Have I killed our Blue Sky Energy MPPT PV charge controller?

[topgun2]

Ugly! 

I'd consider myself lucky at this point because the situation could have been MUCH worse.  Glad you caught it in time before something really bad happened.

Bill

[MAG]

What follows is a new email exchange between a PDI Tech and myself today:  With this information, I conclude the problem was the lithium switch, even though we did not replicate the overheating.

Email to PDI:

Thank you for your help with our puzzle David. 

 

One more question for you. We tried to recreate the problem that caused our batteries to overheat so completely: We drew down the AGM batteries to 70% by running the refrigerator on DC power overnight. Then with solar panels charging and shorepower on and the switch set to Lithium , we allowed the batteries to charge all day…….wondering if we could recreate the battery overheating. We could not. We did not want to leave the situation overnight, since we were not sure what could happen. Do you think that given more time, the batteries would have overheated, due to the switch being set to lithium? It would be great to know with some certainty if the Lithium switch being set to the wrong setting was the source of the overheating.

 

 

Thanks again for helping us understand this situation. We are worried about what will happen when we install new batteries!

Thanks so much,

 

From: PDI Service<service@progressivedyn.com>
Date: On Thu, Oct 20, 2022 at 4:22 AM
Subject: Fwd: Re: Could this series of events have damaged the unit?
To: Mary Gibson <MaryGibson@protonmail.com>
CC: 

When set to Lithium the output will stay at 14.6 VDC continuously after they are charged up. This is above the float voltage (storage) of any AGM.

Charging at this voltage is not a problem, it is resting at this voltage that will overheat them over time.  (weeks to months to destroy the batteries)

 

This is the reason that the converter needs to be set at the LA or WI setting. This is designed for Flooded lead acid or AGM batteries.

 

The cycle is explained at these links. Basically after they are charged the voltage is lowered to a floating condition that maintains the battery.

 

Charge Wizard . Explained here: It is built into your PD4045 Ignore anything about a button or light as it is all automatic in the PD4045

 

To clarify the setting: You will have either the switch or the jumper not both.

The switch should be moved to LA.

If you have this switch it should be on LA.

If you have this jumper it should be moved so it is over the center pin and the WIZ side.

Jumper