Solar Power Feedback

Submitted: Monday, May 09, 2011 at 16:49

ThreadID: 86162 Views:4402 Replies:7 FollowUps:9

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Solar Power

This article covers every aspect of solar and its design and installation in RVs (camper trailers, caravans and motor homes). It shows how much power solar panels really produce,

Scott M2

Hi.

I installed the Ctek D250S Dual on my camper. I have a solar panel connected.
I installed it in such a way that I can easily clip the solar panel on with MC4 connectors before the D250S and Anderson plugs after to the battery.

This is how the CTek behaves, along with readings from the multimeter. (multimeter on the CTek at the input + - of the solar.
1) the "solar" light comes on, recognising the input from the solar panels, constant 18.8V
2) the charge light comes on after a few seconds, indicating that charge is now going to the battery. At this stage the power fluctuates - the multimeter changes all the time, reading down to 16V and even 14V.
3) after about ten seconds, the power lamp, solar lamp and charge lamp all goes out, the error lamp flashes once and the process starts again.

I have double checked all connections in and out of the CTEk and all upstream and downstream. This was not happening when i first purchased the item about three weeks ago.

Is the Ctek at fault, or is this normal? I have described it as best I can but further questions to diagnose the situation are welcome

Thank you in advance for4 the help

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Reply By: CSeaJay - Monday, May 09, 2011 at 18:18

Monday, May 09, 2011 at 18:18

ct

Mine behaves exactly the same.

This happens at times of low light or medium light with only my 50W panel connected.

At high light with the 50W, or medium light with the 80W panel the system operates normally

I have been told by my lacal Battery Works that the unit requires a minimum amps to operate normally

Mate your post reads almost exactly as mine when I questioned this some time ago. I hope you (we) have better luck this time round with answers?

AnswerID: 453745

Follow Up By: Scott M2 - Monday, May 09, 2011 at 19:58

Monday, May 09, 2011 at 19:58

thanks for that ct. i read yours and used it with a few minor alterations as mine is doing the exact same as yours. i can't believe something worth that much will cut out in slightly lower light. mine was doing it at 3:30 in the afternoon with only slight bit of cloud around. ??

FollowupID: 726604

Reply By: Battery Value Pty Ltd - Monday, May 09, 2011 at 19:34

Monday, May 09, 2011 at 19:34

Hi guys,

don't expect too much from this piggy backed solar regulator, which is certainly a brilliant concept, but obviously lacks the features of a dedicated MPPT unit.

By comparison, a no-name dedicated MPPT solar regulator has no difficulties squeezing out the last drop of solar power until the sun's well and truly gone.

Image Could Not Be Found

cheers, Peter

AnswerID: 453757

Follow Up By: Faulic_McVitte - Monday, May 09, 2011 at 22:07

Monday, May 09, 2011 at 22:07

No name and MPPT in same sentence LOL
"until the sun's well and truly gone." MPPT regulators are always last to start charging in the morning and first to quit in the afternoon. Doubt the regulator is TRUE MPPT or MPPT at all. Have a collection of so called MPPT regulators that are not.

FollowupID: 726620

Follow Up By: S Paul - VIC - Tuesday, May 10, 2011 at 09:44

Tuesday, May 10, 2011 at 09:44

By the looks of that MeTer it belongs with the Beijing EPSolar Tracer 1206/1210 series of MPPT controllers - I am currently testing these units for inclusion in my shop !!! They are absolutely brilliant so far as the MPPT part goes ... Especially in the early and later parts of the day and under fairly cloudy condition that are around in Melbourne at the moment ..

Cheers

Steve

FollowupID: 726641

Reply By: Faulic_McVitte - Monday, May 09, 2011 at 22:03

Monday, May 09, 2011 at 22:03

For the Ctek D250S Dual to operate satisfactorily on solar need minimum 100W panel and prefer 120W. With sufficiently sized panel they do a good job.
Ctek should advertise the fact and should state minimum 120W solar panel required. I still wonder how Ctek battery chargers got to be as popular as they are. Amazing what advertising does and how many spinners it can bring in.

AnswerID: 453785

Reply By: Tim Owen - Saturday, May 21, 2011 at 15:13

Saturday, May 21, 2011 at 15:13

Does anyone know what the minimum input requirements are for the solar input to be 'recognised' and contribute to the charging of the battery?

I just installed a D250S Dual and with a 60w panel it initially didn't 'recognise' it, but with 120W worked normally, and then when I went back to 60W it continued to charge via Solar - perhaps light conditions had improved? It was clear here this morning - so I'm not convinced this was it.

There is nothing in any of the CTEK materials that I can find that indicates the parameters of the units Solar input requirements.

AnswerID: 455038

Follow Up By: Scott M2 - Saturday, May 21, 2011 at 15:35

Saturday, May 21, 2011 at 15:35

hi tim, i have just installed another 80w panel onto my existing one bringing it to 160w and on a real cloudy day it it is still doing the same as what i posted at the start of this thread.

FollowupID: 727960

Reply By: Tim Owen - Tuesday, May 24, 2011 at 20:45

Tuesday, May 24, 2011 at 20:45

I emailed Bainbridge Technologies (CTEK distributor) with "What is the minimum input requirements on the solar input of a CTEK D250S for it to recognise the input and begin charging? ie. does the solar panel have to be putting out a certain number of amps before the unit will start using that power to charge the batteries? Is this parameter modified according to the state of charge of the battery?"

The response I got was....

"We have found that approx 80w minimum of solar is appropriate"

to which I replied "Thanks [name withheld], but I'm interested in the actual parameters as a solar panel (of any size) can produce a wide variety of amps depending on conditions. "

No response yet.

Am I barking up the wrong tree here?

AnswerID: 455382

Follow Up By: Scott M2 - Wednesday, May 25, 2011 at 08:23

Wednesday, May 25, 2011 at 08:23

Thanks Tim for that. Let us know how you go with the next response from bainbridge.

FollowupID: 728319

Follow Up By: Tim Owen - Wednesday, May 25, 2011 at 20:00

Wednesday, May 25, 2011 at 20:00

Silence today from Bainbridge Technologies (CTEK distributor)

FollowupID: 728367

Follow Up By: Tim Owen - Thursday, May 26, 2011 at 19:23

Thursday, May 26, 2011 at 19:23

No response again today

FollowupID: 728474

Reply By: Tim Owen - Friday, May 27, 2011 at 23:33

Friday, May 27, 2011 at 23:33

Another day with no response. Perhaps I'm expecting too much from the distributor?

AnswerID: 455674

Follow Up By: Member - Emma M - Monday, Jun 06, 2011 at 13:15

Monday, Jun 06, 2011 at 13:15

Hi Tim,

My name is Emma and I work on behalf of CTEK in a PR capacity.

Sorry to hear about your frustrations with receiving a response to your query.

Can you please DM me your email address and phone number and I can have one of the guys from Bainbridge get back to you asap.

Look forward to hearing from you.

Cheers,
Emma

FollowupID: 729616

Follow Up By: Tim Owen - Monday, Jun 06, 2011 at 18:27

Monday, Jun 06, 2011 at 18:27

Thanks Emma - the website doesn't allow be to message you as I'm not a paid up member, and I don't wish to post my email address here. I'm more than happy for you or someone else from Bainbridge to simply post the response to the questions here - this is clearly something of interest to a number of CTEK customers who participate in this forum. If you want to follow-up my email address internally @ Bainbridge I can advise that the initial response was provided by MW from internal sales.

FollowupID: 729676

Reply By: Tim Owen - Tuesday, Jun 14, 2011 at 21:04

Tuesday, Jun 14, 2011 at 21:04

Hi Emma - Still no response and no contact from Bainbridge. I just can't understand what the barrier is here. I'd be quite happy to be told my question is stupid, and have the reasons for that explained - but I'm being left quite cynical about it all.

In case people are thinking I'm looking to have a crack at the product, I've had it installed for a couple of months now, to a 90W panel - it has worked flawlessly for me.

I'd just like to know whether it really does extract the maximum power from solar, and I think it is reasonable that potential customers understand the solar input requirements in more specific terms.

AnswerID: 457459