EP Solar VS3024N Charge Controller configuration required

[syed.mazhar]

Hi,

My EP Solar VS3024N Charge Controller is charging my 195A Flooded battery continuously.
It do not stop charging my battery even the battery is full that make battery very hot.
Anybody please tell me EP Solar VS3024N Charge Controller configuration so that when my battery get full charge controller should stop charging.

I am using two chaina made solar panels 150w each that gives me a total of 10amps.
My lead acid battery is 195A when battery get full Charge controller should stop charging.

I need parameter settings of my EP Solar VS3024N Charge Controller.
Please reply, Its urgent.

[inetdog]

It may not be a question of parameter settings. Your charge controller may be defective. Or you may have a shorted cell in your battery bank which is dropping the full charge voltage below the set point of the CC.
Measure the voltage and Specific Gravity of all of your batteries, and accurately measure the CC output voltage.

[syed.mazhar]

I checked my battery voltage when fully charged, it was 12.7v (Battery voltage is checked after 10 mints from disconnecting CC)
at the time when CC is charging the battery the voltage is 14v it varies between 13v to 14.5v

I don't have Gravity checker at the moment so let suppose that my battery is defective or old than how can I set the charge limit so that when my battery charge reaches 12.8 volts CC should stop charging.

I am using EP Solar VS3024N

http://www.epsolarpv.com/en/index.php/Product/pro_content/id/166/am_id/136

[Mike90250]

14 v is a nominal charging voltage. What is your battery voltage after charging, no loads:
3 hrs
6 hrs
12 hrs

That will give us the answer. 10 minutes is not enough resting time.

[syed.mazhar]

My battery voltage after charging, no loads:
3 hrs------12.7v
6 hrs------12.6v
12 hrs-----12.6v

My main question is
What should be parameter settings for my Epsolar VS3024N
so that when my battery reaches 12.8v, CC should stop charging my battery to avoid heating up the battery.

[jimindenver]

How far are your batteries discharged to before you start charging and how long are they charging when you notice the battery getting hot? the battery is not fully charged when it gets to 12.7v under charge. It will get above 14v before it is done.

I believe this is your manual, page 20 on explains how to adjust the controller. You can adjust type of battery and the voltage set points for equalize, boost and float which is determined by your battery manufacture.

http://solarsystemsphilippines.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/VS3024Nmanual.pdf

Barring failure of the battery or controller. The controller will start charging the battery in bulk mode as fast as the array will provide the power to raise the voltage to a set point where the controller switches to boost. Boost holds that voltage for a period and then drops to float where it will keep it until there isn't enough sun. As the battery fills up in boost and float mode the rate that it will accepts that charge slows down. In the end it will be in float and accepting hardly anything if at all.

Now a 195 ah bank discharged to 50%/12.1v will need quite a while to charge at a 10a rate. Especially considering it wont be accepting all the array can give in the end. You would expect some warming of the battery but not HOT. It will probably take most of the day if you get full output all day.

Now if you are talking hot, you could have the wrong type of battery selected or the voltage settings too high and are cooking the battery. Make sure the water is up, the recommended settings are in and try it again. You may have to adjust the setting depending on how hot it gets where the batteries are.

Last thing is your output. two 150w panels should be good for better than 10a I would think.

[inetdog]

My battery voltage after charging, no loads:
3 hrs------12.7v
6 hrs------12.6v
12 hrs-----12.6v

My main question is
What should be parameter settings for my Epsolar VS3024N
so that when my battery reaches 12.8v, CC should stop charging my battery to avoid heating up the battery.

It is possible that your "12V" battery has one shorted cell in it, reducing the open circuit fully charged voltage from 14.x to 12.x and causing all of your problems.

Look (carefully) inside the cell caps while charging. If all of the cells but one are bubbling you will have confirmed that you have a shorted cell.
This would also show up if you measured SG in each cell.

[syed.mazhar]

I think my battery has one shorted cell in it and I have to modify parameter settings of my EP Solar VS3024N Charge Controller,
bellow are the default values given, I need modified values so that when my battery reaches 13.0v, CC should stop charging my battery to avoid heating up the battery.


Parameter Set------------------Default Values-----------Modified Values
Over Voltage Disconnect -------16.0V--------------------
Charge Limit-------------------15.5V--------------------
Over Voltage Reconnect-------15.0V---------------------
Equal Charge------------------14.8V---------------------
Boost Charge------------------14.6V--------------------
Float Charge-------------------13.8V--------------------
Boost Voltage Reconnect -------13.2V--------------------
Low Voltage Reconnect---------13.2V-------------------
Under Voltage Reconnect-------12.2V-------------------
Under Voltage Warn------------12.0V-------------------
Low Voltage Disconnect--------11.1V-------------------
Discharging Limit --------------10.8V--------------------