Tristar firmware update

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System
System Posts: 2,511 admin
in Advanced Solar Electric Technical Forum #1
Found there was a problem with the reset button ... after removing the reset button shorting the contacts the version 2 loader update was able to finalize ..
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  • drew4justice
    drew4justice Solar Expert Posts: 36 ✭
    #2
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    Re: Tristar firmware update

    I own a TS45 MPPT unit. Keep trying support. On two occasions, when I became desperate on another issue, I would perservere and ring support every hour or so. It seems like I'd eventually get through. When I did, the technician was fairly helpful.
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  • mike95490
    mike95490 Solar Expert Posts: 9,583 ✭✭✭✭✭
    #3
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    Re: Tristar firmware update

    Tristar MPPT page: http://www.morningstarcorp.com/en/support/product.cfm?Name=TriStar%20MPPT

    go to software tab, and there you are.

    hopefully, you did not try to load PWM firmware earlier ??? That's where ver 13 & 14 live. MPPT version is only 12. And there is an A & B side to update.
    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 ,

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  • System2
    System2 Posts: 6,290 admin
    #4
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    Re: Tristar firmware update PWM & MMPT
    mike90045 wrote: »
    Tristar MPPT page: http://www.morningstarcorp.com/en/support/product.cfm?Name=TriStar%20MPPT

    go to software tab, and there you are.

    hopefully, you did not try to load PWM firmware earlier ??? That's where ver 13 & 14 live. MPPT version is only 12. And there is an A & B side to update.

    I purchased a PWM Tristar a couple of years ago, was wondering how it compares to the MPPT version ...

    From what I understand PWM (pulse width modulation) technology design helps to maximized the life of the battery (cleans the lead plates) vs MPPT (Maximum Power Point Tracking) is engineered for voltage optimum for maximum transfer of power to the battery ..

    This is a lighter mobile installation where 110 charging is sometimes available ... no heavy solar and wind grid or large battery banks to contend with .. from what I understand PWM may be a better choice under these conditions ... where battery life may be an important factor .. though I do remember reading a couple of years ago (Tristar MPPT was not yet available) some of the advantages of MPPT technology ... apparently is able to charge at a faster rate and more efficiently .. ? this would be true under low light conditions, when conditions are similar to trickle charging the batteries over a long period?

    On this installation there is temperature probe connected to the main battery bank from the Tristar PWM controller ..
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  • waynefromnscanada
    waynefromnscanada Solar Expert Posts: 3,009 ✭✭✭✭
    #5
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    Re: Tristar firmware update

    The PWM only pulses when the charge current needs to be reduced due to the battery having reached whatever max voltage is required at each charging stage. I've not checked with a scope, and I'm sure someone who knows for sure will chime in, but I've always assumed the MPPT units do the same thing when battery voltage reaches the target. Re more charge in low light - - low light can have so many levels and meanings, from light cloud cover, to heavy overcast, to dusk, and a few would insist moonlight. No controller can produce what isn't there, but whenever the PV voltage is above the required charging voltage, and useful current is being produced, the MPPT units will take advantage of, and turn that excess voltage into charging amps. Something the PWM units cannot do. Re the temp probe, all decent charge controllers use these to fine tune the charge voltage to what the battery needs at any given temperature.
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  • BB.
    BB. Super Moderators, Administrators Posts: 33,439 admin
    #6
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    Re: Tristar firmware update

    A PWM controller has its best efficiency when the solar panel Vmp is roughly 17.5 volts charging a 12 volt battery bank (around 14.5-15.0 volts typically).

    Solar panel Vmp falls as temperatures increase and battery charging voltage requirements fall as temperature increases too.

    If the Vmp is >> than battery charging voltage, then PWM efficiency fall dramatically.

    A MPPT charge controller is a digitally controlled switching power supply which can take high voltage/low current from a solar array and efficiently down convert to low voltage/high current to charge the battery bank (sort of like the DC version of an AC transformer).

    The major advantages of MPPT controllers are that they can run the solar array at higher Vmp voltages (typically ~100 VDC maximum, although this varies with controller brands/models) which allows much smaller wire gauge for solar panel to charge controller runs, and/or longer wiring runs with less losses/voltage drop.

    The second major advantage is that for solar panels > 100 watts, they typically are not rated at standard Vmp~17.5 volts (which is useful for charging 12 volt or 24/48 volt battery banks when solar panels are wired in series). These new, high wattage and high voltage panels are much cheaper per watt than the typically available "12 volt" solar arrays--So for large arrays, it may be cheaper to buy the large wattage solar panels and more expensive MPPT charge controllers instead of the smaller/Vmp=17.5 panels + PWM charge controller.

    -Bill
    Near San Francisco California: 3.5kWatt Grid Tied Solar power system+small backup genset
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  • System2
    System2 Posts: 6,290 admin
    #7
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    Re: Tristar firmware update
    waynefromnscanada wrote: »
    The PWM only pulses when the charge current needs to be reduced due to the battery having reached whatever max voltage is required at each charging stage. I've not checked with a scope, and I'm sure someone who knows for sure will chime in, but I've always assumed the MPPT units do the same thing when battery voltage reaches the target. Re more charge in low light - - low light can have so many levels and meanings, from light cloud cover, to heavy overcast, to dusk, and a few would insist moonlight. No controller can produce what isn't there, but whenever the PV voltage is above the required charging voltage, and useful current is being produced, the MPPT units will take advantage of, and turn that excess voltage into charging amps. Something the PWM units cannot do. Re the temp probe, all decent charge controllers use these to fine tune the charge voltage to what the battery needs at any given temperature.

    I suppose it is difficult to create a comparative analyses as these are two different approaches to providing power, charging and maintaining batteries.

    From what I have read MPPT has advantages as it is effectively tracking a maximum power point partially based on solar cell conditions ... under low light I would think this approach would be advantageous whereas PWM using a totally different technique, apparently relies more on averaging, providing a different type of power for charging and maintaining battery performance.

    A better option for low light may be wind and/or hydro .. ... there seems to be more mobile, compact wind generators available than hydro generators, (some which may require other forms of energy to operate or are designed as stationary system)
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  • BB.
    BB. Super Moderators, Administrators Posts: 33,439 admin
    #8
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    Re: Tristar firmware update

    More or less, Vmp is the same for any useful light conditions.

    Vmp falls with increasing temperature (stc is around 25C).

    -Bill
    Near San Francisco California: 3.5kWatt Grid Tied Solar power system+small backup genset
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  • waynefromnscanada
    waynefromnscanada Solar Expert Posts: 3,009 ✭✭✭✭
    #9
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    Re: Tristar firmware update

    One place where MPPT really shine is when the panels are really cold in Winter and thus produce higher than usual voltage, which the MPPT converts to extra amps. Far far more so than "low light levels". Low light = low amps. Period.
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