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road-soda asked

100 watt panel with 100/20 not charging

Hello everyone, I'm installing a small solar setup on my truck with a Renogy 100 watt panel (Panel Link) and a Victron 100/20.

I have installed the panel with 12awg wire to the controller and the controller with 12awg wire to my auxillary battery. The battery is an AGM auto battery with 70ah.

My battery volatage right now is 11.91v, read through multimeter and Victron app, and the victron app says my solar voltage is 11.81v but when I put a multi meter on the panel alone I get 17 to 20 volts depending on clouds and sun. The blue like is blinking every 3 seconds.

After some research it seems my problem might be the +5v needed for the controller to charge. Is this the issue? Is the charge controller dropping the solar voltage to ~.1v below battery voltage because the solar panel is not powerful enough to charge throgh the Victron 100/20??

I bought the controller from a friend because he had an extra, so no big deal if I need to buy a PMW due to my low input volts. Just want to make sure I am not missing something else.

Thanks!

MPPT Controllersbattery charging
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2 Answers
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JohnC answered ·

Hi @Road_Soda

The app should show Vpanel anyway. Can you please check your panel polarity with the wires pulled from the mppt.

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road-soda answered ·

Welp, may have found the issue and it was easier than it shoulda been. The inline fuse holder I used seems to have cheaped out and doesn't provide continuity with an unblown fuse.

Due to the faulty fuse holder, only the negative side was hooked up. I think the charge controller was only seeing one side of the current, and only showing 11.81 volts in the sun. I have the issue fixed with continuity to the panel. Of course now the sun is down, so theres no way to know until morning.

Thanks all, I'll let you know what happens come tomorrow.

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MPPT Product Page

MPPT Error codes

MPPT 150/60 up to 250/70 Manual

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