Charger attached to portable solar panel faulty

[Don 130]

I've been using the 160 amp folding panel to keep the 120 amp deep cycle battery in the camper charged. It's all about three years old. I noticed via my phone app that the battery charge was slowly dropping. A check of output from the attached charger on the solar panel showed 2.5 volts, and from the panel (disconnected from the charger.) 19.6 volts. It was a bright sunny day, about 27˚C
So, shouldn't the charger be putting out more than that, and if the above suggests the charger is stuffed, What would be a good efficient thing to replace it with?
Thanks in anticipation.
154546






Don.

[p38arover]

Was the 2.5V when connected to the battery? If so, disconnect the charger and measure the battery terminal voltage. Maybe the battery is flat/stuffed.

[Don 130]

Was the 2.5V when connected to the battery? If so, disconnect the charger and measure the battery terminal voltage. Maybe the battery is flat/stuffed.

Thanks Ron, No, the charger was disconnected from the battery. At that stage, the battery had discharged to 35%. 12.? volts. I've had it on a 240 volt charger since, and it's come up well.
Don.

[John_D4]

Definitely sounds like a busted solar panel. The kings panels are ok imho

[trout1105]

It could be a faulty panel or a faulty solar controller ("charger"), Try using a new MPPT controller (they are pretty inexpensive now) on your panel.
If this doesn't work your panel is buggered.

[Don 130]

As the panel alone is putting out 19.6 volts, but only 2.5V is getting out through the charger, I'm suspicious that the charger is the problem. I've looked at MPPT chargers but I'm not electrically literate enough to know which to choose. Can anyone help with the calculations?
The pair of panels are rated at 160 watts. The label shown above appears on each of the two panels. The battery is rated at 120 amps.
Don

[p38arover]

Just because the advert says the controller is MPPT, it may not be. Many Chinese PWM controllers are marked MPPT. MPPT is more expensive.

I'd trust one from Victron Victron Energy (https://www.victronenergy.com.au/)

Maybe borrow a controller to try on your panels. Come here and try mine.

[Don 130]

Thanks Ron, that's a generous offer. I'd looked at the Victron brand, but was unable to figure out which to choose.
PM sent.
Don.

[John_D4]

Thanks Ron, that's a generous offer. I'd looked at the Victron brand, but was unable to figure out which to choose.
PM sent.
Don.

The ‘blue solar’ style have built in Bluetooth. The other style needs a Bluetooth dongle. There’s a free app

[W&KO]

Thanks Ron, that's a generous offer. I'd looked at the Victron brand, but was unable to figure out which to choose.
PM sent.
Don.

Just a basic 75/15 Victron.

Screen shot of app

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20190930/3324a81e3cd6a0042d1f37cde09b6ccc.jpg

[Don 130]

Thanks everyone, further searching on the Victron website revealed a calculator gizmo that has worked it out for me. W&KO was spot on.

Solar Charge Controllers - Victron Energy (https://www.victronenergy.com/solar-charge-controllers) (Then select MPPT sizing calculator, top right.)

So, if with Ron's help I confirm my suspicions, I'll flick off an order

And another PM to Ron sent

Don.

[Corgie Carrier]

The ‘blue solar’ style have built in Bluetooth. The other style needs a Bluetooth dongle. There’s a free app

The "Blue Solar" need a Bluetooth dongle, the newer "Smart Solar" have built in Bluetooth.

[John_D4]

The "Blue Solar" need a Bluetooth dongle, the newer "Smart Solar" have built in Bluetooth.

Bummer...I was going from memory. Thanks for correcting me

[DiscoMick]

The PWM regulators I have are 15 amp. That includes one on Aldi 160 watt folding panels and another on a Kings 200 watt flexible panel. I have been using a meter on them while travelling and have seen outputs as high as 11 amps. PWM regulators are quite cheap. For a better regular you could try the Korr one, which maintains a higher current when some others shut down.

[DiscoMick]

Assuming your battery is not fully charged, as you said it wasn't, if your panel is making 19.6 volts then the regulator should certainly be doing more than 2.
Have you tried bypassing the regulator and connecting your panels directly to the battery?
My PWM regulator is 15 amps. With 160 watt solar panels connected through an ammeter, I have never seen it make more than 11 amps, in bright sunshine.
So, by-passing a faulty regulator is certainly not recommended, but it's also not necessarily the end of the world.

[W&KO]

Not sure if it’s covered in the Victron manual.....

When viewing history, if you tap on the bar graph you get a breakdown of the charging.

This is with a 60L fridge running inside a locked up defender.....complete with a black roof. Outside temps >30 degrees on these day.

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20191127/2b92c328fa7a858bc1b9e40033dd59aa.jpg