Any Experts on the Votonic MppT please

[Phill D]

Do I have a problem with my Votronic Mppt solar controller?

I have the Votronic Mppt controller which was until recently monitored by a Schault LT320. All was well except i wanted access to more data than the LT320 provided. When I say all was well the lEDs on the mppt would show when charging and when 80% full and then when battery was full. at the point of the Mppt showing full battery then that led would stay illuminated until I put some sort of drain on the leisure battery then it would as expected drop eventually to 80% led showing.
all of this seemed perfectly normal

Wanting more data about the condition and charge going into my leisure battery I recently fitted a Votronic Solar computer S simple plug and play.

I know we have had no sun but with the van plugged into EHU to top everything up since making the change I have noted the following:-

Having charged the leisure battery to full on EHU and and allowed a soak of 3 / 4 hours the appropriate led indicating the battery is full.

I then removed the EHU overnight and in the morning the LED on the Mppt was showing only 80% charged. There is nothing switched on, the main panel is switched off and my clamp meter placed on the Leisure battery shows no current drain.

First time this happened I convinced myself that the battery could not have finished its full charge cycle. so i placed it back on EHU and left it on for 24 hrs.
I unplugged the EHU last night and this morning the Mppt LEDs are showing only that the battery is 80% charged.

Voltages look ok.

any idea's welcome.

I should add that the 15A fuse in the Mppt had blown and I replaced it before the new Votronic Solar computer S was fitted.

 

[Lenny HB]

I have never looked at the LED's on mine I monitor it with my Victron BMV.
First thing I would check is that you have the dip switches set correctly for the type of battery. Then I would monitor the battery voltage.
What mains charger does your van have?

 

[Phill D]

Hi Lenny, Lenny HB
It's an ebl 226c, also unless the dip switchs have moved they are set on gel for the 110ah gel fitted which is also less then 12 months old.
I will however go and check them again shortly and recheck the voltages.

 

[Lenny HB]

It's an [Broken Link Removed] 226c,

You said it was a Votronic so I expected a MPP250, MPP350 etc.

 

[funflair]

The 80% is the > sign so it's telling you it is over 80% but hasn't gone through it's charge cycle to full so it could actually be 99%, that's my view anyway.

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[Phill D]

You said it was a Votronic so I expected a MPP250, MPP350 etc.

Sorry mpp165

Checked the chips all correct.
Voltage settled at 13.8v
And now showing full charge led.

I believe I may have to search for a .3A parasitic load.

 

[Phill D]

The 80% is the > sign so it's telling you it is over 80% but hasn't gone through it's charge cycle to full so it could actually be 99%, that's my view anyway.

I agree, what I could not understand is that after 4 hrs of showing full charge while still on ehu, that it dropped back to 80%.
I had not noticed that previously

 

[Phill D]

Assuming I do have a .3A parasitic load left overnight last night for 14 hrs I guess that's 4.3A should not pull the battery level down to 80%..
Unless
Anything less than 100% I.e. 99% is shown as 80%>

 

[Phill D]

You said it was a Votronic so I expected a MPP250, MPP350

I have never looked at the LED's on mine I monitor it with my Victron BMV.
First thing I would check is that you have the dip switches set correctly for the type of battery. Then I would monitor the battery voltage.
What mains charger does your van have?

Hi Lenny, the mains charger is an EBL 226C the solar charger is a votronic MPPT 165.

things seem to be working ok now i was / am confused as to why the battery should drop back from Full charge to 80%.

but perhaps its not

 

[Lenny HB]

Hi Lenny, the mains charger is an EBL 226C the solar charger is a votronic MPPT 165.

things seem to be working ok now i was / am confused as to why the battery should drop back from Full charge to 80%.

but perhaps its not

i forgot I asked what mains charger you had I was just making sure you had a multistage charger so you could get a full charge into the batteries & I was confusing you with a another problem I trying to sort on a PM for someone.

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[Littlewheels]

Phil,out of interest how much Solar do you have,Panel wise?

 

[Phill D]

Phil,out of interest how much Solar do you have,Panel wise?

140 watt, with 110 amp gel battery.

Of course at the moment it's next useless
That's why I have had it ehu.