Regulator buzzing

[anton Smith]

Ok so today I discover that the regulator?? for my solar panels is making a buzzing noise. This is the module located above my fridge. Apparently it's been buzzing for a couple of weeks somI am told today but my young daughter. The Setec controller is switched to off for the battery. When the slide out is used the action is very slow both in and out.

There is also a acidic kind of electric smell which is quiet evident. There has always been a mild smell of this type but this is over powering.

I have had a extra battery connected about 6 weeks ago. This battery is quiet warm to touch at the moment. The original battery is warm but not as hot as the extra. The window on the original battery is also red....

I have disconnected the main battery and the noise has stopped so will see if the batteries are still warm and the smell is still evident tomorrow.

Any ideas?

 

[DaveS]

They buzz when the battery volts drop under 12volts, mine in the back of the hilux for the fridge battery does it every now and then if i don't park in the sun

as for the smell that sounds (smells?) like a sick battery the red means dead, should be green.

 

[Glen Bundesen]

My guess is that the dead battery is sucking power out of the new one. Althgough, I'd be taking it back to whoever installed the 2nd battery and getting them to check the wiring - to me, a very warm battery indicates issues.

 

[anton Smith]

I'm going to give my auto sparkie a call today.

The van is in the open at moment so the panels are getting full sunlight. The battery with the red light is new. Bought it in November.

 

[DaveS]

I'm going to give my auto sparkie a call today.

The van is in the open at moment so the panels are getting full sunlight. The battery with the red light is new. Bought it in November.

get the sparkie to check the output of the panels, should be around 21 volts or so (open circuit) depending on size, I've replaced diodes in a dozen or so which stop one half of the panel from working, the output will show about 10volts if a diode is gone, some even showed none.
the diodes are under the panels in the junction box, soldered across the pins, new ones are available from jaycar etc. or you can order them from coast already made up

 

[Walks]

What kind of battery do you have installed? Brand, model, Ah?

 

[anton Smith]

@Walks I have two Supercharge Allrounders 120amp.

 

[Walks]

Have you disconnected the battery that has the red eye and appears is faulty? If it stops i'd take the battery back to where you got it and get it replaced. Don't let them tell you that you did something wrong some battery companies try to pull this crap on you and not replace them.

If your around the Melbourne area i have several battery analyzers that could analyze and condition the battery and then provide you with a printed report on the health or lack there of the battery.

 

[anton Smith]

@Walks I live in Dunsboroigh WA and bought the van and battery in Mildura. The auto elec is coming today so will get him to test it. It's only 4 months old. The other battery is however about 18 months but has alway been maintained.

 

[Walks]

Ok, im sure the Auto Elec will get to the bottom of the issue. Let me know how you get on.

 

[bigcol]

sounds like when it was wired up they did something wrong for sure

Buzzing controller is not enough power from the battery (irrespective of the Solar Panels.
acidic smell and hot battery usually means battery U/S - dropped a plate internally, and was cooking itself
warm main battery sounds like it was feeding the U/S battery - hence the wrong wiring somewhere in the dual battery system

was it a big company ie: Deerings or someone who did the job initially? - maybe give their WA branch a call
or was it a Jayco Dealer?
those Supercharge batteries dont "just die"

good luck with your Auto Eleccy

cheers

 

[anton Smith]

@bigcol Jayco installed the new battery I bought from a supplier in Mildura. A local auto elec connected my older one for me about 6 weeks ago.

The auto elec couldn't find any issue with the wiring and can't explain why both batteries are totally dead. We have put two new one in and and going to keep an eye on them. He was going to do some other test on the batteries so I'll see what the outcome was.

The positive connecting the two batteries had got that warm it was brown at the main battery end. Just about had a Jayco BBQ I think.

 

[bigcol]

that sounds to me like a rather large fault somewhere....... dont mean to be a "down dragon"

if one of the batteries had a faulty cell, that would explain the loss of power for both, as the good one would have been trying to "top up" the dead one
however,

The positive connecting the two batteries had got that warm it was brown at the main battery end. Just about had a Jayco BBQ I think.

that does not sound good to me (mind you I'm not an Eleccy)

hope you find the problem soon-ish

cheers

 

[DaveS]

@bigcol Jayco installed the new battery I bought from a supplier in Mildura. A local auto elec connected my older one for me about 6 weeks ago.

The auto elec couldn't find any issue with the wiring and can't explain why both batteries are totally dead. We have put two new one in and and going to keep an eye on them. He was going to do some other test on the batteries so I'll see what the outcome was.

The positive connecting the two batteries had got that warm it was brown at the main battery end. Just about had a Jayco BBQ I think.

how heavy was the wiring between the batteries? sounds like it couldn't handle the load or the terminals were loose creating a spark and heat