Electrical Solar panel and battery set up

[JOBSWAN]

Hi guys, been have issues Ove rather past weeks with my batteries dying. So I have stated again. Currently I have two 120watt panels and two 130ah AGM batteries, I have got rid of the cheap Chinese regulator and put in a Project regulator and controller. Since putting it in an error has come up daily telling me my polarity is wrong, I reset it and it works for another 24 hours and hen the error comes up again. Any suggestions on correct battery connection and panel setups. Current setup is per attached.

 

[NoWorries]

As the diagram shows is correct.
Could be a faulty regulator

Basically it is all positives to positive and all negatives to negatives

 

[SkinnyBuddah]

Are you wired exactly as the diagram though? The reason I ask is jayco as standard wire the ctek from the battery directly which COULD mean somethings been wired incorrectly further down the circuit.

As a test at home I'd unhook any load from the system and have solar panels --> controller --> batteries

And nothing else connected to either the controller or the batteries. See if you get the same error a few days later.

If you do unhook one of the batteries and try again.

Is a long drawn out process but at least then you'd know where to look further for the issue.

Just my two bobs worth

Cheers

 

[JOBSWAN]

Cheers for the info guys. I did disconnect and run just the panels, one battery and the regulator/controller however it was still telling me that power was going through to the parents when it was night time.

 

[SkinnyBuddah]

Sounds like the controller is sensing current flow and doesn't care in which direction it sends it. If that's the case as I don't know the controller myself having not used that type, Could be dodgy diode pack on your panels. they should stop back flow of current to the panels

 

[MickL]

You could temp wire in a portable panel if you had one or could borrow one which would confirm if its anything to do with the solar on the van...

 

[Drover]

Does sound like a possible dodgy diode, best way to check is to cover panel so no power and with wiring hooked up to battery via controller as usual put the meter on the panel side of the diode, if the meter shows then the diode is dead. the diode should be living in the box on the back of the panel.
I wouldn't run anything off the load side of the controller, draw all power from the the battery.
Do you run a 240 battery charger at same time ?????
Is controller set to correct battery type ???
Check water tight integrity of external connections and if panels have any moisture/humidity showing...........a small bit of moisture can be a cause of intermittent faults.

My Projecta 240v 7 stager which I use on cloudy days will sometimes chuck a wobbly saying my wires are crossed, usually when the battery is fully charged and has been for awhile, doesn't care whether solar on or off.................an ongoing problem to be rectified...one day..

 

[Drover]

So what was actually causing it ???? or is it still happening ???