Can't find whats going on

Gator
Gator Registered Users Posts: 29 ✭✭
in Advanced Solar Electric Technical Forum #1
My morningstar ts mppt 60 amp charge controller has flashing green light (or occasional solid green light) when charging.

On the graph meter it shows full ("V") graph bar...

But for  the amp ("A") sometimes very few bars, but mostly just flashes "A" then the word "Alarm", back and forth.

What does this mean?

Have (3) Panasonic H.I.T. 330 watt panels hooked up in parallel.
(4) USP 80 Amh Batteries (series/parallel)
Samlex 2000 watt dc/ac Inverter (24) volt

Probably everything is wrong here?
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  • Estragon
    Estragon Registered Users Posts: 4,496 ✭✭✭✭✭
    #2
    Did you boot the controller using battery power only, then close the breaker to apply pv power only after it booted completely? If the controller boots with pv voltage, this can put it into a weird state.
    Off-grid.  
    Main daytime system ~4kw panels into 2xMNClassic150 370ah 48v bank 2xOutback 3548 inverter 120v + 240v autotransformer
    Night system ~1kw panels into 1xMNClassic150 700ah 12v bank morningstar 300w inverter
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  • mike95490
    mike95490 Solar Expert Posts: 9,583 ✭✭✭✭✭
    #3
    The manual that came with it, has a table that explains all the blinks.  Is this the PWM version, or the MPPT ?  The MPPT has a web interface you can see alarms with the browser
    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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  • Gator
    Gator Registered Users Posts: 29 ✭✭
    #4
    Thanx, guys!
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  • mryimmers
    mryimmers Solar Expert Posts: 117 ✭✭✭
    #5
    Is that an 80 amp/hr battery bank?  
    Sounds really small for that much panel, wonder if that could cause an issue?
    Just a thought.
    510 watt pv, TS-MPPT 60, Exeltech XP1100, XP600 & XP250 @ 24V, 4x Trojan 105RE, Trimetric 2030, Yamaha EF2400i gen.
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  • Estragon
    Estragon Registered Users Posts: 4,496 ✭✭✭✭✭
    #6
    One other thought... if the CC is trying to do an EQ cycle (may be set to autoEQ), the panels are warm in the sun, and the batteries are cold, the panels in parallel could be dropping below the target EQ voltage during MPPT sweeps.
    Off-grid.  
    Main daytime system ~4kw panels into 2xMNClassic150 370ah 48v bank 2xOutback 3548 inverter 120v + 240v autotransformer
    Night system ~1kw panels into 1xMNClassic150 700ah 12v bank morningstar 300w inverter
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  • mryimmers
    mryimmers Solar Expert Posts: 117 ✭✭✭
    #7
    What loads are you running? With a 2000 watt inverter you could pull those batteries down pretty quick too I would think.
    510 watt pv, TS-MPPT 60, Exeltech XP1100, XP600 & XP250 @ 24V, 4x Trojan 105RE, Trimetric 2030, Yamaha EF2400i gen.
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  • mcgivor
    mcgivor Solar Expert Posts: 3,854 ✭✭✭✭✭✭
    #8
    Gator said:
    My morningstar ts mppt 60 amp charge controller has flashing green light (or occasional solid green light) when charging.

    On the graph meter it shows full ("V") graph bar...

    But for  the amp ("A") sometimes very few bars, but mostly just flashes "A" then the word "Alarm", back and forth.

    What does this mean?

    Have (3) Panasonic H.I.T. 330 watt panels hooked up in parallel.
    (4) USP 80 Amh Batteries (series/parallel)
    Samlex 2000 watt dc/ac Inverter (24) volt

    Probably everything is wrong here?


    The 3 Led's are an indication of battery voltage, primarily during charging, the transition from red, yellow/red, yellow, yellow/green and green are dependent on voltage during charging. The green when solid indicates a voltage close to the absorption, when the green flashes at1/2 second intervals it is in the absorption stage, during which  the current will continue to drop, as indicated on the bar graph ( I'm assuming reference to the meter) until fully charged. When there is a transition to float, the voltage will drop along with the green Led flashing at one second intervals. If there are no loads the current will be low, as soon as a load is applied, the status of the green Led may change back to solid green or lower, yellow/green etcetera, depending on the load, then once the load is absent the transition to solid green or flashing green will occur, as long as there is sufficient PV and time available. Once there is insufficient PV input, the Led's will change depending on the voltage as a guide to the state of charge. The Led indication are akin to idiot lights on a car, they provide very limited information, though once understood they are useful for a quick glance. As far as the alarm is concerned, go to the diagnostics menu to see the code, or better still connect to a PC with MS View software to access all parameters. 
    Your battery capacity is extremely low in relation to the inverter capacity, if high loads are used there could be excessive voltage sag which could be problematic. 
    1500W, 6× Schutten 250W Poly panels , Schneider MPPT 60 150 CC, Schneider SW 2524 inverter, 400Ah LFP 24V nominal battery with Battery Bodyguard BMS 
    Second system 1890W  3 × 300W No name brand poly, 3×330 Sunsolar Poly panels, Morningstar TS 60 PWM controller, no name 2000W inverter 400Ah LFP 24V nominal battery with Daly BMS, used for water pumping and day time air conditioning.  
    5Kw Yanmar clone single cylinder air cooled diesel generator for rare emergency charging and welding.
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