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Charge Controllers and Clippers => The "KID" charge controller => Topic started by: centuridude on March 01, 2016, 04:53:39 PM

Title: 1WK LED will not go out
Post by: centuridude on March 01, 2016, 04:53:39 PM
I have a KID that has been in service for about 1.5 years now.  A few weeks ago, the 1WK LED came on solid, but hasn't gone out since the batteries have received a full charge.  I would assume that it would go out automatically after reaching a full charge.

Any ideas?
Title: Re: 1WK LED will not go out
Post by: BobWhite on March 01, 2016, 05:00:34 PM
I'm new with the kid but my understanding is it stays on until it doesn't get a full charge for a week. atleast that's what the two I have are doing.

Walt
Title: Re: 1WK LED will not go out
Post by: Westbranch on March 01, 2016, 05:15:46 PM
I agree with Walt, what has the weather been like in your area?

Tell us a bit about the components in your system and the PVs specs...
Title: Re: 1WK LED will not go out
Post by: centuridude on March 01, 2016, 05:50:08 PM
On page 25 of the manual it states "1WK - One Week. It has been 1 week since a full charge".

I don't recall this LED being on for as long as it current has been.  It is normally off.  My system is only lightly loaded and I usually drop down to about 90-92% battery capacity remaining before the charge cycle begins at the beginning of the day.  I normally do reach 100% charge (as indicated by the Kid) each day.  However, when this 1WK LED first came on, it was cloudy and stormy for several days, and I probably did not reach a full charge for a week.
Title: Re: 1WK LED will not go out
Post by: BobWhite on March 01, 2016, 06:51:57 PM
Quote from: centuridude on March 01, 2016, 05:50:08 PM
On page 25 of the manual it states "1WK - One Week. It has been 1 week since a full charge".

I don't recall this LED being on for as long as it current has been.  It is normally off.  My system is only lightly loaded and I usually drop down to about 90-92% battery capacity remaining before the charge cycle begins at the beginning of the day.  I normally do reach 100% charge (as indicated by the Kid) each day.  However, when this 1WK LED first came on, it was cloudy and stormy for several days, and I probably did not reach a full charge for a week.


Ill look into this some more, the two I have, were reconditioned units and trying to find the firmware thats on them, I would think the latest. (do you know what is on your system?) but I know I fully charged my batteries within two days of setting them up without any loads and the one week has been on ever since.

I was concerned that the two week would come on at a point we had bad weather for nine days but it didn't maybe because I cut back on my loads and allowed the kids to charge the batteries.

What I am running is four 8D agm batteries at 12 volts at 990 ah, One kid charges two batteries and the other two charged by the second kid. Each kid has two Sharp NQ-198 panels hooked up in parallel.

Electrical Specifications:

Monocrystalline Solar Cells

Conversion rate of 20%

Standard Maximum Power 198W

Rated maximum voltage 22.4V

Rated maximum operating current of 8.84A

Standard open circuit voltage 27.5V

Rated short circuit current 9.5A

My load is two 18 watt led flood lights wired directly to the batteries and turned on and off threw a switch. Thats one light per battery bank, so my load is low in my opinion. If someone thinks or feels different please let me know.

Anyways I will look into it more in depth to see if I may be misunderstanding what I now believe. Thank you centuridude for bringing this up! Do you know what firm ware you are running on your kid?

Walt
Title: Re: 1WK LED will not go out
Post by: Westbranch on March 01, 2016, 07:01:35 PM
IIRC the charge state is determined by the achievement of a full ABSORB phase, if you do NOT get the full time limit met you will not get the light to go out, so if you are lightly removing amps from your battery and it only takes 1/2 hr to meet the Absorb V value  and the maximum Absorb time is 3 hrs, ....the light stays on...
Title: Re: 1WK LED will not go out
Post by: BobWhite on March 01, 2016, 07:04:07 PM
Quote from: Westbranch on March 01, 2016, 07:01:35 PM
IIRC the charge state is determined by the achievement of a full ABSORB phase, if you do NOT get the full time limit met you will not get the light to go out, so if you are lightly removing amps from your battery and it only takes 1/2 hr to meet the Absorb V value  and the maximum Absorb time is 3 hrs, ....the light stays on...

Thank you WB ;) saved me a little time.