Help fixing a system

[morton.bia]

Hi everyone, after a year away from our off-grid solar cabin we are back and our system needs some fixing.
I'm going to replace all the solar panel connections since they were put together with wire nuts instead of the proper solar panel connectors and need to check all the batteries for correct fluid.

I have 10x 100w panels, TriStar solar controller ts-60, gopower gp-isw3000-24, 8x Duracell sligc115 20 ah cap 230 120min @75amps and I attached a pic of my monitor.
I use an average of 850w with everything on for a short time (max 1h when baking) and about 200w most of the time (tv, fridge, fan, lights).

When I got back to the cabin the solar panels are no longer ale to charge the batteries but when using the generator i can charge them no problems.
Wondering if with this set up and our use is in line or if I need to replace anything. What do you guys think?

[organic farmer]

Hi everyone, after a year away from our off-grid solar cabin we are back and our system needs some fixing.
I'm going to replace all the solar panel connections since they were put together with wire nuts instead of the proper solar panel connectors and need to check all the batteries for correct fluid.

Fluid levels and pH.

When was the last time an 'equalize charge' was performed?

You may need to boil them for 48 hours.

[Mike90250]

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You may need to boil them for 48 hours.

Neither batteries nor solar thermal collectors need to be "boiled" - which will severely damage them.

When batteries are in the later stages of charging, they will often "gas" and bubble, and it may sound like boiling, but batteries being recharged or equalized should never get hot, and I personally would throttle back on the power when batteries get to 100F, as heat will shorten their life.

https://batteryuniversity.com/article/bu-804-how-to-prolong-lead-acid-batteries

"To keep lead acid in good condition, apply a fully saturated charge lasting 14 to 16 hours. If the charge cycle does not allow this, give the battery a fully saturated charge once every few weeks. If at all possible, operate at moderate temperature and avoid deep discharges; charge as often as you can"

https://batteryuniversity.com/article/bu-403-charging-lead-acid

https://batteryuniversity.com/article/bu-404-what-is-equalizing-charge

The sad truth, is that many solar installs cannot fully recharge batteries in the limited sun hours, except in summer. It's hard to get a full charge in 5 hours instead of the recommended 14-16 hours. This can be compensated somewhat by increasing the charging voltage, but then excess gassing begins.

[Mike90250]

Now as to your question "why the solar is not recharging" you have to have a voltmeter and measure the voltage at the input of the charge controller. It looks like you have a 24V system with 1Kw of solar PV. The TS-60 is a PWM controller and so the solar input voltage needs to be about 31-34V under load.

1,000 w of solar in a 24v system ( about 35A ) can only charge about 350 - 400 ah of batteries, otherwise you need very long days or a generator. If using a generator, run the generator and charger in the morning, timed so that you are well into Absorb by 10AM, then the solar is able to give another 4 hours of charging and you save generator fuel.

Wire nuts eventually seem to work loose with outdoor heat/cold cycles, so maybe it's an easy fix

[organic farmer]

My first set of batteries died when I could not get a decent equalize charge completed. Battery banks do need to be boiled from time to time. [it is a common phrase used among off-grid folks].

[checkthisout]

My first set of batteries died when I could not get a decent equalize charge completed. Battery banks do need to be boiled from time to time. [it is a common phrase used among off-grid folks].

It's a phrase I use as well. "cooked" on the charger "boiled" on the charger. I manage a fleet of rarely driven vehicles. Had to get an old school charger with timer in order to be able to cook and boil batteries without the automatic charger kicking off on flat batteries or when you wanted to continue to charging a battery that had begun to sulfate.

As far as temperature, in my younger years I was shocked at how hot batteries got when put in the "recondition" mode on the Midtronics charger. We could take old batteries off the pile and bring them back to life with that thing.