smkettner wrote:
Interesting with just the charging light and no charged light.
I assume this means a single stage single voltage controller that just holds 13.6 to 13.8 volts max all day. Again chronically undercharging the Optima.
Consider a new controller but if spending money you may as well get new panels up there with 200+ watts.
The ASC I had was a "Shunt" type that was on/off. It had an adjustable high set point. Until the batt voltage reached the set-point, the charging light stayed on. After that the charging light went on and off, being on only when the controller gave a shot of current to maintain the voltage.
As the batts got closer to full, the times off got longer between the times of the on "pulses" which got shorter. The controller has no way to know the batts are "charged" as such.
I call that profile "two stage" where it does Bulk until it gets to the high set point, then holds there for Absorption.
That "Shunt" type method of doing the Absorption Stage is now more often seen as a "Series" method with tapering amps instead of a varying time on off. They both work, but some Series types also have a settable Float voltage or a built in three-stage profile that includes a drop to a lower Float voltage after a timed Absorption.
The OP's controller will be fine if it has the adjustable voltage. He can set it to 14.8 for when camping and to 13.x for when not camping. While camping it can stay at 14.8 till dark, when the voltage drops anyway. Dark = Float :)
He has to mount it so he can turn it around at will to change the voltage at the back.
