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</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]--></head><body lang=EN-US link=blue vlink=purple><div class=WordSection1><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'>William,<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'>What does the PV array consist of? What size and type, and how many, modules?<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'>Which TriStar? 45 or 60A?<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'>What controller did she have before the upgrade?<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'>The high charging voltage might be a sign of sulfation. Depending on her load profile, that 8A charge rate might have caused chronic undercharging. In a 5 peak sun-hour location, that’s only 40Ah/day of charging capacity.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'>Brian Teitelbaum<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'>AEE Solar<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><div><div style='border:none;border-top:solid #B5C4DF 1.0pt;padding:3.0pt 0in 0in 0in'><p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"'>From:</span></b><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"'> re-wrenches-bounces@lists.re-wrenches.org [mailto:re-wrenches-bounces@lists.re-wrenches.org] <b>On Behalf Of </b>William Miller<br><b>Sent:</b> Tuesday, July 23, 2013 1:13 PM<br><b>To:</b> RE-wrenches<br><b>Subject:</b> [RE-wrenches] Tri-Star MPPT<o:p></o:p></span></p></div></div><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>Friends:</span><o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal> <o:p></o:p></p></div><div><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>I have a customer with a new Tristar MPPT controller. The customer has some older L-16 batteries mixed with new and she thinks the controller has damaged her batteries. I am trying to convince her that the batteries were already damaged and mixing old with new is a bad idea.</span><o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal> <o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>I removed the worst batteries from the array, leaving one string of older batteries with reasonable SG readings. The CC still acts strangely: When programmed to charge the L-16 batteries, the battery voltage shoots up to 30.2 volts and the batteries boil a lot. The green light on the controller blinks at variable rates, at one moment fast, the next slow, the next solid.</span><o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal> <o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>I believe the client started with bad batteries, 6 are 4 years old, 2 are 1 year old. She is convinced that the CC damaged her batteries. She replaced panels and CC recently, installing the Tristar. I believe the old PV system charged at such a slow rate (8 amps) that the battery deficiency was not apparent. The higher charging rate has emphasized the problem.</span><o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal> <o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>Any one have any thing to add to my theory?</span><o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal> <o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>Thanks in advance.</span><o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal> <o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>William Miller</span><o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal> <o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal> <o:p></o:p></p></div></div><div><p class=MsoNormal> <o:p></o:p></p></div><p class=MsoNormal><img width=145 height=43 id="_x0000_i1025" src="cid:image002.jpg@01CE87A8.28D5F890"><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>17395 Oak Rd. Atascadero, CA 93422</span><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'><a href="http://www.millersolar.com/">www.millersolar.com</a></span><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>805-438-5600 voice*</span><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>*Note: above number replaces cell number</span><o:p></o:p></p><div><p class=MsoNormal> <o:p></o:p></p></div></div></body></html>