Battery charging saga

[daveb]

I'm taking this as the separator keeps cycling on and off all the time with nothing in the van being used...maybe I'm wrong.

I can see that happening if the poster has a very small panel, but was posted the van has a solar boost 2000 and I assume more than 60W worth of solar because I read solar panels. Shoot, even on overcast days when I get only an amp of charge, my separator clicks closed and stays that way until I put a good load on the system. Sure if I've used my batteries over the night they have to charge for a few hours but if nothing has been used and the batteries are at resting voltage, at dawn with very little sun up my separator will close. The only time mine cycles like that is when the engine is running and I turn on the microwave on high...alternator charge starts, it clicks closed, voltage drops below 12.8, it clicks open, and continues to cycle that way until I turn the microwave off. After a long drive, I'll hear my seperator click open about a half an hour after killing the motor provided I'm not using something off either of the battery systems. When I had one of my starting batteries fail, it caused the separator to cycle like that. But with the switch cut in and open, my guess is the member will have dead batteries on one or the other system when left without charge if one is bad. [edit] At least that is a way to check the batteries to see if there is a problem.

[fesimone]

yes, van is off and not plugged in to shore power.

So maybe it is a solar boost 2000 problem. I have two 68W panels and they are giving me 6A at noon. I will check with Blue Sky to see if it should hold the voltage steady at the pre-set level and vary the current to match that voltage with loads.

[daveb]

I don't think the controller is the problem if indeed you do actually have a problem. Mike has a good point. If it only cycles a couple of times it could be normal. Your not in that sub zero weather are you. That alone could be the problem.

[fesimone]

All is normal. Drove van for a couple of hours that did the trick of giving the starting battery a nice charge.

I talked to Blue Sky techs and they said that even though the controller is a constant voltage charger, when the load is big enough that charge voltage would drop and thereby start that cycling clicking on the separator. It would help too if I had more solar power available.

When my starting battery dies I will be getting an AGM version so that solar can keep that at 100% capacity without overchanging it.

As far as the separator. I will buy a Blue Sea 7622 to keep as spare.