Morningstar ts 60 mppt charge controller problems ?

Gator
Gator Registered Users Posts: 29 ✭✭
I shut everything down, panels, inverter and controller/battery disconnect in order to re route solar connectors on roof of my trailer.
I FINISHED THE JOB and came inside to turn everything back on.
Thats when everything went south...
I turned on the controller battery switch and waited till it came to screen that said night and the red/YELLOW led was on.
After a couple of minutes I turned the solar panels on.
Thats when the controller started alternating yellow/ red then green/ red  continuous and then after showing fault/absorb back and forth a few times it would say starting and amps showed different amounts dropping down to 0 amps and alternating absorb/fault, all the while.
I re booted the controller a few times from scratch with the same result.
1 time i turned on the inverter and it made a little poping noise and controller screen went blank.
Seems, i think that there is a short somewhere?

I'm really deoressed cuz i dont kno wat i did to cause any of this or how to fix it..

HELP ME PLEASE IF SOMEONE CAN?

AS I SAID ...MORNINGSTAR TS 60 MPPT CHARGE CONTROLLER (150 WATTS)...., SAMLEX 2000 WATT 24 VOLT INVERTER,....(3) PANASONIC H.I.T. 330 WATT. PANELS

TOTALLY OFF GRID!

.HELP...HELP

Comments

  • Photowhit
    Photowhit Solar Expert Posts: 6,002 ✭✭✭✭✭
    You didn't happen to switch polarity?
    Home system 4000 watt (Evergreen) array standing, with 2 Midnite Classic Lites,  Midnite E-panel, Magnum MS4024, Prosine 1800(now backup) and Exeltech 1100(former backup...lol), 660 ah 24v Forklift battery(now 10 years old). Off grid for 20 years (if I include 8 months on a bicycle).
    - Assorted other systems, pieces and to many panels in the closet to not do more projects.
  • littleharbor2
    littleharbor2 Solar Expert Posts: 2,036 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Hopefully you haven't series wired those high voltage panels. 3 in series have a Voc. of 209 volts. Magic smoke time.

    2.1 Kw Suntech 175 mono, Classic 200, Trace SW 4024 ( 15 years old  but brand new out of sealed factory box Jan. 2015), Bogart Tri-metric,  460 Ah. 24 volt LiFePo4 battery bank. Plenty of Baja Sea of Cortez sunshine.

  • Gator
    Gator Registered Users Posts: 29 ✭✭
    Not Series....all pos 3 into 1...all neg 3 into 1
  • Gator
    Gator Registered Users Posts: 29 ✭✭
    I couldnt switch polarity cuz mc4 neg and pos are different connectors, and i connected same as i took apart
  • Gator
    Gator Registered Users Posts: 29 ✭✭
    Thinkin....gotta chk inverter hardwire to ac panel...connection mighta come loose and is shorting possibly?
  • Gator
    Gator Registered Users Posts: 29 ✭✭
    But why now? B4 was working with no problems?
  • Estragon
    Estragon Registered Users Posts: 4,496 ✭✭✭✭✭
    > @Gator said:
    > I couldnt switch polarity cuz mc4 neg and pos are different connectors, and i connected same as i took apart

    Do you have mc4 connectors at the controller? At the combiner?
    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
  • Estragon
    Estragon Registered Users Posts: 4,496 ✭✭✭✭✭
    > @Gator said:
    > Thinkin....gotta chk inverter hardwire to ac panel...connection mighta come loose and is shorting possibly?

    Flip the Dc breaker to turn the inverter off until you're sure the DC side is righteous.
    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
  • Estragon
    Estragon Registered Users Posts: 4,496 ✭✭✭✭✭
    What is the actual battery voltage?
    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
  • Gator
    Gator Registered Users Posts: 29 ✭✭
    Got inverter disconnect off....have (4) UPS batts. With 80 amh series / parallel .....batt voltage says 29.5?
  • Gator
    Gator Registered Users Posts: 29 ✭✭
    Chk'd each batt with meter varied bit round 13.5,but 1 was 10.3...obviously not balanced... but day b4 watched tv with no apparent issues
  • Gator
    Gator Registered Users Posts: 29 ✭✭
    2 begin with im way outta my pay grade with all this solar stuff....lol
  • Estragon
    Estragon Registered Users Posts: 4,496 ✭✭✭✭✭
    With the pv input breaker OFF, what is the voltage at the controller battery terminals?
    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
  • Gator
    Gator Registered Users Posts: 29 ✭✭
    With pv  input breaker off and batt. 2 controller breaker off..10.8 volts at batt. out-terminals
    So on controller info screen the 29.5 was feed from pv?
  • Estragon
    Estragon Registered Users Posts: 4,496 ✭✭✭✭✭
    You want to read voltage at the battery terminals in the controller (battery + and common negative) with the pv input breaker open (off) and the battery breaker closed (on).

    To simplify things, you may want to disconnect the battery string with the 10.3v reading for now.
    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
  • Gator
    Gator Registered Users Posts: 29 ✭✭
    If i dis connect the 1 batt. That reads 10.3 volts, then i wont b series/parallel for 24 volts anymore...correct?
    There are 4, 12 volt ups batteries all 2gether, wired series/parallel...if i disconnect 1 then i'd have 18 volts?
    How does that work?
  • mcgivor
    mcgivor Solar Expert Posts: 3,854 ✭✭✭✭✭✭
    R-Y-G led sequencing would either be a  DIP switch fault or a self-test fault. You mentioned controller screen so assumption would be you havea remote meter, if this is the case have you gone into the diagnosis  menu? 
    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.
  • Estragon
    Estragon Registered Users Posts: 4,496 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited May 2018 #19
    You have 2 strings of batteries. 2x 12v = 24v. One of those strings has a battery with a voltage of 10.3v. I'd take that string out to simplify troubleshooting. The parallel connection will be + to + and - to -. Lift a +to + connection and you break the parallel connection. Having taken the bad string out, you should be left with a + and - connection from the controller to the (24v) pair of good batteries.

    BTW, open the breaker to the controller when moving battery wires. Less sparky that way.
    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
  • mcgivor
    mcgivor Solar Expert Posts: 3,854 ✭✭✭✭✭✭

    Here is a list of fault codes, attached pdf 
    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.
  • BB.
    BB. Super Moderators, Administrators Posts: 33,431 admin
    What size, type, etc. Batteries are you using?

    10.3 volts is a dead 12 volt lead acid battery. And the longer it sits dead, the more likely it will never recover (it may already too late anyway).

    Normally, I would suggest you get all batteries quickly and fully charged before any of the rest go bad.

    It is possible that this battery has a shorted cell. Use a hydrometer to check the sg of each cell.

    Bill
    Near San Francisco California: 3.5kWatt Grid Tied Solar power system+small backup genset