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Service and Troubleshooting Procedures Sol® products may appear different but all have similar components and purpose. The following guide will help troubleshoot issues with all of Sol’s outdoor lighting products. In order to troubleshoot properly, first you must familiarize yourself with the various components. The main components are: 1. Battery or Battery Array 3. Solar Panel or Array 2. Solar Controller 4. Light or other Load Most if not all cases items #1 and #2 are located in the battery enclosure or close to it. Typical Sol ® Solar Lighting Products Solar Panels Solar Panel Solar Panels F Battery Enclosure with Batteries & Controller LED Fixture LED Fixture 20/20™ & 10/10™ Models (TT Series) Side of Pole Mount (SP Series) Battery Enclosure with Batteries Controller Top of Pole Mount (TP Series) LED Fixture Battery Enclosure with Battery Controller GreenWay (GY Series) Flat Mount Models (AL/TL/SH Series) What to Bring 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. Digital Volt Meter (DVM) able to measure 20 amps (Preferred) Spare Controller (if needed/ordered from Sol) and Fuse, Spare Gel Cell Batteries Cleaning Supplies for Solar Array and Fixture Optional Equipment – Battery Load Tester Check for Shading and Proper Sun Path For proper operation, a solar system cannot have any objects blocking its sun path from the 9am – 3pm sun position. Consider the east horizon is 9:00, the sun’s highest position is 12:00, and the west horizon is 3:00. As seen in the side example, the system receives afternoon shading (Approx. 1pm). The lower example shows shading at 12 noon during the winter months, but none during the summer, spring or fall. In both cases the units will function correctly until the winter months. Then the system will start turning off early and not operate well during cloudy/rainy periods. If shading is a potential problem, here are a few alternatives: 1. Place system in another location to avoid shading. 2. Raise mounting height. 3. If shading is caused by trees, trim or cut them back. Sun path and obstructions should not be overlooked, systems installed years ago may have been fine but local changes may have caused shading issues. Examples are trees growing, tall buildings built or overhead power lines installed. Solar powered equipment needs sun to operate correctly so Weather plays an important part of how the system works. If weather has been bad, low sun or cloudy, you may encounter low battery voltages, any testing should be on days with bright sunshine. TSP-01 REV: 7/12 Where to Start 1. Start with the condition of the battery and status of the charge controller. Visually inspect for signs of corrosion or fault! 2. Check fuse! 3. Check the charge controller, charge light on? Is the unit in LVD mode? If LVD light is lit you should find the battery voltage on the low side. Controller tests will not be 100% accurate in LVD mode. 4. Measure battery voltage, voltage should be between 11.9 vdc to 13.2 vdc for a 12-volt system and 23.8 vdc to 26.4 vdc for a 24-volt system. During daylight the charge led should be lit, if the charge led is turning on and off about every 10 seconds or so, check the fuse. If the fuse is good, then check battery voltage. If battery voltage is over 13 volts, then the controller is functioning properly in the charge mode; if under 10 volts then battery needs replacement. These conditions will cause the controller to cycle on and off. The controller is the brain of the system, most problems are a result of the controller working correctly but the technicians do not know how it works. To explain it simply; it regulates how much energy is absorbed from the sun and stored in the batteries, it also monitors how much power is removed from the batteries. When the system has the proper amount of sun everyday (about 10% more then was used by the light at night) the batteries will recharge fully in about 4 hours. On days where the sun’s input is less then the amount used by the light at night the system starts to use it’s battery backup. If the weather stays bad, more and more backup is used until the system reaches a preset voltage (LVD = 10.8vdc) 21.6 vdc for 24 volt systems, low voltage disconnect and shuts the system off. The system will remain off until the voltage of the batteries reaches a preset voltage (LVD Reconnect =12.8vdc) 25.6 vdc for 24 volt systems. Example: If the system reaches LVD, takes approximately 2 -3 days to recharge the batteries, and the technician arrives to check it out after day 1, he will find the system looks fine. The battery voltage is 12vdc (24 vdc for 24 volt systems) but does not realize it needs to reach 12.8vdc (25.6 vdc for 24 volt systems) before the controller will allow the system to operate. Technicians must be trained in order to properly understand and diagnose the system. TSP-01 REV: 7/12 Testing Sol EternO® Controllers Fig 3. Press the TEST button until a distinct click is heard and felt. This button performs two functions: a. Confirm rotary switch selection To verify that the rotary digital switch is set at the desired position, press the TEST button. The red LED will flash once per second. Count these LED flashes to confirm the correct switch setting. Each of the 10 LIGHTING CONTROL positions has a unique number of flashes. These are as follows: Switch Setting OFF 5 6 7 8 # of Flashes Switch Setting 0 12 1 3/2 2 4/2 3 6/2 4 D/D # of Flashes 5 6 7 8 9 NOTE: Rotate the rotary switch one full cycle if there is an incorrect or no LED flash (except for OFF setting). b. Turn system lights on Pressing the TEST button will turn the system lights on to verify correct installation or for troubleshooting a system problem. The lights can be turned on anytime (day or night) for 5 minute intervals. The lights can be turned on repeatedly with the TEST button except when the system is in LVD (load disconnect/red LED on). In LVD the TEST button will only work 3 times to avoid damaging the battery. If pressing the TEST button causes a load disconnect (LVD), the lights will turn off. Wait 5 minutes and press TEST again to turn the lights on in LVD. TSP-01 REV: 7/12 Testing Sol EternO® 4 Controllers After the battery is installed and the components are connected, press the test button (Figure 4). When the test button is pressed the three LEDs will flash sequentially green, yellow then red. Count the number of flashes for each led. This represents the three digit SW code. The test button can be pressed as many times as necessary to get an accurate count. Test Button Diagnostic Indicators Fig. 4 Sol EternO4 LED indicator definitions: Green LED: Lamp is on or the controller is attempting to turn the lamp on. Yellow LED: The battery charger is active. Flashing Red LED: The Red LED will flash if the battery becomes disconnected or battery voltage is inadequate(below 10.5V). Red LED: Low Voltage Disconnect. In the event of a low voltage disconnect, the lamp is turned off for the remainder of the night. The Red LED will remain illuminated throughout the following day as a diagnostic aid regardless of battery voltage. Yellow & Red LED: Charger is on. The system was in LVD during the previous night. The Red LED will remain illuminated throughout the following day as a diagnostic aid regardless of battery voltage. Green & Red LED: Lamp Fault. If the green and red LEDs are illuminated simultaneously, the controller cannot start the lamp. This can be caused by high wiring resistance between the controller and the lamp, a short circuit, open circuit, or a problem with the lamp itself. Flashing Green, Red, and Yellow: Indicates test code is installed. TSP-01 REV: 7/12 * If the battery voltage is too low, contact Sol Customer Service at +1-772-286-9461. After the lighting system is tested and found to be satisfactory, secure the battery box cover to the battery box, using the 1/4”-20 x 1/2” hex head bolts and lock key (optional). Testing the Batteries Testing the batteries can be done in various ways. To get a simple status condition of the battery, do the following: 1. Measure and record battery voltage. 2. Do system test as described earlier. 3. Measure and record voltage after 15 – 20 minutes. Voltage should be approximately the starting voltage minus one or two hundredths. If voltage is dropping sharply, batteries need replacing. To get a better status condition of the battery, have the battery load-tested by an automotive repair shop or with a hand held tester as shown in fig. 5 Fig 5 TSP-01 REV: 7/12 Troubleshooting Guidelines The system may need a full day of peak sun to reset all of its circuits after installation. If the system is installed during a period of inclement weather or late in the day, it may not operate the first night. PROBLEM POSSIBLE CAUSE SOLUTION The light does not turn on at all. 1. The batteries are discharged. 1. Charge the batteries. 2. The batteries are bad. 2. Replace the batteries 3. The LED fixture is bad. 3. Replace the LED fixture 4. A fuse is blown. 4. Replace the fuse 5. Controller is bad. 5. Check the controller 1. The run time is incorrectly set. 1. Contact Sol for assistance. 2. The run time exceeds the maximum run time for your model and location. 2. Contact Sol for assistance. 3. Low battery voltage caused by inclement weather. 3. Allow for two to three days of consecutive sunny weather to charge the battery pack. 4. Low battery voltage caused by shading of the PV panel. 4. Clear tree branches and other obstructions from the vicinity of the PV panel. 5. The batteries are bad. 5. Replace the batteries 1. Low battery voltage caused by inclement weather. 1. Allow for two to three days of consecutive sunny weather to charge the battery pack. 2. Low battery voltage caused by shading of the PV panel. 2. Clear tree branches and other obstructions from the vicinity of the PV panel. 3. The batteries are bad. 3. Replace the batteries The fuse blows repeatedly. 1. There is a short circuit in the wiring. 1. Check all system wiring for a short circuit. The battery voltage is less than 9.0 volts. 1. One (or both, if there are two) controller is bad. 1. Check the controller(s) 2. The batteries are bad. 2. Replace the batteries The light does not stay on for the expected period of time. The light turns on at dusk but does not turn on again at dawn (split run time). The red LED on the controller remains illuminated. The light does not operate every day. The above table assumes the installation of the original equipment was to manufacturer’s specifications. TSP-01 REV: 7/12 Preventive Maintenance and Service Preventive maintenance and service should be performed only by qualified personnel. Be very careful when working with batteries. Short circuits can draw thousands of amps from the battery, and gel batteries can generate explosive gases. Observe all precautions when working with energized circuitry. Do not short circuit the PV array or load while it is connected to the controller. This will damage the controller. Tree Branch Clearing Trim tree branches (and remove any other obstructions) in the vicinity of the solar panel(s) once every three months. Solar Panel Cleaning The solar panel(s) should be cleaned once every 6+ months depending on rainfall in your region for optimumperformance. 1. Using a non-streaking window cleaner and a soft cloth, thoroughly wipe down the solar panel(s) to remove any dirt and grime that may have accumulated. A plastic scraper may also be needed for removing bird droppings. 2. Dry the solar panel(s) with a soft clean cloth. 3. Repeat Steps 1 and 2, if necessary, until all dirt and grime have been removed. Solar panels can get very hot when the sun is out. It is advisable to clean solar panels during the early morning hours. Fuse Replacement Occasionally, the fuse that is used to protect the Top of Pole Mount system circuitry may have to be replaced. Be sure that the replacement fuse matches the specifications of the original fuse. One spare fuse has been provided with your system. The spare fuse is attached to the battery box cover. If the fuse needs to be replaced, be sure to also check operation of the controller. 1. Open the battery box. 2. Remove the fuse cover on the fuse holder. 3. Remove the existing fuse, insert the new fuse, and replace the fuse cover. 4. Test the system (see page19). 5. Close the battery box. TSP-01 REV: 7/12 LED Fixture Replacement 1. Loosen the fasteners that secure the fixture to the mounting arm or pole. 2. Slide the light fixture off the arm or remove from mounting bolts if no arm. 3. Unplug the connection plugs and remove luminaire. 4. Insert the new luminaire. The LED in the fixture is not serviceable. The entire LED fixture assembly must be replaced. 5. Re-connect the luminaire plugs together. 6. Press TEST button on the controller until a distinct click is heard and felt. The LED fixture will illuminate for five minutes. 7. Close the battery box, and replace or close the fixture cover. Battery Replacement 1. Remove or open battery box cover. 2. Disconnect the battery harness from the controller. 3. Disconnect the ground wire from the battery. 4. Remove the battery/batteries from the battery box. 5. Disconnect the battery cables from each of the old battery/batteries and attach to the new battery/batteries. 6. Place the new battery in the battery box. Connect the ground wire to the battery. 7. Re-connect the battery harness connector to the controller. 8. Replace the battery box cover. TSP-01 REV: 7/12 Troubleshooting Flowchart What type of fault is the system exhibiting? Choose the corresponding flowchart below. 1. Light does not come on. 2. Light turns off early 3. Light flickers Light does not come 1 Check Harness and fuse 0v < 11v Measure Battery GOTO Check Battery > 11v Press Test OFF State of light ON GOTO Check Battery Flickers Fixture is disconnected or damaged. Check harness from EternO4 to light fixture for short circuits and discontinuities. Check light fixture for water intrusion or other visual signs of damage. GOTO Light Flickers 3 Fast 2 Light Flickers Frequency of flicker Slow Possible large resistance in connection to fixture. Check harness. Light Turns Off early GOTO Check Battery TSP-01 REV: 7/12 Troubleshooting Flowchart – cont. Check Battery Fail Replace Batteries Load Test Batteries Pass Replace Charge No Yes Measure PV Voltage 0V Check PV Harness Is charge LED On? >0 V No Wait 2 min Is Charge LED ON? Yes Measure PV Voltage 16–22V Replace Charge Controller < 15v Batteries are not being adequately charged. Clean panels, trim trees, check that all panels are connected, Check system sizing TSP-01 REV: 7/12 Sol Inc. | 3210 SW 42nd Avenue | Palm City, Florida 34990 www.solarlighting.com E-mail support: [email protected] Phone: 1.772.286.9461 | 1-800-959-1329 (US /CANADA) Fax: 1.772.286.9616 Office Hours: Monday - Friday: 8:30am to 5:00pm (EST) © 2012 Sol Inc. All rights reserved.