trouble starting engine when solar panels are working
 

On Tue, 06 May 2008 09:10:55 -0400, jeff wrote:

However, if your devices are unregulated
that could put out a lot more - 18 Volts or more. Still, I don't wee
where the problem might be so I'll be very interested in hearing abotu
the eventual solution.

That's the only explanation that makes sense to me: If the engine has
electronic controls they may be interpreting an over voltage condition
as an error, or perhaps an over voltage causes the controls to
malfunction in some way.

trouble starting engine when solar panels are working
 

"Owen Kellog" wrote in message
...
Looks like the solar controller sees to much of a current draw and shuts
down. This shutting down affects the whole system.

http://support.morningstarcorp.com/

Put the solar on the house battery only, not the starter battery. Isolate
the house from the starter battery.

No, that's not it. The controller doesn't care about current draw. It works
off voltage sensing. It only cares if the voltage becomes too high or too
low. Either way it will regulate voltage so the battery is not damaged by
overcharge or undercharge. But it also has a regulated circuit for things
like refrigerators, etc. so they don't run all night and cause the battery
to discharge so much that it becomes damaged. This guy obviously has not
read the installation instructions and has the regulated circuit connected
to the controller which regulated circuit is attempting to provide current
for the starter motor.

He's got the controller wired incorrectly just like I told him a couple days
age. But, did he listen? So what's the use of trying to educate someone with
eyes that will not see?

Wilbur Hubbard

trouble starting engine when solar panels are working
 

Owen Kellog wrote:
Looks like the solar controller sees to much of a current draw and shuts
down. This shutting down affects the whole system.

http://support.morningstarcorp.com/


Did you find a document there that says this could be a problem?

Put the solar on the house battery only, not the starter battery. Isolate
the house from the starter battery.

Clearly this is a more sophisticated setup but the OP says that the two
bats are switched together, so he actually has only bank. Also, he
implies that flipping a switch on the control allows it to start, so the
real issue here what could cause the problem, not how to work around it.

Since I use solar panels and controllers, and have considered upgrading
to the one mentioned, I'm quite curious about this. BTW, The controller
I use in the summer (I forget the name, but it has a nice volt/amp
display) flakes out in the winter (below 50 degrees) so I switch back to
an older basic Morningstar Sunsaver to keep the batteries charged while
the shrinkwrap is on.

trouble starting engine when solar panels are working
 

On May 7, 3:41 pm, "Wilbur Hubbard"
wrote:
"Owen Kellog" wrote in message

...

Looks like the solar controller sees to much of a current draw and shuts
down. This shutting down affects the whole system.

http://support.morningstarcorp.com/

Put the solar on the house battery only, not the starter battery. Isolate
the house from the starter battery.

No, that's not it. The controller doesn't care about current draw. It works
off voltage sensing. It only cares if the voltage becomes too high or too
low. Either way it will regulate voltage so the battery is not damaged by
overcharge or undercharge. But it also has a regulated circuit for things
like refrigerators, etc. so they don't run all night and cause the battery
to discharge so much that it becomes damaged. This guy obviously has not
read the installation instructions and has the regulated circuit connected
to the controller which regulated circuit is attempting to provide current
for the starter motor.

He's got the controller wired incorrectly just like I told him a couple days
age. But, did he listen? So what's the use of trying to educate someone with
eyes that will not see?

Wilbur Hubbard
It's not wired incorrectly, and there is no circuits wired to the
controller
so its strictly a voltage problem or something about the PWM that is
screwing up the starter circuitry.
You have no idea what you are talking about...but I should have
expected that on a USENET group.