low battery voltage shuts down gopower controller

jmcsd

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Joined
Dec 18, 2023
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8
Hi, hopefully someone else has experienced this.

(controller=gp-pwm-30-ul, battery=Litime lifepo4 12v 230ah 200a bms, 600w solar, victron smart shunt)

If the battery voltage drops below 9 volts it will not power the controller, per gopower manual.

Lifeop4 battery bms need activation when it shuts off due to low voltage (below 10.8v), when in low voltage protection mode the battery shows 1.56 volts so the controller will not turn back on. UGH

I had to jump the battery with my truck to get the system going again, not ideal to say the least.

Thanks in advance for any suggestions.

John Carter
 
The controller needs to be hooked up to a functioning battery in order to transfer current from the panel to a battery. Every system is like this. The solution is not to let your battery fall below 10.8.

I think what I would do is analyze my usage and determine acceptable limits on my usage or increase my capacity with another battery setup in parallel.
 
As Phil said don't drop voltage so low in the first place

if in storage... solar will keep the battery topped up OR you can disconnect the battery
for storage in winter ... if battery gets too cold just disconnect it.

If storing in Poway Ca? average winter temps get to about 46 so you should not have a lot of days where the battery will get too cold?

Leave the solar ON , park in a sunny spot

I leave my 12v fridge ON all the time... it drains the battery about 15-20% each night
so battery is not constantly sitting at 100%
exercises the battery and charging system ... plus the fridge is not sitting
(I subscribe to the use it or lose it theory... fridge has worked for about 3 years constantly)

You could just leave one/two LIGHTS on if you don't want to run the fridge
and let solar do it's work...

leave your solar on when you drive , parked at a rest area or at a campground
only time to turn off is when doing maintenance

Do you have a Inverter? If yes... Turn it off when not actually using 120v power from it.
are you using 120v for hot water? switch to propane.
----------------------------------------------------------------
IF your solar is not keeping up with your battery drain. check why it is not
600w in Southern CA should keep up with your usage.


since adding solar I have NOT used my converter to keep battery charged
my battery cycle # is only 66 ....... since April. (210 days)
it won't count as a cycle each day as the usage is so low.

Camping ... try find semi shaded spots where you get sun in the morning until mid afternoon
Shade from 2-3pm won't be a drama cause your battery should have gotten close to 100% by then (hopefully)

If you not getting good solar charging... look at getting a MPPT and maybe go to 800w or more of panels.as I write this at 8.30am I am getting 8 amps

50 amp MPPT should work on the existing wiring as long as you increase the voltage the panels can produce (series connect some/all of the panels)
I run mine 33v @ 20amp max from panel to controller
 
Last edited:
Thank you all for your help.

I think I was lulled in to thinking 230ah was more than enough. I will be watching more closely both the usage and the battery getting to full capacity. I will probably go to the 100/50 MPPT controller that will kick on even if the battery is in safe mode.

Follow up question, is the on board 110 battery charger that came with the trailer capable of charging at 14.4 +-2v that LifeOp4 batteries like?

2023 Rockwood Mini lite 2506s


John Carter
 
Welcome Kelly Ann!

Thank you all for your help.

I think I was lulled in to thinking 230ah was more than enough. I will be watching more closely both the usage and the battery getting to full capacity. I will probably go to the 100/50 MPPT controller that will kick on even if the battery is in safe mode.

Follow up question, is the on board 110 battery charger that came with the trailer capable of charging at 14.4 +-2v that LifeOp4 batteries like?

2023 Rockwood Mini lite 2506s


John Carter
John, Depending on the type of usage you do, 230AH is a lot of battery power. I have always been able to get buy with only one of my 200AH batteries. Granted, my TT has propane based major appliances that I use.

I would suggest that you go to one of the many WEB sites that have a calculator function that gives you suggested values for the typical travel trailer so that you can see what your typical usages are and "battery up" to that level plus a safety factor. IMO, this process is mandatory for people who rely on boondocking or camping without services at a camping site.
 
I think I was lulled in to thinking 230ah was more than enough. I will be watching more closely both the usage and the battery getting to full capacity. I will probably go to the 100/50 MPPT controller that will kick on even if the battery is in safe mode.

Follow up question, is the on board 110 battery charger that came with the trailer capable of charging at 14.4 +-2v that LifeOp4 batteries like?
John Carter
Some usage info I just had. :)

I just had a chance to test my usage with the temp falling to freezing the first night and thirty eight or so the second night. 600 watts of solar and 3 100 AH batteries.

I used 75 AH the first night and 60 the second night. Had the temp up a bit higher the first night 68 degrees and turned it down to 64 the second night. Also turned off the water heater the second night as I did hear it kick on a few times the first night. 12 volt refrigerator also.

I ran my generator the third day for a bit since it was rainy and I knew the solar was not going to help much. Batteries were mid 60% at that time so it brought it up to around 75%, did not want the batteries dropping down to the 40% range over night. They again used about 60 AH that night with the temp around 40 degrees, heat set at 64 and water heater off.

I do not have an auto detect converter and just let the solar panels top off my batteries but the way it looks it will take 24 hours to get my batteries back up to a full charge now that I am on shore power. All three were at 50% when I plugged in yesterday about noon.

This is fine by me since I figure when I get to a campsite with power I am going to be there a few days anyway. I do not need all my shore power current going to the batteries and not be able to use my fireplace or microwave. One of the reasons I never ran larger wire to my batteries from the converter. I read that will increase the current due to the better voltage readings the way I understand it. I prefer to keep that current down.

In the middle of Iowa right now so the sun is definitely not at its peak. The day I had full sun maybe a few clouds(second) my solar kept the batteries where they were at or maybe added 5 AH a piece, do not have a screen shot of that afternoon but I was expecting a better pickup of AH's than what I got.

Testing it during the summer I was fine and would replenish during the day until I got five days of severely overcast and rain days. Solar was not enough to keep the batteries replenished and lost a bit each day.

Just the standard Go Power PWM controller that came with the camper.
 
I will probably go to the 100/50 MPPT controller that will kick on even if the battery is in safe mode.

I have read some actually quite a few posts of putting a higher rated controller but I never see any thing mentioned about the wiring from the roof to the controllers when it is recommended as an option.

I know mine came with 10 gauge wire to the controller. I would think with the more amperage you would now have to put in 8 gauge as it looks like the charts I have come across 30 amps is the max for 10 gauge.

Unless I am missing something this would entail removing the cable housing on the roof to gain access to the wiring? Sure does not seem like it is just a simple remove and replace swap out to me.
 
I have read some actually quite a few posts of putting a higher rated controller but I never see any thing mentioned about the wiring from the roof to the controllers when it is recommended as an option.

I know mine came with 10 gauge wire to the controller. I would think with the more amperage you would now have to put in 8 gauge as it looks like the charts I have come across 30 amps is the max for 10 gauge.

Unless I am missing something this would entail removing the cable housing on the roof to gain access to the wiring? Sure does not seem like it is just a simple remove and replace swap out to me.
Agreed. Solar power is a system with parts that work together. Any one component can make the system as a whole not well designed.

I think this video would be a good one for the OP. Note the design calculator in the video references.
 
x2 what Dave said...

I have a 200ah bank .... use about 60amps per night for 12v fridge and propane FURNACE...
all the other stuff like slides . jacks and lights are not that much of a power drain to even worry about.

If you use a inverter, you need to look a lot harder at improving your solar setup

BUT........... do not turn it off.
it will turn itself off each day at sunset
the batteries when full will stop taking charge current
the system is pretty much set and forget
 
I have read some actually quite a few posts of putting a higher rated controller but I never see any thing mentioned about the wiring from the roof to the controllers when it is recommended as an option.

I know mine came with 10 gauge wire to the controller. I would think with the more amperage you would now have to put in 8 gauge as it looks like the charts I have come across 30 amps is the max for 10 gauge.

Unless I am missing something this would entail removing the cable housing on the roof to gain access to the wiring? Sure does not seem like it is just a simple remove and replace swap out to me.


increase the voltage by joining the panels in series
the wires then can carry more load as you will be reducing the amps to carry the same wattage

panels produce 800w
@12v you need 66 amps ..... too much for the 30amp wire
@ 33v you need 24 amps ......... the wire can handle 24 amps

I use 100/50 on the factory 10g wiring 34v panel @ max 20 amps
not a drama

BUT the wires from controller to battery need to be sized correctly
because you can't increase the voltage going into battery
i got 4g for the short wires form controller to battery.

that 's why going MPPT works best it will increase the amps (decrease volts) when it can
100/50 can output 50 amps ... size the wiring to max output of controller

PWM can't increase the amps so power in excess of it's rated current is wasted


if you want a more detailed discussion on voltage/amps in a MPPT read this post on the solar forum
https://diysolarforum.com/threads/d...-turn-excess-voltage-into-current-amps.33420/
 
I've got a wiring diagram of the 12 VDC components. Looks like the wires to the controller from the battery are 8 gauge if the diagram is correct. So far everything I have used it for reference has been correct. Never paid attention to the battery side when I wired in my cutoff from the panels.

Odd that a camper manufacturer would actually install more cable size than what is actually required but then it is a longer run from the controller to the battery. Mine is in the kitchen same as OP.
 
I've got a wiring diagram of the 12 VDC components. Looks like the wires to the controller from the battery are 8 gauge if the diagram is correct. So far everything I have used it for reference has been correct. Never paid attention to the battery side when I wired in my cutoff from the panels.

Odd that a camper manufacturer would actually install more cable size than what is actually required but then it is a longer run from the controller to the battery. Mine is in the kitchen same as OP.

I got a rear kitchen too
If I had installed the controller in "their" spot in the Kitchen cupboard the solar wire panel gland to controller would have been about less than 4 foot

the wire from controller to battery at front pass through .... would have been at least 24 foot one way !

since that 24 foot wire is limited to charge voltage 14.2
I would expect the current would suffer
 

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