Schneider MPPT 60-150 has output current but input shows as 0A

jacksond

i have just installed two Schneiders MPPT 60-150 charge controllers, charging a 430AH 48V battery. Thr battery appears to be charging ok but the readings on the charge controller display are not consistent with meter readings taken with a clamp on meter. The input voltage  (112v) is recorded correctly by the charge controller, but the current and power are shown as zero, whereas clamp on meter shows ~7A at 112v. The output readings are also inconsistent. The charge controller readings for current and power as half that recorded at the output by the clamp on mete.  I am seeing the same thing with both charge controllers. Any ideas what might be causing this anomaly?

littleharbor2

Part of that output could be going to running loads while the batteries are getting only a portion of the total output. When your charge cycle is in absorb or float mode the batteries are only using a portion of the full solar output, running loads are using power right from your solar panels.

BB.

If you connect the panel negative lead directly to the charger's negative lead, you bypass the internal current shunt.

Most other controllers have the shunt in the positive circuitry and don't care which negative controller connections are used.

-Bill

Photowhit

jacksond said:

...two Schneiders MPPT 60-150 charge controllers, charging a 430AH 48V battery...

I thought I might point out that you may be over paneled and want to regulate how much current passes to the battery bank. A 430ah bank charging at 13% of capacity would require about 56 amps. It's good to be over paneled for day time loads, just thought I'd pass it along.

Dave Angelini

I am guessing that you do not have the XW or new SW inverter/chargers?  They supply the data of the load and even though you can get alot from the mppt's, the inverters really are needed to give you all the charts, grapghs, and display data and ease of using this system.
You do have the SCP at minimum right? You would need to power it from the AUX output or an external 12V source. This would then make a network and all the settings would be global.

jacksond

Thanks for all the suggestions. Turns out I had the PV negative lead connected to the battery negative bar in the PDP rather than going directly to the charge controller input. Corrected that and now everything is as expected.

new2PV

You also need to remove the 1 amp fuse in the 2nd controller or the ground fault wont work correctly.