Victron MPPT installation query (1 Viewer)

[Sportsnapper]

We had a solar panel installed by our dealer before we picked our Exsis-i up a couple of weeks ago. I asked for an MPPT controller to be installed and expected a Schaudt one. Instead, we have a SmartSolar 100/30. Reasonably happy with that, and should have a Bluetooth dongle arriving tomorrow.
I have a query about the installation though, having now read lots on FUN.
Am I right, in that this is a single battery charger, so it will only charge the leisure batteries? It's connected through the EBL 29.
What's the spare red wire in the picture? If it were a dual battery charger would that be the connection for the vehicle battery?

Apologies if you've seen this before, I posted this question as part of another question in another thread - thought putting it in solar was more appropriate.

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[funflair]

You are right that this is a single point charger so yes it will be on the leisure batteries only, without a bit of reading I don't know what actions the EBL29 will perform as far as charging the starter battery but most likely none. You could add a battery master to give some charge to the starter battery.

And sorry I don't know what the spare wire is.

Martin

 

[jezport]

looks like the red wire hanging underneath may be the cab battery +ve connection. So easily modified using a battery master type of device.

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[zac]

I have a mppt 75/15 installed and that charges both the leisure and vehicle battery not sure if this helps but if it down numbering i would of thought yours was better so does more forgive my ignorance

 

[Robert Clark]

As Martin @funflair says the Victron will only charge 1 battery.
With my step I then added two battery masters, which top up the engine battery and the other leisure battery
Sterling go a great one which charges upto 3 amps

 

[AshVanBitz]

I have a mppt 75/15 installed and that charges both the leisure and vehicle battery not sure if this helps but if it down numbering i would of thought yours was better so does more forgive my ignorance

Hi Zac,

Your Victron regulator feeds the leisure battery only. You also have a Battery Master installed which transfers power from the leisure battery to the engine battery as it is required.

Regards

Ash

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[two]

You have a good bit of kit, but it does not seem to be connected to the battery (yet). Is this a temporary state?

 

[funflair]

You have a good bit of kit, but it does not seem to be connected to the battery (yet). Is this a temporary state?

I think it is it’s just the wires are trying to hide.

Martin

 

[zac]

Hi Zac,

Your Victron regulator feeds the leisure battery only. You also have a Battery Master installed which transfers power from the leisure battery to the engine battery as it is required.

Regards

Ash

Ah thanks for the correction, i knew it was being charged somehow but thought it was this that was doing it, better to be correct than to give false information.

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[Lenny HB]

The EBL Solar input is just a dirctconnection through to the batteries.
Have a look at Block 6 on the EBL if pin 2 (starter battery connection) has a red wire connected to it that is probably your stray red wire. A cheaper alternative to the Batterymaster is the CBE CSB2 Solar split charge relay, I've used them on my last two vans.

 

[Sportsnapper]

Thanks for all the comments. All makes more sense - solar is new to us. We never got it installed at the outset on our old van, and later it seemed like it wasn't worth it - that's why we got it installed from the outset this time.
Looks like I'll be adding a split charge relay when we get back from France.

In fact just orderd it so may get it before we leave so I can tinker whilst away!

 

[Sportsnapper]

Well, the CBE arrived before we left, but I didn't install it whilst in France. It's on the list of "improvements" to be done before the next big trip.

I have a query though about the Victron app and it's data, and what adding the CBE split charge relay will do to that. We didn't use a lot of power, as can be seen by the app stats. If the split charge really kicks in, I'm assuming that the reading then comes from the starter battery. Then, though the real-time readings will be useful, the historical figures will be inaccurate (for the battery anyway). Instead of relying on this I should install a battery monitor (the new Hymer panel is useless!). And I know the screenshot says inverter but I named the BT dongle and then moved it to the MPPT.

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[DBK]

As the saying goes, to be honest, I haven't a clue what your setup is supposed to be doing but if it is meant to be charging batteries those figures suggest it is doing diddly squat.
I am not sure how to sort it other than first double checking things are connected correctly.

 

[Sportsnapper]

@DBK - thanks - though I thought the earlier description covered the installation, which is really quite simple.

What the Victron app doesn't show is the current drawn from the batteries, nor does it show any input that's generated from the EBL when travelling. Our assumption is that nothing is going into the batteries as nothing needs to go in - they're fully charged.

 

[DBK]

@DBK - thanks - though I thought the earlier description covered the installation, which is really quite simple.

What the Victron app doesn't show is the current drawn from the batteries, nor does it show any input that's generated from the EBL when travelling. Our assumption is that nothing is going into the batteries as nothing needs to go in - they're fully charged.

We have a NASA battery monitor and it is a very useful gadget, Victron make a similar thing. It tells me all I really need, whether the batteries are being charged or discharged and an estimate of remaining battery capacity.
And I assume from your figures above you were either on EHU or the vehicle was parked up and everything turned off?

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[Sportsnapper]

No - we were away for the majority of that graph - France, no EHU. Using water pump, lights, inverter, but that's all.
I may go and ferkle with a multimeter.

 

[DBK]

No - we were away for the majority of that graph - France, no EHU. Using water pump, lights, inverter, but that's all.
I may go and ferkle with a multimeter.

Then I'm still confused as assuming you weren't followed by a permanent eclipse the power figures are way off what I would have expected. Even fully charged batteries will take a small float charging current and your figures seem in about the right order of magnitude for that but if you were using 12 volt power for the usual things then the total power per day drawn from the solar panels should be measured in hundreds of watts not tens.
I don't know if the issue is just the dongle not working or the panels are not charging but if your batteries didn't run flat then you can rule out the latter. Also the maximum voltages reported, around 14.5v, are quite high and what you might expect when the solar starts to work with batteries which are reasonably discharged. Exactly what you would expect after living off them overnight and then waiting for the sun to come overhead. So my guess is the solar is working fine but the dongle or app isn't.

 

[Sportsnapper]

I've just checked all the connection, and the MPPT controller is plugged into the correct bits on the EBL. When I test the voltages at the terminals on the MPPT, they're identical to the voltages indicated on the app (I've updated that and checked, both on an iPad and an iPhone). The battery voltage is the same as indicated in the app, and both batteries read the same voltage. I don't think there's anything wrong with the installation, dongle or app. I just think we don't use much electric power.
However, I see there have been some issues with recent versions of the firmware, so I'll see if I can get an answer from Victron if this is operating correctly or not, or I may just downgrade the firmware anyway

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[Sheddy]

If you need an example of another system, here are my readings from the app over the past week or so.

We have been on the road for the last 2 days and prior to leaving home I was running the van on hookup but not with the charger on, running the water pump cleaning the system for lengthy periods.
The system is 240Ah Hankooks batteries with a single 175w sold panel.
The final screenshot shows the batteries when the van is parked up off hookup.
Cheers
Ed

 

[Sportsnapper]

Thanks @Sheddy - that's useful to compare to. Which MPPT do you have and which firmware is it running? Mine updated to 1.30 when I first installed the B/tooth dongle - which appears to be the latest functional version.

 

[Sportsnapper]

I seem to have managed to get this sorted out. Below is a screenshot of the Connect app from a few minutes ago. A yield of 110W and a pMax of 64 No idea what was wrong, but last night as part of my investigations I disconnected the MPPT from the EBL to test the connectivity, and also check that the MPPT was connected by the dealer to the correct battery (!). This disconnection/re-connection looks like it's fixed the issue. I've also now noticed that the Vmax for the battery at some times was reported as 0v - clearly wrong!

Now back to the original question

I have a query though about the Victron app and it's data, and what adding the CBE split charge relay will do to that. We didn't use a lot of power, as can be seen by the app stats. If the split charge really kicks in, I'm assuming that the reading then comes from the starter battery. Then, though the real-time readings will be useful, the historical figures will be inaccurate (for the battery anyway).

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[Sheddy]

Thanks @Sheddy - that's useful to compare to. Which MPPT do you have and which firmware is it running? Mine updated to 1.30 when I first installed the B/tooth dongle - which appears to be the latest functional version.

There you go
Cheers
Ed

 

[DBK]

I seem to have managed to get this sorted out. Below is a screenshot of the Connect app from a few minutes ago. A yield of 110W and a pMax of 64 No idea what was wrong, but last night as part of my investigations I disconnected the MPPT from the EBL to test the connectivity, and also check that the MPPT was connected by the dealer to the correct battery (!). This disconnection/re-connection looks like it's fixed the issue. I've also now noticed that the Vmax for the battery at some times was reported as 0v - clearly wrong!

Now back to the original question

View attachment 253721

Weird, but glad it is now sorted. Perhaps rebooting it made it recognise the dongle? But no matter, now it works.

And before anyone says you are supposed to disconnect the solar panels first before connecting the battery you only do that for the first connect with these chargers - they then remember whether they are supposed to be 12 or 24 volts.