Solar system failures

[Debra17]

For the last seven months I have been stationary and on shore power. When I left to start traveling again and began to use my solar system there seems to be a failure with the inverter and possibly other components. The system consists of 500 watts of solar panels, 4 Lifeline AGM 6V 220AH batteries, Blue Sky 3024 MPPT charger with IPN-ProRemote battery monitor, and Samlex PST-2000 inverter with remote control. This system was installed in August 2017 and has performed very well during the time I have had it. My usage has remained pretty much the same and the batteries have always charged to 100%, usually before noon. I stay in the west and generally have good sun.

Last week I camped without shore power for the first time in several months. The first issue I had is with the inverter. The remote control panel has an on/off switch to turn on the inverter and also a display to give the volts that are being used. When I would turn the inverter on, the display panel is not giving a readout of the volts. It shows zero. When the inverter is on but no AC devices turned on, the inverter would normally draw ~1 amp. Now when I turn it on, the IPN battery monitor shows the amps out increasing by ~16 amps. This also seems to cause the battery monitor to give false readings as far as the percent charged. It may show 75%-85%. But if I turn off the power from the solar then turn it back on, the monitor will then show 100%. So I am not confident in what is the correct SOC.

The other issue is the batteries are charging much slower than usual and some days do not charge to 100%.

So there appears to be a failure of the inverter and possibly the batteries and/or charge controller. I should have the entire system checked but I'm not sure where to take it. I am currently at an RV Park in Tucson through Jan 5th. If any one has recommendations of who to go to in this area, would appreciate it.  I have gone to Carl's RV for general service in the past but not for solar.

Also I called Samlex to see what they would do. The warranty was only for 2 years so not covered. They offered to sell me a factory reconditioned inverter for $450 + shipping which would have only a 90 day warranty and I would have to pay labor to have it installed. But I'm not sure I want to go with Samlex again since it failed after 3 years.

The Blue Sky charge controller is still under warranty if it is defective. But it could also be the batteries.

Would be interested in hearing any thoughts on what might be wrong and any recommendations for service provider.

Thanks!
Debra

 

[PJ Stough]

I would not buy a new inverter unless it was verified that the old one was bad.  Just off of the top of my head, it sounds like you have a loose connection somewhere in your system.

 

[Lou Schneider]

Do you have the stock converter connected?  If so, if it is being fed by the inverter it will create a current loop through the batteries and explain the high inverter current draw.

 

[ChasA]

Search the web for "rv solar near tucson az". I came up with 4 hits.

 

[Arch Hoagland]

Have you checked your batteries for water?

Have you measured the voltage right at the batteries with a voltmeter?

 

[Ernie n Tara]

Batteries are AGM so can't check water but the question of batteries is germane. Have they perhaps gone dead during the time the system was not in use?

Ernie

 

[Mark_K5LXP]

The issue with this kind of trouble is you have what is potentially more than one point of failure.  It's not easy to diagnose a system with multiple symptoms.  So, divide and conquer.

It's easy enough to use a known good external charger to bring up the batteries, then doing a measured capacity test with a known load to verify capacity.  If they're good you move on to other parts of the system, if they're bad there's little point in trying to prove the other parts of the system with known bad batteries. 

With known good batteries, the solar controller can be exercised and monitored, as can the inverter/charger.  Until you start with something known/good, you're only going to be comparing one ambiguous result to another and you'll end up going down a bunch of rabbit holes along the way.

Mark B.
Albuquerque, NM

 

[Utclmjmpr]

Time usually causes corrosion at connection points in wiring and at grounding points also..  The cheapest and easiest maint. is keeping those points clean and tight..>>>Dan

 

[Debra17]

Last year I had one solar panel replaced by Scott of Urgent Care RV Solar. He comes to Tucson each winter and works here. I checked his website and it happens he is currently in the same RV Park as I am. I just spoke to him and he will be able to work on my system in 10 to 14 days when he finishes a large install. I want him to go through the entire system starting with the batteries.

The inverter is hard wired and on a transfer switch. The stock converter is wired to only operate when on shore power. When I had the inverter hard wired they forgot to take the controller off the circuit and it was doing a continuous loop. I searched on the forum and found posts about this so I knew what was happening. The service tech came back out and fixed it.

Thanks for the replies and suggestions. Since it seems there may be multiple issues going on I really didn?t know the best way to approach it and was feeling overwhelmed. I think starting at the batteries and working through the entire system is the best course of action. Hopefully I can be up and running in time for the KOFA gathering!

 

[Kevin Means]

Hi Deb. You said your inverter's display panel is showing no volts when not hooked up to shore power. What does it normally say? When you left your shore power hookups and started boondocking, did the fridge get switched to LP? The higher than normal amp draw that your battery monitor is displaying, and slower charging rate while on solar, could indicate that an AC appliance is still running off the inverter.

Kev

 

[Debra17]

Hi Deb. You said your inverter's display panel is showing no volts when not hooked up to shore power. What does it normally say? When you left your shore power hookups and started boondocking, did the fridge get switched to LP? The higher than normal amp draw that your battery monitor is displaying, and slower charging rate while on solar, could indicate that an AC appliance is still running off the inverter.

Kev

Hi Kev, As soon as I read your message, I thought you may have hit on the problem. When I had the inverter hardwired, the refrigerator was supposed to be taken on the inverter. But I think in the past I have always changed the setting to Gas. I couldn't remember what setting I had it on when the problem started with the inverter/charging. This morning I unplugged from shore power and turned on the inverter with the refrigerator set to Auto. Sure enough, it defaulted to electric and ran off the inverter!!! Just to be sure that the batteries are still charging correctly, I'm going to stay unplugged from solar for a day or two.  Thanks Kevin, you are a genius!!

See you and Cyndi at KOFA!!

 

[garyb1st]

Glad you got that sorted out Deb.  Don't spend a lot of money on these problems before asking Kev.  My limited experience in all things electric or anything requiring a wrench precludes me from helping out.  However, if you ever have a problem starting a campfire, let me know.  And Kev can verify that. 

 

[Kevin Means]

Hey that's great Deb. I hope that was the fix. Gary, if you and Maria are gonna make it to KOFA, I'm packing some Depends for when we're sitting around the campfire. Last time I laughed so hard at the "fire-starter" material you made - that wouldn't burn - that I almost peed my pants. I'll be rooting for you this time Buddy.

Kev

 

[Heli_av8tor]

It would be worth my 1800 mile trip to KOFA to witness the introduction of V2.0. Though it will be hard to top V1.0

 

[Old_Crow]

Campfire starting.  Reminds me of a story.
When my kids were scouting age, I got talked into becoming an assistant scoutmaster.  I'm sure most of you who were in scouting remember Camporee's and the competitions that were held there, in particular, the fire starting contest.
Well, one of our other assistant scoutmasters had a couple of pitch pine blowdowns on his property.  He always used to bring a big box of pitch pine slivers to the Camporee's.  Once he started that, we never lost a fire making contest.
Then there was the time my kid threw a cup of Coleman fuel on the fire, just as the state leaders walked into the campsite...

 

[UTTransplant]

Campfire starting.  Reminds me of a story.
When my kids were scouting age, I got talked into becoming an assistant scoutmaster.  I'm sure most of you who were in scouting remember Camporee's and the competitions that were held there, in particular, the fire starting contest.
Well, one of our other assistant scoutmasters had a couple of pitch pine blowdowns on his property.  He always used to bring a big box of pitch pine slivers to the Camporee's.  Once he started that, we never lost a fire making contest.
Then there was the time my kid threw a cup of Coleman fuel on the fire, just as the state leaders walked into the campsite...

I taught camping skills to Girl Scout leaders for a number of years. For tinder in class I used tiny pieces of an apple tree that had been hit by lightening. The blast drove out any vestiges of moisture while it shattered the tree into tiny pieces. Fool proof! It was a good lesson in how important dry tinder was since after that they had to go find their own. Kevin prefers his fire starters made with paraffin and shredded paper. I must admit they will light just about anything, but they aren?t quite ?old school.?

 

[Old_Crow]

I used to play those games when I was a scout leader, and I'm quite capable of starting a fire with local available tinder and a match, but I've gotten old and lazy in my retirement.  Now we carry a box of those fire starter bricks from Wally World.  Break one in half, light it and toss it in the fire ring, pile wood on top and done.

 

[Mark_K5LXP]

My favorite fire starter I observed camping with a local scout troop.  Propane torch.  Since I carry 1lb bottles for a grill anyway, this is a slam dunk.  Doesn't matter how wet or what size fuel you have, a 2000 degree flame will get it done.  Another one I've seen camping at a bike rally was a guy retrieved his air mattress pump and used the air stream with that to fan the flames just like a coal forge.

Mark B.
Albuquerque, NM

 

[Old_Crow]

My favorite fire starter I observed camping with a local scout troop.  Propane torch.  Since I carry 1lb bottles for a grill anyway, this is a slam dunk.  Doesn't matter how wet or what size fuel you have, a 2000 degree flame will get it done.  Another one I've seen camping at a bike rally was a guy retrieved his air mattress pump and used the air stream with that to fan the flames just like a coal forge.

Mark B.
Albuquerque, NM

Yeah, I've used my propane torch to start leaf fires when I was raking my yard in the fall.  I've also used the mattress pump, back when we were tent camping with the bikes.  Then there's the leaf blower I carry in the basement...

 

[Debra17]

Glad you got that sorted out Deb.  Don't spend a lot of money on these problems before asking Kev.  My limited experience in all things electric or anything requiring a wrench precludes me from helping out.  However, if you ever have a problem starting a campfire, let me know.  And Kev can verify that.

Hi Gary, hope you will make KOFA this year so I can see your demonstration, LOL! I wasn't able to be there in January last year and missed it!!!