Newbie with a Renogy 200W Suitcase Voltage from Controller

WebTab2021

Hi all,
Thanks to all of you for sharing all of your knowledge. I got a new to me 2018 Tab 400 ( not. BD) last October. The dealer installed the Zamp port for me but I couldn’t afford Zamp so I bought a Renogy 200W suitcase. I followed feedback from this forum to purchase the proper adapter to reverse the polarity and things seem generally good EXCEPT my volts reading on the  Renogy controller show around 6.5V but when I put my meter at the Zamp port I get a reading of 13.3 - 13.6V. The controller is set  for AGM and the dealer told me my unit had two 6V AGM batteries (I admit I didn’t actually check because it’s such a PITA to get the battery cover off.). We are planning to be off grid for a week at Sleeping Bear Dunes and the boss will not be happy if we run out of power or worse…damage the batteries. I know I need a Victron - it’s on the wishlist!!!
So am I doing something dumb?…any advice appreciated!

Sharon_is_SAM

Sounds like the controller is only attached to a single 6 v battery.  You need to get under the bed and follow the SAE solar port wires.  Where did he place the SAE solar port?

WebTab2021

Just to the left of the passenger side access port underneath the battery vent

pthomas745

If you are taking a voltage reading from the SAE port (that is what the Zamp port is, nothing more) what you are reading is the battery voltage.  The 13.6 or so reading you are getting from the battery is a reading of a battery being charged. If you are not plugged into shore power, and that is a reading with solar charging the battery, that looks good.

The Renogy controller probably scrolls through a set of information?  Which one of those screens are saying 6.5V?  If you battery is completely charged, it may not need to have the controller send  much more than that to the batteries to maintain the charge.

To get a reading from the panels: find the controller.  Use the probes on the two little screws where the solar panel wiring goes into the controller. That will tell you what the voltage from the panel are giving you.

To get a good reading from the batteries, through the SAE port: turn the battery switch off.  Wait a few minutes, and see what the battery voltage reading is.  That will give you a more accurate "rested" battery voltage readout.

Sounds like: your battery is charging, or is fully charged.

Denny16

The 2018 TaB 400 has a single 12VDC AGN battery under the rear bunk on the passenger side, next to the rear cargo storage locker door.  On a TaB400 built in Jan2018 or earlier had a single industrial 12VDC AGN battery.  Not sure of the exact date but the later 2018 models have two 6-VDC AGN batteries )wired in series to get 12VDC) inside a black battery case in the same location as the single 12VDC AGM battery.  Looking in from the cargo door you can see which battery is in there very quickly, you will see either a pan AGM battery ( no cover/case) or the black case covering the batteries, the later containing two 6VDC batteries).

In either case, the solar controller would be set for 12VDC battery type, and the SAE (Zamp) plug should be connected to the little black battery distribution box on later 2018 builds shown below (which is 12VDC).  

As Thomas pointed out, the solar controller (if set correctly) is only going to output the voltage required to charge the battery, the more the charge, the less the voltage output will be.  Disconnect the battery and the solar panel controller will not output much of a voltage reading, if any.

Red arrow points to battery power distribution box in late 2018/2019 TaB400s.  Access to battery distribution box is from center under bunk locker.  This photo show the bunk boards removed, or opened, and the two 6VDC Batteries inside the big black case.  Both panels lift up once mattress kit is moved.

Cheers 

Sharon_is_SAM

https://www.renogy.com/content/RCC10VOYP-G1/VOYP1020-Manual.pdf

XenanMe

Hey @WebTab2021.  I have the same year trailer and the same Renogy panel.  Sounds like maybe your batteries are fully charged so the charge controller on the panel went into Float Mode.  When this happens the voltage drops.  Try running the batteries down a bit (turn the fridge on while the trailer is unplugged) then you should see the higher voltage on your Renogy controller with the panels in the sun.  That is an excellent setup and it should work well for you.  Happy camping!

WebTab2021

Thank you all! This is making sense. Mine does have that black battery case and when I turned off the battery disconnect with it off shore power ( resting a few minutes first) the meter showed 13.6V. I also got the same reading from the lugs going to the battery. So the battery is fully charged.  What XenanMe says also makes sense about it getting a float charge. I’ve attached a photo of my controller, which makes me think that it’s an older model than the one that Sharon_is_SAM attached.. My controller doesn’t scroll unless you push the button marked Amps/Volts, and the just shows Volts, amps and amp hours.

Denny16

So you have the dual 6VDC batteries, congratulations.  May I ask what Month your 2018 was built (it is on the nüCamp Vin number tag on the front frame.  I think the switch was in February, along with getting the Flo added.  Does your TAB400 have the aux Flo hot water tank (little red tank next to the Alde under the driver’s side of the rear bunk.  We just missed getting these upgrades.  

With the premature death of the battery, and nüCamp switching to the 6VSC battereis due to this issue, a upgrade under the warranty or recall would have been nice, like they did with the floor issue on some of the early 2018 TaB400s.
Cheers

Sharon_is_SAM

I see - I thought you checked the battery voltage at the controller using a multimeter.  The 6.5 v reading is from the panels.  

XenanMe

Yes, you can see from your pic that there is a red light above the full battery icon.  That means you are in Float Mode.  You will should see a higher voltage when the light above the battery charging icon (battery with lightening bolt) is illuminated.

WebTab2021

Thank you all again - great help and information from everyone. According to the tag on the tongue it was manufactured in April 2018. There is no aux flo tank next to the Alde though. The floor seems good - I haven’t seen or felt any softness that I have heard others describe.

Denny16

You shouldn’t have any floor issues either, as your TaB was made before substitute floor underlayment was used.  You have an Azdel floor underlayment panel which your Infinity Flooring is glued to.  The Flo units didn’t get installed until after Feb. 2018, following the upgrade to an Alde 3020.  You have an Alde 3010, which will not work with the Flo aux hot water tank.  The switch to the Alde 3020 was in Jan 2018, I believe.  

Congratulations on your newish TaB400, and safe travels…
Cheers

Aubrey

WellTab2021, Just purchased a renogy, did you get it sorted out? The pic above looks to me like your battery was showing very low on the scale and the charging light was not lit. Is this a problem with having 2 6v batteries? (my T@B has the big AGM, 2018)
How has your suitcase performed?
I am trying to fully understand the charging amps in the different charge modes and various conditions.

Denny16

@Aubrey, the solar controller works like any smart battery charger, only allowing what the battery needs to safely charge it based on the batteries current charge level and the amount of load on the battery.  A battery that has only 12VDC of charge, will get a full charge from the solar panels, whose output depends on the amount of sun hitting them.  So the lower the battery charger,the greater the charge rate measure in amps.  Once the battery is charged up to around 12.85 volts, the solar controller reduces the charge to a low level to maintain the charge.  

The size of a battery will also be a charge rate factor, but to the controller, a single 12VDC battery is charged the same as two 6-volt batteries in series, (or two 12VDC batteries in parallel), which the controller sees as a single 12VDC battery, so no difference.  

Cheers 

Aubrey

Copy that. I like watching the amp rating climb when the sun is out, but i am mainly watching battery voltage, which dips according to the load of course, but climbs steadily during solar charging.
Air conditioning will be the only thing missing from AMA Days

Aubrey

Batteries in parallel.. not in series  like a bus .. its all coming back to me (brain stretch)