SmartSolar MPPT Off with No Explanation

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stonge asked Feb 6, '24

SmartSolar MPPT Off with No Explanation

I've got three SmartSolar MPPTs of various sizes (100/30, 100/50, and 150/70) that are all VE.Smart networked with a BMV-712.

On cloudier mornings, the 100/50 will still be in the "Off" state while the other two are already in Bulk:

I believe there's supposed to be a feature in the app that explains why the charger is "Off", but nothing shows up, and I can't see an obvious reason (voltage from the solar panels seems to be plenty for charging to have started):

I've found that I can get the charger to start immediately if I do one of two things:

Disable and re-enable the charger
Leave the VE.Smart network (charging starts immediately, and can then re-join the network with no issue)

Once I've done either of those two, the MPPT immediately starts outputting power and remains On afterwards:

I've tried disconnecting all four devices from the VE.Smart network and creating a new one, but that didn't seem to make a difference. Even when the charger is stuck in the "Off" state, it still shows that it's properly networked:

I've also tried resetting the 100/50 to default settings, and I double-checked that the battery parameters are correctly set up and matched across all three MPPTs.

Any ideas what might be preventing this charger from starting up?

MPPT SmartSolar VE.Smart Network

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screenshot-20240204-085956.jpg (209.5 KiB)

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Answer 1 · 2024-02-28T05:38:52Z

peterscarstenpea answered · Feb 28 at 05:38 AM

@Stonge

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)

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Alexandra ♦ commented · Mar 24 at 08:32 PM

@peters.carsten

If you have a GX then you should disable the smart network the two are not designed to work together.

BT smart networking is for those systems without the GX it is stated in the manual.

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peterscarstenpea Alexandra ♦ commented · Mar 25 at 04:01 PM

@Alexandra

Thanks for your message and the hint to the manual.

I've read it and found also another sentence in chapter 3 ("For chargers that are already connected and synchronised over VE.Can, pairing them in a VE.Smart Network is not necessary. In case they are paired, the pairing will be ignored.") or in chapter 5 ("the information coming over BLE (through VE.Smart Networking) will be ignored.").

As it is written there, it should not be a problem, to have both, because the VE.Smart Network is ignored.

I've a Cerbo GX in place, but DVCC is disabled there. If I understand it correctly, the cerbo doesn't control the chargers in this case.

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Alexandra ♦ peterscarstenpea commented · Mar 25 at 04:06 PM

I have seen in practice that the BT network does mess with GX connected mppts. (Not all systems) but in your case to eliminate it as a cause it is best to remove it. I am fairly certain that is part of the issue.

The manual says it will ignore BT information over the GX information if they are the same not that it won't be a problem.

So it is now ignoring BT sense information and not getting any information from the GX (DVCC disabled) hence the brain spasm and inactivity.

Then there is re bulk offset as well. If they are actually following their own algorithm then they will need to start a new change cycle each time to produce. And also that the panel voltage is barely 1v over the 5v start voltage above battery voltage.

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Answer 2 · 2024-03-24T20:02:47Z

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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