small solar kit not working right, please help

[davemx90]

i got one of the harbor freight kits, i know probably my first mistake but anyway, im pretty much just using the panels from the kit, i'm using a 500 watt thunderbolt charge controller, and a cen-tech 2000 watt continuous 4000 watt surge inverter with 2 12v deep cycle marine/rv batteries, im pretty sure everything is hooked up right i've watched every you tube video, i wired the batteries in parallel but my problem is the batteries aren't getting charged i dont think, if i turn the the inverter on and im only running one light bulb on a extension cord out to my chicken coop, the alarm goes off after a few minutes on the charge controller then eventually the inverter will do the same like low voltage im guessing, i would like to run some other lights and things but cant, so do i have just the total wrong stuff wired together or what, from what ive seen you should be able to power alot more than a light with with these panels and 2 batteries, sorry for the length any help would be appreciated thanks.

[lkruper]

i got one of the harbor freight kits, i know probably my first mistake but anyway, im pretty much just using the panels from the kit, i'm using a 500 watt thunderbolt charge controller, and a cen-tech 2000 watt continuous 4000 watt surge inverter with 2 12v deep cycle marine/rv batteries, im pretty sure everything is hooked up right i've watched every you tube video, i wired the batteries in parallel but my problem is the batteries aren't getting charged i dont think, if i turn the the inverter on and im only running one light bulb on a extension cord out to my chicken coop, the alarm goes off after a few minutes on the charge controller then eventually the inverter will do the same like low voltage im guessing, i would like to run some other lights and things but cant, so do i have just the total wrong stuff wired together or what, from what ive seen you should be able to power alot more than a light with with these panels and 2 batteries, sorry for the length any help would be appreciated thanks.

Harbor Freight ... you made the first step in admitting you bought from them.... that is the hardest.... you can now recover

Has this setup ever worked at all? Also, are your 12v batteries flooded batteries and if so, do you have a hydrometer to check to see if they are charged? That is the only way to know for sure. If they are sealed batteries, you will need to check the voltage on them.

[inetdog]

Some Harbor Fright kits combine with readily available DC wire extensions to wire the panel up backwards.
Also, be sure that you connect the Charge Controller to the battery first, then attach the panel.

[davemx90]

Harbor Freight ... you made the first step in admitting you bought from them.... that is the hardest.... you can now recover

Has this setup ever worked at all? Also, are your 12v batteries flooded batteries and if so, do you have a hydrometer to check to see if they are charged? That is the only way to know for sure. If they are sealed batteries, you will need to check the voltage on them.

it did work when i first wired it all up then after the firs day of running the light for a little while the alarm started beeping, the batteries are new, im pretty sure there lead acid, if thats what you mean, if not i dont think i have a hydro meter, but the charge controller was saying the batteries were putting out about 10.9 to 11 v i thinks.

[davemx90]

Some Harbor Fright kits combine with readily available DC wire extensions to wire the panel up backwards.
Also, be sure that you connect the Charge Controller to the battery first, then attach the panel.

i think i did initially, i remember a few people saying that on some vids, cuz it could short something out right.

[lkruper]

it did work when i first wired it all up then after the firs day of running the light for a little while the alarm started beeping, the batteries are new, im pretty sure there lead acid, if thats what you mean, if not i dont think i have a hydro meter, but the charge controller was saying the batteries were putting out about 10.9 to 11 v i thinks.

What are the make and model of your batteries? If they are flooded lead acid batteries you must get a hydrometer. That is the only way to know if they are charged. Get one that has temperature correction. Once you see if the batteries are charged or not, you can start to troubleshoot.

One thing that happens when batteries are put into parallel is that a failure of one will affect the other. Also, there is a battery charger called an Optimate 6 which can fix and/or troubleshoot batteries. I do not have one, but a regular here on the forum highly recommends them.

[davemx90]

What are the make and model of your batteries? If they are flooded lead acid batteries you must get a hydrometer. That is the only way to know if they are charged. Get one that has temperature correction. Once you see if the batteries are charged or not, you can start to troubleshoot.

One thing that happens when batteries are put into parallel is that a failure of one will affect the other. Also, there is a battery charger called an Optimate 6 which can fix and/or troubleshoot batteries. I do not have one, but a regular here on the forum highly recommends them.

there autocraft deep cycle marine batteries, cca550, reserve capacity 140, marine cranking amp 685, thats all the info on them.

[LETitROLL]

there autocraft deep cycle marine batteries, cca550, reserve capacity 140, marine cranking amp 685, thats all the info on them.

How many watts are the panels?

[davemx90]

[QUOTE=LETitROLL;178740]How many watts are the panels?[/



there 3 15w panels just the harbor freight ones

[Wy_White_Wolf]

System that is way out of balance and the panels are too small to support the load.

lets look

45 watts of panels
500watt charge controller
@150AH of batteries
2000 watt inverter

A basic rule to follow would be 1 watt of panels for every AH of battery for a 12v system for every 4 hours of insulation. You can see your about 1/3 that so you're not supplying them with enough amperage to properly charge.

You should also limit the inverter to a maximum of 2 watts for every AH of battery on a 12VDC system. That's 300W instead of 2000W. You're wasting most if not all the power you produce in running the oversize inverter.

You're load. It would help if you told us the wattage of the bulb and how many hours daily you are trying to run it. My guess would be a 60 watt bulb for 2 to 3 hours this time of year. That would only be 120 to 180wH a day. But the panel is most likely only producing @ 135wH this time of year. When you calculate in standard inefficiencies that only leaves about 75wH to 85wH to charge the batteries. We already know you're running an oversized inverter so you're inefficiencies are way higher than normal.

WWW

[LETitROLL]

[QUOTE=davemx90;178781]

How many watts are the panels?[/



there 3 15w panels just the harbor freight ones

You better get a battery charger on your batteries as soon as possible, and no need to go out and buy anything else right now (hydrometer) until you get more solar panels, if you are going to keep this setup. Those panels only put out 45 watts under perfect conditions for a few minutes a day and most inexpensive controllers will not pass that to your batteries without moderate losses, so you are using some energy and not putting hardly any back in. At least this one is simple to troubleshoot.

[lkruper]

[QUOTE=LETitROLL;178791]

You better get a battery charger on your batteries as soon as possible, and no need to go out and buy anything else right now (hydrometer) until you get more solar panels, if you are going to keep this setup. Those panels only put out 45 watts under perfect conditions for a few minutes a day and most inexpensive controllers will not pass that to your batteries without moderate losses, so you are using some energy and not putting hardly any back in. At least this one is simple to troubleshoot.

I will disagree that he should not spend a few dollars on a hydrometer at the same time that he gets a battery charger. How will he know if his batteries are really charged without measuring the specific gravity?

[davemx90]

System that is way out of balance and the panels are too small to support the load.

lets look

45 watts of panels
500watt charge controller
@150AH of batteries
2000 watt inverter

A basic rule to follow would be 1 watt of panels for every AH of battery for a 12v system for every 4 hours of insulation. You can see your about 1/3 that so you're not supplying them with enough amperage to properly charge.

You should also limit the inverter to a maximum of 2 watts for every AH of battery on a 12VDC system. That's 300W instead of 2000W. You're wasting most if not all the power you produce in running the oversize inverter.

You're load. It would help if you told us the wattage of the bulb and how many hours daily you are trying to run it. My guess would be a 60 watt bulb for 2 to 3 hours this time of year. That would only be 120 to 180wH a day. But the panel is most likely only producing @ 135wH this time of year. When you calculate in standard inefficiencies that only leaves about 75wH to 85wH to charge the batteries. We already know you're running an oversized inverter so you're inefficiencies are way higher than normal.

WWW

ok great, thats kinda what i was thinking but again have no clue, my wife had bought all of this for me and was going the info that the harbor freight employee was telling her, but me nor her no anything about all this, so, i really appreciate your info this makes very clear sense now, i will look to downsize my inverter and or get more panels, as well as get a battery charger asap, thanks again

[davemx90]

[QUOTE=lkruper;178794]

I will disagree that he should not spend a few dollars on a hydrometer at the same time that he gets a battery charger. How will he know if his batteries are really charged without measuring the specific gravity?

i still might try to get one of those meters, thanks again for all your help

[davemx90]

[QUOTE=LETitROLL;178791]

You better get a battery charger on your batteries as soon as possible, and no need to go out and buy anything else right now (hydrometer) until you get more solar panels, if you are going to keep this setup. Those panels only put out 45 watts under perfect conditions for a few minutes a day and most inexpensive controllers will not pass that to your batteries without moderate losses, so you are using some energy and not putting hardly any back in. At least this one is simple to troubleshoot.

will do, thanks for your advice very much appreciated.