Specialty Concepts SC2 - Manual (Page 13)

P R O B L E M D E S C R I P T I O N S
BATTERY UNDER CHARGED
CONTROLLER NOT CHARGING AT ALL, ALWAYS IN THE FLOAT MODE ("CHARGE
MODE" LIGHT OFF)
Check to see that the controller is receiving voltage (at least about nominal system voltage) from
the battery and the solar panels. If it is, momentarily disconnect the panels, using a solar
panel disconnect switch if available, then reconnect. The controller should reset into the full
charge mode ("CHARGE MODE" light on). If it does not reset, the controller may be
defective.
See General Note #8 above. A damaged sensor or wire will cause the controller to malfunction.
CONTROLLER STOPS CHARGING TOO SOON, AT TOO LOW A VOLTAGE
See General Note #6 above: Try to monitor the voltage at the "BATTERY VOLTAGE SENSE"
terminals when the controller actually switches. Most often, when a controller is operational, it
is switching at the correct voltage. If the battery is not reaching the charge termination set
point voltage before the controller switches, it is usually an error in the voltage that the
controller is sensing, not a controller failure.
See General Notes #12 and 14 above: A poor connection between the battery and the controller
results in a voltage drop during charging periods (larger drop for higher current) that
disappears when charging stops. This voltage drop results in a higher voltage being sensed at
the controller than is actually at the battery.
CONTROLLER CLICKS AND CHATTERS, PARTICULARLY IN THE MORNING AND EVENING
See General Notes #12 and 14 above: Check the connection to the battery. A poor connection at
the battery will cause the relay to chatter under low light conditions and the controller to
remain in float mode during full sun.
CONTROLLER NOT CHARGING, "CHARGING" LIGHT DIM, BATTERY VOLTAGE VERY LOW
If the battery is extremely low, there might not be enough voltage to operate the controller. The
charging relay requires a minimum operating voltage to engage and allow charging. If the
battery is down to 9 volts or lower on a 12 volt system, (17 on a 24 volt) connect the battery
directly to the solar panel (or use an auxiliary charging source) until sufficient charging has
occurred to increase the voltage.
Note: Battery life depends on the number, time and the depth of the discharges. Severe battery
damage can result when batteries are deeply discharged and not recharged immediately.
"CHARGE MODE" LIGHT ON AT NIGHT
Review the "REVERSE CURRENT PROTECTION" and "CONNECTION SEQUENCE" sections of
this manual. The reverse leakage timer may cause the "CHARGE MODE" light to be on for a
few hours each evening. Also, the light will stay on during the night of the first day of
installation or if the solar panel has been manually disconnected that day. If the light stays on
all night every night, the timer may be defective.