Roadtrek Solar Controller Replacement Programming

[arvitrekking]

I contacted KS2 Corp by email yesterday and to my surprise being Saturday that they responded fairly promptly. Once I get my replacement solar controller they will guide me through setting the parameters correctly for my system.

[gregmchugh]

Originally Posted by arvitrekking

I contacted KS2 Corp by email yesterday and to my surprise being Saturday that they responded fairly promptly. Once I get my replacement solar controller they will guide me through setting the parameters correctly for my system.

KS2 and Nations Alternator and Alde seem to be pretty responsive to current owners who are getting stuck in this situation and they may have a decent business in supporting their products no matter what happens with EHGNA.

For KS2, especially, it would seem to be the only option to continue with some sort of support and sales of Ecotreks since it may be their only business after all...

[booster]

Originally Posted by gregmchugh

KS2 and Nations Alternator and Alde seem to be pretty responsive to current owners who are getting stuck in this situation and they may have a decent business in supporting their products no matter what happens with EHGNA.

For KS2, especially, it would seem to be the only option to continue with some sort of support and sales of Ecotreks since it may be their only business after all...

I think both of them were likely picking up at least a few years of the warranty anyway, just paying Roadtrek for the at least the part cost and maybe some labor. IIRC it was stated KS2 had given a 3 year warranty but probably not much for labor or troubleshooting.


I am sure Roadtrek was a big Nations customer, but they also do a bunch of stuff for the offroad and audio crowds, I think.

[arvitrekking]

I’ve had issues with both my Alde system and Fantastic Vent. Both those companies are great to work with.
I’ve had a lot of issues with my brand new RV. Only used it twice so far. Hope for the best once all the. It’s are worked out.

[gregmchugh]

Originally Posted by booster

I think both of them were likely picking up at least a few years of the warranty anyway, just paying Roadtrek for the at least the part cost and maybe some labor. IIRC it was stated KS2 had given a 3 year warranty but probably not much for labor or troubleshooting.


I am sure Roadtrek was a big Nations customer, but they also do a bunch of stuff for the offroad and audio crowds, I think.

Adam Nations has been on the Roadtrek & Hymer Owners Group making sure that owners contact them directly with any issues and they are honoring their warranty.

KS2 is not honoring the EHGNA warranty but they will give a 3 year warranty on any Ecotreks they sell themselves going forward. They have a replacement process which was quoted at $900 by one dealer including labor for an Ecotrek replacement with the return of the original to KS2. Not clear if you get a completely new one or a refurbished one but it does have a 3 year warranty. KS2 is also providing parts for dealers/service companies to repair Ecotreks modules.

[potopaj]

My 2015 agile with the 300w solar I had to redo the connections to the controller. the cables coming from the solar were very shoddy. I do plan in the spring to crimp proper terminals or solder the ends of the wires to get a better connection, but went from nothing or 15ish volt and .1 amp max @ full sun to 40 v and 7-9 amp from the panels with is more accurate.

Please note that there is no shut off that i found from the solar panels to the controller. I covered the panels and tested the wires when i was forced to work on them during the day, and went back at night to clean things up better at night. please be safe when working on those.

Jason

[rowiebowie]

Originally Posted by potopaj

My 2015 agile with the 300w solar I had to redo the connections to the controller. the cables coming from the solar were very shoddy. I do plan in the spring to crimp proper terminals or solder the ends of the wires to get a better connection, but went from nothing or 15ish volt and .1 amp max @ full sun to 40 v and 7-9 amp from the panels with is more accurate.

Please note that there is no shut off that i found from the solar panels to the controller. I covered the panels and tested the wires when i was forced to work on them during the day, and went back at night to clean things up better at night. please be safe when working on those.

Jason

Welcome to the forum potopaj (Jason)!
.

[ContinuousImprovement]

Here are the Aktiv recommendations. A good start for an RT. I'm surprised the Tracer is broken. Check to be sure its receiving 12-volts or more on the battery terminals
https://sites.google.com/view/suiet-...tem?authuser=4

[arvitrekking]

Bought a pre programmed Tracer from KS2. Installed it and everything is back up and running.

I Took the back off the defective one and didn’t see anything unusual. However it has an burnt electrical smell to it.

[ContinuousImprovement]

Originally Posted by arvitrekking

Bought a pre programmed Tracer from KS2. Installed it and everything is back up and running.

I Took the back off the defective one and didn’t see anything unusual. However it has an burnt electrical smell to it.

Sorry, that smell is death.

[cruising7388]

Originally Posted by gregmchugh

The load terminals are never used in the RT installations, just the four cables you have. You should get the display for it if you want to get better info on what is happening with the charge current.

https://www.amazon.com/Controller-Di...gateway&sr=8-3

In the RT lithium setup, if the batteries are shut down (not just battery load disconnect), does the 3215BN solar controller also shut off?

[gregmchugh]

Originally Posted by cruising7388

In the RT lithium setup, if the batteries are shut down (not just battery load disconnect), does the 3215BN solar controller also shut off?

As with all things Roadtrek, it depends on how the system is wired. If the solar controller is on the charge side of the Ecotreks with the AGM then it will continue charging the AGM when all the ecotreks are offline. If it doesn’t connect to the AGM when all the ecotreks are offline then it will shutdown since it gets its power from the battery connection.

[arvitrekking]

My unit is back up and running with a new Tracer unit I bought from KS2.
It has been working fine the past two weeks that I have been in Florida.

[cruising7388]

Originally Posted by gregmchugh

If the solar controller is on the charge side of the Ecotreks with the AGM then it will continue charging the AGM when all the ecotreks are offline.

If the ecotreks are offline what is the power source for the contoller?

[gregmchugh]

Originally Posted by cruising7388

If the ecotreks are offline what is the power source for the contoller?

The AGM battery that is connected in parallel with the Ecotreks, the GU, and the solar controller on the charge side.

[cruising7388]

Originally Posted by gregmchugh

The AGM battery that is connected in parallel with the Ecotreks, the GU, and the solar controller on the charge side.

If the Ecotrek batteries are shut down what will keep the solar controller electronics functioning?

[gregmchugh]

Originally Posted by cruising7388

If the Ecotrek batteries are shut down what will keep the solar controller electronics functioning?

Okay, are you just pulling my leg here or are you not reading what I have said?

For the final time,

In the normal wiring configuration (yours may not be wired this way, it seems that Roadtrek had no real control over how the vans were wired by the workers or they just kept changing the wiring for some reason), the charge side of the Ecotrek batteries were wired in parallel with the AGM battery, the GU, the Solar Controller, and recently with the inverter/shore charger also connected to the charge side.

In this configuration, when all of the Ecotreks are offline (no connection between either the charge or load side of the module to the lithium cells), the solar controller, GU, AGM, and in some cases the inverter/shore charger are all still connected together. So, for the solar controller, the AGM battery is connected and providing power to the solar controller and the solar controller is charging the AGM independently of the Ecotreks. Same with the GU and the inverter/shore charger if it is connected to the charge side of the Ecotreks.

You could have the same condition if all the Ecotreks got to full charge and the BMS in each disconnected the charge side connection from the lithium cells. The chargers would still be connected to the AGM and working normally with only the AGM connected. This is one of the reasons for the existence of the AGM, to provide a voltage reference and load for the chargers when the Ecotreks are not connected to the chargers.

If this is not clear than I will let someone else try to explain it, maybe a diagram would help...

I am giving you the benefit of the doubt that you find this hard to understand and you are not just trolling me...

[cruising7388]

Originally Posted by gregmchugh

In this configuration, when all of the Ecotreks are offline (no connection between either the charge or load side of the module to the lithium cells), the solar controller, GU, AGM, and in some cases the inverter/shore charger are all still connected together. So, for the solar controller, the AGM battery is connected and providing power to the solar controller and the solar controller is charging the AGM independently of the Ecotreks. Same with the GU and the inverter/shore charger if it is connected to the charge side of the Ecotreks.

If the solar controller remains powered up by the AGM when the Ecotreks are disconnected, what happens if the coach is stored inside with no solar output? Over a period of time won't the controller idle state be a parasitic drain on the AGM?

[gregmchugh]

Originally Posted by cruising7388

If the solar controller remains powered up by the AGM when the Ecotreks are disconnected, what happens if the coach is stored inside with no solar output? Over a period of time won't the controller idle state be a parasitic drain on the AGM?

Yes, either disconnect the AGM battery or use a trickle charger in it. I put a manual battery disconnect on mine to use when stored.

[chris_g19]

FYI, I like the tracer, it's good. Get the MT-50 so you can monitor and program it.

I reprogrammed my 3215 with no issues.

Any MPPT controller will be fine, they're all 12V compliant.

Check the fuses though, the 3215 has tons of protection features, something significant must have happened somewhere else in your system. Look for the problem elsewhere before putting in a new one and frying that one too.

FYI, I would get another 3215 or 4215 if I needed another one.