Sunline plr 8g / 16g solar controller

 
 
 
 
 
 
Seanb
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Sunline plr 8g / 16g solar controller

 ·  Posted: 29.07.2018  ·  #1
Hi there.
I'm currently on the continent and my solar controller doesn't appear to be working properly. It's a Sunline plr 8g / 16g. I'm struggling to get any manual for the controller. It has 3 lights on the front which will not illuminate. There is also some kind of reset button when I remove the front panel which has no effect. Before I left home it was keeping the leisure batteries at 14.2 volts. Now they only go up to 12.5 volts. Im getting 12.8 volts at the back of the panel itself. I load tested the batteries before I left and they were fine. Any help or suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
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Seanb
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Still struggling

 ·  Posted: 14.08.2018  ·  #2
Any help would be appreciated. Thanks
Blag
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Re: Sunline plr 8g / 16g solar controller

 ·  Posted: 14.08.2018  ·  #3
No led's lighting is not good news. Does that reset button make a click sound when you press it? Any pics of the electronics board?
Seanb
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Re: Sunline plr 8g / 16g solar controller

 ·  Posted: 15.08.2018  ·  #4
The lower of the 3 lights was on( which I think is low voltage)
and when I pressed the red button it went out without a click.
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bigfoot bair
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Re: Sunline plr 8g / 16g solar controller

 ·  Posted: 15.08.2018  ·  #5
I had that problem once it was just a bad conection at the panel on the
roof .
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Re: Sunline plr 8g / 16g solar controller

 ·  Posted: 15.08.2018  ·  #6
Have you traced the positive wire back to the battery? I wonder if there might be an inline fuse. Probably close to the battery? Or a bad connection?
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Re: Sunline plr 8g / 16g solar controller

 ·  Posted: 16.08.2018  ·  #7
Do you have/ or can borrow a voltmeter at all? If so it would be worth measuring the solar panel voltage at the block terminals inside your charge controller with lid removed. Is the controller PWM or MPPT? If it is PWM You would expect that voltage to be higher than the battery voltage. Depending on amount of sunlight available that could be 13, 14, 15 volts or higher. If not, you might have a bad connection back to the panel.
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Re: Sunline plr 8g / 16g solar controller

 ·  Posted: 16.08.2018  ·  #8
One thing that got my attention was the negative wire on the left. (I'm assuming it's from the solar panel)

There are several loose wire strands not pushed into the connector. One of them looks like it's touching the positive wire? (Maybe it's just the angle of the photo)

It'd be interesting to see what voltage you're getting from each pair of red/black wires...

Are the pair on the left from the Solar panel and the pair on the right to the battery? I see that little silver LCD display seems to be connected to the pair on the right so I'm assuming 12.6v from the battery?

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Re: Sunline plr 8g / 16g solar controller

 ·  Posted: 16.08.2018  ·  #9
Many thanks for all your input. I have a multi meter and am getting around 17v from the panels. I've checked the connections on both panels up top. The right hand side wires are the batteries (12.6v) and LHS is the panels. I've had the wires in and out a couple of times and they're a tight fit. I'll tidy up the loose ends but am sure they're not touching.
The inline 30amp fuse is still intact and the battery voltage at the controller is the same as on the batteries so happy those connections are ok. There doesn't appear to be anything blown inside the controller but just wondering if it's likely fail for no reason?

Thanks again.
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Re: Sunline plr 8g / 16g solar controller

 ·  Posted: 16.08.2018  ·  #10
Quote by Seanb

Many thanks for all your input. I have a multi meter and am getting around 17v from the panels. I've checked the connections on both panels up top. The right hand side wires are the batteries (12.6v) and LHS is the panels. I've had the wires in and out a couple of times and they're a tight fit. I'll tidy up the loose ends but am sure they're not touching.
The inline 30amp fuse is still intact and the battery voltage at the controller is the same as on the batteries so happy those connections are ok. There doesn't appear to be anything blown inside the controller but just wondering if it's likely fail for no reason?

Thanks again.


Bugger. I'd put my first bet on it being a problem with that red reset switch. If it's thermal reset switch, there's usually a bi-metallic contact inside that should give a solid click when you reset it. (At least the ones I've played with did). If it doesn't click, maybe it's welded itself open.

Have you removed the PCB and had a look at the back? Any burned or broken tracks, or bad solder joints?
Or at the side, some components riveted to that L shaped heatsink, any blistered components there?

If you havent been onto the supplier yet, it might be worth shooting them an email.

Or you could just cut your losses now and pick up a new solar controller locally!! :lol: :lol:
Seanb
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Re: Sunline plr 8g / 16g solar controller

 ·  Posted: 16.08.2018  ·  #11
I did plug into mains and the mains charger brought the voltage up to 14.1v overnight and now the top battery light is faint yellow. If I switch off the charger, voltage is around 13.6 and light goes out and voltage slowly drops over time. Board looks clean enough and the heatsink is warm to the touch.

Maybe I'll jusy stay onains for the remainder, or pick up a replacement controller in Super U😃.

Thanks again Kevin.👍
Seanb
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Re: Sunline plr 8g / 16g solar controller

 ·  Posted: 16.08.2018  ·  #12
The reset button feels like it works although there is no audible click.
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