Aeca Solar Controller
Submitted: Friday, Jul 15, 2011 at 14:10
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Con_Qld
I have this solar controller in my caravan with 2 solar panels and two batteries. The controller appears to be faulty in that it is showing that the batteries are 70% charged, but when i put a multi meter on the batteries it is showing 17.3 volts. The controller is also showing 17.3 volts. I have the battery charger on all the time and it is showing "float".
This happened once when I had the caravan in storage and took off the terminals; the Controller would show a "sad face" giving the appearance that it was faulty. After hooking on the back of the 4WD and after a couple of days of running, it would be fine and showing a "smiling face" and all the indicators look ok.
I know nothing about how the solar panel works & the charging of the 12 volt batteries, but any comments would be greatly appreciated.
Reply By: Con_Qld - Friday, Jul 15, 2011 at 14:15
Friday, Jul 15, 2011 at 14:15
Sorry, its a Steca brand of solar controller.
AnswerID:
460001
Reply By: Motherhen - Friday, Jul 15, 2011 at 14:17
Friday, Jul 15, 2011 at 14:17
I do not know of a Aeca controller - do you have a Seca controller?
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460002
Follow Up By: Motherhen - Friday, Jul 15, 2011 at 14:17
Friday, Jul 15, 2011 at 14:17
You beat me!
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Reply By: Battery Value Pty Ltd - Friday, Jul 15, 2011 at 15:53
Friday, Jul 15, 2011 at 15:53
Hello Con_Qld,
seeing that you typed 17.3V twice, it's probably not a typo.
Note that any 12V battery sitting on 17.3V for some time means it's toast.
Both the charger, and solar regulator should keep the battery voltage at around 13.8V when fully charged. During charging, this voltage may increase up to 14.8V for an hour or two, but then the charger/solar regulator should make it drop back to 13.8V.
What you can do:
give your two batteries a load
test by connecting a 12V/21W load like a brake bulb to them, and check the voltage over a time span of 24 hours.
It should decrease from 12.8V to about 12.4V during this time.
If it decreases way faster than that, your batteries are knackered.
Test your solar regulator on a fully charged car battery (or any other working battery):
with some insolation, the battery voltage should stabilise between 13.8 and 14.8V after a couple of hours.
The same goes for your charger if you use it instead of the solar regulator.
Hope you're getting somewhere.
cheers, Peter
AnswerID:
460008
Follow Up By: Con_Qld - Friday, Jul 15, 2011 at 16:01
Friday, Jul 15, 2011 at 16:01
Thanks so much Peter, Just checked the voltage - its reading 13.8volts on the solar controller. And Multi meter is showing 13.8 volts too. Looks like its fully charged. Both batteries are approx. 20 mths old and have never been flat.
I will put a bulb check as you suggested. Many Thanks.!. Appreciate your time to post a reply.
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Follow Up By: S Paul - VIC - Saturday, Jul 16, 2011 at 15:39
Saturday, Jul 16, 2011 at 15:39
Just a thought - Does the Steca or Seca have a Calcium battery charge setting ?
That could be the problem if it has ...
Cheers
Steve
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