Voltage regulator

Ron-D · Guru

Voltage regulator

Ron-D · Guru

Why these pictures turn up side down I don't know..

Ron-D · Guru

Here's another one

meetoo · Guru

Not plugged in Ron? I guess that saves you having to buy any panels, Lol.

Cheers, John.

Ron-D · Guru

Yeah John The reg is connected and hard wired next to the battery ,the two battery to reg wires are wired correctly ,the two wires that go to (pv) the panels are wired correctly to The Anderson plug outside the van,but the regs yellow light bulk charge won't stop flashing,so that means Iam guessing the reg can't be wired next to the battery permanently unless there's a panel connect to it I suppose .. strange situation I don't get it,

Terryt · Veteran Member

I had a quick look at the manual and that flashing yellow light appears to indicate a fault. It advised a few things to check. If you don,t have the manual it is on the Victron site.

Peter_n_Margaret · Guru

Of course it will show a fault because the solar panel is not connected.
The instructions will also tell you which order to make the connections. It is vital that they happen in the correct order.

Cheers,
Peter

Ron-D · Guru

This all came about when I bought a new 160W folding panel ,the advice was to mount the voltage reg inside the van near the battery,and the pv cables from the portabLe panel to the regulator that's now inside the van near the battery

It now appears that the reg can't be mounted near the battery without the panels connected to it,and that makes sense,as I can't connect the portable panels and drag them down the road with me mounting the reg near the battery is useless with folding panels ,the only solution would be to attach the reg to the Anderson plug on the outside of the van and unplug it when travelling...

thanks for your replies Terry and Peter...

-- Edited by Ron-D on Monday 18th of December 2017 09:13:07 AM

Terryt · Veteran Member

I wouldn't give up just yet. Perhaps that flashing light is more an indicator that the regulator has no input. It may flash till the cows come home (causing no damage) and as soon as you join your panel up the system will start operating correctly. Perhaps a quick call to Victron might clarify things.

Dickodownunder · Guru

Rather than remove it and relocate it at the Andersen input, could you fit a switch that could turn it off and be turned on only when your portable panels are hooked up???

madaboutled · Guru

Dickodownunder wrote:
Rather than remove it and relocate it at the Andersen input, could you fit a switch that could turn it off and be turned on only when your portable panels are hooked up???

A switch would work but with a little bit more work a 30 Amp relay would be better because it would be set and forget.

Dickodownunder · Guru

madaboutled wrote:
Dickodownunder wrote:
Rather than remove it and relocate it at the Andersen input, could you fit a switch that could turn it off and be turned on only when your portable panels are hooked up???
A switch would work but with a little bit more work a 30 Amp relay would be better because it would be set and forget.

Excellent...

T1 Terry · Guru

Hi Ron D, have you actually plugged the solar panel into the Anderson plug to see what the Victron controller does? I think you will find it is looking for a solar panel and the light is telling you it can't find one. the more important thing it is telling you is the controller is wasting battery power even when it is not actually capable of generating any charge current because there are no solar panels connected. This means even if the solar panels were connected but the sun was not out, the controller would be wasting battery storage keeping itself alive.
I'd be very interested in the Victron tech peoples answer to that one

T1 Terry

T1 Terry · Guru

Dickodownunder wrote:
madaboutled wrote:
Dickodownunder wrote:
Rather than remove it and relocate it at the Andersen input, could you fit a switch that could turn it off and be turned on only when your portable panels are hooked up???
A switch would work but with a little bit more work a 30 Amp relay would be better because it would be set and forget.
Excellent...

You would need two relays with a dual delay between the two, one for solar in and one for battery supply. The unit must be connected to the battery before the solar so the solar connect must be delayed, yet the solar must be disconnected before the battery so the battery disconnect must be delayed.

T1 Terry

Ron-D · Guru

T1 Terry wrote:
Hi Ron D, have you actually plugged the solar panel into the Anderson plug to see what the Victron controller does? I think you will find it is looking for a solar panel and the light is telling you it can't find one. the more important thing it is telling you is the controller is wasting battery power even when it is not actually capable of generating any charge current because there are no solar panels connected. This means even if the solar panels were connected but the sun was not out, the controller would be wasting battery storage keeping itself alive.
I'd be very interested in the Victron tech peoples answer to that one

Thanks Terry I thought that was the case but I don't want the reg attached to the panels,so the. Only alternative is to attach the reg and pv cables to the Anderson plug on the van that's coming from the battery supply so that there's a complete circuit
thanks Dick my thoughts were along those. Lines to put a toggle switch in the positive cable that's mounted and fused to the battery ,and simply turn it on when the panels are connected
what are your thoughts on that approach Terry ...

-- Edited by Ron-D on Monday 18th of December 2017 03:53:53 PM

madaboutled · Guru

T1 Terry wrote:

You would need two relays with a dual delay between the two, one for solar in and one for battery supply. The unit must be connected to the battery before the solar so the solar connect must be delayed, yet the solar must be disconnected before the battery so the battery disconnect must be delayed.

T1 Terry

This was my thought.... would be the same as using a switch just automating it.

Terryt · Veteran Member

My guess would be the amount of power you would be wasting would be in the milliamps and if you have to sweat the milliamps you need a bigger system. My DC DC charger slow flashes when nothing is going in and that is what it is supposed to do. I really think you should talk to Victron before you over complicate things by putting in relays etc. Every man and their dog has shifted controllers off of panels and put them close to the battery and I have never heard anyone saying it didn't work for them.

Jaahn · Guru

Hi Ron smile

I have mounted my regs of various types at the battery and had plug-in panels. no problems I have a Victron currently and it is mounted near the battery but I cannot see the flashing lights. I have had the panels disconnected and nothing untoward happened. No noticable problems that I saw.

I do believe the flashing light is telling you a code but I do not have access to them currently. But the standby current is only 10 milliamps so nothing to worry about there. The code may be in relation to the reg has not sensed reaching full battery within 10 hrs. which it is programmed to show. Obviously with no panel it will never get there untill you do connect them hmm

I would not play around with relays or switches or the like. Just plug the panel in till the battery is fully charged. then disconnect them when and if you want to, and plug them in when you want, as you planned to do. There would be lots of people out there using that reg like you want to IMHO.

Jaahn

Ron-D · Guru

Jaahn wrote:
Hi Ron
I have mounted my regs of various types at the battery and had plug-in panels. no problems I have a Victron currently and it is mounted near the battery but I cannot see the flashing lights. I have had the panels disconnected and nothing untoward happened. No noticable problems that I saw.
I do believe the flashing light is telling you a code but I do not have access to them currently. But the standby current is only 10 milliamps so nothing to worry about there. The code may be in relation to the reg has not sensed reaching full battery within 10 hrs. which it is programmed to show. Obviously with no panel it will never get there untill you do connect them
I would not play around with relays or switches or the like. Just plug the panel in till the battery is fully charged. then disconnect them when and if you want to, and plug them in when you want, as you planned to do. There would be lots of people out there using that reg like you want to IMHO.
Jaahn

Thanks Jaahn haveing the panels charge the batteries is a good thought and I will hook it up ,the only thing is the batteries are fully charged at the moment as they have been on 240 For quite some time,that yellow flashing light in the Victron booklet states bulk ,yeah it's a weiid one the reg is connected perfectly and haveing that silly light running 24/7 is not right so the only option is to hook the panels up to charge a fully charged battery to turn a flashing light off that should not be flashing hmm Thanks guys relays might be the answer but I don't think that's the answer at the moment but a very good suggestion..

Tony Bev · Guru

Ron-D wrote:
Jaahn wrote:
Hi Ron
I have mounted my regs of various types at the battery and had plug-in panels. no problems I have a Victron currently and it is mounted near the battery but I cannot see the flashing lights. I have had the panels disconnected and nothing untoward happened. No noticable problems that I saw.
I do believe the flashing light is telling you a code but I do not have access to them currently. But the standby current is only 10 milliamps so nothing to worry about there. The code may be in relation to the reg has not sensed reaching full battery within 10 hrs. which it is programmed to show. Obviously with no panel it will never get there untill you do connect them
I would not play around with relays or switches or the like. Just plug the panel in till the battery is fully charged. then disconnect them when and if you want to, and plug them in when you want, as you planned to do. There would be lots of people out there using that reg like you want to IMHO.
Jaahn
Thanks Jaahn haveing the panels charge the batteries is a good thought and I will hook it up ,the only thing is the batteries are fully charged at the moment as they have been on 240 For quite some time,that yellow flashing light in the Victron booklet states bulk ,yeah it's a weiid one the reg is connected perfectly and haveing that silly light running 24/7 is not right so the only option is to hook the panels up to charge a fully charged battery to turn a flashing light off that should not be flashing Thanks guys relays might be the answer but I don't think that's the answer at the moment but a very good suggestion..

I agree with Jahhn, Ron
About not going down the switch/relay track

This problem has puzzled me, but not being an electrician, and not having a Victron regulator, I can offer no factual input

When I think about it, in a normal situation, the panel is connected through the regulator to the battery
Each evening the panel stops producing current, with no sun
But in the morning everything starts as it should, without the need for any switch/relay

The penny is beginning to slowly drop, when you mention that you are already charging with 240 volts

My research showed me that if you have more than one charging system, (solar and 240 volt)
They can both stop fully charging, as by reading each others input, they think that the battery is fully charged

Electricians do say that you can use more than one charging system, but it is a bit complicated for us laymen to comprehend

If I was in your situation, to check the Victron regulator, before going on a road trip
I would disconnect the 240 volt charging system
Use a bit of power from the battery, (pump some water into the sink drain/turn on range hood fan/turn on radio/etc)
Connect solar panels, and if you can see no charging, or there is still flashing lights, ask Victron for advise

Be interesting to see the end result, because it may help someone else, in the future

Tony Bev · Guru

Hopefully here are your turned pictures, done on a desktop, using Paint

Picture 1.png

Picture 2.png

Ron-D · Guru

Thanks Tony much appreciated I know to have the 240 not running simultaneously with the solar panels connected but the saga goes on problems boring everyone by now ,but there might be some interested enough to hnow how this simple job with four wires a monkey could connect ended up,

plugged the panel in and it charged the battery up good start eh,there's a yellow light on the reg that goes

Bulk ,absorb and float and when the panels are disconnected the light goes out and it did..

now there also a green light power on ,or when it blinks continually,called battery life,the power on button which is a green light never came on at all (don't like that

but the green light when it's flashing is called battery life it never stopped flashing even when the the panels were removed had to disconnect the battery to stop the thing from flashing don't like that it's a problem that wrecked a good day.

so there must be others with victron regs that might have an answer for me before I throw this thing in the garbage and hook the elheapo back on the panel biggrin

-- Edited by Ron-D on Tuesday 19th of December 2017 04:46:07 PM

-- Edited by Ron-D on Tuesday 19th of December 2017 05:37:13 PM

Terryt · Veteran Member

Read the manual carefully. If it doesn't make sense phone Victron. I suspect it is doing what it is supposed to do. Just because you have lights on doesn't mean it is stuffed. You will do a LOT better talking to a tech familiar with the product than relying on input from the panel. As you can see you have already been sent in a number of directions with no joy.

meetoo · Guru

Is a PWM regulator starting to look good yet? smile

Cheers, John.

Jaahn · Guru

Hi Ron smile

I will give you another way to look at this perceived "problem".

I had a look for my book but it is in a safe place biggrin These regs do not have a 'readout' to look at and give information. So they have chosen to communicate with two led lights. These have only several simple modes to display; on, off, flashing, slow or fast. So the fact it is flashing is just the same as its other states. It just means something but not necessarily a fault. In fact in the power use stakes a flashing LED uses less power than one on all the time so that is a positive design feature.

Just use it. Stop worrying if you have checked it is installed OK. I would not replace it just because "you think" there may be a problem. Certainly a cheap PWM reg will not work better and probably use a lot more standby power.

Jaahn

PS if you are going to throw it away I will take it. hmm

Ron-D · Guru

My thoughts to Terry Iam calling them today.

John your a cruel man biggrin

Ron-D · Guru

Jaahn sorry no intentions of throwing it away blankstare

yeah I would prefer the light just shut down like it's supposed to do when the panel is dissconected haveing something flashing 24/7 will be annoying, when I do something I like it to be spot on, especially with solar it's vital for our next trip away I will try to contact Victron to day,I agree this thing is probably no big deal.thanks for your reply Jaahn your always a good source of information.

-- Edited by Ron-D on Wednesday 20th of December 2017 09:34:14 AM

meetoo · Guru

Ron-D wrote:
My thoughts to Terry Iam calling them today.
John your a cruel man

I had to throw that in Ron smile but seriously with your amount of panels, I can't see PWM doing any worse. Holden or Ford?

I'm sure your regulator should work out fine when it is all connected up and running.

Cheers, John.

Ron-D · Guru

I took it as joke John it's good to have a bit of fun on the forum I think most would agree ,as for the pwm regs there good products a lot here have them and they work well apparently. Iam obviously no expert so I bought what I believe is the latest tec at the moment,why not $123 dollars is nothing these days,the reg works great John the panels power the battery up really fast ,the older panel although it's only half the capacity hardly seem to put anything back into the battery at all .

JoeJan · Veteran Member

So what was the final outcome?