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Rich Solar 40a MPPT charge controller gone bad?

melvin2345

New Member
Joined
Sep 13, 2021
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3
Location
Midland, MI
Here is the summary of the situation:

I noticed that the battery monitor I have wasn't showing any amps flowing into the battery. I checked all the components and connections, but could not find any obvious issues.

*4 x 200w 12v rich solar panels
*2 x 6v 250ah in series reading 12.3 volts
*Panels disconnected I read 12.3 at the controller from the battery
*Panels connected I read the same
*Panel input shows as 88v but .5a with full sun and no clouds at 1:30pm
*Controller error code reads E0
*Battery light on controller is solid
*Panel array light is slow flashing, and reads "Boost"
*I show no amps flowing into the battery, measured with battery monitor
*Battery monitor shows charge when using shore power, or when vehicle running
*Bluetooth adapter stopped working

Few days later I was able to test all of the panels individually, and each one read roughly the same values: 22.5v and 6.38a
I checked voltage/current of the array at the terminals on the controller and it read: 90.2v and 6.32a
The controller shows the array at 90.2v and 0.5a, with no current being delivered to the batteries that currently read 12.4v

I disconnected EVERYTHING from the controller, and it stayed that way for about 20 hours. I then reconnected the battery, then the bluetooth module, then the array. I then checked voltage and current at the array terminals and it was 89.7v and 5.76a (not as sunny). The controller said the array was 89.7v and 0.5a, and sent no current to the battery, still reading 12.4v. The bluetooth adapter also still does not work.

At this point it sounds like my 6 month old charge controller has simply gone bad. Does this seem accurate, or is there another troubleshooting step I'm missing?
 
Did you ever find out if it was a bad controller or something else? I don’t know what’s going on with my 12 v setup, as the watts are much lower than expected when in parallel which we chose as it can be shaded sometime, but these readings are taken in direct sun and still only showing about 25% of the 200 watts …. So I’d expect 70-80% of the 200 watts (140-160 watts) …. I would have expected it rising to at least half the wattage at the height of the day and the dropping off into the afternoon…. But I’m only seeing about the 70-80 watts maximum showing…which is about a quarter of what I’d have expected.…
 
In my case, it was most definitely the charge controller. I replaced it with a Renogy 40a MPPT, everything is back to normal now.
 
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I don’t know what’s going on with my 12 v setup, as the watts are much lower than expected when in parallel which we chose as it can be shaded sometime, but these readings are taken in direct sun and still only showing about 25% of the 200 watts …. So I’d expect 70-80% of the 200 watts (140-160 watts) …. I would have expected it rising to at least half the wattage at the height of the day and the dropping off into the afternoon…. But I’m only seeing about the 70-80 watts maximum showing…which is about a quarter of what I’d have expected.…
I've seen you post this in another thread and apologies if you've answered, but are the batteries at a low enough state of charge to take the full power of the SCC?

My FLA batteries slowly taper from full charge to almost nothing as absorption mode is entered, but my lithium is much quicker to drop.

You're right about your expectations of 140 to 160 watts, unless the panels are flat on the roof and your farther north, than 70-80 watts could be realistic. For my flat roof panels, the make 30% - 60% during the fall and winter months. Flat roof panels on an RV and sun at 45 degrees in the sky may only see what you are seeing based off my experience.
 
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I've seen you post this in another thread and apologies if you've answered, but are the batteries at a low enough state of charge to take the full power of the SCC?

My FLA batteries slowly taper from full charge to almost nothing as absorption mode is entered, but my lithium is much quicker to drop.

You're right about your expectations of 140 to 160 watts, unless the panels are flat on the roof and your farther north, than 70-80 watts could be realistic. For my flat roof panels, the make 30% - 60% during the fall and winter months. Flat roof panels on an RV and sun at 45 degrees in the sky may only see what you are seeing based off my experience.
Honestly I don’t recall this point, but that’s a good thing for us to look at as well …its gonna be cloudy here for probably the next few days or so … hence, we probably won’t be able to follow up on much of the troubleshooting until we get some sunshine again. … I will keep you posted once we have some sun and time to double check and troubleshoot this further! We are in the NE (near VT/MA borders.)
 
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