generator not charging batteries

[huntindog]

suggestions on tracking the 12 usage?

I like a shunt based monitor. I have Victron. There are cheaper ones out there,but I cannot vouch for them

[danlwil]

huntindog

This is our second trip out
1st trip was full hookups
this one was dry camping

dealership hooked everything up... I haven't done any wiring they may have done something... I'll run a few more tests before I take it in

[stroguy]

I guess the key for me is that the solar system isn’t dragging down generator power for charging the batteries. Isolating the solar and checking the charge voltage would be one diagnosis I would want. Sorry I am not solar equipped so not educated on the infrastructure of the system. But surely there is a way to isolate he solar system.

[huntindog]

I guess the key for me is that the solar system isn’t dragging down generator power for charging the batteries. Isolating the solar and checking the charge voltage would be one diagnosis I would want. Sorry I am not solar equipped so not educated on the infrastructure of the system. But surely there is a way to isolate he solar system.

My factory Solar did NOT have this feature... It does now... But it is not possible for Solar to drag down generator power.... In fact it can add amps to charging the battery on top of what the converter charges
IE; Converter charge is 40 amps, Solar is 20. =60 amps total charging

The simple way to turn off the solar for testing is to cover the panel with a towel etc.

[huntindog]

Am I correct that the generator and solar (though the converter) charge the batteries? .

Generator charges via the converter. Solar charges the battery diectly via the controller

[stroguy]

No disrespect but in my years as an electronics technician I have seen many ‘impossible to happen’ situations actually happen. If there is a tie point then there is a point of failure and a possibility of it happening. This is most likely rare but I would need it out of my brain. I would want shore power and solar power isolated then see if the generator is actually charging the batteries.

[stroguy]

Generator charges via the converter. Solar charges the battery diectly via the controller

And this is important as well. On generator is there converter voltage at lights, fans and other DC powered devices? And is it the correct voltage?

[Tom Traveler]

how do open the solar power?

If no one has answered this yet, there should be an on/off switch on the solar charge controller.

As other's have stated, if you want to monitor your batteries (a necessity for successful boondocking, IMO), you really need a power monitor. Everyone seems to get the Victron. I looked at the Victron, but purchased ThornWave's PowerMon. I choose that over the Victron because it has extensive data logging. You can upload graphs of various parameters over bluetooth (you can even upload csv. data to Excel if you want to) and study current, voltage, and power usage for an extended trip to see what your system was doing during various times. The data logging on the Victron is very limited. Also, our ThornWave PowerMon is installed in the front of a 43 ft. 5er and the bluetooth works great in the bathroom at the very back end.

If you don't want the expense of, and installation issues with, a power monitor, at the very least, spend time with a volt meter. If the voltage across the battery terminals is over 13v, it is charging. I am attaching a "battery state of charge table" that correlates battery voltage to state of charge %. You most likely have "wet" LA (lead acid) batteries, not AGM. When you take the voltage across the batteries terminals to determine the state of charge, do it with minimal load and no charging.

[huntindog]

If no one has answered this yet, there should be an on/off switch on the solar charge controller.

As other's have stated, if you want to monitor your batteries (a necessity for successful boondocking, IMO), you really need a power monitor. Everyone seems to get the Victron. I looked at the Victron, but purchased ThornWave's PowerMon. I choose that over the Victron because it has extensive data logging. You can upload graphs of various parameters over bluetooth (you can even upload csv. data to Excel if you want to) and study current, voltage, and power usage for an extended trip to see what your system was doing during various times. The data logging on the Victron is very limited. Also, our ThornWave PowerMon is installed in the front of a 43 ft. 5er and the bluetooth works great in the bathroom at the very back end.

If you don't want the expense of, and installation issues with, a power monitor, at the very least, spend time with a volt meter. If the voltage across the battery terminals is over 13v, it is charging. I am attaching a "battery state of charge table" that correlates battery voltage to state of charge %. You most likely have "wet" LA (lead acid) batteries, not AGM. When you take the voltage across the batteries terminals to determine the state of charge, do it with minimal load and no charging.

The stock furrion controller cannot be turned off... At least not for long. There is a power button, but the sytem automatically comes on after 20-30 seconds when solar voltage is detected.

That chart isn't real useful. With the constant draws on the battery, it will often read low. And right after charging it will read high due to surface charge.
A shunt based monitor measures current in and out of the battery without the drawbacks of the voltmeter/chart method.

[huntindog]

If no one has answered this yet, there should be an on/off switch on the solar charge controller.

As other's have stated, if you want to monitor your batteries (a necessity for successful boondocking, IMO), you really need a power monitor. Everyone seems to get the Victron. I looked at the Victron, but purchased ThornWave's PowerMon. I choose that over the Victron because it has extensive data logging. You can upload graphs of various parameters over bluetooth (you can even upload csv. data to Excel if you want to) and study current, voltage, and power usage for an extended trip to see what your system was doing during various times. The data logging on the Victron is very limited. Also, our ThornWave PowerMon is installed in the front of a 43 ft. 5er and the bluetooth works great in the bathroom at the very back end.

If you don't want the expense of, and installation issues with, a power monitor, at the very least, spend time with a volt meter. If the voltage across the battery terminals is over 13v, it is charging. I am attaching a "battery state of charge table" that correlates battery voltage to state of charge %. You most likely have "wet" LA (lead acid) batteries, not AGM. When you take the voltage across the batteries terminals to determine the state of charge, do it with minimal load and no charging.

My Victron blue tooth works great as well. I can even connect inside my house. And it comunicates with my Victron 250/100 controller, and it will also talk to the furion controllers replacement. A second Victron, a 150/60 model.