Muphry's law on Xantrex MPPT60-150

Hi everyone.

Embarrassed to say but I burned my Xantrex charge controller. Embarrassed because it was my own stupid fault.

I put my solar panels on the roof, placed and connected my batteries and installed my new, just received Xantrex MPPT60-150 charge controller.
Everything worked fine until I measured a voltage drop in the battery wire from the battery to the charger. Made new thicker wires and connected them to the charge controller, but when the plus wire touched the connector the display did not react. Released it right away and found out that I switched the plus and the minus wire.

Since then the controller does not work anymore. :cry:

And my problem becomes bigger because I live on an island called Bonaire, south of the Caribbean, and receive all my products from Miami trough a freight forwarder. Sending it for repair will cost me about $200 together with getting it back and paying for the repair will cost me as much as a new controller, so sending it for repair is not an option and warranty is out of the question.

What I am hoping for is:
- That one of you experts can tell me that changing this or that diode or other component will fix it.
- Someone advising me that the CPU pcb or the power pcb is gone for sure and where I can get a replacement.
- Any other advice.

I hope that someone can help me out of this stupid, stupid problem. And although it is stupid, I am sure I am not the first one making this mistake (Murphey’s law) and there is some experience with this problem. I really hope that I can get out of this problem.

Thanks in advance.

Comments

  • BB.
    BB. Super Moderators, Administrators Posts: 33,431 admin
    Re: Muphry's law on Xantrex MPPT60-150

    Ouch... That hurt. :cry:

    I believe there is a ground fault fuse (~1 amp)--Check and see if that has been blown.

    There is also a jumper (as I recall) that can be moved to turn off the Ground Fault Detection Circuit.

    About all I can think of that is simple to repair.

    -Bill
    Near San Francisco California: 3.5kWatt Grid Tied Solar power system+small backup genset
  • Joe_B
    Joe_B Solar Expert Posts: 318 ✭✭✭✭✭✭
    Re: Muphry's law on Xantrex MPPT60-150

    In the MMPT-60 the GF fuse can pop and the unit will still come up and the display will say ground fault active aux off. If the display is blank, it dont look good for you. Sorry.
  • Solar Guppy
    Solar Guppy Solar Expert Posts: 1,989 ✭✭✭
    Re: Muphry's law on Xantrex MPPT60-150

    Reversing the battery will put the full battery current across the body diodes of the FETs, also it will toast the DSP on the control card ... ask me how I know!:roll:

    Even when fused, the energy from the battery does its damage before the fuse or breaker will trip.
  • mike95490
    mike95490 Solar Expert Posts: 9,583 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Re: Muphry's law on Xantrex MPPT60-150
    Reversing the battery will put the full battery current across the body diodes of the FETs, also it will toast the DSP on the control card ... ask me how I know!:roll:

    Even when fused, the energy from the battery does its damage before the fuse or breaker will trip.


    Is it field repairable - change matched FET's and DSP board ? Or is it termial ?
    he's - on island called Bonaire
    Powerfab top of pole PV mount | Listeroid 6/1 w/st5 gen head | XW6048 inverter/chgr | Iota 48V/15A charger | Morningstar 60A MPPT | 48V, 800A NiFe Battery (in series)| 15, Evergreen 205w "12V" PV array on pole | Midnight ePanel | Grundfos 10 SO5-9 with 3 wire Franklin Electric motor (1/2hp 240V 1ph ) on a timer for 3 hr noontime run - Runs off PV ||
    || Midnight Classic 200 | 10, Evergreen 200w in a 160VOC array ||
    || VEC1093 12V Charger | Maha C401 aa/aaa Charger | SureSine | Sunsaver MPPT 15A

    solar: http://tinyurl.com/LMR-Solar
    gen: http://tinyurl.com/LMR-Lister ,

  • Solar Guppy
    Solar Guppy Solar Expert Posts: 1,989 ✭✭✭
    Re: Muphry's law on Xantrex MPPT60-150
    mike90045 wrote: »
    Is it field repairable - change matched FET's and DSP board ? Or is it termial ?
    he's - on island called Bonaire

    Well I have repaired a few, but I had the ability to re-program the DSP and surface mount rework tools.

    Without a pre-programed boot-loader in the DSP, only the factory could load the flash code, so I would think its back to Xantrex if it could be repaired, but it won't be under warranty
  • mike95490
    mike95490 Solar Expert Posts: 9,583 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Re: Muphry's law on Xantrex MPPT60-150

    Bummer, I was hoping a pre-programmed part could be obtained for him, or that it was on a daughter card. SMT & BGA R&R are beyond most garage labs. I don't even like doing them at work, but it looks like a new unit for Down2easy
    Powerfab top of pole PV mount | Listeroid 6/1 w/st5 gen head | XW6048 inverter/chgr | Iota 48V/15A charger | Morningstar 60A MPPT | 48V, 800A NiFe Battery (in series)| 15, Evergreen 205w "12V" PV array on pole | Midnight ePanel | Grundfos 10 SO5-9 with 3 wire Franklin Electric motor (1/2hp 240V 1ph ) on a timer for 3 hr noontime run - Runs off PV ||
    || Midnight Classic 200 | 10, Evergreen 200w in a 160VOC array ||
    || VEC1093 12V Charger | Maha C401 aa/aaa Charger | SureSine | Sunsaver MPPT 15A

    solar: http://tinyurl.com/LMR-Solar
    gen: http://tinyurl.com/LMR-Lister ,

  • Down2easy
    Down2easy Registered Users Posts: 9
    Re: Muphry's law on Xantrex MPPT60-150

    I was really amazed to see so many people doing their best to come up with a solution, thank you all very much.

    The thing is that there where no melted or burned parts. I took the whole thing apart and studied it with a magnifying glass but found no burned parts or burn marks, funny smells, cracked parts or expanded capacitors.

    Is it possible that the power board is unharmed, because I think there is a relay between the power source and the FET's. And I think the relay is controlled by the CPU board, you can hear it click after a delay of a few seconds after connecting the battery.

    I measured on the ribbon from the main board to the CPU board, and it looked like the CPU board gets his power, but no display.

    Is it not possible for Xantrex to put a CPU board in a envelope and send it to me? Or is this to expensive and to risky?
  • Solar Guppy
    Solar Guppy Solar Expert Posts: 1,989 ✭✭✭
    Re: Muphry's law on Xantrex MPPT60-150

    The FETs are directly connected to the Batt+ and GND via the body diodes. The Relay is on the output of the inductor and offers no protection to reversing the power to the unit

    Since you have it apart, there is/was a fuse on the control card, but my experience was is reacts to slow to protect in this type of fault

    The DSP board is calibrated to the FET board, so no, you can't mix and match the boards
  • halfcrazy
    halfcrazy Solar Expert Posts: 720 ✭✭✭
    Re: Muphry's law on Xantrex MPPT60-150

    I had assumed the XW was reverse polarity protected? Sorry to here of the misfortune I know how easy that is to do I have hooked a few Classic's up backwards being in a hurry. Lucky for me they are reverse polarity protected or as boB says the Classic's have to be "Halfcrazy Proof"
  • boB
    boB Solar Expert Posts: 1,030 ✭✭✭✭
    Re: Muphry's law on Xantrex MPPT60-150
    The FETs are directly connected to the Batt+ and GND via the body diodes. The Relay is on the output of the inductor and offers no protection to reversing the power to the unit

    Since you have it apart, there is/was a fuse on the control card, but my experience was is reacts to slow to protect in this type of fault

    The DSP board is calibrated to the FET board, so no, you can't mix and match the boards

    SG, What FETs are connected on the battery side ? You're sure that the FETs aren't on the other side of the relay ? I can see the FETs going poof if the battery is connected to the PV input backwards though.

    Maybe just the current sense resistor went up in smoke ?

    boB
  • Solar Guppy
    Solar Guppy Solar Expert Posts: 1,989 ✭✭✭
    Re: Muphry's law on Xantrex MPPT60-150

    Hi boB,

    Your correct, high side FETS are connected to the PV+, not Batt+, so they might be OK, unfortunately, the control card DSP in my experience was susceptible to failure when reverse polarity was applied.

    SG
  • Dave Angelini
    Dave Angelini Solar Expert Posts: 6,728 ✭✭✭✭✭✭
    Re: Muphry's law on Xantrex MPPT60-150

    I would just send it back! Buy another one from your supplier and exchange this one for credit after it is fixed.

    Measure as many times as it takes and then connect. Somedays it can be 4 times for me! A very valuable lesson, learn your number !
    "we go where power lines don't" Sierra Nevada mountain area
       htps://offgridsolar1.com/
    E-mail offgridsolar@sti.net

  • Joe_B
    Joe_B Solar Expert Posts: 318 ✭✭✭✭✭✭
    Re: Muphry's law on Xantrex MPPT60-150
    I would just send it back! Buy another one from your supplier and exchange this one for credit after it is fixed.

    Measure as many times as it takes and then connect. Somedays it can be 4 times for me! A very valuable lesson, learn your number !

    Or use color coded wire, Red for +, Black for -, Green for ground.
  • mike95490
    mike95490 Solar Expert Posts: 9,583 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Re: Muphry's law on Xantrex MPPT60-150
    Joe_B wrote: »
    Or use color coded wire, Red for +, Black for -, Green for ground.


    Or color electrical tape, or colored electrical liquid tape. I've got jars of red, green, white, and black. And I dab the colors on the inverter and charge controller, so I don't have to squint to see the little embossed +-. Applied when it comes out of the box, while it's easy to get at.
    Powerfab top of pole PV mount | Listeroid 6/1 w/st5 gen head | XW6048 inverter/chgr | Iota 48V/15A charger | Morningstar 60A MPPT | 48V, 800A NiFe Battery (in series)| 15, Evergreen 205w "12V" PV array on pole | Midnight ePanel | Grundfos 10 SO5-9 with 3 wire Franklin Electric motor (1/2hp 240V 1ph ) on a timer for 3 hr noontime run - Runs off PV ||
    || Midnight Classic 200 | 10, Evergreen 200w in a 160VOC array ||
    || VEC1093 12V Charger | Maha C401 aa/aaa Charger | SureSine | Sunsaver MPPT 15A

    solar: http://tinyurl.com/LMR-Solar
    gen: http://tinyurl.com/LMR-Lister ,

  • Down2easy
    Down2easy Registered Users Posts: 9
    Re: Muphry's law on Xantrex MPPT60-150

    Solar Guppy you are right, the fuse is still in tact. And the controller is still not functioning (I am still waiting for a miracle).

    But the question remains, what will they charge me to get it repaired, if it can be repaired? Because I am thinking, if I know for sure that it can be repaired, sending it back and forward and getting it repaired for less than a new one is still cheaper.

    And who is doing the repair, Xantrex or Schneider electronics. I send mails and call support centers and the mails are not answered and who they put on the phone there doesn't know ...... much.
  • Solar Guppy
    Solar Guppy Solar Expert Posts: 1,989 ✭✭✭
    Re: Muphry's law on Xantrex MPPT60-150

    I don't know what Xantrex charges for repairs, you will have to get an RMA from there customer support ( phone ) Xantrex does not use email for this only the 800 number. Call the 800 number and simply say you have a unit that needs to be repaired and request the RMA number and shipping address.

    With all the shipping involved with your freight forwarded ( which I assume is to get around custom duties ), it will likely be cheaper to just get a new unit, but this is just my guess.

    We all make mistakes, I have a large pile of my own, it happens
  • Frxddy
    Frxddy Solar Expert Posts: 113 ✭✭✭✭
    Re: Muphry's law on Xantrex MPPT60-150

    Sorry to hear of your loss.

    I'm just trying to learn, and perhaps others might see this & learn.... Are all inverters made such that a reversal of positive & negative has such disastrous results? I have battery chargers that if hooked up backwards simply tell you it's backwards, no harm done. Is it simply impossible to do when manufacturing an inverter? The flip side of that question... are there inverters made by some other company that this type of short circuit is impossible?
  • Dave Angelini
    Dave Angelini Solar Expert Posts: 6,728 ✭✭✭✭✭✭
    Re: Muphry's law on Xantrex MPPT60-150

    In most all cases on has to read and implement the instructions in the installation manual. Short of that mistakes happen. It can be more than money if you start a fire or injure someone!
    "we go where power lines don't" Sierra Nevada mountain area
       htps://offgridsolar1.com/
    E-mail offgridsolar@sti.net

  • niel
    niel Solar Expert Posts: 10,300 ✭✭✭✭
    Re: Muphry's law on Xantrex MPPT60-150

    sorry for your loss and the best of us have blown stuff. makes you want to scream at yourself.:blush: