MPPT in parallell BlueSolar and SmarSolar

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johand asked Jun 20, '22

MPPT in parallell BlueSolar and SmarSolar

Hi. I have a setup with a Cerbo, Multiplus II, BMV712 and two MPPTs. One is the BlueSolar 150/85 connected via CAN and the other is a SmartSolar 100/20 connected via VE.Direct USB.

When I connect them both shows up in the cerbo interface and reports current voltage. But only one (the BlueSolar one connected via CAN) is delivering solar power. The other reports voltage but 0 W. I tried to disconnect the panels to the BlueSolar and then the Smartsolar started delivering power from the panels.

Question is: Can you run two different MPPT in parallel with the Cerbo at the same time or is there a limit or a setting that prevent my setup from working as I thought.

Firmware is the latest on every device except for the Multiplus (fw 494).

Thank you in advance!

This screenshot is from when there was minimal sun. MPPT-0 = BlueSolar. MPPT-289 = SmartSolar.

MPPT Controllers

pv.jpg (35.1 KiB)

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johand answered · Jun 21, 2022 at 12:02 PM

Fun thing happened @Seb71

When I activated the feed in function the other MPPT-289 started to producing power.

So maybe your right Seb71, the ESS-system thinks that my load is to little and therefore it only has one MPPT active. But my batteries need to be charged by the sun and therefore I want to use all available sun power to charge them.

So I changed this:

I cannot feed-in excess PV power, so a limit on 0W should prevent that.

And now everything is working :)

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johand answered · Jun 24, 2022 at 11:03 AM

Ok so I got another SmartSolar 100/20 and hooked it up to my CerboGX via Ve.Direct. Running two MPPT SmartSolar 100/20 to the Cerbo.

Now I can use both of the without feed in excess PV.

Conclusion:

Cerbo GX and ESS cannot use different models of MPPT without the feed in excess PV settings enabled.

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Answer 1 · 2022-06-20T18:23:18Z

seb71 answered · Jun 20, 2022 at 06:23 PM

Is DVCC enabled?

In the screenshot the PV is producing only 11W. How it looks during the day when you have a load closer to the total PV array power?

Question is: Can you run two different MPPT in parallel with the Cerbo at the same time

Yes.

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johand commented · Jun 20, 2022 at 07:18 PM

Yes, DVCC is enabled.

Today only one array was producing but that looked ok regarding the watts.

MPPT-289 (SmartSolar) was at 0Watts the whole time.

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seb71 johand commented · Jun 20, 2022 at 07:47 PM

Is the BMV set as the battery monitor?

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johand seb71 commented · Jun 20, 2022 at 07:48 PM

Yes.

Thanks for the quick response

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d78766cc-bd79-4841-abc8-ac075769b480.jpeg (121.0 KiB)

seb71 johand commented · Jun 20, 2022 at 07:57 PM

Did you had a load greater than the power which can be delivered by the SmartSolar's PV array?

You are also using ESS, right?

Is this a new system?

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johand seb71 commented · Jun 20, 2022 at 08:07 PM

Yeah the load is greater then the current solar production. It’s an ESS system. I first had only the SmartSolar but Im going to expand with more panels from another brand - connected to the bluesolar. So Multi, BMV, SmartSolar for a year and now expand with the bluesolar.

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seb71 johand commented · Jun 20, 2022 at 08:22 PM

Strange.

Do you have VE.CAN terminators inserted in the two devices (Cerbo and BlueSolar)?

Why are you using VE.Direct to USB cables instead of VE.Direct-VE.Direct cables?

--------

Yeah the load is greater then the current solar production.

You say "current". You mean right now? From the screenshots I see it's almost 22 your time.

Just to clarify if the same happens during the day when you have a load greater than the power which can be produced by the SmartSolar PV array.

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johand seb71 commented · Jun 21, 2022 at 05:46 AM

CAN terminators is inserted on both devices. I tried to switch CAN port also. Cable between is a normal network cable. BlueSolar shows up in Cerbo as I should.

As for the VE.Direct to USB I had those due to when I installed it I was running Venus os on a raspberry pi. But then switched to the Cerbo instead. I hade a VE.Direct to VE.Direct cable laying around so I replaced the VE.Direct to USB with that from SmartSolar MPPT.

Right now the sun is shining (but its a little bit cloudy) on all the strings of PV-panels. And when I switch the circuit breaker to the panels running on BlueSolar the SmartSolar starts up. But when the breaker is switched on the BlueSolar starts and SmartSolar stops...

Breaker to BlueSolar panel on and SmartSolar shuts off.

Breaker to BlueSolar panel switched off - SmartSolar started working.

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seb71 johand commented · Jun 21, 2022 at 07:35 AM

You did not answer the load question.

The Sun is shining and your PV is producing only 44W?

Also, do not crop the screenshots. I need to see the entire situation, not just the PV.

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johand seb71 commented · Jun 21, 2022 at 08:02 AM

Sorry. Here you go.

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seb71 johand commented · Jun 21, 2022 at 08:05 AM

Is the BMV shunt correctly wired?

What is that DC load?

Feed in is disabled?

What is the grid setpoint value?

What battery do you have? Does it have a BMS?

What are the Absorption and Float voltages set to?

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johand seb71 commented · Jun 21, 2022 at 10:15 AM

First, thank you seb71 for taking the time looking into this.

BMV shunt is wired so that the multi, mppts is on the upper side and batteries on the lower side. This is a picture on shunt:

DC load is the Cerbo and MPPTs running directly from the batteries.

Grid setpoint is set to 20W.

I have 4x 12V 170Ah AGM batteries configured in 2 strings 24V. No BMS except for the BMV-712.

Absorption and float is set to preset AGM spiral cell values.

29.4V Absorption and 27,60V float.

I did get a hold of another Smartsolar MPPT so I will try to change the BlueSolar one later this evening.

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seb71 johand commented · Jun 21, 2022 at 10:23 AM

BMV shunt is wired so that the multi, mppts is on the upper side and batteries on the lower side.

That is correct (except the piled-up lugs on one bolt; use busbars).

But if this is true, then it is wired wrong (or explained wrong):

DC load is the Cerbo and MPPTs running directly from the batteries

Anyway, disable "Has DC system" from Cerbo.

On the shunt picture, on the load side there is a single wire which is somewhat thicker. All the other ones look thin.

What cross sections/wire gauges you have there?

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