Ring DC/DC Set up

I think his website said he was on hol til the end of Sept last time I looked.
 
I have had a couple of units replaced with an updated version but I am only just back from holiday so haven't had chance to get any feedback from the respective customers. I am still not convinced that they have got hold of this properly as I was advised to inform customers that sometimes the RSCDC30 may not exit solar mode when the engine is running and that the user should disconnect the solar input temporarily to reset the unit.
 
Update. The problem is being caused by selecting the "Solar Priority" mode. There has been a misunderstanding between the design engineers and the software writers so this feature will be removed on future production. So, for any of you that haven't returned your units please switch off solar priority mode and return all settings to factory. For those of you that have returned your units to me they will be back with you by the middle of the next week.
 
You will remember that I had what I believed was a faulty unit back in the early summer. That was returned and replaced in late August just after the software engineer returned from holiday.

The new one is set-up as default from the instruction book...
Bulk - 14.4v
Float - 13.7v
Cut-off - 12.2v
Cut-in - 12.7v
Solar priority OFF

Batteries are a pair of 90Ah Leisure Bull

We have now had all of September on holiday in France and can report back as follows...

  • The E0 error still shows when the engine stops. It also cycles on/off all night when there is no solar or engine input.
  • Occasionally the unit does not exit solar mode with the engine running. I find that this can be cleared by entering configuration mode (Hold the MENU button for 2 seconds) and then exit configuration mode without doing any changes.
  • When the alternator is supplying over 14v i.e. full charge current to main battery the unit performs perfectly with the above exception.
  • In solar mode the unit seems to extract an excellent charge from my 100W PV panel although I can only compare it with previous vehicles with a simple controller.
  • When the alternator is supplying 13.2v i.e. reduced charge for the engine battery AND MY LEISURE BATTERIES ARE WELL DEPLETED the unit tries to charge the leisure batteries but almost instantly drops out. I can see the output current rise to almost 30Amps then at this point the unit drops out. I can only assume from this that there is some kind of over current cutout in the input side of the DC-DC converter that causes this. Back of a cigarette packet calculation would estimate the input current in this condition to be between 35A & 40A allowing for some inefficiency in the DC-DC converter.
    In this condition whenever the vehicle is on the over-run or braking and the alternator raises its output to 14v+ the Ring unit works as normal.
  • When the leisure batteries are not too depleted the unit works OK with either alternator input voltage.
  • Another feature noticeable which I don't consider to be a fault, more a design feature is that the unit will try and succeed in 'scavenging' some leisure charge from the engine battery when the solar goes off (dark) and the engine battery is above 12.2v, it stops when the engine battery drops below 12.2v.

All in all I don't have much worry about this as it has worked acceptably but it would be nice to get the little gremlins ironed out of the software. I have not yet been back to RING about it but intend to in the near future.

{RING engineer if you are following this thread and feel it's useful to you please come back to me directly either via a PM or I guess you can work out my email address from previous correspondence.}

Rod
 
Heres a reply the forum received in regards to this

Good afternoon,
You will remember that I had what I believed was a faulty unit back in the early summer. That was returned and replaced in late August just after the software engineer returned from holiday.

The new one is set-up as default from the instruction book...
Bulk - 14.4v
Float - 13.7v
Cut-off - 12.2v
Cut-in - 12.7v
Solar priority OFF

Batteries are a pair of 90Ah Leisure Bull

We have now had all of September on holiday in France and can report back as follows...

  • The E0 error still shows when the engine stops. It also cycles on/off all night when there is no solar or engine input.
This is normal except that it should really go to sleep mode “SLP” when input voltage less than 10V.
  • Occasionally the unit does not exit solar mode with the engine running. I find that this can be cleared by entering configuration mode (Hold the MENU button for 2 seconds) and then exit configuration mode without doing any changes.
The engine battery has to rise above 13.1V (measured at the charger) before charger starts using engine battery, although it will not be immediate and will take just less than a minute.
  • When the alternator is supplying over 14v i.e. full charge current to main battery the unit performs perfectly with the above exception.
This will have the same explanation as previous answer.
  • In solar mode the unit seems to extract an excellent charge from my 100W PV panel although I can only compare it with previous vehicles with a simple controller.
The charger should not have any problem with your 100W PV. In absent of the main battery the charger will take solar as long as it has a voltage of minimum 10V.
  • When the alternator is supplying 13.2v i.e. reduced charge for the engine battery AND MY LEISURE BATTERIES ARE WELL DEPLETED the unit tries to charge the leisure batteries but almost instantly drops out. I can see the output current rise to almost 30Amps then at this point the unit drops out. I can only assume from this that there is some kind of over current cut-out in the input side of the DC-DC converter that causes this. Back of a cigarette packet calculation would estimate the input current in this condition to be between 35A & 40A allowing for some inefficiency in the DC-DC converter.
    In this condition whenever the vehicle is on the over-run or braking and the alternator raises its output to 14v+ the Ring unit works as normal.
This is normal, the explanation is, as you have observed (the target battery well depleted). In this case the charger tries to take as much current that is needed to charge the target batteries (maximum of 30A) but as a consequence of trying to take a lot of current from source battery, the source battery voltage drops very quickly (to less than 12.2V if PV is not connected or 13.1V if PV connected). At this point it thinks source battery is below cut-off point and stops charging. So this condition is not due to over current cut-out but just that the source battery gets to cut-off voltage very quickly due to large current requirement of WELL DEPLETED LEISURE batteries.
  • When the leisure batteries are not too depleted the unit works OK with either alternator input voltage.
This actually proves the above point.
  • Another feature noticeable which I don't consider to be a fault, more a design feature is that the unit will try and succeed in 'scavenging' some leisure charge from the engine battery when the solar goes off (dark) and the engine battery is above 12.2v, it stops when the engine battery drops below 12.2v.
This is normal since the solar is having less than 10V, the charger does not see PV.
The 12.2V is the cut-off voltage as set by the user and it can be dropped to 11.0V (as long as you know that the engine will start at this voltage).


NOTE:- The blue highlighted voltage in the text above is being changed by software to 12.2V from 13.1V in near future.

Thanks for your observations and useful feedback.

Regards
Fari Jannati
QA Engineer


Fariborz Jannati
Quality Engineer
T: 0113 2137418 E: Fariborz.Jannati@ringautomotive.co.uk

www.ringautomotive.com
 
Thanks @Pauly and Fari. I have some doubts about a couple of the explanations but will do some more testing / voltage checking and report back.

Rod
 
I have dug a little further into the vagaries of the RSCDC30 and can now report the following...

Went out yesterday with leisure batteries reasonably well topped up having not been used for other than minor interior lighting for the past week or more. The weather yesterday meant that the PV was supplying very little.

Did a round trip of some forty miles and on my return home was of the opinion that the leisure batteries were not topped up as they should have been after said trip.
RSCDC30 display was showing a very minor amount of charge from the PV .
Started the engine and watched the display, it remained on PV input.
After some five minutes of engine running I measured the voltages on the RSCDC30 terminals - Alternator source input measured 14.82v - but unit still showing that it was charging from the PV
I then entered configuration mode by pressing the MENU button for 2 seconds. Released the button then did the same again to exit configuration mode.
On exit from config. mode the RSCDC30 immediately began charging the leisure batteries from the alternator source.

Sorry Fari, this is what I was saying in my previous report. It does not exit PV mode automatically even after considerable time of engine run!

I've not had chance to examine the voltage applied to the RSCDC30 alternator input terminals when the unit appears to trip out but knowing the cross section of the cabling and connections between the engine battery and the RSCDC30 I don't suspect a significant volt drop to cause this. I'll do some recording when I have chance.

Rod

PS - Pauly, if you are think that Fari does not follow thread this please will you bring it to his attention.
 
I have no contact with them I just received a spurious email from them that I believe was related to the conversation @travelvolts was having with them so I posted it for info
 
This was pretty much the same conclusion reached by the engineer that I met with a couple of weeks ago. His advice was to disconnect the solar input to re set the unit but it seems that you have found a more convenient way Rod. It isn't good is it?
I'm not sure how Ring are going to get out of this as the new units will not be available until they have shifted all existing stock! I think my advice would be to permanently disconnect the solar input now that summer is over and at least have proper alternator charge until a proper resolution is reached.
 
Thanks Martyn, as I have the unit easily accessible it's no problem to keep an eye on it. When I get chance to monitor the other problem of not charging when the alternator volts drop I will report back.

Rod
 
Right, here is an update on the above...

After direct communication with RING I was offered a firmware update on my RSCDC30 as soon as it was available. Within a month I was informed that the update was available.
After minor negotiation RING Automotive arranged collection of the unit (still less than 12 month old so under warranty), it was away a week and has now been refitted to my camper. However due to the time of year and the weather I am unable to confirm or deny that the issues detailed above have been corrected.
Initial observations indicate that it is working OK but time will tell.

I will update this thread when I have had some time to analyse the performance of the unit but unfortunately that will probably not be until the spring when the camper gets 'real' use, i.e. night time leisure battery drain and normal morning starts.

Until then thanks to @Pauly and Martyn (@travelvolts) and others who have contributed to this thread.

Rod
 
Hello. I just installed this charger and am finding the same exact problems, It seems to charge find from the pv, and ok on the battery, tho it seems to cut in and out a lot. But I have noticed if I don’t manuals cut the power and reset it won’t change between the two. I have checked and the pv priority is set to off.

Does anyone have any updates?

Many Thanks

Ben
 
Hi Ben,

It's ironic that you have brought this subject up today. I am in France having put the revised firmware in the RSCDC30 to over eight weeks test in true 'holiday mode' and have confirmed to my contact at RING that it now seems to be working OK. The settings on mine are as follows...

Bulk - 14.4
Float - 13.7
Cut-off - 12.2
Recover - 12.8
Solar Priority - OFF

My van is a 2016 140ps Blue Motion Highline T6 fitted with twin leisure batteries (normal wet lead-acid) and one 100W solar panel.

Sorry I feel that I can't give you my direct contact's email address but contacting RING Tech support will get you there.

@travelvolts FYI

Rod
 
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I will check the setting to see it they are any different to yours and keep an eye on it.
Did you have to send the Unit back to them or is it something you can do at home ( the firmware)

Thanks again ben
 
It had to go back to RING, they were very good about it as it was a known problem on early versions.
 
So just to get a feel of this thread is Rod the only one who has this working correctly. I thought mine was OK but after the weekend of Camper Jam when the leisure battery was low I noticed that after an hour and half drive home the leisure battery was still low. It does seem to be like a 70s Longbridge worker and spend most of its time in sleep mode. I don't want to be without a unit over the summer!!
 
I would go direct to RING tech support with a problem one after the way they responded to me. I did have to wait whilst they re-wrote the firmware but the re-config was quick after that.

Rod
 
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