Earplugs/advice needed! (1 Viewer)

St.Cyr

Free Member
Aug 23, 2009
35
3
West Wales/Normandy
Funster No
8,121
MH
Merc self-build
Exp
On & off, 30 years ...
Hi all!
Could do with a bit of help with an odd problem with our charge controller.
It's an 'Oscar' 380w/30A.
It has 3 led's, yellow (panel operational), green (above a pic of a nearly empty battery), and a red one (above pic of a nearly full battery)
No buttons or switches, just a fuse on right hand side.
in lower half of the panel are 4 yellow led's marked 10v,11v,12v, 13v.

Connections just to the panel (80w), and to the 2 x 110 a/h batteries. No lights or other devices connected to the other outlet.

We inherited the system with the van and have no instructions ~ all equipment works fine as it always has done, lights,music, tv, taps, shower, etc. Batteries have plenty of juice ~ even forgetting a 12v coolbox and a couple of lights left on doesn't affect them.

When in the vicinity of the van last week we heard a buzzing noise coming from inside and on investigating the source found the red led lit. The buzzing stopped and the red led went out as soon as I switched the radio on (radio wired to leisure batts). A few minutes later the buzzer started again and the red light came on. Plugged a coolbox in and buzzer stopped and led went out. I'd always assumed the red led was to indicate lack of charge but it would now appear to mean the opposite. But surely the idea of the regulator is to stop overcharging so I assume it's faulty in some way.

Nothing's been altered or tampered with ...

Tried Googling instructions for this unit but no luck so far.

I'd be most grateful if anyone can suggest a polite alternative to buying a new regulator!!! :thumb:

PS ~ now covered the panel so it's not charging, while awaiting that 'Eureka' moment ... (no buzzing/no red led...)
 

Ferend

Free Member
May 14, 2010
11
0
Funster No
11,591
Sounds as if the buzzer/red light might be an over-voltage warning. It would be a useful exercise to get a multimeter and measure the voltage at the regulator output when the red light is on, it should be around 14.5v. Much over that is likely to cause problems with excessive gassing of the batteries.

I can't track down anything about Oscar solar regulators, if it's quite an old one it might have a voltage adjustment inside but I think I'd be inclined just to get a new regulator!
 
OP
OP
St.Cyr

St.Cyr

Free Member
Aug 23, 2009
35
3
West Wales/Normandy
Funster No
8,121
MH
Merc self-build
Exp
On & off, 30 years ...
Thanks for your reply Ferend. Looks like it's a new regulator ~ probably easiest option!
Regarding the age, I've no idea ~ only that it was fitted before 2005!
:Sad:

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