The device’s battery doesn’t last long after a few months of use, what’s happening?
If lead-acid batteries are being used, they have a lifespan of approximately 300 cycles and an average of 9-10 months, so it is recommended that they be replaced periodically after that time or if symptoms of capacity decline are observed. It is important to keep in mind that environmental operating conditions, such as the temperature to which it is subjected, come into play in the degradation process.
I have the device installed with a 12V LiFePO4 battery, but it has run out and now reads 0V, what should I do? Lithium batteries, in general, must include a battery management system (BMS) that monitors each cell individually to prevent operational risks such as overvoltage, extreme temperatures, overcurrent, etc. Therefore, if any of the aforementioned operating situations occur, the BMS activates and disables the battery, cutting off its output voltage. This situation can be temporary; for example, if the temperature is very low, the battery will automatically reset when the temperature rises above 0°C. Conversely, if over-discharge occurs, the BMS disables the battery until it is recharged. Once it receives power from the solar panel, it will restart charging, activating the battery and the device.
The device has stopped communicating and has good coverage. Check the battery and solar panel levels. If communication is lost for an extended period, it’s usually due to a low battery, and communication won’t resume until the battery is recharged. Additionally, the device enters power-saving mode when the battery drops below 40%, ceasing communication until it recovers enough power to restore normal communication frequency.
The battery drains despite having power from the solar panel. Check the solar panel for dirt and proper orientation, and ensure it’s not shaded by trees or similar objects to guarantee 5-6 hours of good solar radiation. A 12V/10W solar panel in good condition should deliver a voltage greater than 20V in an open circuit and 500mA in a short circuit, so these values should also be verified.
Can the solar panel be replaced with a voltage adapter? Yes, a 24VDC/0.5A AC/DC adapter can be used as a substitute for the solar panel if the device is to be installed in a location with mains electricity.
Can the device be powered with a 12V power adapter? Yes, but with two caveats:
– It must be able to supply at least 2A of current.
– You should supply 13.8V to prevent the device from entering power saving mode, or configure the device to indicate that it will be using a voltage adapter instead of a battery, thus deactivating power saving mode.
What types of valves can I connect? Any latch-type valve whose trigger voltage is between 3.3V and 23V with a maximum current of 2.7A.
How can I control the activation of a pump? Simply connect a latch-type relay to one of the valve outputs and with its contacts we can control the pump’s control contactor.
How many irrigation programs can it manage? The device is capable of storing up to 192 irrigation programs for agriculture mode and 32 programs for gardening mode (sequential irrigation).
