Our van has been sitting round for approx a mth in storage
It hasn't been connected to 240v , I have checked it a couple of times, and the V read 13.5 or around that from memory.Cant remember if the sun was shining at the time.
It obviously is Charging from the SP .
Theres no load on in the van , yet it has drop down and it reads low battery tonite.
I know that when the voltage gets down to around 11v the solar charging stops .
Is it usual for the batteries to drop V when sitting idle .
The weather has been very cold and gloomy here in vic over the last few weeks .
Should I be connecting to power during the cold grey weather.
iana said
07:37 PM Aug 30, 2017
The answer is yes, lead acid batteries will discharge when idle, and even when not connected, as they get older, they discharge quicker, don't ask me why.
macka17 said
07:43 PM Aug 30, 2017
Disconnect battery from internal power supply line.
but keep connected. Through regulator.
To the panels.
That'll cover any slow drain from the wet cells.
IF one dies. No matter what you do, apart from a decent size mains charger.
That one will drain any\all the others.
Do a test load on all battery's now, to check quality of them.
PS any battery that sits on 11v or less. Is FLAT. and will die on you.
Try to keep them on 12.5v MINIMUM. For any life from them.
Aus-Kiwi said
10:15 PM Aug 30, 2017
I would connect a low ( 4 amp ) charger ? If solar is not working . Maybe through timer once charged ?
PeterD said
11:17 PM Aug 30, 2017
mezza56 wrote:I know that when the voltage gets down to around 11v the solar charging stops .
Where did you get that gem from? If your battery voltage gets down around 11 V then when the sun shines the system should go into full charging. If it is stopping there is some problem in your system.
mezza56 said
07:55 AM Aug 31, 2017
PeterD
I was told that by the sparky that wires up all the vans for the manufacturer , I think its the regulator that stops any charge from the solar panels once they hit 11 v or below
does anyone else know if thats fact or fiction ?
PeterD said
07:52 PM Aug 31, 2017
There are some 240 V battery chargers that will not start up unless they see at least 8 V from the battery. There are also some chargers that need a good supply from a 12 or 24 V battery to set up their operation (ie whether to operate as a 12 or 24 V charger) but once set up they are then OK as long as they are not disconnected from the battery.
mezza56 said
07:48 AM Sep 1, 2017
I'm not talking about the charger in this instance , but the regulator .?
swamp said
08:45 AM Sep 1, 2017
Hi
details please
solar watts
solar reg pwm or mppt
Ah of batteries
type of battery
age of batteries
Do you have a battery isolator????
Does it isolate 100% including solar ????
Charge battery with a 10-25 amp 240v charger. Isolate and check with volt meter every day .
You may have a phatom load on your battery.
robol said
10:56 AM Sep 1, 2017
On the bus I have an mppt regulator and on the Patrol I have a standard type regulator. When the sun shines both of them charge whether batteries are charged or flat. Charge on and charge off can be set on the regulators but it has nothing to do with the battery voltage.
PeterD said
04:41 PM Sep 1, 2017
mezza56 wrote:
I'm not talking about the charger in this instance , but the regulator .?
The regulator is a charger. The regulation of the output is the same as the DC-DC and 240 V chargers. You still have not revealed what the make and model of your equipment is.
John Kay said
04:15 PM Sep 2, 2017
My advice would be: Take batteries out. Fully charge them check battery voltage then re check a few days later.
Or take them to an auto electrician and have them tested.
Use a multimeter check voltage of solar panels. check solar panels amperage.
Start reconnecting solar panels to solar controller then connect batteries.
The above practice is if you have some knowledge without causing any harm to yourself.
Our van has been sitting round for approx a mth in storage
It hasn't been connected to 240v , I have checked it a couple of times, and the V read 13.5 or around that from memory.Cant remember if the sun was shining at the time.
It obviously is Charging from the SP .
Theres no load on in the van , yet it has drop down and it reads low battery tonite.
I know that when the voltage gets down to around 11v the solar charging stops .
Is it usual for the batteries to drop V when sitting idle .
The weather has been very cold and gloomy here in vic over the last few weeks .
Should I be connecting to power during the cold grey weather.
but keep connected. Through regulator.
To the panels.
That'll cover any slow drain from the wet cells.
IF one dies. No matter what you do, apart from a decent size mains charger.
That one will drain any\all the others.
Do a test load on all battery's now, to check quality of them.
PS any battery that sits on 11v or less. Is FLAT. and will die on you.
Try to keep them on 12.5v MINIMUM. For any life from them.
Where did you get that gem from? If your battery voltage gets down around 11 V then when the sun shines the system should go into full charging. If it is stopping there is some problem in your system.
PeterD
I was told that by the sparky that wires up all the vans for the manufacturer , I think its the regulator that stops any charge from the solar panels once they hit 11 v or below
does anyone else know if thats fact or fiction ?
I'm not talking about the charger in this instance , but the regulator .?
details please
solar watts
solar reg pwm or mppt
Ah of batteries
type of battery
age of batteries
Do you have a battery isolator????
Does it isolate 100% including solar ????
Charge battery with a 10-25 amp 240v charger. Isolate and check with volt meter every day .
You may have a phatom load on your battery.
The regulator is a charger. The regulation of the output is the same as the DC-DC and 240 V chargers. You still have not revealed what the make and model of your equipment is.
Or take them to an auto electrician and have them tested.
Use a multimeter check voltage of solar panels. check solar panels amperage.
Start reconnecting solar panels to solar controller then connect batteries.
The above practice is if you have some knowledge without causing any harm to yourself.
Cheers John K