I was sitting in the camper doing paperwork and noticed the battery voltage getting low from running the inverter. I reached up to the solar charge controller to press the button to show amps charging and a large static discharge occurred. It seems to have fried the voltage display readout. The amperage readout still works however. I can always get my DVM to check voltage in a pinch or get a secondary display unit to show a readout all the time. Or I can bend over and get a new charge controller. I was going to wait on that until I get another 170 watt solar panel and install an MPPT controller. I still have to determine if the unit is still even working, charging the batteries. I'll keep you posted. Perhaps people should wear static bracelets while in the TC.

My MPPT charge controller has a ground terminal on the case. I'm guessing that yours wasn't grounded.Wisdom counsels THREE wires all the way from the panel frames to the controller to the RV chases to the best ground you can find, probably the city water pipe (if you are connected to shore water). One of the hazards of shoving electrons around is static buildup.

It wouldn't matter if the controller was grounded. A massive jolt of voltage can jump and go through components that aren't designed to take even a tiny fraction of that much energy. ESD destroys parts in all types of electronics. The only way to protect them is to not subject them to it.

Disconnect all power, wait a few minutes and reconnect it.. maybe it just needs a "reset"

My controller is a Kyocera from 1999. That's pretty old technology. The Tech at Discount Solar told me to be careful handling it because just touching the components could wreck the circuitry. I was careful in handling them. This unit has no ground but could be grounded through the negative which ultimately grounds to the truck battery negative or the shore power ground when plugged in. Looking at getting a Go Power MPPT controller to replace.

How does the charge controller know what charge regime to provide if we ourselves can only read the rate of charge voltage being pumped in and not the actual batteries state of charge, unless the controller is shut off and the batteries are allowed to settle? Sorry about the lengthy question.... how does any stage charger know for that matter? Is it a preset charge sequence based on the batteries initial state of charge. After all is said, I understand the only real way is to check specific gravity in each cell.This may sound off topic, but what I'm getting at is if there is an alternative or simpler way in avoiding a controller altogether???

Static Shock! | Good Sam Community

14 Replies

Camper_Jeff___K
Nomad III
Feb 06, 2019

My controller is a Kyocera from 1999. That's pretty old technology. The Tech at Discount Solar told me to be careful handling it because just touching the components could wreck the circuitry. I was careful in handling them. This unit has no ground but could be grounded through the negative which ultimately grounds to the truck battery negative or the shore power ground when plugged in. Looking at getting a Go Power MPPT controller to replace.
deltabravo
Nomad
Feb 06, 2019
Disconnect all power, wait a few minutes and reconnect it.. maybe it just needs a "reset"
ScottG
Nomad
Feb 06, 2019
It wouldn't matter if the controller was grounded. A massive jolt of voltage can jump and go through components that aren't designed to take even a tiny fraction of that much energy.
ESD destroys parts in all types of electronics. The only way to protect them is to not subject them to it.
naturist
Nomad
Feb 06, 2019
My MPPT charge controller has a ground terminal on the case. I'm guessing that yours wasn't grounded.

Wisdom counsels THREE wires all the way from the panel frames to the controller to the RV chases to the best ground you can find, probably the city water pipe (if you are connected to shore water). One of the hazards of shoving electrons around is static buildup.

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Static Shock!

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