Mppt woes

[oppy]

Hi folks and help, our solar panel controller has gone blank ,the van electric seems to be ok, any ideas or advice please
Peter

 

[colinm]

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.

 

[barryd]

Which controller is it Peter? What make and model?

 

[oppy]

Which controller is it Peter? What make and model?

Anonymous, sorry, Amazon purchase a couple of years ago

 

[oppy]

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.

Just tried but nowt

 

[r4dent]

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.

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.

 

[r4dent]

Hi folks and help, our solar panel controller has gone blank ,the van electric seems to be ok, any ideas or advice please
Peter

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

 

[edina]

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.

I thought disconnecting the battery would force the mppt to reset itself?

 

[r4dent]

I thought disconnecting the battery would force the mppt to reset itself?

You're right, I apologise.

Kindly disregard my Post.

 

[colinm]

Just tried but nowt

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

 

[maingate]

A typical solar controller appears dead when the fuse has blown.

 

[trevskoda]

I thought disconnecting the battery would force the mppt to reset itself?

No that will bu==er up the control unit big time.

 

[colinm]

No that will bu==er up the control unit big time.

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.

 

[oppy]

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

Sadly my van multi tester is on my bench back home, I forgot to put it back.............bloomin eejit that I am

 

[oppy]

A typical solar controller appears dead when the fuse has blown.

Sadly I cannot find a fuse

 

[oppy]

Ah well, thanks folks for your advice but I now think that it's kernaked, but hopefully our batteries will last our stay

 

[r4dent]

Ah well, thanks folks for your advice but I now think that it's kernaked, but hopefully our batteries will last our stay

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.

 

[trevskoda]

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.

Yes if panels disconnected first, i have seen folk not do this.

 

[trevskoda]

Ah well, thanks folks for your advice but I now think that it's kernaked, but hopefully our batteries will last our stay

Engine should charge the batts up, strange no fuse, poor workmanship by installer.

 

[maingate]

Sadly I cannot find a fuse

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).