Blue Sky Energy
–
Solar Boost 3000i
13
Blue Sky Energy | USA |
www.blueskyenergyinc.com
TROUBLESHOOTING GUIDE
➢
If operational problems occur the single most important troubleshooting item is to be certain that battery voltage as
measured on the battery terminals of the 3000i is the same as voltage measured on the batteries themselves within a
few 10
ths
of a volt at all times. If voltages are different there is a connection problem to the battery which often resides
within the battery fuse or fuse holder. The fuse holder feeling warm or hot during operation is a sure sign of a poor
quality or failing fuse or fuse holder which must be corrected. Once proper battery voltage is confirmed the second
most important item to check is PV voltage on the PV terminals of the 3000i. While PV voltage will vary greatly when
the 3000i is in a Charge On state, the 3000i will not switch to a Charge ON state unless PV voltage is at least 0.3V higher
than battery voltage with everything connected in the normal manner.
SYMPTOM
PROBABLE CAUSE
ITEMS TO EXAMINE OR CORRECT
Completely dead,
display blank.
No battery power.
Display mode set to OFF.
Battery disconnected, overly discharged, or connected reverse polarity. Battery powers
3000i, not PV. Voltage present on the 3000i
’s battery terminals must be the same as actual
battery voltage within a few 10
ths
and at least 9 volts.
Press Display Select to select display mode other than OFF.
Display very dim.
3000i in Charge Off state
Normal operation, display automatically dims when 3000i is in Charge Off state even if
Slave(s) are in charge on state causing Float/ Absorption LEDs’ to be on.
All display segments &
LED indicators stuck
on.
PV connected reverse polarity.
PV- connected to BAT- external to
controller causing unexpected ground
currents.
Immediately correct polarity.
PV- & BAT- must be separate for proper operation. External connection prevents proper
operation.
Unit will not switch to
Charge ON state.
No battery power.
PV disconnected or low in voltage.
PV reverse polarity.
Microprocessor lockup.
Over temperature shutdown.
Battery disconnected, overly discharged, or connected reverse polarity. Battery powers
3000i, not PV. Voltage present on the 3000i’s battery terminals must be the same as actua
l
battery voltage within a few 10
ths
and at least 9 volts.
PV voltage when connected to the 3000i must be at least 0.3V greater than battery voltage
for 3000i to switch to Charge On State.
Reverse PV will heat front panel & force all display segments & LE
D’s ON
.
Momentarily remove all power (battery & PV) to re-boot.
Normal operation will resume when the 3000i cools.
Unit will not stay in a
Charge ON state.
Low and changing sun intensity.
PV- connected to BAT- external to
controller.
Normal operation.
PV- & BAT- must be separate for proper operation. External connection prevents proper
operation of current measurement system.
Charge status
indicator ON but no
output charge current.
Battery voltage greater than present
charge voltage setpoint.
Battery voltage too low.
Poor connection to the battery.
PV- connected to BAT- external to
controller.
Normal operation. Output is off due to high battery voltage which may be caused by other
charging systems, or immediately following a switch to Float before battery voltage
dropped and settled.
Battery voltage must be at least 9 volts for the 3000i to operate.
Voltage present on the 3000I
’s battery terminals must be the same as actual battery voltage
within a few 10ths. Examine connections and fuse & fuse holder.
PV- & BAT- must be separate for proper operation. External connection prevents proper
operation of current measurement system.
Charge OFF at high
ambient temperature.
System temporarily shuts down due to
high internal temperature.
Normal operation, improve ventilation or reduce PV power.
Charge current is
lower than expected.
Battery is highly charged.
User expectations too high.
Worn out or very dissimilar PV modules
Low sun intensity
PV- connected to BAT- external to
controller.
Normal operation. Current is intentionally reduced in Absorption & Float to control battery
voltage at setpoint. Maximum available charge current will only be seen when the 3000i is
in Bulk.
Even though the PV’s may be in full sun, clean, and with zero shading it
is common to only
see about 75
–
80% of total PV I
MP
. Note that the smallest amount of shade can cause a
large reduction in charge current. Replace, or use as is.
Atmospheric haze, PV’s dirty or shaded, sun low on horizon, etc.
PV- & BAT- must be separate for proper operation. External connection prevents proper
operation of current measurement system.
MPPT Current boost is
less than expected
PV maximum power voltage (V
MP
) is near
battery voltage, leaving little extra power
to be extracted
PV’s hot
Worn out or dissimilar PV modules
PV’s with low V
MP
. PV’s with V
MP
17V work best, PV’s with <36 cells tend to work poorly.
Excessive PV wiring voltage drop due to undersize wiring, poor connections etc.
Battery is nearly charged and battery voltage is high. Output during MPPT operation is
“constant power” such that higher battery voltage reduces charge current increase.
V
MP
and available power decrease with increasing PV cell temperature. Cooler PV’s will
produce greater boost. It is normal for % increase to drop or even go to zero as PV
temperature rises.
Replace, use as is, or use different controller for different PV modules.