Smartsolar MPPT networking issues

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martin555 asked Feb 4, '24

Smartsolar MPPT networking issues

I have 2 smartsolar MPPTs (110/30 and 100/50) in a network with a 500a shunt with temp sensor, charging Lifepo4.

All works well, except randomly the 50a (only ever the 50a, never the 30a) fails to start charging at sun up. It has never stopped charging, only ever failed to start. When it fails to start it will not charge at all, all day. Interestingly when this happens there is no 'why is the charger off' text in Victron connect.

It will immediately start charging if I do either of the following:

- Disconnect and reconnect + in from panels

- Disable then re-enable charging in Victron connect

- Take the unit out of the network. Continues charging if I rejoin it.

I can take the other 2 units out of the network and that wont start it.

Perfect line of site between all units and less than 2 metres apart.

This is happening around twice a week, really annoying as this basically means I can't have synchronised charging without checking every morning to see if it has failed to start. I've lost lots of days charging on my biggest array due to this. I will have to leave it out of the network which defeats the main purpose of having a network!

Can't see this is a hardware error as most of the time it works perfectly.

MPPT SmartSolar

3

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stonge commented · Feb 07 at 02:39 AM

I didn't see your post before making my own, but I'm also seeing the exact same issue, and just with the 100/50 I have:

https://community.victronenergy.com/questions/260317/smartsolar-mppt-off-with-no-explanation.html

I agree it seems more like a software bug than a hardware failure, especially because there's supposed to be an explanation for the "Off" state in the app, but we're not getting one for this particular case.

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stonge stonge commented · Feb 07 at 02:40 AM

And I definitely have all the same battery & expert mode settings across all 3 MPPTs as well.

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martin555 commented · Feb 07 at 10:33 AM

Interesting that you notice this in cloudy conditions, I hadn't taken note of conditions when it happens. Glad that I'm not the only one and that it's being looked into.

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Modifications Space

Node Red Space

Answer 1 · 2024-02-04T18:55:00Z

kevgermany answered · Feb 04 at 06:55 PM

Please post a screen shot of Victron connect for each charger when in this condition.

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Answer 2 · 2024-02-05T09:30:45Z

martin555 answered · Feb 05 at 09:30 AM

Here they are

screenshot-20240205-090952-victronconnect.png (135.4 KiB)

screenshot-20240205-091010-victronconnect.png (132.0 KiB)

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Answer 3 · 2024-02-06T02:39:04Z

ozarkjoe answered · Feb 06 at 02:39 AM

I would verify that the battery settings, including expert mode, for each controller are identical, excluding max charge current. I have 3 parallel Morningstar TriStar MPPT controllers that don't always agree on the charge state. As a test you could swap the panels between chargers and see if the issue moves to the other controller.

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Answer 4 · 2024-02-06T05:19:16Z

kevgermany answered · Feb 06 at 05:19 AM

Odd. Battery settings in both MPPTs are needed. Is anything else in the network?

Does the 50A have LH/terminals?

If the settings are the same, probably a controller fault.

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Answer 5 · 2024-02-06T11:15:41Z

martin555 answered · Feb 06 at 11:15 AM

All settings (other than charge current) in the 2 controllers are identical, first thing I checked and have checked several times.

I'll swap the panels over and see what happens. 30a has 2 panels in series, 50a has 4 panels in series parallel, can't see that that would make a difference as when controller fails to charge it always has adequate voltage at the input.

There is a shunt also in the network with a battery temp sensor.

Don't think 50a has LH terminals (automated switchable terminals I presume?), just standard unit as it came.

Can't see how it can be a fault with the controller itself as it works fine as long as it's not in the network, if it does fail then taking it out of the network will start it charging. Interestingly when it fails, the networking tab in Victron connect tells me that everything is in range and it's synchronising charging.

Could it be something to do with the master / slave between the 2 controllers? Maybe if voltages at inputs of the 2 controllers at sun up are just right (or wrong) then the master decides not to switch the slave on. The fact that the user has no knowledge of or control over which is operating as master doesn't help!

Either way all evidence seems to point to it being a network issue.

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Answer 6 · 2024-02-28T05:40:35Z

peterscarstenpea answered · Feb 28 at 05:40 AM

@martin555 @Stonge @kevgermany

I've the same problem here. I've installed two MPPTs (150/60 and 100/50). The problem just occurs on the 100/50. I saw the problem last year in september and also yesterday. In September I was in the bluetooth range to the mppt and with deactivating and activating the charger within the VictronConnect app, I could fix the issue. Yesterday I just saw the issue in the VRM portal. I've attached also some screenshots. As you see in the screenshots, there seems to be a network issue, because when the 100/50 is faulty, the network power is 0W.

screenshot-20230925-084830.jpg (224.8 KiB)

screenshot-20230925-084842.jpg (309.2 KiB)

screenshot-20230925-084920.jpg (218.9 KiB)

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Answer 7 · 2024-03-24T20:02:05Z

peterscarstenpea answered · Mar 24 at 08:02 PM

Just an additional information. I've updated my MPPT with the current firmware (bluetooth and "normal"), but the same issue happened a few days later again.

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