New SunSaver 20L not working!

Johnny G1 wrote:
Problem was only there with the truck running or not

...so, the problem was there all the time.

mike-s wrote:

Johnny G1 wrote:
...I had a charge line from my truck alternator to charge my camper batteries...The problem showed up when I had park and shut off my truck

The truck should have a relay which only connects the charge line when the engine is running. That prevents the truck battery from being drained if the connection were to be left in place when parking or camping.

Problem was only there with the truck running or not, quite familiar with relay's and such, then why did it work properly when truck line was disconected??? almost looks like it didn't like charge coming from both?? No problem with my mh, alternator charging along with solar panels????

Johnny G1 wrote:
...I had a charge line from my truck alternator to charge my camper batteries...The problem showed up when I had park and shut off my truck

The truck should have a relay which only connects the charge line when the engine is running. That prevents the truck battery from being drained if the connection were to be left in place when parking or camping.

Direct charge line? No relay, no isolator?
You were feeding the alternator and the truck battery

dclark1946 wrote:

Johnny G1 wrote:

unbob wrote:

dclark1946 wrote:
So I am also having an issue with my new Morningstar Sun Saver 10A controller but it is different from the OPs. Mine seems to operate normally when the two 55W panels are in full sunlight but in the late afternoon or sometimes early evening the status led changes from green to full on red and the battery status leds are sequencing red,yellow,green. In the the controller stays in that state even with the panels illuminated by the sun (low angle) but later in the day the controller goes into normal charging operation with the expected charge and battery led status Being as expected.

I have discussed this with Morninstar tech support and they are sending me a replacement controller. I am wondering if they are having quality issues with their off shore supplier.

Solid red status LED is a "critical error" (see page 29) and the battery status LED R-Y-G sequencing is "Self-test Error" (see page 37).

Had the same problem on my truck camper, disconected charge line from truck and problem went away, no explanation for over charging with 2 power leads????

So are you saying that you were charging both your camper battery and your truck battery using a solar panel?

No I am saying that I had a charge line from my truck alternator to charge my camper batteries and was also using my solar too, nobody can figure it out as I can have my mh plugged in to electric and still be charging from my solar. The problem showed up when I had park and shut off my truck, Just happened to look in at my batteries and noticed the light's flashing. my batteries were optima blue top.

I had a SunSaver 20 amp controller go bad, and they sent me a new one. The failure was preceded by my having the rig in indoor storage, plugged into shore power.
I left the solar panels connected. The result of that was that the battery voltage was higher than the panel voltage. The MS tech said that can create an error condition in the controller, but that it should be able to be cleared. But the controller had gone bad.

I don't know if the condition of indoor storage with everything connected caused the controller failure or not. I mention it in case it applies to OP or others in the thread.

unbob wrote:
Just installed new SunSaver 20L. This seems to be a defective unit. If there's another possibility - I'm all ears!

Using multimeter, reading 19v from the single 85w PV panel. But the SunSaver status LED shows nothing (same as if no PV panel connected). Morningstar calls this 'Night' operating state - the status LED is off with "heartbeat" indication flickering ON (green) briefly every 5 seconds.

Therefore, no charging of the battery is happening.

Desperately seeking Comments/feedback. Thx!

Add'l info - when this 85w PV panel is connected to my old controller it works fine and charges the battery as expected. When the old controller is disconnected and replaced with the new SunSaver 20L controller there is no current from the PV panel and thus no charging whatsoever.

Conclusion: SunSaver 20L is defective. Can anyone here refute my conclusion? Is there any other possible answer to this conundrum?

Johnny G1 wrote:

unbob wrote:

dclark1946 wrote:
So I am also having an issue with my new Morningstar Sun Saver 10A controller but it is different from the OPs. Mine seems to operate normally when the two 55W panels are in full sunlight but in the late afternoon or sometimes early evening the status led changes from green to full on red and the battery status leds are sequencing red,yellow,green. In the the controller stays in that state even with the panels illuminated by the sun (low angle) but later in the day the controller goes into normal charging operation with the expected charge and battery led status Being as expected.

I have discussed this with Morninstar tech support and they are sending me a replacement controller. I am wondering if they are having quality issues with their off shore supplier.

Solid red status LED is a "critical error" (see page 29) and the battery status LED R-Y-G sequencing is "Self-test Error" (see page 37).

Had the same problem on my truck camper, disconected charge line from truck and problem went away, no explanation for over charging with 2 power leads????

So are you saying that you were charging both your camper battery and your truck battery using a solar panel?

unbob wrote:

dclark1946 wrote:
So I am also having an issue with my new Morningstar Sun Saver 10A controller but it is different from the OPs. Mine seems to operate normally when the two 55W panels are in full sunlight but in the late afternoon or sometimes early evening the status led changes from green to full on red and the battery status leds are sequencing red,yellow,green. In the the controller stays in that state even with the panels illuminated by the sun (low angle) but later in the day the controller goes into normal charging operation with the expected charge and battery led status Being as expected.

I have discussed this with Morninstar tech support and they are sending me a replacement controller. I am wondering if they are having quality issues with their off shore supplier.

Solid red status LED is a "critical error" (see page 29) and the battery status LED R-Y-G sequencing is "Self-test Error" (see page 37).

Had the same problem on my truck camper, disconected charge line from truck and problem went away, no explanation for over charging with 2 power leads????

dclark1946 wrote:
So I am also having an issue with my new Morningstar Sun Saver 10A controller but it is different from the OPs. Mine seems to operate normally when the two 55W panels are in full sunlight but in the late afternoon or sometimes early evening the status led changes from green to full on red and the battery status leds are sequencing red,yellow,green. In the the controller stays in that state even with the panels illuminated by the sun (low angle) but later in the day the controller goes into normal charging operation with the expected charge and battery led status Being as expected.

I have discussed this with Morninstar tech support and they are sending me a replacement controller. I am wondering if they are having quality issues with their off shore supplier.

Solid red status LED is a "critical error" (see page 29) and the battery status LED R-Y-G sequencing is "Self-test Error" (see page 37).