Grid-less Sump Pump Manual
Having Issues? Start Here!
The most common support calls we receive about the GLS are about battery charging and GLS Float Switch. If the GLS is flashing a fault code, scroll down below to check out fault troubleshooting based on the version of controller. Check through the following information, and maybe you’ll be able to quickly self-diagnose the issue.
If self-diagnosis doesn’t work, here are four questions to answer before contacting our support team….
1. Is your controller on?
2. Are any of the LED controller lights on? If so, are the lights solid or blinking?
3. What is the current voltage of your battery bank?
4. What is the current voltage of your solar panel array?
Initial Battery Troubleshooting
- Check combined voltage of all batteries hooked together AND the voltage of each individual battery. Note each number down for troubleshooting phone calls with the engineers. Use a multimeter for this test.
- If you’re finding your batteries drained overnight, double check all connections and re-tighten wires. Batteries may drain power from improper or loose connections. Then you’ll run a short experiment: fully charge the batteries. After fully charged, disconnect the pump for the night. This will test if the pump was drawing a load overnight. If the batteries are not drained in the morning, the pump has been pumping during off hours. If batteries are drained in the morning test each batterys’ individual voltage, if one battery’s readings is significantly lower than normal range of voltage (11V-13V) you may have a bad battery that is acting as a “vampire drain” on the rest of the bank.
If your controller is ON, with two green lights blinking, but your pump is OFF, this is a common indicator that your deep cycle batteries have run out of power (reached 50% discharge).
GLS LED’s
Yellow solid: Batteries On
Yellow blinking: Batteries charging
Green blinking: Ac power in only/Over discharged batteries
Red: Error, look for fault code- close to discharge will turn on, beep at you, then fault then shuts off
You’ll need some time to charge back up! How much time depends on the number of panels, more panels means faster charging but generally a few hours will do the trick. Our engineers recommend measuring the voltage of each battery with a multimeter to test for state of charge. Battery power disconnects at 11.5VDC, but a fully charged battery will read 14.5VDC on a multimeter. Extremely low voltages like 11.5VDC might require up to 8 hours of charging in full sun.
If you want to know the systems rate of charge, take a “Time #1” voltage measurement and a couple hours later take a “Time #2” voltage measurement. By comparing the change in voltage over a period of time, you can extrapolate an estimation of charge performance. You can take the measurement either by individual battery or battery bank, connecting positive battery wire to positive probe and negative battery wire to negative probe.
Power Audit
VC2 Owners: No visual reading available.
V3 Owners: Your controller readout communicates exactly how many watts are moving into the controller from the panels.
Coming Soon: Power Audit Calculator!
Attaching the Pro GLS Float “Piggyback” or “Stacked” Wiring
Pro GLS Float is two sided, on one side is the three prong plug( NEMA6-15 plug) which attaches to the GLS controller three prong outlet. There is a three prong outlet on the other side of the NEMA6-15 plug that the pump wiring plugs into.
Controller Three Prong
GLS Pro Float PLug
Pump Wire Plug
Make the Connection
Wiring Set Up
- Your Controller is not waterproof and should be located in a dry dust-free location, protected from the sun and the elements and pests such as mice. moths and bugs. Mice love to chew wires and spiders and moths will build nests wherever they can find room. While we understand you cannot eliminate all pests, it might be time to spray some insecticides around your shed and set some mousetraps! There is nothing worse than finding insulation chewed off your electrical wires or moths clogging the units fan.
- Always disconnect the fuse or circuit breaker near the terminals of PV array, mains and battery before installing and adjusting the wiring of the all-in-one solar charge inverter.
- After installation, check that all wire connections are tight to avoid heat accumulation due to poor connection, which is dangerous.
- Even after the power is turned off, there is still high voltage inside the unit. Do not open or touch the internal components, and avoid related operations until the capacitor completely discharges.
- When installing, be sure to leave enough space around the GLS controller for heat dissipation.
- Poorly connected connections and corroded wires may cause great heat which will melt the wire insulation, burn the surrounding materials, and even cause fires. So, make sure the connectors have been tightened, and the wires are secured with ties to avoid looseness of connections caused by shaking of wires during mobile application.
Panel Wiring
100W Solar Panels are supplied with each GLS purchase, unless solar panels were supplied by the customer.
Whether you are using RPS solar panels or your own….
VC1/VC2: Do not exceed 55Voc input!
VC3: Do not exceed 90Voc input!
You will link your solar panels together and connect to the controller by clipping MC4 connectors together. Each MC4 connector is either a male end or female end. They simply snap together to make safe and easy connections.
VC1/VC2
24V
VC3
48V
***VC3 48V is preferred panel configuration, 24V is also possible but has slower battery charging.***
Battery Wiring
RPS recommends AGM / sealed lead acid batteries that are designed for several maintenance free years of operation. Lithium ion, CCA marine starting batteries and NiMH batteries are NOT compatible. They should also be stored in a dry location protected from the elements. To prevent significant voltage drop, the batteries should be located as close to the Controller as possible. Within 3 feet is ideal. If further than 3ft is required, the wires may be extended using appropriate gauge cables. The batteries operate best at room temperature and it is best to keep them out of freezing conditions for maximum performance. Batteries are REQUIRED for every GLS system, unless using 220V backup power. The GLS will not run directly off solar panels.
Thinking of supplying your own batteries? Batteries should be deep cycle, should not be mixed with unlike batteries (error codes will flash if there are mismatched batteries, Fault 5 & 13, and weird pump behavior will occur).
Battery Type Settings
The GLS accepts both Lead Acid and Lithium Ion batteries. Default factory settings are set to accept GEL Lead Acid.
[08] GEL default: Colloidal lead-acid battery; constant-voltage charge voltage: 28.4V, floating charge voltage: 27.6V
[08] FLd: Vented lead-acid battery; constant-voltage charge voltage:29.2V, floating charge voltage: 27.6V
[08] SLd: Sealed lead-acid battery; constant-voltage charge voltage:28.8V, floating charge voltage: 27.6V
[08] NCA: Ternary lithium battery; default constant-voltage charge voltage:28.4V, which is adjustable
[08] USE: User defined; all battery parameters can be set
Controller Modes
Prioritize Solar
Charging the batteries with solar is prioritized, and the battery is charged by the AC grid or generator only when the solar system fails. During the day, solar energy is fully used to charge, while at night, it converts to an alternative source of power. This can maintain battery level, and is ideal for areas where the grid is relatively stable and electricity price is relatively high.
Prioritize AC Grid or Generator Power
AC grid/ generator power supply is prioritized to charge the battery. Only when the AC grid/generator power fails, the solar charging is activated.
Hybrid Charging
Solar MPPT charging is a priority, and when solar energy is insufficient, AC grid/generator supply supplements. When the solar energy is sufficient again, the AC grid/generator stops charging. This is the fastest charging mode, suitable for the areas where power grid is unstable, providing sufficient backup power supply at any time.
Solar ONLY
Only solar charging, without AC grid/generator charging. This is the most energy-efficient way in which battery is charged only by solar panels, and is usually used in areas with good lighting conditions.
Output-PV Priority Mode
Loads are powered by the solar panels and battery. Diversified charfing modfe and output mode are optional. Switches to mains supply when the PV charging fails. This mode maximizes the use of solar energy while maintaining battery power, suitable for use in the areas with relative stable grid.
Output-Mains Priority Mode
Switch to inverter only when the mains fails. Then, the unit is equivalent to a backup UPS, suitable for areas with unstable grid.
Output-Inverter Priority Mode
Switch to mains supply only when the battery is under voltage. This mode maximizes the use of DC power and is used in the area with stable grid.
Controller Troubleshooting- Fault Codes
The controller fan remains running in low power mode at most times to protect the equipment. This fan uses very little power and it running, increases the lifetime of the system.
VOLTAGE CHECK
Take a DC Voltage Reading of each battery. Battery voltages range from 11.5VDC (dangerously low) to 14.4VDC (fully charged) depending on the state of charge. Low voltages? Charge for 8 hours in full sun.
SOFT RESET
Press and Release Power Switch
HARD RESET
Disconnect Batteries and Solar Panels for 60 seconds. Reconnect.
The controller fan remains running in low power mode at most times to protect the equipment. This fan uses very little power and it running, increases the lifetime of the system.
VOLTAGE CHECK
Take a DC Voltage Reading of each battery. Battery voltages range from 11.5VDC (dangerously low) to 14.4VDC (fully charged) depending on the state of charge. Low voltages? Charge for 8 hours in full sun.
SOFT RESET
Press and Release Power Switch
HARD RESET
Disconnect Batteries and Solar Panels for 60 seconds. Unplug pump, wait 60 seconds, plug pump back in. Reconnect solar panels and batteries.
Real-time data viewing – On the LCD main screen, press the “UP” and “DOWN” buttons to scroll through the real-time data of the controller unit.
TOP V3 Fault CODES
| Fault Code | Fault Name | Description | How to Resolve |
| [01] | BatVoltLow | Battery undervoltage alarm | Add in mains power (240VAC) to recharge batteries
or remove batteries and charge externally |
| [03] | BatOpen | Battery not connected | Connect batteries in a 24V configuration or re-tighten
battery connections |
| [04] | BatLowEod | Battery undervoltage stop discharge alarm | Add in mains power (240VAC) to recharge batteries
or remove batteries and charge externally |
| [09] | PvVoltHigh | PV overvoltage protection | Too many panels in series, re-wire to 4 in series with
RPS panels, no more than 100VMP input |
| [20] | OverTemperInv | Inverter heat sink over temperature protection | Inverter needs to be removed from sun/heat and
cooled |
| [21] | FanFail | Fan failure | Blow out fan vents on the bottom of the inverter with
compressed air, if fault is not cleared after a hard restart, open inverter and check for anything lodged in fans |