Battery Not charging Off Solar

jagmanx

jagmanx

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Hello

120 watt Solar panel (2014)
Change battery 2015 to Banner
Tracer MPPT controller1200 RN series

All working fine until this morning !
Yesterday Battery voltage showing 14.4V mid afternoon and Sunny
This am battery @ 12.2 early very cloudy
Battery has got up to 12.6 but NO HIGHER
Overcast but brightish charging laptop as I use (4amps with 12V to 19V adapter)
Voltage at 12.4 on 2 meters
Solar PV voltage @22V

on controller both PV light and battery light steady green
Normally battery would be at 13.5V or therabouts
Just unplugged laptop and voltage up to 12.5

Seems to me battery ?
But maybe controller ?

Any ideas please ?
 
Banner batteries have a reputation for drying out. Check the electrolyte level and top up with water if necessary.
 
Thank you

molly 2 said:
leave on charge for about 12--20 hours then recheck .
Click to expand...

Yes
At the moment
I have unplugged EHU
Solar controller shows charging @13.8V
So all seems well ..very strange
Will plug EHU in again overnight !

We are here for several days so maybe tomorrow night I will leave EHU unplugged
 
Be prepared to buy a new battery 4 yrs is about what to expect. The readings your quoting are all when its receiving charge the early morning reading is what to go by
 
Few things to think about.

a) is solar panel clean ?
b) are you parked in shade / shadow ?

c) solar gives less power if sun not high in sky (i.e sun at 10am not as good as sun at 1pm)

d) solar gives less power the further North you are


e) How many ah are you using each each day. In this weather you will be lucky to get 40ah a day from 120w solar in central England.

f) when charging via EHU expect a reading of 13.7 to 14.7v which will drop to around 12.7 when EHU of.

g) have a read of this ...
 

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r4dent said:
a) is solar panel clean ?
b) are you parked in shade / shadow ?

c) solar gives less power if sun not high in sky (i.e sun at 10am not as good as sun at 1pm)

d) solar gives less power the further North you are


e) How many ah are you using each each day. In this weather you will be lucky to get 40ah a day from 120w solar in central England.

f) when charging via EHU expect a reading of 13.7 to 14.7v which will drop to around 12.7 when EHU of.

g) have a read of this ...
Click to expand...

Thanks.
All you comments are useful..
Yesterday 14V about now.
Sunshine about the same

I constantly monitor the voltage Rarely below 12.7 even at 9pm
We use minimal power at night NO TV
LED lights etc

The voltage usually gets to over 13V by 10 am but today it stuck at 12.6

Now gas heating running so some power use on blown air 13.1V
Turned heating off now 13.2 V
1 minute later 13.3

All seems well

I am very familiar with the usage/solar/voltage profile
So stuck at 12 was all wrong
Now at 13.4
 
Now

About 5 mins after my last post
Voltage up to 13.8

Something odd earlier
20 mins on EHU seemed to help

I am prepared for a new battery but although 4 years is "known failure time" the battery has been well maintained so I hope for another year or 18 months
 
If I have read your post correctly you were charging your laptop and it was very cloudy.

The solar panel input would have been minimal, certainly not enough to meet the power requirements of the laptop, hence the lower than expected voltage.

I have found it advisable only to use my laptop when the sun shines if using it for an extended period. They are power hungry devices.
 
No

POI Admin said:
If I have read your post correctly you were charging your laptop and it was very cloudy.

The solar panel input would have been minimal, certainly not enough to meet the power requirements of the laptop, hence the lower than expected voltage.

I have found it advisable only to use my laptop when the sun shines if using it for an extended period. They are power hungry devices.
Click to expand...
I know that...
The low voltage am did not increase as it usually does. Stuck at 12.6 Yes I did charge laptop which takes 45 watts so 4 amps or so.
Plugged Ehu in little change.
Unplugged waited replugged for 20 mins
Then voltage went up to "normal".
Unplugged ehu ..sun good now all ok
Max voltage 14.4
Now 13 which is normal for 8pm
The 12.6 stock at has never happened before.
I no monitor battery voltage and in the day it's always 13 plus.
Overnight it has never been below 12.5 or so and goes up to near 13 early am.
Your post is helpful but I am fully aware of possible power drains and only charge laptop when voltage and sun are good.
Voltage now is 13..Whatever caused the 12.6 limit has been resolved maybe by using ehu..but it is a mystery..Will see what happens tomorrow and onwards.
 
Chargers can sometimes go into the wrong modes too early - so for example dropping into a float mode when they should still be in absorption. When this happens the combination of the reduced voltage AND the reduced current means they are not keeping up with the use even though there is charging still to be done.
I find giving the battery a bit of a jolt in the form of a short sharp load can be enough to get things back on track. Sometimes the old power cycle can do the trick, so turning the charger on and off, or plugging in another charger if on hookup (or starting the engine for the split charger for a few minute if off-grid).
Most of these chargers nowadays have some kind of programming involved and just like any computer, needs a kick occasionally :)
 
Thank you 8:45 am

wildebus said:
Chargers can sometimes go into the wrong modes too early - so for example dropping into a float mode when they should still be in absorption. When this happens the combination of the reduced voltage AND the reduced current means they are not keeping up with the use even though there is charging still to be done.
I find giving the battery a bit of a jolt in the form of a short sharp load can be enough to get things back on track. Sometimes the old power cycle can do the trick, so turning the charger on and off, or plugging in another charger if on hookup (or starting the engine for the split charger for a few minute if off-grid).
Most of these chargers nowadays have some kind of programming involved and just like any computer, needs a kick occasionally :)
Click to expand...

Yes EHU did the trick as you post
Running the engine may well do the same
All is good now @13.7V
although as I expect it drops to 13.3 when thw heating (blown air) is running.
Laptop now being charged with a 12V to 19V adapter
again down to 13.3V with the load now 13.1
just enough brightness for this to be Ok.
If voltage drops to 12.9 I will cease charging until it goes over 13.5
 
Thanks to all

For your suggestions/ideas etc

All now 100% and the power/usage profile as per normal

Our only heavy items are

1 the blown air heating
2 Laptop charger (4amps)
Laptop has now been charging for 5 mins and voltage steady at 13.1
 
Thanks

hairydog said:
All my batteries are much older than that. All appear to be as good as new. I am hoping for at least another five years for all of them.
Click to expand...

My Engine battery lasted 12 years.

My 1st LB which was in the van lasted 4 years with 1st owner and another 4 with us.
It go bugg3rr3d by 6 months with no charge.

Current LB installed 2015 after Solar Panel

I monitor the voltage constantly with a permanently on digital meter.
Whether or not the meter is 100% in immaterial as it shows the variation in voltage with solar and usage

Apart from yesterday's glitch the battery has never been below 12.6 and during the day is normally over 13.5
Dependent on sunlight

I appreciate the voltage does not accurately reflect the "State of Charge" but it does for me

Given the LB is a good quality Banner AGM and has not been abused I expect 6 to 7 years from it..
So nothing broke nothing to fix/change
 
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