[RE-wrenches] PV/Charge Controller Troubleshoot Help

Tue Apr 23 11:40:51 PDT 2024

Isn't that too much array power for an MX60?  Just based on the numbers 
you gave, it looks like over 3kw, which is 63 amps at 48vdc.  He didn't 
mention the actual PV module ratings, but I suspect its just way too 
much array power.  It might work for awhile, but its going to start 
cooking things (as it seems it has).  I never design off grid like folks 
design GT systems with over sized arrays.  You want reliability off 
grid, and that means leaving some head room in the design, so that the 
controller isn't clipping all day.

I'd replace the MX60 with an MX80, and then you and the customer can be 
bored for a decade.  It will make more power too, especially on cold, 
sunny days when you really need it.

Ray Walters
Remote Solar

On 4/23/2024 12:47 PM, Todd Cory via RE-wrenches wrote:
>
> My old MX60 said " hot" when the fan had failed.
>
> Todd
>
>
> "MX 2 Hot (Very rare) Either the MX60 is too hot or its internal 
> temperature sensor is shorted. If this message appears, carefully 
> check if the MX60’s heat sink is extremely hot. The heat generated by 
> the MX60, and therefore its losses, is proportional to input voltage 
> times output current. Avoid installing the MX60 in direct sunlight to 
> help control its operating temperature."
>
>
>
> On Tuesday, April 23, 2024 11:19am, "William Miller via RE-wrenches" 
> <re-wrenches at lists.re-wrenches.org> said:
>
> > If the fan fails would there be an error message? As always, I 
> looked this
> > up before posting. The manual is not clear on the matter.
> >
> > William
> >
> > Miller Solar
> > 17395 Oak Road, Atascadero, CA 93422
> > 805-438-5600
> > www.millersolar.com
> > CA Lic. 773985
> >
> >
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: RE-wrenches [mailto:re-wrenches-bounces at lists.re-wrenches.org] On
> > Behalf Of MDElectricSolar via RE-wrenches
> > Sent: Tuesday, April 23, 2024 6:58 AM
> > To: RE-wrenches
> > Cc: MDElectricSolar
> > Subject: Re: [RE-wrenches] PV/Charge Controller Troubleshoot Help
> >
> > It may be the fan. I had an FM 80 where the fan went bad that caused 
> very
> > limited solar production throughout the day.
> >
> > Michael D Nelson
> > MD Electric & Solar, Inc.
> > 707-684-0064 mobile
> > 707-884-1862 office
> > www.mdelectricsolar.com
> > www.facebook.com/mdelectricandsolar
> >
> >
> > > On Apr 23, 2024, at 6:54 AM, jay via RE-wrenches
> > > <re-wrenches at lists.re-wrenches.org> wrote:
> > >
> > > HI Jim,
> > >
> > > The CC is sure suspect.
> > > You didn’t mention what the battery voltage is.
> > > Those CC have a hard PV watt input limit.
> > >
> > > You can try and set it back to factory default and then reprogram,
> > > sometimes that works.
> > >
> > > I don’t use the FM-60, but always the FM-80 because of the fan
> > > replacement. the 80 takes 3 minutes, the 60 takes 2 hours.
> > >
> > > jay
> > >
> > >> On Apr 23, 2024, at 6:00 AM, Jim Gowdy via RE-wrenches
> > >> <re-wrenches at lists.re-wrenches.org> wrote:
> > >>
> > >> I'm troubleshooting the solar aspect of a small offgrid 120v outback
> > >> system and need some opinions. The customer was complaining that the
> > >> generator was running too much so I went out to their property and
> > >> investigated. The solar array consists of 16 total panels (4 
> strings of
> > >> 4). At the combiner box, I took the voltage and amperage reading 
> of each
> > >> string and found the following......BREAKER 1 (85VDC/8.87A) BREAKER 2
> > >> (84.5VDC/8.9A) BREAKER 3 (.03VDC/0A) BREAKER 4(85VDC/8.89A). 
> Breaker 3
> > >> string was not producing and so I did a fix and then read
> > >> (87.1VDC/8.43A). After reviewing the online monitor since that 
> fix from
> > >> a few days prior I'm realizing that the first day after had 4.5KWH
> > >> production, second day had 0.7KWH production, and yesterday had 
> 0.3KWH
> > >> production.....sun has been out without clouds. The 60A Outback 
> charge
> > >> controller shows there is PV voltage, but noticed it was in 
> "silent mode"
> > >> a good amount of time. Charge controller is old, but all the other
> > >> equipment was updated about a year and a half ago. I was wondering if
> > >> there is a way to diagnose if the charge controller is bad 
> without just
> > >> replacing it and what does it mean when it's in "silent mode". 
> Another
> > >> side note is that their generator threw an AGS fault code on the 
> MATE3
> > >> controller and found that the generator has problems so I ended up
> > >> turning from "auto" to "off"
> > >> --
> > >> Jim with Gowdy Electric
> > >> Cambria, Ca 93428
> > >> business 805 927 2630
> > >> cell 805 975 5279
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