Mppt woes

oppy

oppy

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Hi folks and help, our solar panel controller has gone blank ,the van electric seems to be ok, any ideas or advice please
Peter
 
For most controllers the way to reset them is, disconnect +ve to panel, Disconnect +ve to battery, reconnect +ve to battery, reconnect +ve to panel.
 
colinm said:
For most controllers the way to reset them is, disconnect +ve to panel, Disconnect +ve to battery, reconnect +ve to battery, reconnect +ve to panel.
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I think "disconnect +ve to panel, reconnect +ve to panel." would be exactly the same.
Only reason for disconnecting battery +ve is to avoid having a loose live wire around if the job is going to take a while.
If you do decide to disconnect battery +ve do it at battery end rather than controller end.
 
oppy said:
Hi folks and help, our solar panel controller has gone blank ,the van electric seems to be ok, any ideas or advice please
Peter
Click to expand...
a) check voltage across the panel output terminals.

b) check voltage across the panel input terminals (when the sun is shining)

c) test all fuses in system

d) tell us the results.

Good Luck
 
r4dent said:
I think "disconnect +ve to panel, reconnect +ve to panel." would be exactly the same.
Only reason for disconnecting battery +ve is to avoid having a loose live wire around if the job is going to take a while.
If you do decide to disconnect battery +ve do it at battery end rather than controller end.
Click to expand...
I thought disconnecting the battery would force the mppt to reset itself?
 
oppy said:
Just tried but nowt
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Another check is put a meter cross terminals on controller, firstly to check that power is coming from panel to the controller, and secondly the controller is still connected to the battery
 
trevskoda said:
No that will bu==er up the control unit big time.
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If the panel is disconnected, which I clearly instructed, disconnecting the battery should reset the controller, it will not damage the controller.
A couple of times I have accidently disconnected the battery before disconnecting the panel, with no ill effects, but I wouldn't recommend doing that.
 
r4dent said:
a) check voltage across the panel output terminals.

b) check voltage across the panel input terminals (when the sun is shining)

c) test all fuses in system

d) tell us the results.

Good Luck
Click to expand...
Sadly my van multi tester is on my bench back home, I forgot to put it back.............bloomin eejit that I am
 
oppy said:
Ah well, thanks folks for your advice but I now think that it's kernaked, but hopefully our batteries will last our stay
Click to expand...
Definitely worth testing the voltages before mending it with a new one.

Also worth while double checking for fuses and putting fuses in the circuit if you haven't got them.
 
colinm said:
If the panel is disconnected, which I clearly instructed, disconnecting the battery should reset the controller, it will not damage the controller.
A couple of times I have accidently disconnected the battery before disconnecting the panel, with no ill effects, but I wouldn't recommend doing that.
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Yes if panels disconnected first, i have seen folk not do this.
 
oppy said:
Ah well, thanks folks for your advice but I now think that it's kernaked, but hopefully our batteries will last our stay
Click to expand...
Engine should charge the batts up, strange no fuse, poor workmanship by installer.
 
oppy said:
Sadly I cannot find a fuse
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Some have a built in fuse (like Trevs), others are fused through the Hab fuse system. I don't know what van you have and if it is a British model, I would be of no help anyway. I had foreign vans. It's worth checking the main fusebox, or tracing the wiring back (yes I know, almost impossible in a motorhome, especially at our age). :(
 
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