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To check if the battery is close to its cycle life:
1.
Find out how many charge and discharge cycles the battery has been subjected to. Battery lifetime correlates to the number
of cycles.
2.
Check how deep the battery has been discharge on average. A battery will last for less cycles if deeply discharged,
compared to more cycles if discharged less deep.
3.
Refer to the battery data sheet to find out how many cycles at what average discharge the battery is capable of. Compare
this with the battery history and determine if the battery is near the end of its service live.
To check if the battery has been misused:
1.
Check if the battery has been totally discharged at all. Total and very deep discharge will damage a battery. Check the battery
monitor setting history on the VRM portal. Look for the deepest discharge, the lowest battery voltage and the number of full
discharges.
2.
Check if the battery has been charged with a too high voltage. Very high charge voltage will damage the battery. Check the
maximum battery voltage and the high voltage alarms in the battery monitor. Check if the measured maximum voltage has
exceeded the battery manufacturer recommendations.
9.5. Solar issues
This chapter deals with the remaining potential solar issues that were not already discussed in the earlier chapters.
9.5.1. PV reverse current too high
Overcurrent does not necessarily damage the solar charger, but it will cause damage if the array produces too much current
while, at the same time, the array has been connected in reverse polarity to the solar charger. Damage due to overcurrent is not
covered under warranty.
Refer to the solar chargers technical specifications for the maximum PV short circuit power current rating.
9.5.2. PV yield less than expected
Check the solar charger history in the VictronConnect app. Check the total maximum power (Pmax) for each day. Does this match
the array power?
To find the potential solar yield per day for a specific PV array size in a specific geographical location, use the MPPT sizing
calculator on the
solar charge controller product page.
These are some of the reasons why the array is generating less power than expected:
• Low sun angle, seasonal differences or morning/evening.
• Cloud cover or bad weather.
• Shading from trees or buildings.
• Dirty panels.
• Incorrect orientation and/or inclination.
• Broken or faulty solar panel(s).
• Issues with wiring, fuses, circuit breakers, wiring voltage drop.
• Bad splitters or combiners, or these are used in an incorrect way.
• Part of the PV array not working.
• PV array design issues.
• Solar array configuration mistakes.
• The batteries are too small, or getting older, and have a reduced capacity.
Page 50
MPPT solar charger manual
Troubleshooting and Support
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