Overkilled

[solaron]

I have 2/0 wire run from 2 different battery banks and I'm getting faults on 2 different inverters.

The first is a 12v battery bank hooked to a 1000w ever start.

The second is a 24v battery bank hooked to a 3000w ebay sinewave controller.

I suspect it's my connectors but maybe someone sees something else I'm doing wrong?

I'm attaching pics. There are 6 batteries but they are 2 separate banks of 2 and 4 respectively.

 

[Bud Martin]

What kind of fault code are you getting from the inverters? Low Voltage fault?
Did you fully charge each battery to full individually first?
Did it ever work before?
The conneections do not look that great to me, especially on the DC input of the inverter, it looks like bad crimping jobs on the ring lugs, and I also see corrosion.
Are they used batteries?
What is the Voltage reading on the 12V and and on the 24V bank without AC load connected to the AC outlet of the inverter with the inverter turn on?
I see you have All-in-one Solar charger/AC charger/Inverter unit. Are you also trying to run it also with the batteries?

 

[solaron]

The all in one has a red fault light that flashes briefly then the whole system shuts off after 3 seconds. The everstart inverter flashes a battery symbol with an x. And cuts power off.

I did not charge individually first. I connected them all and charged them connected as 12v through the 12v mppt.

The everstart inverter worked about a year ago on these same batteries. But smaller wires.

The crimp job is unprofessional but not loose. The corrosion is very light and mostly stains.

They are used batteries, about 1 year old.

The voltage on the 12v system read 12.9 on the batteries and 13.3 at the controller from the panel.

I'm not sure of the 24v system, I'll get back to you on that when I find my voltmeter.

The 4 battery pack is connected to the all in one yes.

All of the batteries are crown 6 volt deep cycles by the way.

 

[Bud Martin]

It sounds to me you have batteries issue or very bad Voltage drops on the wires/connections.
Do you also get the error when inverter is on but without the loads on the AC outlet?

 

[solaron]

No issues when I don't put a load on the 12v system.

The 24v system keeps shutting off

 

[solaron]

Should I start by switching to traditional top post connectors? I'm using ground post connectors.

 

[Bud Martin]

"No issues when I don't put a load on the 12v system.

The 24v system keeps shutting off"

So that points to either bad batteries or bad connections so the inverter is not getting enough power tom operate.

At this point I would charge each battery until full individually, then use battery tester that can perform the test with load, car part store should have such a tester for you to test out the batteries.

Hydrometer to see how healthy the battery is. How does it work?

"The best investment you can make is to get a decent hydrometer so you can keep an eye on the specific gravity (SG) values of each cell (keep a log), in particular after a 100% charge when SG is a great indication of battery health." ... "An SG of around 1.265 is ‘full’ for batteries in good...

diysolarforum.com

 

[solaron]

"No issues when I don't put a load on the 12v system.

The 24v system keeps shutting off"

So that points to either bad batteries or bad connections so the inverter is not getting enough power tom operate.

At this point I would charge each battery until full individually, then use battery tester that can perform the test with load, car part store should have such a tester for you to test out the batteries.

Hydrometer to see how healthy the battery is. How does it work?

"The best investment you can make is to get a decent hydrometer so you can keep an eye on the specific gravity (SG) values of each cell (keep a log), in particular after a 100% charge when SG is a great indication of battery health." ... "An SG of around 1.265 is ‘full’ for batteries in good...

diysolarforum.com

Update* I put standard top post connectors on the 12v system.

It's back charging on the panel.

I am currently charging a laptop on the everstart inverter with no problems.

I did try a saw and it tripped the alarm still. So I will let it charge and hopefully that fixes everything. If so I will charge one 12v bank at a time and retry the 24v system.

I currently have no way to connect to City power or generator.

Thanks for the advice I'll update again after some more sun.

 

[solaron]

After sun all day I re read the controller lcd.

Apparently I was at 12.6 not 12.9. I'm still at 12.6.

Maybe it's charging slowly maybe not

 

[solaron]

24v system is fixed. The battery cells all got emptied and cleaned and refilled with new acid.

The 12v system has a reversed polarity battery because I'm sure I hooked it up backwards when charging it back from dead the last time. Unless the new acid somehow magically reversed it. I didn't notice until I brought into O'Reilly's to charge it.

 

[Bud Martin]

24v system is fixed. The battery cells all got emptied and cleaned and refilled with new acid.

The 12v system has a reversed polarity battery because I'm sure I hooked it up backwards when charging it back from dead the last time. Unless the new acid somehow magically reversed it. I didn't notice until I brought into O'Reilly's to charge it.

Thanks for the follow up, good to know you go the system running again.
I am surprised about the 12V system though, if one of the 6V battery (two six Volt batteries connected in series to make 12V pack) was connected back ward then I would think you will see 12V on the meter.

 

[wholybee]

Should I start by switching to traditional top post connectors? I'm using ground post connectors.

Glad you got it working, but yes, change those connectors ASAP.

 

[solaron]

Thanks for the follow up, good to know you go the system running again.
I am surprised about the 12V system though, if one of the 6V battery (two six Volt batteries connected in series to make 12V pack) was connected back ward then I would think you will see 12V on the meter.

Im surprised too. O'Reilly's had to hook it up backwards to charge it.

Glad you got it working, but yes, change those connectors ASAP.

All tightened up now.

New issue though:. I have my float set at 27 volts but it's not charging past 24.8

Bad batteries still? I can run a 13 amp saw non stop...

 

[solaron]

Nevermind, its charging, just painfully slow. I'm at 25v now. I suppose I need more than one panel.