TheSamba.com :: View topic - Renogy solar controller in night mode (solved)

Fri Jun 07, 2019 1:05 pm

I have a Renogy solar controller. I wired the leads that day battery to a fuse block that has a breaker before it goes to the battery. Wired the panel to the panel slot. My controller says it’s in night mode and I don’t understand why. Did I wire it wrong. Is the panels supposed to go the fuse block?

Fri Jun 07, 2019 1:17 pm

It sounds like you hooked it up right, but make sure you have the polarity of the panels correct going into the controller. I had a Renogy solar kit at one point and I think the polarity of the panels wasn't immediately obvious as it usually is via some kind of color convention or markings.

Fri Jun 07, 2019 1:20 pm

The controller will go into night mode if there's not enough sunlight on the panel to persuade the controller it's daytime.

The controller should be wired directly to the battery via a fuse, and the fusebox for the loads should be on a separate connection to the battery. I prefer to locate the breaker between the battery negative and frame ground, with the negative connection(s) to the controller also going to frame ground.

Fri Jun 07, 2019 1:21 pm

I just tried switching the post and the rover came on and said acr flashing wouldn’t do anything. So I assumed that was backwards. It’s producing st the terminals just days night mode. Ugh

Fri Jun 07, 2019 1:24 pm

Which connections did you switch?

Best practice here would be using a voltmeter to check polarity of the panels, as well as voltage they're producing.

Fri Jun 07, 2019 1:46 pm

Figured it out. I had the pv wired backwards when I switched the first time it still didn’t work, went back to original didn’t work, went back again now working.