Solar query

[Davidh]

I've had my solar panel on the van for around a month now and all seems well up until the last few days. Up until then I have had a few Wh of solar each day even in minimal sunlight. For some reason though while on my trip in the outerhebrides I have got nothing out of the solar for the last 3 days which seems odd giving I am using a lot of my battery. Fair enough I don't think there has maybe been direct sunlight but with it being a 160w PU panel I thought it would still gather a slight amount in the daylight.
Am I just being overly concerned and this is normal or is there something off? I have attached screenshots of the last 3 days and the last month. Along with another time when the panel only reached a max of 4W but I still got 20Wh yield that day. Thanks for any input

 

[Davidh]

Update just checked my 75/15 controller and I have 3 flashing lights.
Cant see a fault sode for this in the manual, it's either an internal error or charger or panel over voltage which I find hard to believe as I am currently only getting 15v..

 

[Dellmassive]

14.97v on the battery sounds high.....

Try disconnecting the mppt to reset it.

Then try again tomoz.....

 

[Davidh]

D

14.97v on the battery sounds high.....

Try disconnecting the mppt to reset it.

Then try again tomoz.....

Thanks I'll give this a go. Don't know if its just because I've been doing lots of driving around while on hol so the ctek will be taking it quite high? I'm not sure how they both work together and what takes over

 

[Sackmycook]

Total beginner playing with a Xmas present here.....so...I have what you can see. How do I connect the +ve and -ve from the panel and controller together? The male female connectors clash ?

 

[oldiebut goodie]

how do they clash? your last pic shows two of the same connectors rather than 1 male and 1 female. just make sure that the positive from the panel goes to the positive terminal on the controller - if the wrong colour wire is at the controller put red and black shrink sleeve over the wrong colours.

 

[Sackmycook]

The last pic shows the positive from the panel and the positive from the controller... they won't join, same with the negative, 2 female connectors



For clarity.....

 

[oldiebut goodie]

- if the wrong colour wire is at the controller put red and black shrink sleeve over the wrong colours.

should have added for completeness, then swap the wires.

 

[Sackmycook]

Zilch with wire swap

 

[oldiebut goodie]

what do you mean "zilch with wire swap"?
if you mean that nothing is shewing on the screen that is because you haven't connected the battery first.

 

[Skyliner33]

Zilch with wire swap

Did you connect the charger to a battery first?

 

[Sackmycook]

No, no battery connected yet. I definitely have power from the panel to the controller indicated by a little USB light I have but nothing on the display ?

 

[Skyliner33]

No, no battery connected yet. I definitely have power from the panel to the controller indicated by a little USB light I have but nothing on the display ?

View attachment 139976

You should connect the charger to battery before panel to charger.

 

[oldiebut goodie]

you MUST connect the battery first - that should be in the instructions that came with that controller.

 

[Sackmycook]

what do you mean "zilch with wire swap"?
if you mean that nothing is shewing on the screen that is because you haven't connected the battery first.

So I need to have a battery connected to get the display up ?
I was looking at a YouTube video and I'm sure the bloke just connected the panel to the controller to show it working.
This is a very basic Chinese job and I have no electrical knowledge as you can see

you MUST connect the battery first - that should be in the instructions that came with that controller.

Sure it's in there somewhere.....

 

[oldiebut goodie]

I had english instructions for that controller but had a clear out a couple of days ago and ditched them. I am not using that controller anyway - it just came with the £40 panel and I will chuck it as it is a poor PWM model.
Don't believe things on youtube! so often they are wrong and sometimes downright dangerous.

 

[Dellmassive]

So un wire the yellow terminal s..


Plug together the red cables.

Use multi meter to test voltage... Then put POS in plus and neg in minus.


.


.

 

[oldiebut goodie]

Here are the english instructions for you:

product description:
Built-in industrial microcontroller, this solar controller can automatically manage the work of solar panels and batteries in the solar system. Suitable for home, industry, business, etc.
Features:
100% brand new and high quality guarantee.
Built-in industrial microcontroller to automatically manage the work of solar panels and batteries in solar panels.
Large LCD screen with adjustable parameters.
Easy to set up and operate, suitable for home, industry, business, etc.
System link
1 Connect the positive and negative poles of the battery to the controller as shown in the figure, and the controller will automatically detect the battery voltage. 2 Connect the positive and negative poles of the load to the controller according to the figure.
3 Connect the solar panel to the controller as shown
System voltage: 12v/24v automatic identification
Rated charging current: 10a, 20a, 30a
Floating charge voltage: 13.7v (adjustable range) 12.7-15v

Edit:
Obviously skip step 2 unless you are using the controller to power a light etc via the load circuit.

 

[Sackmycook]

Took the leads direct from the panel, cut plugs off and wired into controller. No display, but usbs on controller showing powered by little USB plug in light I have.

Looking at instructions, I'll have to connect a battery to get the display.

Cheers guys

 

[Dellmassive]

So un wire the yellow terminal s..


Plug together the red cables.

Use multi meter to test voltage... Then put POS in plus and neg in minus.


.
View attachment 139978

.

That panel in daylight should give you about 18v ish.