to the PV array and all array amps goes into the battery, at battery voltage. as battery charges, the voltage will gradually rise, until the controller starts disconnecting the PV from the full battery.

As to only .5A, that's controlled by the energy the PV panel recieves from the sun, Angle, haze, temperature, dirt will all conspire to reduce the amps.

[Lord Jim]

thanks my man but: SB3000i is MPPT controller, my Pro Star PS2-15 is PWM and shows about 14.5V and more current under circumstances.

[Mike90250]

When batteries are full, or nearly so, the MPPT controllers drop back to PWM control. Try shutting the panels off at night, and turn them on late morning when they have good sun (10am or so) You should see the controller go into full power mode to charge the batteries for a good 5 minutes before it starts throttling back.
Don't turn the panels on at dawn, they will slowly charge from 7am - 10am and by 10, batteries may have enough charge, there is no need for high amps.

[Lord Jim]

gentleman, thank you, I finally dragged out my Pro Star PS15 PWM controller and connected under the same condition (battery, panel, outside weather) so please if someone else read this post, confirm or correct: not enough power on panel for the controller to output 14.5V what should trigger absorption mode, so even if batts full (13V rested) controller stays in bulk mode - BTW if I put in this scenario 60 cell 300W panel or two 140W in series, I should possibly get 14.5V and trigger absorption and float?

[radarcontact]

gentleman, thank you, I finally dragged out my Pro Star PS15 PWM controller and connected under the same condition (battery, panel, outside weather) so please if someone else read this post, confirm or correct: not enough power on panel for the controller to output 14.5V what should trigger absorption mode, so even if batts full (13V rested) controller stays in bulk mode - BTW if I put in this scenario 60 cell 300W panel or two 140W in series, I should possibly get 14.5V and trigger absorption and float?

You should. I have the same Blue Sky controller, and have been pretty happy with it, except for one glaring problem which I'll describe below. But, yes, if you add some more wattage to your solar array you will get it to charge up to a higher voltage and get into the other modes.

I don't want to hijack your thread, but my issue with the SB3000i seems to fit in here. I have two new GC2 6V batteries wired in series in my camper. Batteries have been checked by me and others several times to make sure they're good. I have 320W of solar on my camper roof. I have the SB3000i, and it performs fine, except for one problem which I've spent a month or more on and haven't made any headway. If my batteries are not fully charged, and solar power is applied, the batteries will bulk, absorption and float as expected. However, if the batteries ARE fully charged prior to exposure to solar, the controller will quickly go through bulk and absorption as expected, but when the controller transitions to float mode (I have the IPN battery remote that goes w/the controller and allows transition to float based on charge current, not time), the majority of time it won't float....amps out from the controller is 0.0A, and the battery voltage eventually drops below the setpoint of 13.5V, causing it to cycle back to absorption mode endlessly.

I've run alternate wiring, removed the battery monitor out of the equation, checked connections, replaced the controller twice (Blue Sky has been fantastic w/their customer support, BTW, been helping me with trying to diagnose the issue), etc., etc., nothing left to try or replace. I have an EE friend here where I live in Wyoming, and my daughter is a computer engineer - they both feel there's something in the programming of the microprocessor in the controller that isn't reacting the way it should when it senses the battery bank is fully charged. If anyone here knows of any other reasons why this might be happening I would be grateful to hear your input.

Jim, if you do add more PV input, let me know if your batteries float OK with the SB3000i. Do you have a converter which allows charging from shore power? Would be curious to see, if you do, what happens w/your setup after your batteries are fully charged on shore power. Not sure what you're charging, etc., so I apologize if the question doesn't fit with your situation.

[Lord Jim]

thanks for posting your problem with SB3000i, I will definitely watch for the issue. right now is rainy season in BC, so I am not planning to do much, but waiting for spring. I am thinking of sort of maxing out on panel 60cell <300W. Serial two 36cell looks like to much of Voc in cold mornings. Pairing it with #31 DC battery and 300W pure morning star inverter. Roughly calculated should suffice for fridge and some marginal usage (grinding my coffee beans + electronics). I do not plan shore charging but would test as well. If I run to problem you described or some other , or hopefully not, definitely will start new post. Just one thing - manual says display should automatically dim when in charge of state I do not see main does this.

[radarcontact]

Jim....thanks for your reply. I live in Wyoming, and we're running out of sunlight here as well LOL. Don't worry about testing your controller w/shore power...when you change your array w/more solar, if you still have the Blue Sky controller, let me know if your system floats. I'm pretty sure I've nailed the issue down....the controller just doesn't know what to do w/a full battery. I repeated the test this AM, as I've done many times, and if the batteries are 'normal' when they hit the sun (i.e., 12.6V or thereabouts), the controller performs perfectly. If, however, I charge the batteries overnight, or run my truck so the alternator charges the camper batteries (I have a battery separartor), the controller doesn't float. I can deal w/it, but it bugs me why it doesn't work with 100% charge.

Like your #31 DC w/the inverter and 300W setup idea. You'll have what you need for your grinder and much more, I'm thinking. 320W for me allows the controller to float as long as there's sun - which means the batteries are idle for a good deal of the daylight hours. Would be surprised, even w/ less sunlight in BC (I lived in Seattle for years, so know what you're dealing with), if you don't get the same results.

I've noticed that my controller doesn't dim either, though there is a setting in the controller for dawn/dusk mode. But, to your point, the LED stays constant no matter what the charge state.

I will say this....there's a LOT of settings in the SB3000i that are good. If you get the compatible IPN Pro Remote battery monitor, there's even more, and they're pretty good. I know some folks out there feel Blue Sky isn't that great, but my personal experience has been overall favorable. Their customer support is outstanding. There are some minor glitches w/their software, but I think you'll find that in most proprietary solar equipment. I've seen many controllers that won't allow you to tailor your absorption and float setpoints. Blue Sky's equipment does that, and much more.