Hi there,
I recently received an AC200L and PV350 solar panel. I tested the solar panel in perfect weather conditions (no clouds, no shade, direct sunlight 75 °F) and am averaging around 150w solar input. I have verified that the AC200L is set to PV input, all plugs are tight, I turned it on/off and unplug/plug everything. My understanding is that I should be getting 250+ watts or ideally 300+ watts in these conditions. I checked the voltage and it’s around 24v on average (according to the app). I Also began charging the AC200L when it was at 55%.
Would anyone happen to know if there is anything else I can check to determine if the PV350 panel is working as expected? Or maybe there is another setting I need to change on the AC200L? (I didn’t see anything in the manual)
Any ideas or guidance would be appreciated. I’m hoping to figure it out. Luckily I still have 30 days to return.
Hi @Cory, Thank you for your purchase.
Given the environmental temperature, we believe that the lighting conditions are not as favorable as during the peak summer period.
Since you are achieving a charging power of 150W, it indicates that the connection method is working fine. We recommend trying to adjust the angle of the solar panel to see if it makes a difference and helps you find the optimal solar conversion angle.
If you want higher charging power, consider purchasing another PV350 and connecting them in series, which will provide a synergistic effect, resulting in more than just double the power.
Please feel free to contact us if you need more help.
Hi thanks for the response. I attempted your suggestion and nothing changed. I will be returning the panel due to poor performance. Thanks anyways.
Hello
do you have a PV350 or a PV350D panel?
Because if you have a PV350 panel, the result you’ve got is not normal: the pv350 has a Vmp of 37.5V and a Voc of 46.5V… so it is abnormal to have an average voltage of 24V… your pv350 panel is broken.
On the other hand if you have a PV350D panel … everything is explained. These panels have a Vmp of 27.6V. or this voltage is probably too low for your ac200l, which thinks that it is not a solar panel but a cigarette lighter socket that is connected, and consequently the ac200l will limit the intensity to 8A max…
In this case, your measurements are explained: voltage of 24V, power of 150w…
It is then not your pv350d panel that has a problem, the Vmp is simply too low for the AC200l… in this case you should put 2 P350D panels in series, you will no longer have the limitation to 8A and you will be able to obtain all the power of your panels
Thanks Snips, you are correct. That is my issue. I have a 350D. It is unfortunate because the model was not specified in the bundle I purchased. The whole point of getting a 350 was to avoid two panels. I’m leaving a review on amazon stating as much. Thanks for finding the cause. I will be returning it.
Hi @Cory, I am sorry for the inconvenience.
Have you got the answer from the Amazon seller?
We still recommend testing the input voltage of the solar panels using a multimeter and also upgrading all the firmware for the AC200L. This may be helpful.
Please feel free to contact us if you need more help.
Thank you for @Snips1’s advice, that is very professional of you!
They have offered a refund. I have not yet determined if I have to pay for shipping.
I asked if I could instead swap the panel for the 46.5v panel as shown in the Amazon bundle (I included a screenshot as proof), but they said Amazon was out of stock. I have also provided a screenshot showing that it is in stock. At this point I am getting the impression that they would prefer me to do a full refund instead swapping out for the correct panel. It’s a shame because I wan’t to keep the battery, but it seems it’s all or nothing.
Hi @Cory, Would you like us to arrange an upgrade service for you?
We can assist in communicating with Amazon customer support and apply for the next steps based on your preferences.
If needed, please message us and provide your order number.