Newbie needs help!

[justbecky]

Hey everyone! We bought a skoolie last year and have slowly been converting it. Like many others before us, we got to the solar and are absolutely stuck! We have everything hooked up and still can't get it to work. The inverter has a constant tone that won't turn off. We also can't get it to display anything higher than 13.7. We initially thought it might be the batteries, but had them tested and they were good. We have looked all around our area (Tacoma WA) to find someone that may be able to help but have turned up nothing. Can anyone point me in the right direction?

[Danjo]

Who is the inverter manufacturer? I had a similar experience with a Renogy inverter-charger and they fixed me up with a phone call

[Danjo]

I’ve got
To ask though, what’s up with that wiring? How come you don’t have single conductors of the correct gauge?

[justbecky]

Originally Posted by Danjo

Who is the inverter manufacturer? I had a similar experience with a Renogy inverter-charger and they fixed me up with a phone call

The first one was an ECO-Worthy. This one is from "WZRELB". Same issue with both. As far as the wiring we just used what they sent. What should we be using?

[Rucker]

Originally Posted by justbecky

Hey everyone! We bought a skoolie last year and have slowly been converting it. Like many others before us, we got to the solar and are absolutely stuck! We have everything hooked up and still can't get it to work. The inverter has a constant tone that won't turn off. We also can't get it to display anything higher than 13.7. We initially thought it might be the batteries, but had them tested and they were good. We have looked all around our area (Tacoma WA) to find someone that may be able to help but have turned up nothing. Can anyone point me in the right direction?

I'm assuming the batteries are each 12V, and connected in series you should have 24V, that's the problem?

Is the solar charge controller also configured for 24V?

Have you tried disconnecting everything from the inverter except for the battery?

[justbecky]

Yes to all. We tried connecting just the inverter and batteries and it's the same thing

[Crown_Guy]

It appears the inverter is a 24v input, at least that's what it's checked off as being. Those batteries are wired in Parallel so they will only be putting out whatever they are by themselves but with double the usable current for just one battery alone. You really need to get a proper multi-meter, available all over online for about $30, spend a couple bucks and get a good one and not just the cheapest you can find, you can thank me later.

Whatever those batteries are, either 6v golf carts, or 12v, the way it's wired the inverter is seeing way too low an input voltage and is yelling at you to fix the problem. It will never work until it sees the proper 24v input.

Why a 24v inverter??? I think you'd do better with a 12v input inverter since then you get double the current capacity from the two batteries in parallel. Unless your vehicle is a 24v coach or something there shouldn't be any need for a 24v inverter. And is your solar system going to put out the 24v needed to help power the inverter??? If not you're facing some very serious voltage matching problems between the 12v batteries, the solar output, and the inverter input. It might be a good idea to full stop for a second and make sure the design of all the components is all matched up and will work together. You might simply need to replace the inverter with a 12v one.

If by chance those are both 12v batteries you need to re-wire them so they are in Series configuration. That means that the negative of Batt-1 goes to the neg inverter input, the positive of Batt-1 goes to the negative of Batt-2 (directly) and the positive of Batt-2 goes to the Pos. input of the inverter. That means the the two 12v batteries are Adding their voltages up to the 24v needed, 12v + 12v= 24v.

Now the inverter sees 24v and should stop alarming. You will only have the rated current capacity of a single battery. I'd remove all the other solar stuff completely until you get the inverter to work in a stand-alone mode.

Also make sure the batteries actually have a full charge to begin with. A separate battery charger and the multi-meter will give you the tools to verify the battery conditions. These will be critical in the days ahead for you to probe and verify what exactly is going on. You should plan on carrying these with you always as part of your tools compliment.

If those are 6v golf cart batteries you're SOL since there isn't any way to generate 24v without getting two more 6v batteries and wiring the whole bunch of them in series to get the 24v needed for the inverter. Again the multi-meter is key to figuring out what's going on. You MUST get one and have it available at all times to troubleshoot your system.

And yes, you really should get some proper Single larger gauge cables for the batteries. Those multiple wires create all kinds of issues with the voltages and resistance through the wires which affects the efficiencies of the whole system. Only use single large gauge wires for all your hookups. Someone can help you with the sizing based on your anticipated loads. It doesn't hurt at all to have larger cables than you think you'll need.

Hold on a minute. I just looked at the second pic and it's obviously showing 13.7 volts on the meter. That tells me all I need to know. Those are two 12 volt batteries and not 6v golf carts. I missed that. Your problem then is simply to do as I said above and re-wire the two batteries in series 12v + 12v so they give the inverter 24v input. Then that built in meter should show you the combined voltages of about 26-27v or so which is just fine for the inverter. Simple right?

Do yourself a favor and do some reading on basic electricity theory and make notes and internalize it. It's really not hard and the stuff you're dealing with is straight forward and easy to grasp, with a little concentration. Believe me when I say you're going to need to KNOW this when you find yourself facing problems on the road at O'Dark Thirty in the middle of nowhere and the power isn't working. Knowledge will save your wallet and possibly even your life depending on the temperatures outside.

[justbecky]

Originally Posted by Crown_Guy

It appears the inverter is a 24v input, at least that's what it's checked off as being. Those batteries are wired in Parallel so they will only be putting out whatever they are by themselves but with double the usable current for just one battery alone. You really need to get a proper multi-meter, available all over online for about $30, spend a couple bucks and get a good one and not just the cheapest you can find, you can thank me later.

Whatever those batteries are, either 6v golf carts, or 12v, the way it's wired the inverter is seeing way too low an input voltage and is yelling at you to fix the problem. It will never work until it sees the proper 24v input.

If by chance those are both 12v batteries you need to re-wire them so they are in Series configuration. That means that the negative of Batt-1 goes to the neg inverter input, the positive of Batt-1 goes to the negative of Batt-2 (directly) and the positive of Batt-2 goes to the Pos. input of the inverter. That means the the two 12v batteries are Adding their voltages up to the 24v needed, 12v + 12v= 24v.

Now the inverter sees 24v and should stop alarming. You will only have the rated current capacity of a single battery. I'd remove all the other solar stuff completely until you get the inverter to work in a stand-alone mode.

Also make sure the batteries actually have a full charge to begin with. A separate battery charger and the multi-meter will give you the tools to verify the battery conditions. These will be critical in the days ahead for you to probe and verify what exactly is going on. You should plan on carrying these with you always as part of your tools compliment.

If those are 6v golf cart batteries you're SOL since there isn't any way to generate 24v without getting two more 6v batteries and wiring the whole bunch of them in series to get the 24v needed for the inverter. Again the multi-meter is key to figuring out what's going on. You MUST get one and have it available at all times to troubleshoot your system.

And yes, you really should get some proper Single larger gauge cables for the batteries. Those multiple wires create all kinds of issues with the voltages and resistance through the wires which affects the efficiencies of the whole system. Only use single large gauge wires for all your hookups. Someone can help you with the sizing based on your anticipated loads.

Just changed up the wiring and sure enough...it worked!!! I am ordering a multi-meter now.. Thank you to all of you awesome folks!!

[Rucker]

Originally Posted by Crown_Guy

It appears the inverter is a 24v input, at least that's what it's checked off as being. Those batteries are wired in Parallel so they will only be putting out whatever they are by themselves but with double the usable current for just one battery alone. You really need to get a proper multi-meter, available all over online for about $30, spend a couple bucks and get a good one and not just the cheapest you can find, you can thank me later.

Whatever those batteries are, either 6v golf carts, or 12v, the way it's wired the inverter is seeing way too low an input voltage and is yelling at you to fix the problem. It will never work until it sees the proper 24v input.

Why a 24v inverter??? I think you'd do better with a 12v input inverter since then you get double the current capacity from the two batteries in parallel. Unless your vehicle is a 24v coach or something there shouldn't be any need for a 24v inverter. And is your solar system going to put out the 24v needed to help power the inverter??? If not you're facing some very serious voltage matching problems between the 12v batteries, the solar output, and the inverter input. It might be a good idea to full stop for a second and make sure the design of all the components is all matched up and will work together. You might simply need to replace the inverter with a 12v one.

If by chance those are both 12v batteries you need to re-wire them so they are in Series configuration. That means that the negative of Batt-1 goes to the neg inverter input, the positive of Batt-1 goes to the negative of Batt-2 (directly) and the positive of Batt-2 goes to the Pos. input of the inverter. That means the the two 12v batteries are Adding their voltages up to the 24v needed, 12v + 12v= 24v.

Now the inverter sees 24v and should stop alarming. You will only have the rated current capacity of a single battery. I'd remove all the other solar stuff completely until you get the inverter to work in a stand-alone mode.

Also make sure the batteries actually have a full charge to begin with. A separate battery charger and the multi-meter will give you the tools to verify the battery conditions. These will be critical in the days ahead for you to probe and verify what exactly is going on. You should plan on carrying these with you always as part of your tools compliment.

If those are 6v golf cart batteries you're SOL since there isn't any way to generate 24v without getting two more 6v batteries and wiring the whole bunch of them in series to get the 24v needed for the inverter. Again the multi-meter is key to figuring out what's going on. You MUST get one and have it available at all times to troubleshoot your system.

And yes, you really should get some proper Single larger gauge cables for the batteries. Those multiple wires create all kinds of issues with the voltages and resistance through the wires which affects the efficiencies of the whole system. Only use single large gauge wires for all your hookups. Someone can help you with the sizing based on your anticipated loads. It doesn't hurt at all to have larger cables than you think you'll need.

Hold on a minute. I just looked at the second pic and it's obviously showing 13.7 volts on the meter. That tells me all I need to know. Those are two 12 volt batteries and not 6v golf carts. I missed that. Your problem then is simply to do as I said above and re-wire the two batteries in series 12v + 12v so they give the inverter 24v input. Then that built in meter should show you the combined voltages of about 26-27v or so which is just fine for the inverter. Simple right?

Do yourself a favor and do some reading on basic electricity theory and make notes and internalize it. It's really not hard and the stuff you're dealing with is straight forward and easy to grasp, with a little concentration. Believe me when I say you're going to need to KNOW this when you find yourself facing problems on the road at O'Dark Thirty in the middle of nowhere and the power isn't working. Knowledge will save your wallet and possibly even your life depending on the temperatures outside.

Good eye! I missed that!

[jjaj823]

Originally Posted by justbecky

Hey everyone! We bought a skoolie last year and have slowly been converting it. Like many others before us, we got to the solar and are absolutely stuck! We have everything hooked up and still can't get it to work. The inverter has a constant tone that won't turn off. We also can't get it to display anything higher than 13.7. We initially thought it might be the batteries, but had them tested and they were good. We have looked all around our area (Tacoma WA) to find someone that may be able to help but have turned up nothing. Can anyone point me in the right direction?

I'm in Tacoma. DM me and I'd be happy to show you my setup and talk through any questions I can answer.

Jeremy