Charging Issues

[Backupjack]

This could be a little long winded but will try to keep it as short as possible.
Away travelling all fine then Renogy 60 amp DC to DC charger stopped charging battery tried the trouble shooting Renogy recommended but there should be a red light showing but the charger is still showing a green light saying all is ok and the system seems to engage and disengage via the switch connected to the D+ wire.
I have disconnected the output cables at the battery and the multi meter is showing zero voltage so I can only assume there is some problem with the charger or so I thought.
I have a Renogy 100w portable solar panel which I then hooked up to try and top up the battery the charge controller showed all was working and 2/3 hours later the controller showed 15 Ahrs had been put into the battery or so I thought .
The Renogy Battery Monitor showed no charge had gone in to the battery so checked the Daly BMS app whilst the solar was still running and no amps going through, next thought was it the battery I also have a Victron 240v charger so I managed to get to a campsite and hook up and the 240v charger charged the battery back up to 3.6 v and 280Ah, the battery is a LifePo4 if that's any help, if anyone has any ideas what to do next I would really appreciate it as I am just managing to get by at the moment but with overcast days looming and campsites with EHU not in abundance on some of the Scottish isles trouble may loom

 

[Dave in AZ]

This could be a little long winded but will try to keep it as short as possible.
Away travelling all fine then Renogy 60 amp DC to DC charger stopped charging battery tried the trouble shooting Renogy recommended but there should be a red light showing but the charger is still showing a green light saying all is ok and the system seems to engage and disengage via the switch connected to the D+ wire.
I have disconnected the output cables at the battery and the multi meter is showing zero voltage so I can only assume there is some problem with the charger or so I thought.
I have a Renogy 100w portable solar panel which I then hooked up to try and top up the battery the charge controller showed all was working and 2/3 hours later the controller showed 15 Ahrs had been put into the battery or so I thought .
The Renogy Battery Monitor showed no charge had gone in to the battery so checked the Daly BMS app whilst the solar was still running and no amps going through, next thought was it the battery I also have a Victron 240v charger so I managed to get to a campsite and hook up and the 240v charger charged the battery back up to 3.6 v and 280Ah, the battery is a LifePo4 if that's any help, if anyone has any ideas what to do next I would really appreciate it as I am just managing to get by at the moment but with overcast days looming and campsites with EHU not in abundance on some of the Scottish isles trouble may loom

Need more info to help...
You said you charged battery back to 3.6v and 280Ah, I don't believe your Lifepo4 is 3.6v. What voltage is your battery actually?
What voltage is your alternator?
There are 2 other threads this week in this vehicle mounted forum on Renogy dc to dc charger errors, please find and read them... there are internal Bluetooth settings that will keep your charger from working unless the alternator and start battery are certain voltages, etc, that seem to nerf many folks with Renogy.

Next, there are 20 threads here where people post their renogy dc dc isnt charging their battery, but this conclusion is based on the terrible, super inaccurate Renogy sensor to assess charge! This thing is wrong 99% of the time in all threads, people don't go in and reset it's calibration every few weeks as required, and it doesn't accurately tell what battery gets or delivers... it is basically the bogus info source of many many confused complaints!! REPLACE IT WITH A VICTRON SMARTSHUNT! Or read all the manuals, learn its crap limits, learn how to calibrate it, learn how to reset it, and do this weekly to have any remote idea what your charger and battery are actually doing.

100W panel, 15Ah at 12.8v is 192 Watt-hrs. A 100w panel in scotland will deliver maaaybe 20W, so thats 9.6 hrs, which is 2 days up there.. doesn't sound like you left it 2 days, so that reading is likely spurious.


Your quick solution, find other threads here, read. Go into bluetooth for renogy devices, check all settings. Read how to calibrate and reset renogy battery monitor, do it. Learn what it actually monitors, assess your system to see where you're using power that it doesn't monitor, which is what makes it rapidly give totally bogus readings. Basically reset and calibrate it. And set dcdc device settings to actually charge with your alternator voltage.

 

[Backupjack]

Hi Dave, thanks for reply will answer in order best I can, sorry that was a typo battery voltage should have said 13.6v not 3.6.
The van is a 2022 Citroen Relay with a smart alternator can't remember the voltage of the top of my head but I checked it out before installing and it was fine with a 60Amp charger.
I have a Victron Smart Shunt may go and get the monitor and be done with the Renogy Monitor
Will read through all the threads and see what I can gleem out of them
Thanks again for you advise do appreciate it

 

[mikefitz]

2022 Citroen Relay with a smart alternator

It's critical when connecting your DC to DC charger that the input negative connects to van metal, not the negative starter battery terminal.
It's difficult to follow exactly how your system is wired up, can you post a diagram or pictures?

If correctly wired into the system the Renogy monitor will show charge current, all chargers and loads must be connected to the output side on the shunt. P-.

Also the B- on the shunt connects to load/ charger point of the BMS. P-.

 

[Backupjack]

It's critical when connecting your DC to DC charger that the input negative connects to van metal, not the negative starter battery terminal.
It's difficult to follow exactly how your system is wired up, can you post a diagram or pictures?

If correctly wired into the system the Renogy monitor will show charge current, all chargers and loads must be connected to the output side on the shunt. P-.
View attachment 216639
Also the B- on the shunt connects to load/ charger point of the BMS. P-.
View attachment 216655

Thanks for replying Mike, system all wired as per the diagrams you posted, the system has been running fine for a few months just went down suddenly, I reached out to Renogy support but they are as much use as a chocolate fire guard.
Just on a ferry at the moment but will start later today with Dave's suggestion of resetting the Renogy Battery Monitor, I have already carried out a hard reboot on the DC - DC charger by removing both input and output positive cables along with removing the D+ cable leaving for 30 mins and reconnecting with no joy

 

[fratermus]

....showing a green light saying all is ok and the system seems to engage and disengage via the switch connected to the D+ wire.
.... try and top up the battery

Another common issue with "Renogy not charging" is owners misunderstanding no-Float Li profiles.