SunSaver Duo

[Joan and Jim]

To say that my understanding of electricity is limited would be an understatement so I seek advice. Last year my house batteries quit. The electrician replaced them with four Interstate SRM 27 deep cycle batteries which I believe are classified as "flooded". The battery monitor which I had installed seemed to indicate that the solar panels have been charging the batteries ever since. I have detected no problems. However, I recently noticed in the Operation Manual for the SS Duo that there are 5 switches on it, the first two of which are called "Battery Type Select" switches. The switch for "flooded" batteries is supposed to be in the "on" position which did not occur when the new batteries were installed or since. I intend to remedy that but have the following questions:

1. I assume that switch #1 is to the house batteries and #2 to the engine. Is that correct?;
2. Since there are separate switches for the house and engine batteries, I assume that there is no problem with having flooded batteries for the house battery bank and a separate type for the engine. Is that correct?;
3. I do not know why the different positions are required. What might have been the effect on both battery charging and possible damage to the batteries for my not having the switch on?

Thanks in advance.

 

[Red Raven]

1. Yes battery 1 “should” be the house and battery 2 the start battery. You can confirm by putting a load on the house batteries.(inverter on and microwave on) and check for a Voltage drop on battery 1 on the Morningstar remote meter.

2. While the SunSaver Duo may handle two different type of batteries simultaneously your shore battery charger likely will not. Since your batteries likely will be on the shore battery charger most all the time it is more important the battery type settings are correct on that charger.

3. The SunSaver Duo is a PWM Charger which limits the ability to follow a true charge profile for the battery type. It actually always delivers whatever voltage is on the solar panel. The pulse width and duty cycle are adjusted to try to match the charge profile. It’s rough at best and the total charge delivered by the solar charger is minor compared to the shore power battery charger over a batteries life. I would be more concerned that the shore power charger settings be correct, which unfortunately likely includes not mixing battery types unless you have installed a charger with that special capability

Curt

 

[knotflying]

You seem to not know what battery types you have so I would first determine what you have before you do anything. Curt is correct about the shore power setting and that being more critical. If by chance you have mixed types that is a no no. However all is not lost. This is my thought so others can chime in, you can either change your other batteries to match or have your setting on the charger set to the setting that has the lower output so as not to overcharge which would be the AGM setting. This will not be as good as the flooded charge, but will save the life of your AGM's. Here is a link that explains the charging of each. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PramQg3qcLg
With that said, (rhetorical question) our charging system from the alternator has no settings for different type batteries so what happens there with charging rates etc. Seems like a missing link to me.

 

[barling]

The stock solar panel which came with the boat, a 140, is not producing. I have not been able to find the fuse, a 35 amp fuse which is stated to run on the wire from the controller to the house batteries, as they are on opposite sides of the boat. I wonder whether it would be better to simply replace the Morningstar SunSaver Duo with something made by Victron, as you did. Would you recommend this. My solar is not producing and the SunSaver Remote is blank. I found how to reset it, but where are the fuses among all the encased wires.

 

[ALICE J]

I have found no fuses and my remote readout is three dashes, but the green light is on. My separate voltmeter tells me that the solar panel is charging. I replaced the connecting wire with a six-pin cable, no change. :roll: