Hi new with questions

**inetdog** · 10-09-2014, 12:20 PM

Originally posted by Megsmum

HI

I am new to this forum and hope this is the right section to post in.

My husband and I recently moved to rural Spain, the region of Extremadura.

We have installed a new solar system, and have no real issues. We live off grid so no back up apart from our generator.

The potencia of the system in 4KW, and is plenty for our use, The two main consumer units we have are a fridge/freezer and a seperate freezer, Apart from the that the odd light and the TV now and again, plus the usual gizmos that need charging Lap tops etc.

Sorry my knowledge of the correct terminologies is zero!

Obviously during the summer we have had no issue, and fully expect at some point to charge the batteries with the genny. However, we are unable to determine using the programe we have, when we should do this.

http://renogy.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/PWM30LCD-Viewstar.pdf

We have a "Viewstar solar charger controller which to be honest could be written in chinese for all we understand it. There is a display on the unit that shows various symbols

Smiley face - Normal
Ordinary face Transitional
Sad Face Needs attention

Full Battery Normal state
Charging Battery Charging
almost empty Low voltage

And a few others. I am hoping that someone will know this controller.

I am presuming that if the Sad Face and the Low Voltage shows that,s when we switch over the the generator to recharge the batteries. IF this is correct, what is the usual time span to complete the charge.

I have had these discussions with the electricians who installed, but something is missing in my language skills. The Spanish are very practical, basically no power put on the generator! But we would like to preempt no power, so we are not scrabbling around at night in the dark

I do hope all this makes a bit of sense, and I appreciate your help.

Tanya

Hello Tanya and welcome to Solar Panel Talk!

This is a reasonable location to post, or you could try Off grid solar panel systems.

To give you the best advice, it would help us if you can list the brand and model number of your inverter, solar panels, and batteries, just as you did for your Charge Controller (CC).
If your batteries are Flooded Lead Acid (FLA), the kind with screw in filler caps, the first thing you should do is get a hydrometer. This will let you directly measure the State Of Charge (SOC) of the batteries and head off problems before they do permanent damage. The low voltage indication on your CC probably comes on at a much lower voltage than ideal to protect your batteries.

**SunEagle** · 10-09-2014, 02:31 PM

Tanya

I read the manual for the charge controller and I am a little confused. The largest controller mentioned is one that can charge a 24volt battery system with a 30amp maximum output. Also the maximum input wattage for that one is around 720 watts.

If you have 4 KW of panels you would need a charger that can handle a 48volt battery system with about 80 Amp output.

As inetdog suggests please provide some additional information on the type of battery system and model number of the Viewstar charge controller.

**Megsmum** · 10-10-2014, 03:36 AM

To Clarify we have

6 solar panels and 195w per panel

Invertor - Multiplus 2000 VA50A (cargador -SPanish word)

MultiPlus - Victron Energy

http://www.victronenergy.com/inverters-chargers/multiplus-12v-24v-48v-800va-3kva/

The MultiPlus, as the name suggests, is a combined inverter and charger in one elegant package. Learn more about the MultiPlus models.

12 x 2v Lead Acid batteries

The system total is 3.5KW

Please let me know if you need any more information

Thanks
Tanya

**SunEagle** · 10-10-2014, 11:04 AM

Originally posted by Megsmum

To Clarify we have

6 solar panels and 195w per panel

Invertor - Multiplus 2000 VA50A (cargador -SPanish word)

MultiPlus - Victron Energy

http://www.victronenergy.com/inverters-chargers/multiplus-12v-24v-48v-800va-3kva/

The MultiPlus, as the name suggests, is a combined inverter and charger in one elegant package. Learn more about the MultiPlus models.

12 x 2v Lead Acid batteries

The system total is 3.5KW

Please let me know if you need any more information

Thanks
Tanya

Thank you for the information. I believe I understand now.

Looks like you have a Victron inverter/charger connected to a 24volt battery system and a generator.

You also have 6 x 195watt panels connected to a Viewstar charge controller also connected to your 24v battery system.

What we still need is the Viewstar charge controller model number and the Ah rating of those 2v batteries. Then we can determine if you have the right combination of panel wattage/charge controller amp/battery system Ah.

**Megsmum** · 10-11-2014, 07:13 AM

Originally posted by SunEagle

Thank you for the information. I believe I understand now.

Looks like you have a Victron inverter/charger connected to a 24volt battery system and a generator.

You also have 6 x 195watt panels connected to a Viewstar charge controller also connected to your 24v battery system.

What we still need is the Viewstar charge controller model number and the Ah rating of those 2v batteries. Then we can determine if you have the right combination of panel wattage/charge controller amp/battery system Ah.

ok thanks

the model number id VS6024N

AH rating - I have found 802AH on the batteries would this be it?
Tanya

**SunEagle** · 10-11-2014, 08:51 AM

Originally posted by Megsmum

ok thanks

the model number id VS6024N

AH rating - I have found 802AH on the batteries would this be it?
Tanya

Ok. So you have a 60Amp PWM charge controller for a 24volt system that can handle upt to 1440 watts of input which is fine for your 1170 watts of panels. And a 24volt 802Ah battery system.

Unfortunately that PWM CC will only get you about 48amp full output with 1170 watts at 24volts which may not have enough charging capacity for that 802Ah battery system. A 48amp charge will get you a C/16.7 (802Ah/48amp = 16.7 hours) charge rate and you should be using a charger that gets you between a C/8 & C/12 charge rate.

Since it is already confusing how to set up that Viewstar my suggestion would be to find a true MPPT 60Amp charge controller. That should get you closer to the C/12 rating as well as having the ability to set up what voltage each charge level (Equalize, Boost and Float), needs to be.

Hopefully I have not confused you with what I said.

**Megsmum** · 10-11-2014, 09:14 AM

Originally posted by SunEagle

Ok. So you have a 60Amp PWM charge controller for a 24volt system that can handle upt to 1440 watts of input which is fine for your 1170 watts of panels. And a 24volt 802Ah battery system.

Unfortunately that PWM CC will only get you about 48amp full output with 1170 watts at 24volts which may not have enough charging capacity for that 802Ah battery system. A 48amp charge will get you a C/16.7 (802Ah/48amp = 16.7 hours) charge rate and you should be using a charger that gets you between a C/8 & C/12 charge rate.

Since it is already confusing how to set up that Viewstar my suggestion would be to find a true MPPT 60Amp charge controller. That should get you closer to the C/12 rating as well as having the ability to set up what voltage each charge level (Equalize, Boost and Float), needs to be.

Hopefully I have not confused you with what I said.

LOL no not confused because I have no idea what you mean!

Paperwork says Batteries OPZ790 AH C100 if this helps

The system has been in place since May and we have had no problems so far. Never lost power and not had to use the generator, BUT we now as the winter progresses this may happen. We are not having a problem so far with the efficiency or capability. What I need to know , is how do we know when to switch over to the generator to charge the batteries, this week we have had lots of cloud little sun and all well.

Apart from the hydrometer test, is there any other way to know if we are in a position of losing power.

We are very ignorant about solar, the system was installed for us by our local suppliers and some things are lost in translation. All the equalise /float/ etc was set up by the installers and we have no idea what those stages mean

**SunEagle** · 10-11-2014, 01:13 PM

Originally posted by Megsmum

LOL no not confused because I have no idea what you mean!

Paperwork says Batteries OPZ790 AH C100 if this helps

The system has been in place since May and we have had no problems so far. Never lost power and not had to use the generator, BUT we now as the winter progresses this may happen. We are not having a problem so far with the efficiency or capability. What I need to know , is how do we know when to switch over to the generator to charge the batteries, this week we have had lots of cloud little sun and all well.

Apart from the hydrometer test, is there any other way to know if we are in a position of losing power.

We are very ignorant about solar, the system was installed for us by our local suppliers and some things are lost in translation. All the equalise /float/ etc was set up by the installers and we have no idea what those stages mean

I figured I had confused you. I found a deep cycle battery made by Victron that has a OPZ desigantion that is 2volt @ 800Ah. Yours may be made by someone else but probably has a similar Ah rating.

What I was trying to say in my other post was that with your 1170 watts of panels and that Viewstar charge controller you may not have enough panel wattage to properly charge your batteries. If you run into a time when you have to use your generator a lot to charge the batteries maybe you can look into replacing that Viewstar PWM CC with a 60amp MPPT type brand name like Outback or Morningstar.

They will be able to get more charge capacity out of your solar panels especially when you have less sunlight during the winter months.

**Megsmum** · 10-11-2014, 06:24 PM

Originally posted by SunEagle

I figured I had confused you. I found a deep cycle battery made by Victron that has a OPZ desigantion that is 2volt @ 800Ah. Yours may be made by someone else but probably has a similar Ah rating.

What I was trying to say in my other post was that with your 1170 watts of panels and that Viewstar charge controller you may not have enough panel wattage to properly charge your batteries. If you run into a time when you have to use your generator a lot to charge the batteries maybe you can look into replacing that Viewstar PWM CC with a 60amp MPPT type brand name like Outback or Morningstar.

They will be able to get more charge capacity out of your solar panels especially when you have less sunlight during the winter months.

Ahh now I understand!!!!

Thanks for that. So presumably when the power goes off then we switch to the generator or is it when the "sad" face appears on the charge controller thats what we really do not understand, at what point do we know when to shove on generator to charge the batteries??

Thanks Again

Tanya

**SunEagle** · 10-11-2014, 07:57 PM

Originally posted by Megsmum

Ahh now I understand!!!!

Thanks for that. So presumably when the power goes off then we switch to the generator or is it when the "sad" face appears on the charge controller thats what we really do not understand, at what point do we know when to shove on generator to charge the batteries??

Thanks Again

Tanya

I do not believe you should be worried about the battery or faces on the Viewstar. That unit controls the solar charging system for the batteries.

I would think you should be looking at the Victron controller. It should have some type of battery monitoring system that should alert you to start the generator.

**Megsmum** · 10-13-2014, 09:02 AM

Originally posted by SunEagle

I do not believe you should be worried about the battery or faces on the Viewstar. That unit controls the solar charging system for the batteries.

I would think you should be looking at the Victron controller. It should have some type of battery monitoring system that should alert you to start the generator.

Thanks for that. this morning, when we had cloud cover and it was dark, I checked the controller, there was a red light flashing when I looked at the manual under troubleshooting a red LED flashing light means many different things including charging the batteries. I left it for a while, and when the sun came out the red light stopped, and so I am presuming from that the batteries were then being charged by the panels etc. I have emailed the company for futher clarification.

Tanya

**SunEagle** · 10-13-2014, 09:10 AM

Originally posted by Megsmum

Thanks for that. this morning, when we had cloud cover and it was dark, I checked the controller, there was a red light flashing when I looked at the manual under troubleshooting a red LED flashing light means many different things including charging the batteries. I left it for a while, and when the sun came out the red light stopped, and so I am presuming from that the batteries were then being charged by the panels etc. I have emailed the company for futher clarification.

Tanya

Good. Hopefully the company will provide some explanation on how the Victron works and alarms.

If the battery voltage gets too low you shouldn't have to wait for the sun to come up to start charging your batteries. That could result in a very low battery voltage and shorten their life. You should be getting an alarm to start your generator before the voltage gets too low.

**Megsmum** · 10-13-2014, 09:57 AM

Originally posted by SunEagle

Good. Hopefully the company will provide some explanation on how the Victron works and alarms.

If the battery voltage gets too low you shouldn't have to wait for the sun to come up to start charging your batteries. That could result in a very low battery voltage and shorten their life. You should be getting an alarm to start your generator before the voltage gets too low.

Thanks you have been very helpful to a Brit with no technological know how at all, BUT I can put up an IV drip and work complex medical equipment.... horses for courses!!!!!!!

I will let you know what they say as it may just help someone else in the future

**SunEagle** · 10-13-2014, 10:13 AM

Originally posted by Megsmum

Thanks you have been very helpful to a Brit with no technological know how at all, BUT I can put up an IV drip and work complex medical equipment.... horses for courses!!!!!!!

I will let you know what they say as it may just help someone else in the future

Someone with medical knowledge regardless of the type "patient" they treat is smart in my book.

My wife was an LPN for over 25 years working in Emergency Rooms, the floor of a couple of hospitals, employee care and employee insurance departments to name a few.

Hopefully you will get some good information on your system to keep your batteries happy and healthy.

Hi new with questions

Hi new with questions

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