Smart Solar MPPT 100/20 Not Charging after Firmware update to version 1.56

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canoman1957 asked Jun 14, '21

Smart Solar MPPT 100/20 Not Charging after Firmware update to version 1.56

I have been using the MPPT charge controller since July 2020 with no issues and it, in combination with my solar panel have kept my battery bank charged fully with no issues. Then I did a firmware update via the bluetooth to version 1.56 and it has never worked since. I took the controller back to the store on June 12 where I purchased it and they replaced it.

I installed the new one and I connected it to the batteries and PV and when I connected via bluetooth it performed a couple of mandatory updates one of which was to the version 1.56 firmware. This MPPT controller is behaving the same way and will not charge my batteries.

I performed a full test on the connections and inverter and everything is working flawlessly except for the charge controller.

Has anybody else had issues with this firmware, I have screen shots and the log file from the controller and will share if required.

firmware update mppt charging

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alan-peng commented · Jun 28, 2021 at 06:17 AM

Hello,

I also have the same issue with smart solar mppt 100/20-48(v1.56) in several installations, after I replace it with Mppt 150/35(v1.56), it works as expected. So I suspected there is a issue in Mppt 100/2-48.

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Modifications Space

Node Red Space

Answer 1 · 2021-06-15T04:33:27Z

klim8skeptic answered · Jun 15, 2021 at 04:33 AM

So, no led light up?

Can you query the mppt with Victron Connect?

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Answer 2 · 2021-06-15T07:55:51Z

jmaugendre answered · Jun 15, 2021 at 07:55 AM

Hello, it seems i'm facing the same issue with my MPPT 75/15. Everything was going well before firmware upgrade to 1.56 but since i made this update, the solar current/power seen from MPPT is very low, rarely more than 1A (usually 0 ou 0,2A). MPPT stays in bulk mode but doesn't really charge the battery. Icc current and voltage in open circuit on PV are correct. I'm then intersted with expert answers. I wonder if there's a way to downgrade firmware (at least to validate the origin of issue) Thanks

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klim8skeptic ♦ commented · Jun 15, 2021 at 08:42 AM

Please test your solar array. (37) How to test a solar panel. - YouTube

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jmaugendre klim8skeptic ♦ commented · Jun 15, 2021 at 09:42 AM

Solar Panel test was done yesterday. Isc = 6,59A (spécifications gives 7,5A for Isc) V = 19.54V (specification gives 22V, but t°C was hot yesterday)

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klim8skeptic ♦ jmaugendre commented · Jun 15, 2021 at 06:38 PM

Got any snaps of the mppt history?

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jmaugendre klim8skeptic ♦ commented · Jun 16, 2021 at 12:49 PM

Yes, please find below.

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screenshot-20210614-103543.png (218.9 KiB)

screenshot-20210614-103503.png (215.3 KiB)

klim8skeptic ♦ jmaugendre commented · Jun 16, 2021 at 03:42 PM

PV max voltage of 12 7v????? No wonder the mppt is not charging.

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jmaugendre klim8skeptic ♦ commented · Jun 16, 2021 at 03:50 PM

Thoses days with PV max=12.7V, panel was in a garage with really low sunlight. Even with full light (last 3 days), PV is almost not charging.

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jmaugendre klim8skeptic ♦ commented · Jun 16, 2021 at 03:56 PM

I don't know if that can help, but the Voltage is different when PV is in open circuit (I get arround 20V measured in this case) than when it's connected to MPPT (in this case I usually get 15/16V from Victron Connect, and also with a multimeter)

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klim8skeptic ♦ jmaugendre commented · Jun 16, 2021 at 04:59 PM

I can only suggest that you disconnect the pv from the mppt, and test the array (and wiring) again.

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jmaugendre klim8skeptic ♦ commented · Jun 17, 2021 at 08:31 AM

I made a new measure tody (very cloudy) but Voc= 19V and Isc = 1,6A (because cloudy). Important thing is that this morning I made new tests:

-With a new battery i directly plugged the array (without MPPT), and even with cloudy wethear, my battery was charging (passed from 12.5V to 12,8V in, few tens of seconds).

- After i reconnect the array to my MPPT, small miracle, solar power was 9W (small but i rarely saw such power from a while) and it seems MPPT was delivering current to the battery (0,6A). Battery voltage was 13,2V (not so bad).

-I just made a test to stop the charger through application Victron connect for few seconds, then restart it.

And then charging never started again and i went back to previous issue (with a kind on sinusoid on Solar Voltage, and 0A current delivered to the battery)

The screenshot shows the time where battery is charging, then when i stopped the charger, then restarted it ...and charger is then not charging anymore.

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desactivation-charger.png (195.2 KiB)

klim8skeptic ♦ jmaugendre commented · Jun 17, 2021 at 09:05 AM

'The screenshot shows the time where battery is charging, then when i stopped the charger, then restarted it ...and charger is then not charging anymore."

As per notes in the manuals, initial PV voltage has to be greater than battery voltage +5 volts.

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mppt-pv-start-voltage.png (27.1 KiB)

jmaugendre klim8skeptic ♦ commented · Jun 17, 2021 at 09:45 AM

I Agree, and as you can see this is the case, battery voltage is 13V and PV voltage is more than 18V (at the top of sinusoid). Important thing to notice is that during all that time, CHargeur is in "bulk" mode (would'nt be the case if charger not really started)

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Answer 3 · 2021-06-15T17:09:05Z

canoman1957 answered · Jun 15, 2021 at 05:09 PM

I will test the solar panel output when I return to my RV on the weekend. Its just super suspicious that It worked absolutely flawlessly until the moment the firmware was upgraded.

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Answer 4 · 2021-06-15T17:41:20Z

canoman1957 answered · Jun 15, 2021 at 05:41 PM

Here are some screenshots showing the issue: This one shows the firmware currently on the MPPT.
This one shows when the firmware was installed and the effect, look at 8 days ago:

Another shot showing how the charge controller stopped charging The battery bank was just installed in the RV 28 days ago after the winter.

This is the output from solar panel in bright sunshine and charge to batteries

Meanwhile this is the voltage present on the batteries:

screenshot-20210612-085955920.png (136.1 KiB)

img-20210612-090021-959.jpg (3.3 MiB)

screenshot-20210612-090746743.png (188.4 KiB)

screenshot-20210612-090112263.png (163.5 KiB)

screenshot-20210612-090055803.png (82.0 KiB)

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klim8skeptic ♦ commented · Jun 15, 2021 at 06:31 PM

Battery min voltage of 0.00v would indicate no connection between mppt and battery.

Check your fuses/breakers/wiring.

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Answer 5 · 2021-06-15T17:44:24Z

canoman1957 answered · Jun 15, 2021 at 05:44 PM

Here is the log file downloaded from the replacement MPPT controller:VictronConnect_report.log

victronconnect-report.log (161.7 KiB)

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Answer 6 · 2021-06-17T21:05:18Z

xdmon answered · Jun 17, 2021 at 09:05 PM

Hi,

Any luck with resolving this? I'll start a new thread but seem to be experiencing a very similar issue with a 100/20.

Thanks.

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Answer 7 · 2021-06-22T20:43:03Z

canoman1957 answered · Jun 22, 2021 at 08:43 PM

I tested the Solar Panel output and measured 47.61v but no ISC current. Short Circuit current should be 10.82 A in ideal conditions. Found out the fuse in the meter I had borrowed was blown I will return again this weekend to the RV with another meter and complete the testing. My Fluke meter only measures up to 10 A so I have borrowed one that will measure up to 20 Amps.

The setup in the RV is a new 395 watt Canadian Solar panel that connects to the Victron Smart Solar MPPT 100/20 48V. The battery leads go to the Inverter control sub panel where they are fed to the battery bank (4 x Trojan T105 plus lead acid). The inverter is an older 3900 W Heart (Now Zantrex) device that controls the battery charge and power input connections from the Onan 4KW generator. I upgraded the solar panels last year and switched to from PWM controller to the MPPT controller. The wiring is the same as before I merely switched the solar panel and battery wires from Old to new and it worked like a charm.

Everything was working very well since last July and the batteries were always maintained at full charge until the firmware was updated on the MPPT controller. All of the other things work perfectly the inverter produces AC and the Onan generator produces AC that feeds in to the shore power 30 Amp plug.

I will confirm working PV output and ISC current is close to spec for the panel with the PV disconnected from the controller. I will also confirm battery voltage on the battery leads when disconnected from the controller.

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Answer 8 · 2021-06-29T15:29:22Z

canoman1957 answered · Jun 29, 2021 at 03:29 PM

Problem resolved!! I discovered a blown fuse in the line from the charge controller to the battery bank. When I upgraded the solar panels and charge controller I did not realize a 15A fuse was placed inline to the batteries. (there was no schaematic of the solar/inverter/generator setup) I Replaced the fuse with a 20 A and problem was resolved. I guess it was a coincidence that the day I upgraded the firmware on MPPT to ver1.56 was a very sunny day when the current to my batteries exceeded 15A and took out the fuse.

Thank you Victron Community for your help.

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