Another small newb project.

[uscgsapper1]

I understand this is not the tv for offgrid, I am not offgrid. I am simply starting to learn about solar and stand alone battery bank systems. Practicing and building my skill set for when I finally get my property out in the woods, that being said my goal for now is simply being able to run my tv and cable box off my system that I have put together right now.
New development, I unwired everything and just wired the batteries back up and inverter and now it's been running for 45min just off battery and voltage hasn't dropped below 12.10
Is it just my wiring is screwed up?! And while it's still running with a 250w load, I tested the input from panels to CC. Something isn't adding up, I'm getting 19.96v from panels and 28.2a. If my math is correct that's 562.8 watts! How can that be when I only have 4x100w panels?!

[Logan5]

This is the wrong TV set for off grid or even UPS use. I have the exact same TV in our media area. when the power fails and we are running on battery, We watch local antenna TV on a 15" TV that uses only 14 watts. if we add cable, assuming it even works, requires another 20 watts just to run the box. If you are running on batteries, Less is More.

[Sunking]

Non the less, 250w on "Good" T-105 should still get some run time, even if I'm not getting enough from panels.

Correct.

Yes as soon as I attach charger within a minute says they are fully charged, but as soon as I put the 250w load within a minute the volts are down to 12.0 and I shut it off. I'm really starting to think the batteries are no good.

Correct. Now try it again except this time do not turn anything off, just let it run until voltage drops to 10.5 volts on the battery term post and time it.

Off to play golf

[uscgsapper1]

Tv is a 65" curved 4K Ultra, so yea its a lot of juice.
Non the less, 250w on "Good" T-105 should still get some run time, even if I'm not getting enough from panels.
Yes as soon as I attach charger within a minute says they are fully charged, but as soon as I put the 250w load within a minute the volts are down to 12.0 and I shut it off. I'm really starting to think the batteries are no good. The place I got them from is a local golf cart dealer, so I assumed they were reputable but now I'm not so sure.

[Sunking]

Ok so ran some test and this is what I got;
with bank fully charged, I'm getting 18a @13.2v input to CC from panels and they don't even have full sun yet.
I turned on 500w PSW inverter and V dropped 0.01, turned on tv and got a max draw of 248w and it took approx 1 minute to drop V to 12.00 before I turned it all off. I think the batteries are no good, pissed cuz they are supposed to be new. Fully charged I put the load tester on them and now they are dropping into the yellow (weak) when load tester is activated.

Are those voltage measurements taken on the battery term post? If so the batteries are toast or not charged up. If you measured 12.7 after resting over night does indicated the batteries are charged up, but that does not mean they are good

OK 250 watts is a hell of a lot of power for a TV. This must be a very old TV with a CRT display or plasma screen. If you had new Trojan T-105's with a 250 watt load only gives you 5 to 6 hours run time. No real problem on a set of Trojan T-105, just a hell of a lot of power for a TV to consume today.

Answer me this. When you connect the battery to the charger does the voltage go up immediately in a short period of time.?

The classic symptom of a dead battery is you put the battery on a charger and in no time the charger indicates the battery is fully charged up. In other words it use to take hours instead of minutes. Then when you try to run something the voltage collapses very quickly and the battery appears dead. If that is what you are seeing, the battery is toast. .

[littleharbor]

One indicator you have sulfated batteries is the appearance of getting fully charged in an abnormally short amount of time. Not saying that is your problem but if you see that happening your batteries are shot. Your Hydrometer will answer this question though.

Did you buy these batteries from a reputable dealer?

[uscgsapper1]

Ok so ran some test and this is what I got;
with bank fully charged, I'm getting 18a @13.2v input to CC from panels and they don't even have full sun yet.
I turned on 500w PSW inverter and V dropped 0.01, turned on tv and got a max draw of 248w and it took approx 1 minute to drop V to 12.00 before I turned it all off. I think the batteries are no good, pissed cuz they are supposed to be new. Fully charged I put the load tester on them and now they are dropping into the yellow (weak) when load tester is activated.

[SunEagle]

If I'm reading the CC manual correctly, the equalization is automatic. I also failed to mention I have a Battery Life Saver on the bank as well. So my batteries seem to be fine, so is the problem I'm simply not getting enough juice from the panels coupled with trying to draw to heavy of a load..?

While it looks like you have both good batteries and what seems to be enough panel wattage there is something else not right with that TV not running. Maybe that TV has a startup cycle that draws way more then what your system can provide.

At this point I am just guessing at the reasons for it not working for you.

[uscgsapper1]

If I'm reading the CC manual correctly, the equalization is automatic. I also failed to mention I have a Battery Life Saver on the bank as well. So my batteries seem to be fine, so is the problem I'm simply not getting enough juice from the panels coupled with trying to draw to heavy of a load..?

[littleharbor]

That's a good sign. Still with flooded batteries you need to find a way to up the charging voltage if it is in fact charging to 14.2. You should also utilize the equalize function if and when your cells aren't ALL coming up to fully charged status which should be verified with your hydrometer. Once you get all dialed in a monthly check would probably suffice.

[uscgsapper1]

Alrighty, so I ordered a hydrometer last night and it will be here tomorrow. Bank sat all night and is currently sitting at 12.71 with nothing but volt meter attached.

[uscgsapper1]

Roger that, over and out.

[Sunking]

The bank is sitting right now at 12.80, so aren't they fully charged..? There is nothing attached to them at all.

They have to rest overnight before you can use the voltage. Read my last reply and relax. What you are seeing is a Surface Charge you have to wait several hours to bleed off. Get a hydrometer.

[Sunking]

The bank is sitting right now at 12.80, so aren't they fully charged..? There is nothing attached to them at all.

No that indicates more than fully charged. Using voltage is confusing and unless you know how Pb batteries work can easily confuse you or anyone. There are charts that you can use to determine the State of Charge of a Pb battery by reading the voltage, but there is a catch. The battery has to be Open Circuit and rested for several hours. See chart below. Here is the catch , completely useless if you are charging or discharging the battery.

Example I can take a new battery 100% fully charge, put load on it, and an Inverter will trip off-line from under voltage and if you watched the voltage would read 10 volts just before the Inverter trips off despite being fully charged. Like wise I can take a fully discharged battery reading 10.5 volts, put it on a charger and make it read 15 volts despite it being dead as a Mackerel.

This is leading me to believe you have wiring issues. The only way to tell what the real state of charge of a battery in real time is with a battery hydrometer you can buy for less than $10 on the web. Not one from an auto part or box store. A real Temperature Corrected battery hydrometer for $5



Relax for now. Disconnect the battery and walk away, take two aspirins and call me in the morning after you take the battery voltage when you wake up. If it reads 12.7 volts, it is fully charged. Does not mean it is good, just fully charged. But if new all should be good and you have a wiring issue.

[littleharbor]

If they have been sitting with nothing connected for say 6 or more hours that would be a good voltage indicating fully charged batteries. Is that the voltage of them after charging all day and the sun is still out? I don't know where you are, The sun is still shining on the west coast.