Each time, when examining my solar setup now and then, I will find that the controller seems to show everything normal, with the blue “Bulk” LED being lit, but the load is disabled. But if I disconnect the solar input, (essentially “rebooting” the controller?) the load circuit comes back “on”. I see this every time. The the app shows normal historical solar activity. The Li-ion battery is always fully charged. The load will stay on for quite a while, but eventually I must leave my setup. The next time, days or weeks later, the load is again disabled. It is disconcerting that the load will turn off at some later time all on its own. Anyone see anything like this?
What are your parameters for load on/off ?
Thanks for the reply. I have it set at the default (Battery Life).
"3.8.3. BatteryLife
When the solar charger is not able to recharge the battery to its full capacity within one day, the result is often that the battery will continually be cycled between a ‘partially charged’ state and the ‘end of discharge’ state. This mode of operation (no regular full recharge) will destroy a lead-acid battery within weeks or months.
The BatteryLife algorithm will monitor the state of charge of the battery and, if needed, day by day slightly increase the load disconnect level (i.e. disconnect the load earlier) until the harvested solar energy is sufficient to recharge the battery to nearly the full 100%. From that point onward, the load disconnect level will be modulated so that a nearly 100% recharge is achieved about once every week."
I have no idea how this is supposed to work…
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OK, and thanks for that information. So are you saying it is possible that each time I check on my system, I am seeing one of the periodic load disconnect events? Possible, I guess, but the history I see from the app shows a regular high level of solar input. Anyway, I think I will change to one of the user-defined load options like the “user defined algorithm 1” and set my own hard limits. Any recommendations on the settings for a Lithium ion battery?
No, I’m saying i don’t understand what victron is trying to tell us…
OK, and thanks again. Maybe someone else has seen this odd disabling of the load output. And maybe when I manually select the load on/off voltages the problem will go away. Lastly, it is important, I think, that disconnecting the solar input seems to “reset” the controller, and it then acts normally. Maybe I will call in to Victron about it.