PWM input voltage, Xantrex C40 test video
here is the Video link, the fluke is plugged directly into the Solar panel drop wiring before it enters the controller right above the panel input protection fuse, that i use for a disconnect just c...
Forum Discussion
Amps to the battery will taper once battery voltage is held constant, but solar amps can be as many as the array can produce to run other loads too.
It is hard to keep the battery voltage constant with loads running and solar conditions changing all day.
If the loads take all of the available solar amps so the battery gets none, the battery voltage will fall. With loads on and off all day and sometimes taking all the amps and sometimes leaving some for the battery to continue charging, it gets confusing.
You can be in Float with the battery getting a few (tapering) amps and the solar providing some of the rest of its amps to loads. If the loads take all the solar amps plus some from the battery, so the battery voltage falls enough (13.2v being a typical trigger), the controller will re-start Bulk, but that does not necessarily mean the battery will get any more amps just then if the loads are still taking them all.
You can spend a long time in that Float with battery voltage not down to 13.2 yet.
IMO the early morning data Mr Wiz provided shows that the C40 is a normal series PWM controller and after that in the day, there is so much going on at the same time it is confusing the picture.
It is hard to keep the battery voltage constant with loads running and solar conditions changing all day.
If the loads take all of the available solar amps so the battery gets none, the battery voltage will fall. With loads on and off all day and sometimes taking all the amps and sometimes leaving some for the battery to continue charging, it gets confusing.
You can be in Float with the battery getting a few (tapering) amps and the solar providing some of the rest of its amps to loads. If the loads take all the solar amps plus some from the battery, so the battery voltage falls enough (13.2v being a typical trigger), the controller will re-start Bulk, but that does not necessarily mean the battery will get any more amps just then if the loads are still taking them all.
You can spend a long time in that Float with battery voltage not down to 13.2 yet.
IMO the early morning data Mr Wiz provided shows that the C40 is a normal series PWM controller and after that in the day, there is so much going on at the same time it is confusing the picture.
