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Old 01-16-2023, 04:53 PM   #1
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Solar Controller Reads 100%

I have the factory installed roof panel with GoPower controller. In the past the controller has aways read 90% when batteries were fully charged. Only occasionally indicated 100%. I have recently started storing the trailer outside with a cover on it. I'm happy that enough sun penetrates the cover enough to keep the batteries charged.....but the controller now reads 100% all of the time.
Is this an indication of a problem?
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Old 01-16-2023, 07:36 PM   #2
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if you want a better battery status monitor, get something like the Victron SmartShunt, or BMV-7xx ... the SmartShunt is bluetooth only, you get the status on a phone or tablet via the Victron Connect app, while the BMV (or is it BVM?) series have a display panel. These measure all power in and out of the battery as well as its voltage, and with an optional probe, temperature, so can give a very accurate battery state.



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Old 01-16-2023, 09:09 PM   #3
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Originally Posted by Kingfish View Post
I have the factory installed roof panel with GoPower controller. In the past the controller has aways read 90% when batteries were fully charged. Only occasionally indicated 100%. I have recently started storing the trailer outside with a cover on it. I'm happy that enough sun penetrates the cover enough to keep the batteries charged.....but the controller now reads 100% all of the time.
Is this an indication of a problem?
I have the same controller, and it nearly always reads 100% also, even when the battery isn’t fully charged. The manual will tell you how the controller makes its determination, but it’s not a problem you’re seeing.
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Old 01-17-2023, 09:41 AM   #4
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I have the same controller, and it nearly always reads 100% also, even when the battery isn’t fully charged. The manual will tell you how the controller makes its determination, but it’s not a problem you’re seeing.
Hmmm. The manual say's 100% will show up only "after a two hour Boost or Equalize charge has completed".
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Old 01-17-2023, 10:06 AM   #5
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Can't say enough about the Victron unit. I used a GoPower solar controller combined with a Renogy battery monitor on my Rpod and never really felt confident in the readings. The ease of use of the Victron and it's accuracy, based on my random checking with a multimeter, leave me feeling confident that I am getting accurate info. Granted I am not a solar or electrical engineer, so my testing and observations may be pointless.
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Old 01-17-2023, 10:18 AM   #6
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Hmmm. The manual say's 100% will show up only "after a two hour Boost or Equalize charge has completed".
Or it’s summer with lots of overhead sun charging barely depleted batteries, or if you don’t use the camper for a couple of days. Absorption takes way too long with a PWM controller like the stock ETI supplied GoPower. After all, it’s a cheap $50 controller. MPPT controllers work better in the early mornings and late afternoons to harvest enough additional solar to make them worthwhile. Plus, the additional information with a Victron, for example, helps see if any changes have happened with your system.

Enjoy,

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Old 01-17-2023, 12:52 PM   #7
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en route to my power upgrade, one of the first things I installed and wired and got working was the Victron SmartSolar 100/30 MPPT, in place of the gopower, still wired to the original 160W(?) solar panel my 2014 came with. I already had a SmartShunt, so I could monitor the true battery state, and I found the MPPT was giving me 10-20% more power from that original panel. then I upgraded the panel to a 360W and in the summer I can generate 2000+ watt*hours per day.
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Old 01-17-2023, 01:27 PM   #8
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here's a typical August day with my solar panel on the MPPT, blue is battery amps, red is battery voltage. battery is fully charged before noon. Note this is a 412AH battery (2 x 206AH) and a 360W solar panel, so numbers are a bit higher than typical... the battery was probably 85-90% charged before this starts (as typical overnight usage is only 10-15% of the battery capacity)

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Old 01-17-2023, 01:30 PM   #9
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Hmmm. The manual say's 100% will show up only "after a two hour Boost or Equalize charge has completed".
If you’re using lithium batteries, the only way to get an accurate charge level is with a shunt.

The GoPower isn’t a shunt, so it outputs a boost charge in the morning and calls it 100%, but does continue to charge the battery, just at a lower voltage. ( drops from 14.4 to 13.6 )
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Old 01-17-2023, 02:07 PM   #10
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If you’re using lithium batteries, the only way to get an accurate charge level is with a shunt.
actually, thats true for lead acid, too. at-rest voltage gives you an approximate charge state, IF the battery temperature is nominal, and the battery hasn't had a heavy load OR charge on it. a smart shunt will give you the correct battery state even under load or charge current.
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Old 01-18-2023, 12:24 AM   #11
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Hmmm. The manual say's 100% will show up only "after a two hour Boost or Equalize charge has completed".
The controller has a daily bulk or equalize period in its charge cycle (2 hours at >14 volts). Otherwise it is maintaining a float voltage of ~13.6V. The SOC indicator will only read 100% if the bulk/equalize cycle has completed. The SOC percent is simply a number based on the voltage (e.g. 12.0V = 50%, 12.5V = ~75%). If the voltage is <~12.8V, the percentage will be <90%. If >12.8V it will either read 90% or 100%, depending on whether the daily Boost/Equalize charge has completed.

I have an older solar controller, the voltages above are just my rough estimates - check your manual.

Like the others have stated, the SOC% display is not very accurate if the battery is being charged or has an active load.

During the day, I will check the voltage level, then look at the charging amps to determine if the controller is maintaining the float voltage with minimal amps, then I know charging is almost complete. This only works when you have minimal 12V load (e.g. furnace not running).
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Old 01-18-2023, 01:33 AM   #12
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A lead acid multi stage smart charger goes through a Bulk phase of constant max current until the voltage reaches 13.6 v or so, then an Absorbtion phase of the elevated 14.4-14.6 V until the current drops low enough or a timer elapses based on how long the first stage took. After that it drops back to a maintenance voltage of around 13.4-13.6 volts.

See https://batteryuniversity.com/articl...ging-lead-acid

So whoever is calling the elevated voltage "bulk" is wrong.
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Old 01-18-2023, 06:57 AM   #13
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So whoever is calling the elevated voltage "bulk" is wrong.
I think that was just a typo. He says boost/equalize a little further down.
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Old 01-18-2023, 09:18 AM   #14
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So when I check the battery level (pair of 6v Trojans) I get a reading of 14.4 on my multimeter. Does this indicate the controller is not backing off to the float stage?
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Old 01-18-2023, 09:51 AM   #15
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So when I check the battery level (pair of 6v Trojans) I get a reading of 14.4 on my multimeter. Does this indicate the controller is not backing off to the float stage?
It could be in a de-sulfate routine. The GoPower solar controller does that every 28 days.

Check it a second time after some period of time.

Edit: if it’s early in the day, it could be in its daily boost mode
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Old 01-18-2023, 10:17 AM   #16
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KirkB, thanks for your description of how the Gopower controller works. I also have noticed that checking for reduced amperage output is a good way to tell whether the controller is doing a full charge or just topping off the batteries.
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