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<DIV>We only have non-archived computerized records going back 1 year, but it
looks like 95% of the Morningstar MPPT-15 controllers we sold were for 21 to 44
Voc panels. I only see a very few higher voltage panels. Our main line of the
200 watt’ish range is Kyocera, SolarWorld, and Sharp. Just judging from comments
by all the posters in this group, there seems to be a rather high failure rate
among smaller controllers. I wonder how many of those failures were due to
user/install errors or outside factor like lightning as compared to actual bad
controllers.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Of all controllers that we have ever sold in the past 5 years or so, BZ had
the highest failure rate (we stopped selling them about 2 years ago). Blue Sky
also has a very low fail rate, but they are much less versatile than the
Morningstar, Outback, and Xantrex MPPT controllers when it comes to matching
larger panels, and the MPPT tracking does not seem to work as efficiently.</DIV>
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<DIV style="font-color: black"><B>From:</B> <A title=larry@starlightsolar.com
href="mailto:larry@starlightsolar.com">Starlight Solar, Larry Crutcher</A>
</DIV>
<DIV><B>Sent:</B> Tuesday, January 25, 2011 8:12 AM</DIV>
<DIV><B>To:</B> <A title=re-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org
href="mailto:re-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org">RE-wrenches</A> </DIV>
<DIV><B>Subject:</B> Re: [RE-wrenches] 10A Charge / load controller;Morningstar
MPPT controller</DIV></DIV></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV></DIV>
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<DIV><FONT size=2 face=Arial>I believe the issue we had has to do with using the
Sanyo high voltage PV module. As Kent points out, we were operating the
controller at the design limit. I don't believe it is suited to do that as we
have other Morningstar MPPT controllers working fine for several years now with
lower voltage PV modules. BTW, the MPPT failures were in systems that we
designed and installed using the Sanyo's.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2 face=Arial></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2 face=Arial>The main reason we started using this controller is
for 12 volt systems with a single high voltage module. We use other controllers
when the Voc is less than 40 volts. Warren, are any of the 200 units you sold
last year used with a 200 watt Sanyo other high voltage PV module(s)?
</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2 face=Arial></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2 face=Arial>Larry</FONT></DIV>
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style="BORDER-LEFT: #000000 2px solid; PADDING-LEFT: 5px; PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px">
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial">----- Original Message ----- </DIV>
<DIV
style="FONT: 10pt arial; BACKGROUND: #e4e4e4; font-color: black"><B>From:</B>
<A title=warren@wind-sun.com href="mailto:warren@wind-sun.com">Warren
Lauzon</A> </DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>To:</B> <A
title=re-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org
href="mailto:re-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org">RE-wrenches</A> </DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Sent:</B> Monday, January 24, 2011 11:05
AM</DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Subject:</B> Re: [RE-wrenches] 10A Charge /
load controller</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
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<DIV style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Calibri'; COLOR: #000000; FONT-SIZE: 12pt">
<DIV>All controllers have failures – most commonly due to user/installer
errors. Of all the controllers we sell, Morningstar have been by far the most
trouble free and has the best no-hassle warranty.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>We have probably sold/installed around 100 to 200 of the SS-MPPT-15
controllers over the past year or so, and have seen almost zero problems that
were not caused by a bad installation of some sort. Just on a side note, of
all the controllers of all brands we have sold over the past decade, probably
3/4 of those returned by end users as “not working” has nothing wrong with
them.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
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<DIV style="font-color: black"><B>From:</B> <A title=kent@coveoregon.com
href="mailto:kent@coveoregon.com">Kent Osterberg</A> </DIV>
<DIV><B>Sent:</B> Monday, January 24, 2011 10:39 AM</DIV>
<DIV><B>To:</B> <A title=re-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org
href="mailto:re-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org">RE-wrenches</A> </DIV>
<DIV><B>Subject:</B> Re: [RE-wrenches] 10A Charge / load
controller</DIV></DIV></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV></DIV>
<DIV
style="FONT-STYLE: normal; DISPLAY: inline; FONT-FAMILY: 'Calibri'; COLOR: #000000; FONT-SIZE: small; FONT-WEIGHT: normal; TEXT-DECORATION: none">The
spec sheet for the SS-MPPT says 75 volts maximum open circuit. Maximum
PV power: 200 watts for 12-volt batteries and 400-watts for 24-volt
batteries. While it is supposed to be protected from PV overload and PV
high voltage, it doesn't seem surprising that failures that have been observed
are in systems that are pushing on these limits. Fortunately,
Morningstar stands behind their product.<BR><BR>Kent Osterberg<BR>Blue
Mountain Solar, Inc.<BR></DIV></DIV></DIV></BLOCKQUOTE>
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