Hi Drake, out of curiosity, 1. how many watts of pv 2. how much is the system being use?
jay peltz power On Nov 19, 2014, at 2:40 PM, Drake wrote: > We have been considering sending the MX 60 in for a firmware update. From > what the tech support guy said, all the firmware update would do would be to > allow the CC to talk to the Mate and keep voltage spikes from showing up on > the display. Does the firmware update have other benefits? > > At present, the system seems to be working correctly. Should I still replace > the temperature sensor? > > Thanks, > > Drake > > At 12:30 PM 11/19/2014, you wrote: >> To add; I am a firm believer that every few years I will send OB CC/Mates in >> for firmware up date. I will repole an off grid system at least twice a >> year. Temp sensor is imperative! and if the site is not maned do not set >> auto eq. >> On Nov 18, 2014, at 1:40 PM, Allan Sindelar wrote: >> >>> Drake, >>> I'll add just a bit to Jarmo's excellent reply: >>> You mentioned that you were unsure if the MX60 was set to auto-EQ. This >>> could be a source of trouble. The MX60 had the unfortunate characteristic >>> whereby if set to auto-EQ, it would continue to try to complete an EQ >>> indefinitely once triggered. As such, if the array was not sufficient to >>> hold the batteries above the EQ voltage for the set duration, or as the >>> batteries aged and their internal resistance increased such that the EQ >>> voltage couldn't be maintained, the controller would never complete and >>> exit EQ mode. 31V, while conservative, is high enough to cause this. >>> >>> If that is what occurred here, then disabling automatic EQ and reducing the >>> EQ voltage below gassing threshold should prevent recurrence. >>> Allan >>> >>> Allan Sindelar >>> [email protected] >>> NABCEP Certified PV Installation Professional >>> NABCEP Certified Technical Sales Professional >>> New Mexico EE98J Journeyman Electrician >>> Founder (Retired), Positive Energy, Inc. >>> 505 780-2738 cell >>> >>> >>> On 11/18/2014 11:03 AM, [email protected] wrote: >>>> Hi: >>>> >>>> This may not be the problem, but I wanted to bring it up as I have heard >>>> of a few cases of battery boiling issues with various charge controllers >>>> and want to suggest a possible cause. >>>> >>>> I'll do this point form. It's easier to describe it that way: >>>> >>>> 1. Solar charge controllers are programmed to go to bulk charge in the >>>> morning. >>>> 2. The intensity of the sunlight starts off low in the morning and >>>> depending on the weather during the day, the intensity can reach any level >>>> between virtually 0% and 100%. >>>> 3. The exit criteria for bulk is that the battery voltage reaches the >>>> Vbulk/abs volts setting or a bulk/abs timer times out. >>>> 4. If the sunlight conditions are just right to keep the charging voltage >>>> just below the Vbulk/abs setpoint, the exit from bulk/abs will be the >>>> timer. >>>> 5. Bulk/Abs timers are usually set for rather a long time, many hours is >>>> not uncommon. >>>> 6. Given the above, it is possible that the battery stays at gassing >>>> voltages for many hours every day at certain times of the year when the >>>> sunlight intensity is just right to support that. >>>> 7. As a consequence the boiling problem will show up only at particular >>>> sites, particular battery/charge controller sizes and particular times of >>>> year. >>>> >>>> Again, I am not suggesting that this is necessarily the cause of battery >>>> "boiling" in systems with solar charge controllers, but it could be a >>>> reason. >>>> >>>> 2nd ps. All manufacturers do precise battery voltage/current measurements >>>> on the bench with a wide variety of conditions, but we will never be able >>>> to simulate the 1000's of conditions that happen on the 1000's of installs >>>> out there. With that in mind, on-site battery voltage/current data >>>> logging is a very powerful tool when investigating these kinds of issues. >>>> >>>> JARMO >>>> _____________________________________________________________________________________ >>>> >>>> >>>> Jarmo Venalainen | Schneider Electric | Solar Business | CANADA | >>>> Training & Development Specialist - Senior >>>> Phone: +604-422-2528 | Fax: +604-420-1591 | Mobile: +604-505-0291 >>>> Email: [email protected] | Site: www.SEsolar.com >>>> | Address: 3700 Gilmore Way, Burnaby, BC V5G4M1 >>>> >>>> <Mail Attachment.jpeg> >>>> *** Please consider the environment before printing this e-mail >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> From: Drake <[email protected]> >>>> To: RE-wrenches <[email protected]>, >>>> Date: 11/18/2014 09:15 AM >>>> Subject: [RE-wrenches] Suspect MX 60 >>>> Sent by: "RE-wrenches" <[email protected]> >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> Hello Wrenches, >>>> >>>> An MX 60 boiled a 24 volt bank of 4 Trojan L-16 batteries last summer. The >>>> batteries all checked out to be in good shape. It is not totally clear >>>> that the CC was not set to auto equalize, but the EQ voltage was only set >>>> at 31.0 V. >>>> >>>> The battery bank has been replaced by 8 Full River L-16 AGM batteries. The >>>> parameters have all been reset for AGM with EQ disabled. The homeowners >>>> are concerned that the charge control may not work, and damage their new >>>> battery bank. >>>> >>>> If there is a problem with the CC, it is very intermittent. Has anyone >>>> ever seen an intermittent MX 60? >>>> >>>> Outback tech support says if we send it in they will update the firmware >>>> for $90, and do a 24 hour bench test. It appears that the firmware update >>>> will not do anything useful for this off grid system. There are no new >>>> boards available for this unit. I'm not sure if the bench test will show >>>> up an intermittent problem. >>>> >>>> Has anyone had this situation before? Would it be better to: >>>> Replace the CC >>>> Send the CC to Outback >>>> Do nothing >>>> Thank you, >>>> >>>> Drake >>>> >>>> Drake Chamberlin >>>> Athens Electric LLC >>>> OH License 44810 >>>> CO License 3773 >>>> NABCEP Certified Solar PV >>>> 740-448-7328 >>>> http://athens-electric.com/ >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> ______________________________________________________________________ >>>> This email has been scanned by the Symantec Email Security.cloud service. >>>> ______________________________________________________________________ >>>> _______________________________________________ >>>> List sponsored by Redwood Alliance >>>> >>>> List Address: [email protected] >>>> >>>> Change listserver email address & settings: >>>> http://lists.re-wrenches.org/options.cgi/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org >>>> >>>> List-Archive: >>>> http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected]/maillist.html >>>> >>>> >>>> List rules & etiquette: >>>> www.re-wrenches.org/etiquette.htm >>>> >>>> Check out or update participant bios: >>>> www.members.re-wrenches.org >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> _______________________________________________ >>>> List sponsored by Redwood Alliance >>>> >>>> List Address: >>>> >>>> [email protected] >>>> >>>> Change listserver email address & settings: >>>> >>>> http://lists.re-wrenches.org/options.cgi/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org >>>> >>>> List-Archive: >>>> >>>> http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected]/maillist.html >>>> >>>> List rules & etiquette: >>>> >>>> www.re-wrenches.org/etiquette.htm >>>> >>>> Check out or update participant bios: >>>> >>>> www.members.re-wrenches.org >>>> >>> >>> _______________________________________________ >>> List sponsored by Redwood Alliance >>> >>> List Address: [email protected] >>> >>> Change listserver email address & settings: >>> http://lists.re-wrenches.org/options.cgi/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org >>> >>> List-Archive: >>> http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected]/maillist.html >>> >>> List rules & etiquette: >>> www.re-wrenches.org/etiquette.htm >>> >>> Check out or update participant bios: >>> www.members.re-wrenches.org >> >>> [email protected] www.SWNL.net >>> Solarwinds Northernlights >>> Serving Mid Coast Maine & Northern California >>> 207-832-7574 Cl. 610-517-8401 >>> >>> Blair "TUMP" May >>> >>> ******** MAINE'S CHARTER ******** >>> NABCEP "Certified PV Installer" >>> >>> ******** MAINE'S CHARTER ******** >>> Trace Xantrex "Certified" Dealer / Installer" >> >> >> _______________________________________________ >> List sponsored by Redwood Alliance >> >> List Address: [email protected] >> >> Change listserver email address & settings: >> http://lists.re-wrenches.org/options.cgi/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org >> >> List-Archive: >> http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected]/maillist.html >> >> List rules & etiquette: >> www.re-wrenches.org/etiquette.htm >> >> Check out or update participant bios: >> www.members.re-wrenches.org > _______________________________________________ > List sponsored by Redwood Alliance > > List Address: [email protected] > > Change listserver email address & settings: > http://lists.re-wrenches.org/options.cgi/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org > > List-Archive: > http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected]/maillist.html > > List rules & etiquette: > www.re-wrenches.org/etiquette.htm > > Check out or update participant bios: > www.members.re-wrenches.org >
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