Solar controller - constantly flashing green light

[gbclive]

Our boat has a basic DIY solar installation by the previous owner consisting of 2 x 80w panels connected in parallel through a cheepy 10A Chinese PWM HC12-10(D) Solar Charge Controller to 3 x 110 Ah batteries (12v).

 

Some of the wiring is too thin - mains cable, so will replace.

A terminal block wrapped in insulating tape has been used instead of MC4's to parallel the panels.

We are not consuming much power, however the system does seem to keep the batteries topped up.

My concern is that the green over voltage light light on the controller flashes continiously at a constant rate day and night.

Voltage into the controller late on a cloudy afternoon was 16 - 17v.

Voltage out of the controller was 13.48v.

The solar panels labels have degraded and not readable.

Also unable to track down a manual for the controller.

Basic info on the PWM HC12-10(D) Solar Charge ControllerTechnical information:

12V

Rated solar input

10A

Rated Load

10A

25% Current Overload

1 min.

Load Disconnect

11.1V

Load Reconnect

12.6V

Equalization Voltage (10minites)

14.6V

Boost Voltage (10 minutes)

14.4V

Float Voltage

13.6V

Temp. Comp. (mV)

-30mV

Can anyone advise on the flashing light please?

Many thanks.

Clive.

[Phil Ambrose]

A guess would be that your batteries are fully charged.

Phil

[costalot]

When the green light flashes on my solar controller it means the batteries are fully charged

[nicknorman]

Here is a link that describes the operation

 

http://www.jinsdonsolar.com/en/Products/Street_Light_Cont_Solar_Charge_Controller_for_single_load_output_69.html

 

It says that flashing green is over-voltage and to check the connections to the battery.

 

Extract:

 

3. It has three LED indicators to show the working condition forcharging and discharging, battery

working condition and load(light) condition:

(1) Charge Indicator LED (mark: Charge). When it is green, the battery is charged normally; flashing

quickly means the whole system is over-voltage that users should check if the battery is connected

correctly.

(2) Load Indicator LED (mark: Light). When it is bright, the system is regularly working, If it is flashing

slowly, the load's current is above the system's current, If it is flashing quickly, the load is in short-circuit.(3) Battery indicator LED (mark: battery): red=under voltage Green =full Yellow =normal

 

 

From your description, it sounds like the controller is faulty, but on the other hand if it is still doing the job so what?

Edited September 5, 2014 by nicknorman

[gbclive]

.............(1) Charge Indicator LED (mark: Charge). When it is green, the battery is charged normally; flashing

quickly means the whole system is over-voltage that users should check if the battery is connected

correctly.

Thanks for that - embarrassed my googling did not find the info?

(Unfortunately the link to download the manual does not work).

Definitely the charge light flashing and the other two lights not illuminated, so will check the connections.

 

Incidentally, the three domestic batteries are simply linked together with each positive linked to the next and each negative linked to the next.

I appreciate from other posts that this is not the most efficient way and may modify things in the future, however the positive from the controller currently links to the positive post on the first battery and the negative to the negative post of the second battery etc. Would it be better to re-connect the negative from the controller to the third battery instead?

 

(Good point about why worry, but want to make sure things are working as best they can as we have a 12v fridge to connect up and run. Thinking of using the current set up to help charge the starter battery, and expend the system with a bigger controller and more panels to look after the 3 domestic batteries.)

 

Thanks again,

Clive.

[bottle]

In answer to battery connections, all negatives should go to one battery and all positives should go to the battery at the other end of the bank.

 

If you have a shunt, for amp reading, then the shunt should be between all the negatives and the battery.

 

This is for a small bank as you have for a greater number of batteries, interconnects can be interesting.

 

When you have time, you may like to look at this link, just for interest sake. http://www.smartgauge.co.uk/batt_con.html

 

Lots more info there about all things.... batteries and charging etc.

 

 

Edit: if you have a Smartgauge then the negative for the Smartgauge must be connected to the battery direct.

Edited September 5, 2014 by bottle

[Grace and Favour]

Thanks for that - embarrassed my googling did not find the info

(Unfortunately the link to download the manual does not work).

 

The link worked for me just now!

[gbclive]

The link worked for me just now!

Thanks for testing it - Nicknormans link worked OK - it was another link from that page to download a pdf manual for the controller that did not work. Several paragraphs of Chinese, which once translated by google said not available.

[gbclive]

In answer to battery connections, all negatives should go to one battery and all positives should go to the battery at the other end of the bank.

 

If you have a shunt, for amp reading, then the shunt should be between all the negatives and the battery.

 

This is for a small bank as you have for a greater number of batteries, interconnects can be interesting.

 

When you have time, you may like to look at this link, just for interest sake. http://www.smartgauge.co.uk/batt_con.html

 

Lots more info there about all things.... batteries and charging etc.

 

 

Edit: if you have a Smartgauge then the negative for the Smartgauge must be connected to the battery direct.

Many thanks - I will buy a longer link in order to change from Method 1 to Method 2 in the Smartgauge article.

In the mean time, with a Method 1 setup with 3 domestic batteries, will it make much difference to the solar charging by moving the charge controller negative from the 2nd to the 3rd battery?

[nicknorman]

Thanks for that - embarrassed my googling did not find the info

(Unfortunately the link to download the manual does not work).

Definitely the charge light flashing and the other two lights not illuminated, so will check the connections.

Incidentally, the three domestic batteries are simply linked together with each positive linked to the next and each negative linked to the next.

I appreciate from other posts that this is not the most efficient way and may modify things in the future, however the positive from the controller currently links to the positive post on the first battery and the negative to the negative post of the second battery etc. Would it be better to re-connect the negative from the controller to the third battery instead?

(Good point about why worry, but want to make sure things are working as best they can as we have a 12v fridge to connect up and run. Thinking of using the current set up to help charge the starter battery, and expend the system with a bigger controller and more panels to look after the 3 domestic batteries.)

Thanks again,

Clive.

I would worry too much about which battery terminals the solar is connected to. Folk on here set great store by it but in reality, it depends on the quality (ie thickness and resistance) of the interconnects and/or the current being given/taken. In this case, the solar is putting out a fairly modest current and unless your interconnects are rubbish, it won't make any difference which terminals you connect to.

[bottle]

Nick is right (as usual )

 

Maybe look at moving it when you rewire the batteries.

 

Your cabling and inter connects will need to be of suitable size, to reduce volt drop for the whole system

We are wondering off topic.

 

The problem with the controller I cannot help with, sorry

[smileypete]

In the pic the two screw terminals on the left aren't in as much as the others, maybe a bit loose? Helps to have 'bootlace ferrules' on the stranded ends of the wires, ebay is a good source.

 

Also there needs to be a 10A fuse. eg a blade fuse, in the positive lead from controller to batt, near the batt end. This protects the cable from short circuit overloads.

 

For some thoughts and ideas on rejigging the batt conns, maybe upload some pics, start a new topic even.

 

cheers, Pete.

~smpt~

Edited September 6, 2014 by smileypete

[gbclive]

In the pic the two screw terminals on the left aren't in as much as the others, maybe a bit loose? Helps to have 'bootlace ferrules' on the stranded ends of the wires, ebay is a good source.

 

Also there needs to be a 10A fuse. eg a blade fuse, in the positive lead from controller to batt, near the batt end. This protects the cable from short circuit overloads.

 

For some thoughts and ideas on rejigging the batt conns, maybe upload some pics, start a new topic even.

 

cheers, Pete.

~smpt~

 

Thanks Pete - bootlace ferrules ordered and will fit a fuse as suggested.

Good point about a new topic. Bottle has already given a hint about this! I do have many more questions up my sleeve

Have also emailed Jinsdon in China to see if they can send me a pdf of the user manual

I have some time on the boat later this week so should be able to follow up on all of the advise, so thanks everyone.

 

Cheers,

Clive

[smileypete]

There's a link to a PDF here, third result down:

 

https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=hc12-10d+solar+controller+pdf

 

Cosmetically different but looks the same underneath.

 

cheers, Pete.

~smpt~

[gbclive]

There's a link to a PDF here, third result down:

 

https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=hc12-10d+solar+controller+pdf

 

Cosmetically different but looks the same underneath.

 

cheers, Pete.

~smpt~

Thanks - I found that one but thought I would dig a little deeper to try and obtain one for the same model.

If no luck then the one you suggest will be helpful.

 

Cheers,

Clive.