Curious Problem

[rames14]

We have the Super Solar and are loving it. I have one issue that is bugging me. We use more electricity than I can recharge in a day, which shouldn’t be an issue. We can just top off every few days with the generator. (Getting around 4 kWh a day on solar). However, when I charge with the generators (two Honda 2000’s), when I get to around 92% charge on the Victron, the Precision Circuits sheds all loads (nothing running except the charger and parasitic loads). So, we can’t charge that last 8%. I have gone through the settings with Matt Wolkins, but haven’t come up with a solution yet. It seems to be fine on regular shore power.

[MAWilsonPE]

Hello Ron,

Does the PCS reset all the loads after its two minute delay cycle? I assume you have wired your generators to the generator side of the Progressive Industries EMS box...

The reason I ask is that I was getting an intermittent PCS reset while on shore power which would shed all the loads, wait for 2 minutes to reset and then bring them back on again (the best indication of this occurring was the beep from the microwave on reconnection to power). It seemed quite random but began to occur more and more frequently.

Long story short... I found the two relays in the SSF box that indicate connection to shore power (or generator) were not making a consistently good connection to the socket into which they are plugged. I could wiggle the relays and trigger the disconnect. To be sure, I removed the relays and jumpered the two socket connections that should be connected when both relays are activated (indicating connection to shore power or generator) and with this jumper in place I got no more disconnects. Not wanting to have to go to the trouble to replace the sockets (I did try replacing the relays to no avail) I ended up using a little conductive grease on the two relay connectors and I have had no trouble since.

See the picture below for the green jumper wire used to simulate both relays activated (connection to shore power or generator).

I have no idea if this is your problem too, if it is, the PCS should disconnect randomly (but then reset) and on shore power too. Check to see if both red lights (one on each relay) are on when the PCS sheds the loads.

Good Luck, Mike

[rames14]

Mike, how do I access those relays? My generators are plug in Honda’s via shore power. I have no issues when charging via solar. And it only happens around 92% charge. I also have a hum from my Magnum during charging.

[MAWilsonPE]

Ron, you should be able to see those relays at the bottom middle of the SSF box through the plexiglass window.

OK, so you are just plugging the generators into the shore power cord, got it.

I also had to replace my Progressive Industries EMS box due to intermittent AC connection problems. I assume your PCS panel is not showing an over amp indication on any of the circuits it controls so if it is shedding then it thinks the AC power has been disconnected (it will then wait 2 minutes before bringing them all back on again). Even if the PCS sheds all loads you should still be charging your batteries as the inverter/charger is not a PCS controlled load. So you must be losing your AC power connection if you are shedding AND no longer charging.

Try plugging in a simple outlet plug tester (like the pic below) into an outlet in the kitchen somewhere. None of the outlets are controlled by the PCS so will not ever shed. You can then see if you are losing your AC connection somehow. This is how I figured out that my EMS was going bad (I then opened the EMS box and wiggled the push bar on the relay and it would affect the contact)

Best, Mike

[rames14]

Mike, I replaced the PD Transfer Switch/EMS with a Hughes Watchdog. So, all shorepower (pedestal or generator) come through the Watchdog. I seem to recall on occasion having the PCS reset. However, on generator it happened every time at around 92%. Matt had me make some adjustments to the Magnum settings. But, it sounds like maybe it is something else.

[MAWilsonPE]

Ron, what are your AC voltages on each leg as shown on the PCS panel when this happens?

[rames14]

They are around 119/120. Right where they should be. The only reason I was running the generator anyway was because the furnace was drawing so much in the night. I was getting over 4 kWh of solar and not keeping up. Found the culprit. When I was running the furnace on gas, the heat pump fan was running. Instead of 10 amps I was running 30 amps while furnace was on. Just need to turn fan to Off instead of Auto. So, since then, I haven’t run the generator.

[MAWilsonPE]

OK, I am trying to understand why it won't charge any more than the 92%. The load shedding and charging cutoff should be two separate things. What does the Magnum panel say when it "stops charging".

[rames14]

Mike, that is what I have been scratching my head. Magnum shows charging off then. One of the changes Matt had me make was changing the Absorb to 5 hours. Seems to have helped, but I won’t be on Solar until Monday (a week at Western Blast). Thanks for the input. I will see about the relays next week.

[MAWilsonPE]

Ron, good luck and great to converse with you again!

Best Regards, Mike

[twindman]

I really don't know much about this, but could it be the convertor and the battery type. I read that AGM or some other type of batteries need a higher voltage to get fully charged. And the convertor only goes to 13.5 V or something like that. Do you have standard lead batteries or other types? good luck

[rames14]

Tom, we have Super Solar. That system has 540 ah of lithium plus 1200 watts of solar. The battery profile is custom with a list of parameters set by Matt. We have a Magnum inverter/charger/transfer switch. The whole system is set around the battleborn batteries. We are hitting around 14.4 v at full charge (on 50 amp currently).