Been having an issue with my GP-PWM-30 solar controller for awhile now and am finally getting around to messing with it with having a trip coming up. As I understand the problem, I have and over voltage error, everything on panel is lit up and flashing. At night, the panel returns and reads normal......I tried the soft reset (no luck) and am going to try and do a hard reset.Being lazy and having no cardboard to cover the solar panels, can I wait during darkness to do the hard reset??As I understand the hard reset procedures, I disconnect the solar wires from the back on the controller first and then disconnect the wires from the solar array.And wait about 20-30 minutesThe reconnect in reverse order.... Batt wires 1st, then Solar array wires.......Am I missing anything???

https://gpelectric.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/GP-PWM-30-UL_Manual-with-French_2018-04-10.pdfPerhaps the controller is right.First, confirm with your multimeter if the battery bank is indeed at 15.5v or so.Secondly, if it is, how did that happen? (Is something else charging the batteries that high? Or is your own voltage setting on the controller wrong?---it goes back to not flashing at night when the battery voltage would fall normally with no solar, so it just got too high during the day?)

BFL13 wrote:https://gpelectric.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/GP-PWM-30-UL_Manual-with-French_2018-04-10.pdfPerhaps the controller is right.First, confirm with your multimeter if the battery bank is indeed at 15.5v or so.Secondly, if it is, how did that happen? (Is something else charging the batteries that high? Or is your own voltage setting on the controller wrong?---it goes back to not flashing at night when the battery voltage would fall normally with no solar, so it just got too high during the day?)Currently the battery is around 12.5v or so, been letting the batt's discharge thinking that may reset it (nope, didn't work).I am thinking that when I hit the BATT DISCONNECT switch and then quickly back on, may have sent a spike to the batt/converter/controller/etc., and caused the over voltage, but honestly I am not sure, that is what I "think" may have happened. Just by coincidence, I noticed the controller panel on the fritz after that, may have already been like that before from an actual OVER VOLTAGE, just not sure.So trying to bring it back to normal and see if it happens again.......... then I will know better of what is going on, my fault or if there is and actual OV problem;)

2 comments: 1. The solar controller should be connected to the battery and the battery disconnect switch should have no effect.2. You should have disconnect switches on the solar panel wires and on the controller battery wires. Especially for controllers may require proper sequencing of these 2 switches.

CA Traveler wrote:2 comments: 1. The solar controller should be connected to the battery and the battery disconnect switch should have no effect.2. You should have disconnect switches on the solar panel wires and on the controller battery wires. Especially for controllers may require proper sequencing of these 2 switches.In response to # 1, So then me hitting the BATT DISCO SW and then back on, should have had nothing to do with the issue, good to know, then not may fault/mistake :DAnd for #2, there are no "switches" that I can see for the panels OR on the controller battery wires, all the wires are connected to "other" wires with butt connections, or am I misunderstanding you???I pulled out the wires from the wall as far as I could to take a look when I removed the controller, not much to see. Where the dealer installed the panel (dumb location:M), hard to see anything.If the weather holds out, I will get up on the roof and look for, whatever there may be, But I am betting just the connectors from one panel to another and then goes down in to the interior of the motorhome. I tried to navigate the mess of wires, in the battery compartment and under the master bed,(electrical panels/power transfer, etc, etc, etc) but there are sooooooo many, hard to make heads and tails of. Honestly, THAT will take a more of an effort and methodical approach (see previous post on me being lazy) and quite honestly, electrical stuff intimidates me

So, just wanted to add that I disconnected wires, let the controller sit for more than an hour and reconnected every thing......BUT, it is dark out side, so to really know if it worked, I will have to wait for tomorrow and the sun to come up.HOWEVER,Playing around with the controller........Conditions: Dark, Gennerator running.....It is also worth noting, I have 4 batteries (6v), and 3 panels (not sure of the specs)....The battery voltage doesn't match that of the motorhomes systems control panel, 2-3 volts difference........Makes me wonder how that dealer wired all this mess and if they used the correct wire gauge and such. I am guessing that they put ALL 4 batteries on one bank/charging circuit :?

GP-PWM-30 OVER VOLTAGE ERROR | Good Sam Community

BFL13
Explorer II
Dec 07, 2019
https://gpelectric.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/GP-PWM-30-UL_Manual-with-French_2018-04-10.pdf

Perhaps the controller is right.

First, confirm with your multimeter if the battery bank is indeed at 15.5v or so.

Secondly, if it is, how did that happen? (Is something else charging the batteries that high? Or is your own voltage setting on the controller wrong?---it goes back to not flashing at night when the battery voltage would fall normally with no solar, so it just got too high during the day?)
Roo
Explorer
Dec 07, 2019
BFL13 wrote:
https://gpelectric.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/GP-PWM-30-UL_Manual-with-French_2018-04-10.pdf

Perhaps the controller is right.

First, confirm with your multimeter if the battery bank is indeed at 15.5v or so.

Secondly, if it is, how did that happen? (Is something else charging the batteries that high? Or is your own voltage setting on the controller wrong?---it goes back to not flashing at night when the battery voltage would fall normally with no solar, so it just got too high during the day?)

Currently the battery is around 12.5v or so, been letting the batt's discharge thinking that may reset it (nope, didn't work).

I am thinking that when I hit the BATT DISCONNECT switch and then quickly back on, may have sent a spike to the batt/converter/controller/etc., and caused the over voltage, but honestly I am not sure, that is what I "think" may have happened.

Just by coincidence, I noticed the controller panel on the fritz after that, may have already been like that before from an actual OVER VOLTAGE, just not sure.

So trying to bring it back to normal and see if it happens again.......... then I will know better of what is going on, my fault or if there is and actual OV problem;)
CA_Traveler
Explorer III
Dec 08, 2019
2 comments:

1. The solar controller should be connected to the battery and the battery disconnect switch should have no effect.

2. You should have disconnect switches on the solar panel wires and on the controller battery wires. Especially for controllers may require proper sequencing of these 2 switches.
Roo
Explorer
Dec 08, 2019
CA Traveler wrote:
2 comments:

1. The solar controller should be connected to the battery and the battery disconnect switch should have no effect.

2. You should have disconnect switches on the solar panel wires and on the controller battery wires. Especially for controllers may require proper sequencing of these 2 switches.

In response to # 1, So then me hitting the BATT DISCO SW and then back on, should have had nothing to do with the issue, good to know, then not may fault/mistake :D

And for #2, there are no "switches" that I can see for the panels OR on the controller battery wires, all the wires are connected to "other" wires with butt connections, or am I misunderstanding you???

I pulled out the wires from the wall as far as I could to take a look when I removed the controller, not much to see. Where the dealer installed the panel (dumb location:M), hard to see anything.

If the weather holds out, I will get up on the roof and look for, whatever there may be, But I am betting just the connectors from one panel to another and then goes down in to the interior of the motorhome.

I tried to navigate the mess of wires, in the battery compartment and under the master bed,(electrical panels/power transfer, etc, etc, etc) but there are sooooooo many, hard to make heads and tails of. Honestly, THAT will take a more of an effort and methodical approach (see previous post on me being lazy) and quite honestly, electrical stuff intimidates me
Roo
Explorer
Dec 08, 2019
So, just wanted to add that I disconnected wires, let the controller sit for more than an hour and reconnected every thing......

BUT, it is dark out side, so to really know if it worked, I will have to wait for tomorrow and the sun to come up.

HOWEVER,

Playing around with the controller........

Conditions: Dark, Gennerator running.....

It is also worth noting, I have 4 batteries (6v), and 3 panels (not sure of the specs)....

The battery voltage doesn't match that of the motorhomes systems control panel, 2-3 volts difference........

Makes me wonder how that dealer wired all this mess and if they used the correct wire gauge and such. I am guessing that they put ALL 4 batteries on one bank/charging circuit :?
CA_Traveler
Explorer III
Dec 08, 2019
Likely you don't have switches and have to disconnect wires. My switches are next to the controller.

2-3V difference for a 12V battery system is HUGE. My guess is that one or both meters are inaccurate.

Roo wrote:
The battery voltage doesn't match that of the motorhomes systems control panel, 2-3 volts difference........
Roo
Explorer
Dec 08, 2019
Update:

So, went out this morning and cked on everything, No bueno..... right back where I started.

So rounded up enuff cardboard and materials to cover panels, went thru the hard reset again and just uncovered 1 panel and same results, over voltage...

So my question is.....

Is it a bad controller or something else in within the solar/power/batt system ????
BFL13
Explorer II
Dec 08, 2019
You need to use your multimeter while the controller is flashing (that is important! not when it is not flashing), and tell us exactly what the voltage is
- right at the batteries,
- right at the converter's output terminals, and
- right at the controller's battery wire terminals.

Not using some display voltages--the independent hand held multimeter's voltage readings.

Also whether you are plugged in so you have converter (or inverter/charger?) DC voltage in the mix.

It is normal to have solar as well as converter DC to the house batteries at the same time while on shore power or generator.
time2roll
Nomad
Dec 08, 2019
If the controller reports over voltage incorrectly I would be looking for a new controller.
Roo
Explorer
Dec 08, 2019
BFL13 wrote:
You need to use your multimeter while the controller is flashing (that is important! not when it is not flashing), and tell us exactly what the voltage is
- right at the batteries, 12.19
- right at the converter's output terminals, not at the converter but at the controllers terminals 22.2
- right at the controller's battery wire terminals. 7.66

Not using some display voltages--the independent hand held multimeter's voltage readings.

Also whether you are plugged in so you have converter (or inverter/charger?) DC voltage in the mix. No shore power and no generator running

It is normal to have solar as well as converter DC to the house batteries at the same time while on shore power or generator.

as far as the converter, only terminals i seen was I guess the input and that was 12.19 also....... so not really sure

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