Solar Charger - Portable PV 360W [278], Error code: #66

DIY
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1

My Victron Message;

Solar Charger - Portable PV 360W [278], Error code: #66 - Incompatible device encountered for parallel operation (e.g. old firmware/different settings)

My MPPT ‘Smart’ equipment;

  1. I have 2 MPPTs, a 150/100 and a 100/50.

  2. Both are connected via VE.Can.

  3. My 150/100 MPPT recently messaged me ‘update firmware’, which I did. The secondary MPPT 100/50 MPPT said it was already up to date.

MPPT 150/100 is now running firmware v3.16, and

MPPT 100/50 is still running firmware v1.68

A.I. suggested course of action (ALL WERE UNSUCCESSFUL, MY RESULTS ARE IN UPPERCASE)

Your two MPPTs are on VE.Can, but they are running different firmware versions. When Victron MPPTs are linked via VE.Can, they must:

  • Run identical firmware major versions, and
  • Have matching charge settings

1. Update firmware on BOTH MPPTs

Force-check firmware on VE.Can devices:

Open Cerbo GX → Device List

Select each MPPT

Look for “Firmware”

If the Cerbo offers “Update firmware”, do it.

NO, IT DOES NOT SAY ‘UPDATE FIRMWARE’, IT SAYS ‘YOUR PRODUCT IS ALREADY RUNNING THE LATEST FIRMWARE VERSION’. NO OPTION TO ‘FORCE UPDATE’.

If not, temporarily unplug VE.Can and connect via Bluetooth to check for updates.

SAME RESULT, IT STILL SAYS ‘YOUR PRODUCT IS ALREADY RUNNING THE LATEST FIRMWARE VERSION’

2. Verify all charging settings match exactly

Check each MPPT:

  • Battery voltage (12/24/48)
  • Battery type (AGM, LiFePO₄, etc.)
  • Absorption voltage & time
  • Float voltage
  • Equalization settings
  • Temperature compensation

YES, ALL SETTINGS ARE IDENTICAL, EVEN UNDER ‘ADVANCE USER SETTINGS’.

3. Make sure VE.Smart Networking is OFF

Since you’re using VE.Can, VE.Smart must be disabled.

Check each MPPT in VictronConnect:

  • Settings → VE.Smart Networking → Disabled

NO OPTIONS TO ‘DISABLE’, ONLY OPTION IS TO ‘LEAVE NETWORK’, WHICH I DID (ON BOTH MPPTS), DID NOT RESOLVE ISSUE, STILL GETTING EMAILED MESSAGE ERROR #66.

4. Factory reset the MPPTs (if the error persists)

VictronConnect → Product Info → “Reset to defaults.” Then re‑enter settings manually.

I HAVE NOT DONE THIS YET, AM HOPING FOR LESS DRASTIC COURSE.

2

There’s a 100/50 with CAN connectivity?

Never ever, ever, ask an AI a technical question.
If victron haven’t managed to create a reliable agent, a tech company sure won’t by trawling the internet.

From the docs and referenced on this very forum:

3

By check - did you select which voltage your system is and set it with a pin?

Do you have this one panel connected to both mppts?

I think the bailing twine was tanlged in the AI post.

Disagree it is not your message although it may have been your intention when you began.

@GuyPlanner edit your post and make it your human thoughts please. I am ready to remove it as most of it is non sense and violated our community guidelines

4

Sorry, I did initially consult AI, but copied and pasted it into a word doc. I simply wanted to be thorough in detailing my steps. I will post below a PDF of my diagram.

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My Wiring v4.pdf (91.3 KB)

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Maybe my MPPT 100/50 (sn HQ2110*****) is not a VE.Can model ? I said it was a VE.Can only because that is where I plug it into my Cerbo GX, beside my other MPPT 150/100. Is that why I can’t update the firmware to match my MPPT 150/100 (sn HQ2135* ). The Error code: #66 only begun today (I updated all my Victron devices, including my MPPT 150/100 approx. 1 month ago while ‘dewinterizing’ my 5th wheel).

7

There aren’t any 100/50s that have VE.Can. You’re likely confusing VE.Direct with VE.Can, since VE.Direct ports (4-pin rectangular) are directly above the VE.Can ports (RJ45) on the Cerbo, and some users have been confused by the port labeling on top of the Cerbo.

8

Yes, you are correct, I just checked, and both MPPTs and my Shunt are plugged into VE.Direct, not VE.Can. My error, thank you for pointing this out.

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As requested by LX, I am reformulating my post as follow;

I started getting the following messages (today May 7/26);

Message; Solar Charger - Portable PV 360W [278], Error code: #66 - Incompatible device encountered for parallel operation (e.g. old firmware/different settings)

My installation diagram is attached below (see My Wiring v4.pdf).

The following is a list of my equipment & corresponding SN

.Vic Cerbo GX MK2, sn HQ2451*****

.Vic SmartShunt, sn HQ2139***** (plugged into VE.Direct 3)

.Vic MPPT 150-100, sn HQ2135***** (plugged into VE.Direct 1)

.Vic MPPT 100-50, sn HQ2110***** (plugged into VE.Direct 2)

.Vic Orion XS 12v 12v-50A, sn HQ2428*****

.Vic GX Touch 70, sn HQ2434*****

These are the steps I already took in trying to resolve the Error code #66 (all unsuccessfully). These steps were all done through BlueTooth connect.

  1. I checked firmware on both MPPTs. My 100/50 is running on v1.68, and my 150/100 is running on v3.16. Tried to force an update on both MPPTs by selecting ‘manual update’, but both MPPTs indicate ‘.. running the latest firmware version’. No option to update beyond those firmware versions.

  2. I then checked both MPPT settings to make sure both MPPT were set identical as my usual specs; (see attached ‘My Settings Vic & Batteries.pdf’). Yes, both MPPTs were set identical as per 'My Spec.

  3. I then turned off VE.Smart Networking on both MPPTs in settings/VE.Smart Networking and ‘LEAVE NETWORK’. Done

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My Settings Vic & Batteries.pdf (2.6 MB)

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I edited your SNs - this is a public forum, readable by anyone including scrapeable by bots and AI agents, so generally not advised to post full SNs here.

What’s the OS version on your Cerbo? It being either outdated or possibly just installed a new update that’s buggy would be my first thought as to the cause of this error.

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Thank you for doing removing those SNs, .. I’m a bit green at these forums.

I looked up the firmware of the Cerbo and it says v3.63. Hope that is what you wanted.

I don’t want to oversimply the trouble shooting, but is it possible my MPPT 100/50 cannot be upgraded to v3.XX ? That it is too old ? Because I searched the Vic site and could not find firmware file for the 100/50 with v3.XX

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Nah, different units will have different FW versions, the larger units like your 150/100 have different FW files than the smaller units like 100/50, 100/30 etc. They don’t need to be -and in fact can’t be- on matching firmwares.

Next step, I’d say, would be updating the Cerbo; 3.63 is a bit old, I believe current is 3.72. As a general rule, one should never update any part of a functional system, but since you’ve already updated several parts of the system, best to continue the update path and update the Cerbo as well, since it’s quite possible that one of the updated firmwares of the solar controllers is no longer compatible with the slightly older firmware on the Cerbo.

14

I updated the system to 3.72. So far so good. Not sure what interval I would continue getting error code #66 if this system update does not work.

15

Thank you Justin, I looks like updating the Cerbo fixed the error, have not received notice since.