Try reconnecting C1 & continue with remainder of tests. Let's not worry about DD right now. R100 heating is main worry, I have a gut feeling that the problem involves a semiconductor.
Re: # 499; measurements were after V jumped up?? Look verry normal.
;

Yes, measurements in 499 were after R100-2 jumped to 9.80V.

Okay, I will reconnect C5. What tests should I do next?

 

Review #494, # 496, & # 500.

 

C5 reconnected & BBR2 output disconnected.
Powered up circuit. DD on.
Reduced solar panel voltage to 1.24V min.
R100-1 = 1.24V, R100-2 = 1.23V.
Increased solar panel voltage.
R100-1 = 3.29V, R100-2 = 2.89V, 39mA from R100-2 to TB2-1. DE begins to light.
R100-1 = 5.19V, R100-2 = 3.19V, 200mA, R100 slightly warm.
R100-1 = 9.51V, R100-2 = 3.19V, 630mA, R100 getting hot, DC flickering on/off
R100-1 = 9.83V, R100-2 jumps to 7.18V, 260mA, DA, DC, DD, DE on.
R100-1 = 14.04V, R100-2 = 12.46V, 150mA, DA, DC, DD, DE on.
TB2-1 = 14.04V, TB6-1 = 12.33V, TB3-1 = 10.90V, TB7-1 = 14.16V.
Reconnected output of BBR2; current jumped to 340mA.
Disconnected B1; current dropped to 200 mA.
Disconnected output of BBR2; current dropped to 150mA.

 

Okay, Christmas is over. Let's complete this project!

What's next Bernard?

 

Lol welcome back. guess you guys must have celebrated for days.

 

Lol welcome back. guess you guys must have celebrated for days.

In my case (and probably lots of others,) the visits with family and friends require travel, and therefore are time-consuming. I think some people think there's one long party at Christmas (like Mardi Gras), but not so with me...mostly just quiet get-togethers.

On the subject of your project, did you rule out a micro-controller solution, and if so, why?

 

I didn't rule out micro-controller. I am a newbie remember. I cannot even build my own circuit and not sure how complicated will programming microchip be.

 

Greetings:
BB arrived & does not look good. Used lashedup variable V, 0 to 7V, @ 1A, supply & 51Ω, 3W load. Output V regulation is good, efficiency not so good. Regulation kicks in at about 3V input & output eff. is fairly constant @ 57%, not so good; expected at least 80%. Input current at start of regulation is 1.1A which SP can not supply.
I'll be at VA Hospital passing out cookies this PM, Sunday is out, so will try SP & BB on Monday?

 

Input current at start of regulation is 1.1A which SP can not supply.

So, the boost-buck regulators don't regulate until the input current is at least 1.1A? Does that mean that the output voltage simply follows the input voltage? Is that true in both the boost and buck modes? Surely that can't be right?

Thanks.

 

When input V rises from 2.87V to 3V, current draw goes from 100mA to 1.1A, output V, 2.8V to 9.91 where it stays fixed. Strange that BB card only gets mildly warm.

 

RE post 503, pg 51:
?, TB2-1 = 14V, TB6-1 +12.33V, but they are tied together.
Voltages seem otherwise pretty normal, current draws seem abnormal & may be due to poor efficiency of BBs. Specs on these boards do not list efficiency, bot other similar boards list eff. of 80% or better. I tried looking up application for LM2577 as a buck reg.- no luck. The better BBs seems to use 2 chips at more $.
We are open for suggestions. One other possibility is to go to a higher V SP, 20V?, & two buck regs.

 

RE post 503, pg 51:
?, TB2-1 = 14V, TB6-1 +12.33V, but they are tied together.
Voltages seem otherwise pretty normal, current draws seem abnormal & may be due to poor efficiency of BBs. Specs on these boards do not list efficiency, bot other similar boards list eff. of 80% or better. I tried looking up application for LM2577 as a buck reg.- no luck. The better BBs seems to use 2 chips at more $.
We are open for suggestions. One other possibility is to go to a higher V SP, 20V?, & two buck regs.

Typo in this line:
TB2-1 = 14.04V, TB6-1 = 12.33V, TB3-1 = 10.90V, TB7-1 = 14.16V.
should read:
TB1-2 = 14.04V, TB6-1 = 12.33V, TB3-1 = 10.90V, TB7-1 = 14.16V.

TB2-1 and TB6-1 are both 12.33V.

I found another listing for what appears to be the same BB we bought; it says efficiency is up to 92%. http://www.ebay.com/itm/DC-DC-Auto-...175?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item1c35e0d84f

I don't know what to try next. Maybe better boost-buck converter? http://www.ebay.com/itm/3-15V-To-0-...527?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item20dd3adf8f

 

I have this model as well, I dont know if that a better one. you guys might want to take a look. CC CV buck

 

jenovauh, re # 513, might be a good battery charger if supply V was higher than battery V.
I tried to ckt. trace our BB but choke resistance is too low for me to definately see which end is which; but it appears that most of the board is taken up with boost function inc adjustment. Second choke appears to connect to ground? Wish we had the BB listed by tracecom, but then still no guarantees.

 

Hooked up BB to 22V, OC SP. Results tracked reasonabbly close to measurements by tracecom. If a load is pre connected, as the sun comes up the SP V is held down to about 5V, output to 3.2V, & 400 m
A. Even at full sun BB holds the output down, untill load or SP are momentarily disconnected, then V jumps, & output is regulated. So if a cloud passed by & SP dropped below 17 V the BB would drop out untill sun came out & system was then reset. I dont think a different BB would change the results much, and then again I could be all wet. Time to get ready for NY's party at AM Legion.

 

Would it help to have a separate MOSFET to switch the load onto BBR1 only when sun is out? Or maybe to switch the solar panel to the input of BBR1 when the sun is out?

I bought one of these http://www.ebay.com/itm/10A-Solar-C...175?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item19d07aa5d7 a long time ago. Could it be integrated somehow?

 

Would it help to have a separate MOSFET to switch the load onto BBR1 only when sun is out? Or maybe to switch the solar panel to the input of BBR1 when the sun is out?

I bought one of these http://www.ebay.com/itm/10A-Solar-C...175?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item19d07aa5d7 a long time ago. Could it be integrated somehow?

I got one of this charge controller too.

 

I got one of this charge controller too.

I think you buy as much junk as I do.

 

tracecom, yes, I considered a reset switch, but then we need a "brain" to controll it.
The charge controller might need a loaded SP V several V above battery V, or OC V around 21V? Does controller give priority to load or battery charging? jenovauh, can you reconfigure the SP to maybe near 21V? ; 3 panels instead of 4. If so might give controller a try with 12V battery and a load of 100Ω with a LED & 510Ω resistor [ 510 to 1k ] as a monitor.

If 21V SP is available then the BB's could be replaced with just buck regs.

 

Yes tracecom, I bought quite a bit of junks to try lol.

Hi Bernard, sure I can configure SP to 21V OC. Just tell me what to do and remove on the circuit. All the test that tracecom had done, I don't know where I should start now.