I’ve got an AC200L charging from a 1200 W array. It’s linked up to a B230 and they are charging together as would be expected. However, if I plug in a separate portable solar PV350 with the D050S DC Charging Enhancer, I see the LED on the D050 turn red for charging, but I don’t see the additional charge show up on the AC200L App. Is there some way to verify that a charge is going into the B230 other than the red light on the D050.
Thanks!
The B series of batteries can charged independently but the controller will just monitor the state of charge on the battery. I have two AC300 and eight B300 batteries, and by experience I have done independent solar charging on the B300, yet the AC300 cannot sense that.
I can confirm what Raymondjram says.
If you want further proof (beyond the red led on the D050S) that the B230 is charging well by the D050S : disconnect the large expansion cable linking the B230/B300 to your AC200L to isolate the B230/B300. If you see the green led chase on the B230/B300, this means that the D050S is charging it well.
You can also insert a watt/amp meter between your solar panels and the D050S (below) if you want to know how many watts the D050S takes, but this requires making some MC4 connectors and soldering a little.
https://www.amazon.com/HTRC-Precision-Analyzer-Battery-Voltage/dp/B06XPVKY13
You can also use a digital ammeter that uses a clamp around one of the MC4 wires to measure DC flowing and a voltmeter in parallel to the contacts. Multiply both values to get real power.
Thanks for the responses. I’ll do that. I think the remaining issue is that when the B230 is connected and both batteries get completely depleted overnight, the AC200L then doesn’t necessarily charge the B230 the next day. If completely depleted, it seems like the B230 needs a certain amount of separate charge again before it gets recognized again by the AC200L so that it can send the additional energy to the B230. And I have a USB stick in the B230 with the outlet on to keep it awake. But of course that turns off again when completely depleted.
Hello
To prevent the B230 from turning off, you don’t need to put a USB key, putting DC “on” on the B230 so that the green light is on is enough!! It works on my B230/AC200max.
When my B230 and AC200max are completely drained, and you power it from solar, in the morning the solar wakes up the AC200max but not the B230. I have to press the big green button to turn on the B230. What happens is that the solar power is very low and charges the AC200max too slowly - same for the B230 via the D050S - and I think the AC200max keeps all the charge for itself, the B230 not receiving anything ends up turning off to protect his battery from too much discharge.
It’s a bit annoying, the only remedy I found is : unlock the blue switch on the large connector of the expansion cable, unplug the D050S, plug the AC/DC adapter (480W) into the B230 for a few minutes (unlocking is to prevent the AC200max from recharging via the grid - but if you want to recharge both at the same time, no problem, don’t unlock). I let the B230 recharge for 5 to 10 minutes on the grid… Then I relock the blue switch so that the AC200max can connect to the B230 and I check that I have a few percent of charge on the B230. And then I stop and unplug the AC/DC adapter. You can put DC again on ON on the B230 and it does not will turn off more and can be recharged by solar.