A device that records max voltage?

[pollenface]

I have a feeling that my epever mppt's cannot keep up with sudden clouds/sun changes and are causing my system to overvolt for 1-2 seconds intermittently, which also causes my charge meter to go blank and my inverter to momentarily shut off.

I usually notice when I'm working in the shed and listening to music and the music cuts out while the inverter restarts. Am looking for a cheap metering device that will record MAX voltage to see if this is the case. In all cases so far, I miss the actual voltage reading opportunity and everything recovers and goes back into float before I can grab my fluke.

 

[solarsimon]

Does your Fluke not have a max/min recording capability?

 

[Short_Shot]

Does your Fluke not have a max/min recording capability?

Even most cheap ones do this.

 

[Steve_S]

I am sorry to say, you are approaching this incorrectly. You are NOT properly Panelled, in fact from your description you are over panelled OR possibly have a defective panel resulting in the surges. Those protection shutdowns are there for a reason, there is a good chance the SCC has suffered damage if this has been a constant issue.

First, revisit your Panel config to make sure you are WITHIN Allowable voltage / amperage specs for your SCC.
If that is correct, then to monitor the SCC Charging Curve to observe when this happens and determine if it's a Voltage or Amperage triggered shutdown. If these are within the range, then it could be the SCC is starting to fail (they usually just fail outright but not always).

A GOTCHA possibly, Solar Panel Wiring connections, if any are dodgy that can cause all sorts of nasty, from back of panel through combiner should be checked if everything else is "correct".

 

[pollenface]

You are NOT properly Panelled

3x250w 3s1p for 66voc
Epever tracer 4210AN (40a/100v)
24v system

Does your Fluke not have a max/min recording capability?

I have an 18b+, looking at the manual only the 17b+ has that capability.

 

[740GLE]

Have you noted the SOC during these events? Are you close to 100%?

I feel any voltage “spike” should be absorbed by the battery such the inverter won’t notice.

 

[100 Proof]

I don't know about the Epever, but my Morningstar has the ability to do some internal data logging. Is that a possibility?

 

[pollenface]

Have you noted the SOC during these events? Are you close to 100%?

I feel any voltage “spike” should be absorbed by the battery such the inverter won’t notice.

Yeah, float, well after charge cycle has completed.

The SCC is only about 30cm away from the inverter, they are connected via a pair of buss bars. Perhaps if I seperated these and gave them their own pair of cables to the batteries the spikes would be absorbed.

I don't know about the Epever, but my Morningstar has the ability to do some internal data logging. Is that a possibility?

No idea. I couldn't get the Epever software running on my laptop.

 

[100 Proof]

Yeah, float, well after charge cycle has completed.

The SCC is only about 30cm away from the inverter, they are connected via a pair of buss bars. Perhaps if I seperated these and gave them their own pair of cables to the batteries the spikes would be absorbed.



No idea.

Do you have an installation or operation manual? That should tell you.

 

[pollenface]

Do you have an installation or operation manual? That should tell you.

Certainly do, and no it doesn't.

 

[100 Proof]

Certainly do, and no it doesn't.

Then it sounds like the feature doesn't exist. It's well covered in the manuals for my Morningstar.

 

[pollenface]

Then it sounds like the feature doesn't exist. It's well covered in the manuals for my Morningstar.

That is quite possibly the case.

Now, any idea of a cheap device that records max voltage? I can find devices that measure peak amps/watts but not volts.

 

[Diysolar123]

what you want is a common device called a voltage data logger.
How accurate and easy to use will drive the cost.
You can easily make a DIY device with a simple raspberry pi or esp32, even easier is of course just hitting amazon for something like Lascar Electronics EL-USB-3 USB Voltage Data Logger...
Always keep in mind the max voltage AND the resolution you will need.
A simple voltage divider can help with measuring a larger voltage range but the resolution is not something you can "fix" with a simple fix.

 

[740GLE]

What do you have the float voltage set to? How does that compare to equalize (assuming FLA)?

What’s the high voltage alarm for the inverter?

 

[time2roll]

What is the bulk/absorption charging voltage set to? What are the over volt settings?
I am thinking there is a cell out of balance or the voltage is set too high.

 

[pollenface]

What is the bulk/absorption charging voltage set to? What are the over volt settings?
I am thinking there is a cell out of balance or the voltage is set too high.

Bulk/absorb 28.4
charge limit 28.8

 

[time2roll]

Bulk/absorb 28.4
charge limit 28.8

For testing I would reduce the charging to 27.2 to 27.6 zone until this issue gets sorted out.

Likewise increase the protection at the cell level to 3.650 if not there already. The idea is to give more room for an out of balance cell or spike in battery voltage to keep the BMS from tripping out. Easier to watch for these spikes if all stays connected and working.

 

[sunshine]

I have a feeling that my epever mppt's cannot keep up with sudden clouds/sun changes and are causing my system to overvolt for 1-2 seconds intermittently, which also causes my charge meter to go blank and my inverter to momentarily shut off.

Had similar problem with 12v pwms, seriously over panelled.
Fixed by cutting off input of 2 pwms by relay on the pv side. There is other over-voltage load diversions but these were not quick enough.
This fixed the problem 99% of the time.
Final fix was a super cap from China between the inverter terminals. Look for a 24v version!

Next inverter I get will have a higher V over load setting than 15v

 

[GLC]

I have a feeling that my epever mppt's cannot keep up with sudden clouds/sun changes and are causing my system to overvolt for 1-2 seconds intermittently, which also causes my charge meter to go blank and my inverter to momentarily shut off.

I usually notice when I'm working in the shed and listening to music and the music cuts out while the inverter restarts. Am looking for a cheap metering device that will record MAX voltage to see if this is the case. In all cases so far, I miss the actual voltage reading opportunity and everything recovers and goes back into float before I can grab my fluke.

Can I ask a question? I also have an Epevers mppt and had an issue with it shutting off at peak charging times. The problem that I found out was my batteries were not top balanced. In other words I had one battery that would spike in voltage and it would shut the controller down to reset. Once I got my batteries top balanced I no longer had that problem.
Also unless I am not understanding correctly your solar controller is over volting and resetting and your raido dies? Even if your solar controller spiked it would not effect your inverter unless you have a single box unit?

 

[pollenface]

Getting a few answers which are directed towards lifepo4. I have a 24v AGM bank and my controllers are paneled to (at most) 50% of their capacity well within voltage specs.

The spiking ONLY occurs during FLOAT the instant after a cloud is blown aside and the panels get a cop full load of sunshine which makes me think the controllers are not keeping up with sudden increase in available PV power.

I like the idea of separating the controllers from the common buss bars and giving them their own cabling route to the batteries to see if it absorbs any spiking.

Also unless I am not understanding correctly your solar controller is over volting and resetting and your raido dies? Even if your solar controller spiked it would not effect your inverter unless you have a single box unit?

My inverter has a 30v shut off. The battery meter I have recovers at about 29.5v and quickly ticks back down to the float voltage of 27.6v and the inverter restarts. This could be because the inverter is wired 30cm from the controllers via the buss bars which would be similar to a single box unit I guess.