Victron 100/50 controller did not wake up

[Kalashnikov]

Originally Posted by Crackerman

Something is screwy.

If it is connected the way outlined on the charge controller, you should have zero issues.

Pv to switch (+) to controller pv in.

Batt out to safety device (breaker, fuse, etc on positive) to battery (or battery shutoff switch) should all work just fine.

I have only had one issue with the victron charge controllers, but with it not working, Bluetooth didnt work either.


What year trailer do you have, and do you have pictures of the install? Did I miss pictures posted?

2019 FC28 twin


Full pics
https://www.airforums.com/forums/f44...28-204851.html

[Kalashnikov]

Achieved a small step in the right direction! Took the earlier suggestion of wiring a string directly to the controller and BAM! I have voltage!

Next question: why on earth would running these through the Zamp combiner and factory wiring make a difference? No arc either when I connected the wire, everything was quiet.

My only guess is that something inside the Zamp box is shorted to the frame of the AS. The voltage reference gets all screwed up.

Proof:

[waninae39]

sometimes the + and - leads are crossed by some OEM'S. that way they make you buy THEIR cables (;

try that, no harm will come to the controller as its protected from wrong polarity

[Kalashnikov]

Originally Posted by waninae39

sometimes the + and - leads are crossed by some OEM'S. that way they make you buy THEIR cables (;

try that, no harm will come to the controller as its protected from wrong polarity

You mean at the controller end? Already tried that multiple times, makes no difference.

[Crackerman]

Like I said about that classic we recently upgraded, he had many issues with the factory setup and zamp box, as well as cables riding raw sheet metal as it came through interior skin. Hence a new combiner box and cables to the interior.

Pull the zamp box off and check the wiring. When you reattach, be sure to use plenty of sikaflex 221 to reseal.

[Kalashnikov]

Originally Posted by Crackerman

Like I said about that classic we recently upgraded, he had many issues with the factory setup and zamp box, as well as cables riding raw sheet metal as it came through interior skin. Hence a new combiner box and cables to the interior.

Pull the zamp box off and check the wiring. When you reattach, be sure to use plenty of sikaflex 221 to reseal.

Did you personally see any of that, eg. the chafing of the wires? I'm not sure where to look.


Planning on routing a set of wires externally just to prove that all three strings are working properly together, then i'll pull the zamp box.

[Kalashnikov]

Fully checked my theory! I made a 'combiner' by soldering some SAE connectors and connecting the wires to some bus pieces. Then ran wires to a couple MC4 ends. Connect this thing to the existing wiring on my AS solar system, won't disturb anything while letting me completely bypass the Zamp box and AS solar prewire.








And of course it works! It's very overcast today, slight sprinkles, but the solar is still putting out something. The net result is better than I was getting yesterday with one string so I'm assuming all three parallel sets are playing well together.

[AirMiles]

Well, at least you know its your prewire/Zamp rooftop box that is the issue. Its weird that you don't have a problem with the continuity when testing the prewire. Lucky you have the MC4 connections so you can easily test different configurations. Its too bad that you are experiencing this problem. I haven't heard of anyone else having a problem like yours.

[Crackerman]

Look for a plumbing vent directly left or right of the zamp box.

If you can find it inside, the yellow/green wires will follow it down. Typically close to the charger/converter panel

[Kalashnikov]

Originally Posted by Crackerman

Look for a plumbing vent directly left or right of the zamp box.

If you can find it inside, the yellow/green wires will follow it down. Typically close to the charger/converter panel

So what are you suggesting? The solar prewire from the AS roof goes through that route while headed down to the 12v panel? The closest thing I see is the Fantastic Fan. I'm thinking of dropping it but per the youtube videos I've watch the fan is shrouded on the inside even after removing the bezel. One can't see inside the roof to find the wires.


Anyway, my AS doesn't follow the convention shown by AS in their solar wiring diagram. I pulled the Zamp box and found two 10ga red/black wires going into the AS. There is no breaker within the Zamp, just connector blocks. There are also no yellow/green wires within the Zamp, although I do see them down by my 12v panel. And: by that time they have morphed into 8ga wires instead!

[Kalashnikov]

Well I pulled on the red/black wires and found the prewire. I can't pull out very much however, they get stuck on something. I can't imagine the breaker is hidden in the roof.

[LilPeanut]

I have a spare 150/35 I can FedEx you if that would help.

[AirMiles]

That was my thought too, where's the breaker? I believed that schematic that there was a breaker inside. I thought Uncle_bob said there was a 40A breaker in his. I too doubt there's a breaker after the green and yellow wiring starts.

[Kalashnikov]

Well I'm abandoning the PV prewire! I cut off the Zamp box and connected my panels directly to the prewire - still no joy.

I'm guessing that somewhere along the prewire route there's a screw that pokes into it. This causes some kind of ground fault that results in the solar controller not "seeing" the prewire voltage correctly. If I bypass the prewire then the entire system behaves as expected.

I'm going to button up the roof and starting planning on routing brand new wires. It's a shame because my prewire was 8ga, I was very happy with my system until this hickup.

Will camp without the solar this time. This means I won't be going to the national park I'd planned on, must figure out something else. Oh well things could be worse, at least I don't have the Wuhan virus!

[Rloftinbiz]

The pre-wired yellow and green should be just wires. Disconnected at the roof and at the MPPT there should be NO continuity or voltage on either wire to anything. Check this first.

If nothing is found then the wires are good and not shorted/connected to something else.

Next are the connections. A poor connection, as already mentioned, may pass voltage but not current. The connections must be solid to work. You have upped the current considerably.

You've tested directly connecting the entire PV array to the MPPT. That means the PV array works, has good connections, and is good to go.

The yellow and green wires are suspect, either as you say with a possible short or a poor connection. If shorted they should be replaced and rewired protecting from chaffing, screws and such.

The only thing left is the PV switch. It is also a connection that may not pass current and needs to be checked.

Hope you can use the existing yellow/green wiring however if compromised you now have an opportunity to upgrade the wiring.

-----------other stuff---------------------

I don't agree with the schematic you posted. The negative wire from the PV is connected to a battery terminal. I believe it should only be connected to the MPPT controller. Negative leads should only go to the main ground buss bar, seperate cabling, no daisy chaining.

I have both Victron MPPT and Quattros. Victron suggests that all chassis grounds be connected directly to the ground buss. Not sure why AM Solar would not do that. All my Victron boxes have seperate chassis ground wires connected directly to my ground buss and work as expected.

Victron also suggests matching cables, length and size. I believe this is to avoid resistance differences that may occur when not matched.

Hope this helps.

[LeatherDog]

Originally Posted by Kalashnikov

Well I'm abandoning the PV prewire! I cut off the Zamp box and connected my panels directly to the prewire - still no joy.

I'm guessing that somewhere along the prewire route there's a screw that pokes into it. This causes some kind of ground fault that results in the solar controller not "seeing" the prewire voltage correctly. If I bypass the prewire then the entire system behaves as expected.

I'm going to button up the roof and starting planning on routing brand new wires. It's a shame because my prewire was 8ga, I was very happy with my system until this hickup.

Will camp without the solar this time. This means I won't be going to the national park I'd planned on, must figure out something else. Oh well things could be worse, at least I don't have the Wuhan virus!

I just added solar and intended to use the factory prewire. After hooking everything up and throwing the switch……nothing! After checking all the connections and talking with AMSolar, they offered that it could be either a short in one of the prewires or a bad breaker in the roof top combiner box. A lack of continuity on the ground side of the prewires lead me to believe that it was likely due to a bad breaker. Since I was taking it back to the Mothership for some other minor warranty work; I decided to ask the tech to figure out why I had no continuity between the rooftop box and the prewire termination near the 12V bus bars. He found the trouble in a poor butt connection under the bathroom vanity. The wiring diagram I have has no reference to such a connection and I didn’t see any evidence of the prewires under the vanity before, but, he re-did the connection for both wires and the system works. Not sure if this would apply to your unit but it may be a simple fix, if you can find the wires.

[Kalashnikov]

Originally Posted by LeatherDog

I just added solar and intended to use the factory prewire. After hooking everything up and throwing the switch……nothing! After checking all the connections and talking with AMSolar, they offered that it could be either a short in one of the prewires or a bad breaker in the roof top combiner box. A lack of continuity on the ground side of the prewires lead me to believe that it was likely due to a bad breaker. Since I was taking it back to the Mothership for some other minor warranty work; I decided to ask the tech to figure out why I had no continuity between the rooftop box and the prewire termination near the 12V bus bars. He found the trouble in a poor butt connection under the bathroom vanity. The wiring diagram I have has no reference to such a connection and I didn’t see any evidence of the prewires under the vanity before, but, he re-did the connection for both wires and the system works. Not sure if this would apply to your unit but it may be a simple fix, if you can find the wires.

Sounds like a very similar problem. I did check the rooftop butt connection to the yellow/green solar wires by directly connecting my panels to them, still didn't work. So either there was a separate connection along the way that was like (like your case) or something else.

Anyway, I ran brand new wire and my system works very well now. Just haven't gone camping because our plans are messed up due to the Kung Flu!