Help with brand new Victron

[dznf0g]

Hi All,

I decided to put one more panel on the roof, so I needed to upgrade the capacity of my controller. I chose the Victron BlueSolar MPPT 100/30.

I don't think it is working properly. I don't seem to find any number for US technical support, so I've PMed Lewster. Maybe some of you techies can help???

As I understand the manual, This is what I should see:

State of battery at sunup: 12.9V with 1.62Ah down from sunset prior day. (Rotary set on default #2 position with 2 group 29 LA batteries)

I should see: Bulk light on and charging from 12.9 up to 14.4V. At that point, I should see the Absorption light come on and the voltage remain at 14.4V. for 1 hour. BUT, since I am already below 2A of charge current when 14.4V was obtained, I believe I should see the float light come on and voltage drop and remain at 13.8V.

What I do see: Bulk light stays on all the time and voltage runs up to 15.5V and stays there at 200 - .300mA of current.

Can you assist with any diagnostic advice?

[SilverHouseDreams]

I haven't bought my Victron charge controller yet, but perhaps it is entering the "equalization" phase and that is why you see the high voltage? By default it performs equalization every 10-days, so if it hasn't completed equalization it will likely enter that on the first charge?

[dznf0g]

Silverhouse, thanks for your reply.

I thought maybe that was it as well, but 1) the documentation says that factory default for Equalization is "off" 2) Equalization is at 16.2V and both the absorption and float lights should be "on" during equalization. (these descriptions for BlueSolar 100/30...others differ)

As an update, I did call the "sales manager" number and got a tech person out in Maine. He believes that somehow this unit sensed 24V system when first hooked up to 12V...no explanation how that is possible. However the behavior makes him believe it and I gotta agree it makes sense based on lights and behavior.

So he had me try a reset by letting capacitors discharge and shorting the pos and neg battery lugs (with wires removed, of course), but alas, no go....so he is sending me a dongle to force a programmed reset back to 12V. Good customer service. I'll let you all know the outcome when the big brown truck gets here next week.