Help me understand Zamp controller LED read out

[dexters]

I need some help understanding in layman's terms the ZAMP 30A LED display read out.

I have the following:
330v total panels - 160w & 170w
The panels are laying flat. One panel is slightly angled to the north.
A palm tree blocks the panels in the morning.
2 12V batteries - fully charged

I am currently in a RV park in Tucson Az. - front of the TT facing east.

The Zamp controller has 3 readings V/Amps/Amps

12PM reading 13.6/1.5/6.2 - no obstruction

2PM reading 13.6/1.0/7.4 - no obstruction

Am I correct with the following:
First reading 13.6v is the charge of the batteries?

Second reading is the amps per hour being produced by the panels?

Third reading is the total amps taken in today?

How do these readings look to you?

Just yesterday I added the 170w panel because I plan on adding 2 golf cart batteries in the future.

What I'm unsure about is why the second reading is so low.

Thanks, and keep it simple for me.

[Itinerant1]

I don't have a zamp so can't help with specifics but with those panels and optimal summer conditions you should see 14a +/-. Now with winter and a lower arc cut it in half, so roughly 7a. I think if you're only getting 1+ something seems off.

Granted I have a little more panels mount flat on the roof(8 × 160w = 1,280w) but at noon with no shading I'm at 40a+ so that's roughly 5a per panel. West of Phoenix.

[cruzbill]

Do you have a manual for your solar charge controller?
Maybe this is what you have;


https://static1.squarespace.com/stat...Controller.pdf

[dexters]

Originally Posted by cruzbill

Do you have a manual for your solar charge controller?
Maybe this is what you have;


https://static1.squarespace.com/stat...Controller.pdf

That's it. But, I don't know what the readings mean.

Thanks

[Itinerant1]

From the manual
[IMG][/IMG]
1st- battery voltage
2nd- charging current
3rd- charged capacity (ah)

[cruzbill]

Dexters. You said you 'added' a 170w panel yesterday-in series or in parallel? In series, voltage adds, in parallel, current adds. If in series, you will not see the second number in your display go up beyond what you see for one panel. And you may be exceeding the max input voltage to your controller (25vdc, according to controller specs).

Mixing solar panels – Dos and Don’ts • SOLAR PANEL SECRETS EXPOSED

[dexters]

Originally Posted by cruzbill

Dexters. You said you 'added' a 170w panel yesterday-in series or in parallel? In series, voltage adds, in parallel, current adds. If in series, you will not see the second number in your display go up beyond what you see for one panel. And you may be exceeding the max input voltage to your controller (25vdc, according to controller specs).

Mixing solar panels – Dos and Don’ts • SOLAR PANEL SECRETS EXPOSED

I don't know the answer to that. It is a Zamp system with a connecting box on the roof - 3 plugs. The 160W into one plug and the 170w into another plug.

[dexters]

Originally Posted by Itinerant1

From the manual
[IMG][/IMG]
1st- battery voltage
2nd- charging current
3rd- charged capacity (ah)

Right, I read that. But I don't understand my readings in layman's terms.

Sorry, if I'm being dumb about it.

[cruzbill]

Time to call Zamp customer service.

[Itinerant1]

Originally Posted by dexters

Right, I read that. But I don't understand my readings in layman's terms.

Sorry, if I'm being dumb about it.

What I believe it means is that at 12PM reading 13.6/1.5/6.2

1st- battery voltage...13.6 is just that, voltage of battery possible high because of being charged at the time.

2nd- charging current...1.5a is the amount of current coming from panels/ charge controller charging the battery.

3rd- charged capacity (ah)...6.2a would be the total amount replaced into battery from the beginning of the charging cycle. You see at 2pm when you checked again it went up to 7.4a. I'm going to guess that it resets itself when the next day starts for solar so if you looked at the display before the sun came up or just early morning your battery would read lower from use during the night and the next 2 displays will read 0 untill charging started again.

[Itinerant1]

In your first post you asked why is the second reading low. Keep in mind that in optimal condtions the max one 160w panal can produce is 6-9a (depends on panel specs). Low sun arc, palm tree shadow equal no power. As the day progresses shadow on panel is gone but sun arc still low in sky so won't produce a lot of power. If you where able to tilt the panel and catch more sun you would see the #s jump higher.

[dexters]

Originally Posted by Itinerant1

What I believe it means is that at 12PM reading 13.6/1.5/6.2

1st- battery voltage...13.6 is just that, voltage of battery possible high because of being charged at the time.

2nd- charging current...1.5a is the amount of current coming from panels/ charge controller charging the battery.

3rd- charged capacity (ah)...6.2a would be the total amount replaced into battery from the beginning of the charging cycle. You see at 2pm when you checked again it went up to 7.4a. I'm going to guess that it resets itself when the next day starts for solar so if you looked at the display before the sun came up or just early morning your battery would read lower from use during the night and the next 2 displays will read 0 untill charging started again.

Thanks - that's what I was thinking.

I think I need to unhook from RV park power and use the batteries and see what the readings are.

[RVPioneer]

Definitely call Zamp. They have great support and will be happy to answer any questions you have about their products and your particular system. I believe I spoke with Jeff awhile back.

You may want to consider adding more panels when you add additional batteries, as your 330w array will have a maximum charge rate of about 17A/hour or 6.2 as you're seeing now during the short days of winter. That won't put much juice back in the batteries especially with a larger capacity battery bank. Also look in to using 6v batteries rather than 12v.

[Mr. Coffee]

Sorry if this is late and of little help. In the last post Dexters you said that you were going to unplug from the RV park power. If you had been plugged in and batteries already full or close to full charge, I don’t believe you would see many amps being added into your battery because it was already full. If you disconnected from shore power and ran the batteries down you will see higher numbers in both amps and amp hours. For a good read visit HandyBobs blog. Some very good solar info there. Good luck.