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Forum Index : Solar : need help
| Author | Message | ||||
| brucedownunder2 Guru  Joined: 14/09/2005 Location: AustraliaPosts: 1548 |
I've one of those red and black coloured solar controllers -- no name that I can see ,but in one of my posts a few days ago ,there is a photo of it .. Its a MPPT 60 amp type ,fairly big shoebox size and around $170. Ok , connected it up ,all the front lcd lit up OK , and it went into standby . I thought ,after an hour in this afternoon Qld sun ,say 4pm to 5 pm ,, it showed on my seperate amp meter that the PV was outputting 63 volts at around 5 amps from my 880 watt old tracker ,sort of half facing the afternoon sun. I thought , hey!, this is not looking good, the batt volts are climbing (from around 53 volts), and its still in standby -OH, but no indication of it actually charging ,you know ,the little star that runs across the bar line to give an indication of charging ??. Anyhow , first off , does anybody know the name of this poor unnamed lonely sole ???. 2nd , any clues ? you can phone me if thats more convenient or private --0427 747 748. Got me stumped ??? I'd just like a little luck ,these days ?. Bruce Bushboy |
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Revlac Guru Joined: 31/12/2016 Location: AustraliaPosts: 1022 |
I think it is an eSmart3 MPPT 60a. And this might be the Manual for it. Looks like https didn't work. I will read the manual, see whats not. Edited 2020-09-24 17:45 by Revlac Cheers Aaron Off The Grid |
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| Revlac Guru Joined: 31/12/2016 Location: AustraliaPosts: 1022 |
It could be on the constant voltage stage CV. 14.6 X 4 is 58.4v You could try "user setting" and set it to what you want.  Take a photo of it working, perhaps we can see what is happening. Cheers Aaron Off The Grid |
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| brucedownunder2 Guru Joined: 14/09/2005 Location: AustraliaPosts: 1548 |
Thanks Aaron,just read your manual ,same as mine ,but mine does not mention a brand name at all,just Mppt. Also mine displays STANDBY in the lCD display , but not one word about this function in the manual. I googled this standbys word in solar controller and it sort of vaguely suggested the sun may be too weak in the afternoon,so will try tomorrow mid morning to see if the charge has to be more powerful. I noticed it was showing 63 volts before I switched it off,but immediately I switched it off it dropped to 54 volts. So ,maybe it does have something to do with the charging or the time of day. I have turned it off for tonight, Bruce Bushboy |
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| brucedownunder2 Guru Joined: 14/09/2005 Location: AustraliaPosts: 1548 |
I just looked in whirlpool forum for e smart solar controller, lots of good info there. Hop to sort this out soon And thanks to Aaron. Bruce Bushboy |
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| brucedownunder2 Guru Joined: 14/09/2005 Location: AustraliaPosts: 1548 |
 This is a pic of the red/black MPPT controller . Aaron has suggested that a previous owner may have had it set for a higher voltage (his type of batteries) . -but I'm sort of thinking I've bought someone else's problem ??. I'm waiting for full sun and I will try to re-configure the menu for my lower voltage batteries. I'v read the instructions ,but @ 76 I'm not smart in that dept. anymore.lol. don't get old. another point, does anybody know of a tech or company near Gold Coast ,or anywhere if I get desperate that can repair or suggest a fix... Thanks, Bruce Bushboy |
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| Revlac Guru Joined: 31/12/2016 Location: AustraliaPosts: 1022 |
Ok then, If the voltage in and out is the same, and the controller Doesn't indicate any charging, it seems like its just going strait through. So perhaps a shorted fet, or not switching and not doing its MPPT thing. Gizmo posted this link http://skagmo.com/page.php?p=documents%2F04_esmart3_review earlier and there is a schematic as well. Cheers Aaron Off The Grid |
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| Godoh Guru Joined: 26/09/2020 Location: AustraliaPosts: 458 |
Hi Bruce, some controllers want to be connected to the panels and battery in a particular way. Some state that they should be connected to the battery first then the panels. This makes sense in the regulators that are designed to automatically detect battery voltage. First they need to decide what voltage they are setting for. I would disconnect the regulator then connect the batteries first, then the solar positive then the solar negative and see if that makes any difference. To see if my panels and regulators are putting out power I use a cheap clamp ammeter, I have three sets of panels ( all different) and three controllers so my shunt connected to the batteries only gives me the total current. I often use the clamp meter to test each set of panels to see how they are performing. Makes lots of other testing easy too. Pete |
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| brucedownunder2 Guru Joined: 14/09/2005 Location: AustraliaPosts: 1548 |
Yes, thank You ,Aaron. Gismo(Glenn), link was explaining something similar in the voltages setting ,concerning the switching of the MPPT . Maybe this is where my problem lies, so, that brings me to another inquisitive part of the solution----- how can I change the voltages in "The user-settings" feature if I cannot find any instructions ?? Not for want of searching ,on the unit and our friend Google, not one word of how to adjust the user-setting. I'll apologise, if someone finds it, LOL. Bruce Bushboy |
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| brucedownunder2 Guru Joined: 14/09/2005 Location: AustraliaPosts: 1548 |
Good morning . I thought I say thank you to all that have helped in this post. There is good news, . I spent many nights thinking what the hell could be upsetting this controller. So, I came into the workshop and pulled Everything connected to it off.. BINGO, An hour later, it,s working !!!! What did I do ,differently, smart arse me thought I could cut the bulk of cables leading from the components to the individual destinations ,,,,,,and take ALL the negative conductors to a buss bar ,then only one Neg conductor into the back of the enclosure.. Of course, I forgot that this does not apply to components that require their own individual connections.. Thank you, and I,m sorry to have put you through something that was my mistake. Bruce Bushboy |
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pollenface Regular Member  Joined: 01/09/2020 Location: AustraliaPosts: 47 |
Great result! Off grid man caver |
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