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Post by ianali on Mar 27, 2019 17:15:46 GMT
Whilst checking battery water levels today the positive lead came away from the battery terminal due to a crimp failure. I only noticed a little later, saw the solar readout showing odd reading. I reconnected and all seems well. The reason I’m posting is because I’d thought I have read that the leads between batteries and the solar controller should never be disconnected while under load. Is this true?
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Post by JohnV on Mar 27, 2019 17:55:12 GMT
then in that case Jude it was an error ..... although I for one don't remember solar being mentioned as being fitted (haven't checked thread so may be wrong)
It is recommended that you always connect the battery to the controller before connecting the panels. I am not sure why this is so but it could be to do with the fact that MPPT controllers are "smart" (mark you PWM is not that stupid) and it sets itself up as to what battery voltage etc it needs to work at before commencing operation this could mean that if the panels are on first it might have the wrong settings selected before the battery is connected. All this is surmise of course. I don't know if anyone on here has informed information
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Post by Deleted on Mar 27, 2019 18:27:14 GMT
It becomes a problem if your solar is set to Auto (the default) because it could then decide its 24v There are 3 settings on mine Auto 12v 24v Mine is set at 12v to prevent this.
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Post by quaysider on Mar 27, 2019 18:43:36 GMT
yeah- from what i read before i bought a solar controller was that you HAVE to have the battery connected before the panels... in reverse order of course if you're disconnecting them.
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Post by Deleted on Mar 27, 2019 18:55:51 GMT
Thats interesting. In caravans with solar (like ours) they are delivered with panels fitted and connected to the controller.
It's only when the caravan is collected by the customer that the battery is fitted.
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Post by Deleted on Mar 27, 2019 19:10:04 GMT
It can lead to full solar meltdown and total destruction of the boat and all the surrounding land or water structures within a radius of around 1.7 kilometres depending on the intensity of insolation.
However this is unusual so not normally viewed as a relevant risk factor.
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Post by naughtyfox on Mar 27, 2019 20:16:57 GMT
"Fairly certain solar wasn't mentioned by me as it wasn't one of my considerations"
"When I changed my batteries and asked for advice on here, no one told me to do anything with the solar setup"
Well why would they when you hadn't mentioned it in the first place?
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Post by naughtyfox on Mar 27, 2019 20:19:52 GMT
Jim fixed it for me when my request was to milk a cow blindfolded.
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Post by Deleted on Mar 27, 2019 20:49:43 GMT
Whilst checking battery water levels today the positive lead came away from the battery terminal due to a crimp failure. I only noticed a little later, saw the solar readout showing odd reading. I reconnected and all seems well. The reason I’m posting is because I’d thought I have read that the leads between batteries and the solar controller should never be disconnected while under load. Is this true? No magic smoke = no problem! if everything is working ok despite the electrical outage have a lay down in a dark room and forget it ever happened 👌👍😜🍻🔨🔨🔨✊🤞☝️
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Post by Telemachus on Mar 27, 2019 23:14:02 GMT
Some controllers specifically mention that they may be damaged by disconnecting the battery with the panels still connected. Others don't - presumably they have better protection. I think the problem is especially likely to manifest itself if the panels are producing a lot of current.
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Post by ianali on Mar 27, 2019 23:40:35 GMT
Thanks for replies. No harm occurred I just wondered if I’d been lucky. Maybe it depends on the controller used, as Nick suggested.
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Post by phil70 on Mar 28, 2019 0:04:12 GMT
Jim fixed it for me when my request was to milk a cow blindfolded. Just make sure it is a cow. Phil
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Post by peterboat on Mar 28, 2019 20:19:40 GMT
My two controllers are £620 each I am very careful to disconnect panels first, the magic smoke would be extinguished by my tears if they went up in flames!!!
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Post by ianali on Mar 28, 2019 23:04:40 GMT
My two controllers are £620 each I am very careful to disconnect panels first, the magic smoke would be extinguished by my tears if they went up in flames!!! I just couldn’t cope with the worry of that. I prefer cheap and cheerful technology.
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Post by peterboat on Mar 29, 2019 8:38:41 GMT
My two controllers are £620 each I am very careful to disconnect panels first, the magic smoke would be extinguished by my tears if they went up in flames!!! I just couldn’t cope with the worry of that. I prefer cheap and cheerful technology. Mine do 200 volts and 79 amps each nothing else comes close, I can set the charging to anything up to a 96volt battery bank, they are the dogs bollocks of controllers.
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