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Topic: HPV 30DR Solar charge controller and monitor acting strangely (Read 3 times) previous topic - next topic
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HPV 30DR Solar charge controller and monitor acting strangely
Yahoo Message Number: 142843
Dear LWALDRV troubleshooting community, Am on the way to Albquerque in my 1999 MB. A few days ago while camped in Baker UT on shore power, an untoward electrical event tripped Melinda's (the other member of our small caravan) surge guard. I was not in my rig at the time, and when I returned to it, everything seemed normal. I had not earlier set the microwave clock so the 8888s were what I expected to see.
Awhile later, maybe an hour, I started to hear a clicking sound, not very frequent at first. It increased in frequency until it was clicking loudly every 10 - 15 seconds. The sound was coming from the HPV 30DR Solar charge controller. At the same time, my Heliotrope Solar Monitor's LED indicator lights would switch from Bulk to Float and back again every time the monitor clicked. Well alarmed by now, I turned the monitor switch to off.
Called Roger Nickey who walked me through checking fuses and breakers at the main panel. Nothing seemed amiss. About an hour later, turned the monitor back on . No more clicking and switching between bulk and float. The Link 10 display however, showed higher than normal battery voltage, i.e. it usually reads 13.50-60 tops. When the display got up to 13.90, I turned the controller/monitor off again.
The displays seem to indicate that the batteries are still being charged, maybe even overcharged. After a day of dry camping, my voltage showed 12.50, and when I turned the monitor back on, the Link 10 display soon showed 13.75-85, higher than usual. I have AGM batteries, don't know how old they are. The controller starts out at bulk, and won't switch to taper or float. The controller just wants to keep throwing a lot of amps from the panels into the batteries, and will no longer perform the taper or float functions, I think. (Definitely a layperson's analysis here!) Right now (its dark) the controller is switched off at the monitor panel, the Link 10 shows 13.70, higher than usual but not by much, and the function light on its display is flashing. I am on shore power.
So, is/are there fuses in the controller? Or have I fried the whole thing? Anything obvious that I've missed? (Aaaak! I need this system to be functioning smoothly at the Balloon Fiesta for two weeks of dry camping.) Yes, I know I need a surge guard, but I want a hard wired interior one, and haven't gotten to that yet on my growing list of need/want LD improvements.
Anybody know a good PV for RVs shop in Albuquerque? I would most gratefully appreciate any assistance and advice. Thanks!

Kathy Lautz
1999 MB
Re: HPV 30DR Solar charge controller and monitor acting strangely
Reply #1 –
Yahoo Message Number: 142846
Kathy, if you don't get helpful troubleshooting suggestions from board members, you might want to call AM Solar; they might be able to assess the problem and either suggest a fix or a workaround.  I personally don't know of an RV repair shop in Albuquerque which is "solar savvy", but you might check out local opinions of Myers RV Center.  (Statkus Engines is excellent, but as their name suggests, I think they only do motor and chassis systems stuff.)  Hope you get this resolved; please post when you find out what's going on.

Joan
2003 TK has a new home
Re: HPV 30DR Solar charge controller and monitor acting strangely
Reply #2 –
Yahoo Message Number: 142847
Good idea, Joan, thanks. Now just waiting until they open.  :-)

Kathy L.
1999 MB
Re: HPV 30DR Solar charge controller and monitor acting strangely
Reply #3 –
Yahoo Message Number: 142861
Reporting back, as requested. All's well that ends well, sort of. Deb, who answered the phone and retrieved my email, and Dave, the tech person who called me back within 10 minutes on a busy Monday morning (thank you, thank you!) reassured me that my system was safe, and that the symptoms I described were within operating parameters. Apparently there are infinite combinations of solar charging, battery capacity and shore power connection. (Okay, not really infinite, you math types.) I was reassured, as I had been terrorized by the idea that most RV fires are started by the 12V system, visions of all my earthly belongings going up in smoke. The system is operating normally.

We got to discussing the Link 10 display. I mentioned that I never saw the display go above 13.75V, and Dave said that I might need new batteries. The Link 10 is showing 13.75 right now, but funny, I just switched the Heliotrope solar monitor to show house battery volts and it shows 14.5. Hmmm. Which is correct? How do you determine the actual voltage of one's batteries?

Got out the Link 10 Owner's Manual and tried to read it. Peukert's Exponent??? Now I'm really confused. Shouldn't the two measurements correspond? That seems like a pretty big difference to me.

The "sort of" part is that I don't know if I'll be needing new batteries soon. I have AGM's, and, ouch, I'd really rather not have to replace them at the moment. I'm sure this can be a fruitful topic of discussion at the BF. Looking forward to arriving there in just a few days!

Best regards, and thanks for your interest.

Kathy Lautz

WanderLautz
1999 MB
Re: HPV 30DR Solar charge controller and monitor acting strangely
Reply #4 –
Yahoo Message Number: 142864
Kathy:  Voltage drop.  I can 'splain and check it at BF.