Dead Victron solar controller?

I've been using a SmartSolar MPPT 150/85-Tr VE.Can for a little under 2 years now and 3 days ago, around the same time I updated the firmware, it stopped charging. I would get 10-45 amps of charging depending on the weather. Last Monday it only got up to .2 amps. At first I didn't think anything of it as it was a partly cloudy day. Then everyday since has been about the same sun or shine. I check all my PV connections and everything checked out. I decided to try a power supply set at 21v with a 5 amp max and it still would only do about .2 amps. I'm almost certain it's the controller. Has anyone else had anything similar happen? How is Victron with their warranties? I purchased it from invertersupply.com on 4-23-2020, I believe it's still under warranty.

7 day history

Start by contacting invertersupply. Victron handles warranty through its distributors.

Five year warranty I believe. That's what the sticker on one of my Victron boxes said, but it wasn't a solar charge controller.

I wonder if there is a way to force a firmware downgrade or reapply the current one. My two Victron solar charge controllers have been through quite a few firmware updates with no issues.

I talked to customer service at invertersupply.com an she had a few tests and screenshots she needed for the warranty submission. She was very pleasant to deal with and now we're waiting on word from Victron.

Just an update, I ordered a new 150|100 for the second half of my solar installation and put it in the place of my 150|85 and it works perfectly on the same panels and same batteries confirming my conclusion it was definitely the solar charge controller.

Is there any way to reflash or roll the firmware back?

Not that I know of. I've done lots of firmware updates with zero issues. I think it just happen to be coincidence it happened around the same time. I love my Victron gear and even with this glitch I'll stick with Victron. Over the last 2 years My system has been flawless until this. Stuff happens even to the best of them.

Uoavitar said:

SmartSolar MPPT 150/85

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Just out of curiosity, why do you have an SCC that accepts 150V input but only have a 16.75V, 500W array?

Do you have 5x 100W panels all in parallel?

It's cloudy today. I actually have 13 Eclipse panels on the front half of my 40 foot RV. All are paralleled to avoid shading issues. Getting ready to add another 12 to the rear half. I got that controller for it's current capacity not it's voltage capacity. This was my first RV project. My next one after I sell this trailer after this years camping season will be a 48v system rather than 12v. Learned a lot from this project and although it works exactly how I needed it to I still would have rather gone 48v know what I know now and the equipment that has become available since I started this RV 2 years ago.

Uoavitar said:

All are paralleled to avoid shading issues.

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That seems a little extreme for panels that are grouped like your picture shows.

Most standard MC4 connectors are not rated for over 30A and i assume 10Awg wire will barely handle that for a couple feet of run. Hopefully its all sorted out correctly.

My initial guess looking at your rooftop pic would easily allow 3 different strings: 4S near left, 4S near right and 5S around the far side.
Paralleling these compartmentalized strings would lower your array amps significantly. Most beneficially, your array volts will be far higher and allow your SCC to reach charging volts (battery volts + ~5V) earlier in the day, later in the evening and even on overcast days.

Glad its working great for you though. If you're looking for more production in low light conditions, this might be an easy solution.

Just how you described series is how they are paralleled into the grey combiner box on the roof there. Where it then runs into the RV with 4awg Stinger high end cable to the controller. 3 paralleled strings of 4|4|5 to the 4awg.

Uoavitar said:

Just how you described series is how they are paralleled into the grey combiner box on the roof there. Where it then runs into the RV with 4awg Stinger high end cable to the controller. 3 paralleled strings of 4|4|5 to the 4awg.

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Great, this is far better than "all paralleled"! I'm pretty sure 10Awg would be more than enough but bigger wires always better (except when opening the wallet).

It seems mighty strange that your array voltage is 16.75V. What are the the panel specs? Vmp most important since 4x should be MUCH higher than 16.75V. Are you sure the 3 strings (of 4x, 4x, 5x panels) are wired in series? Something not adding up.

There is no series panels or strings. There are 3 strings that contain paralleled panels. 4p | 4p | 5p then the paralleled strings are then paralleled together in the combiner box. each panel at it's best puts out about 5 amps at 12v so the loads on the 10awg wired before the combiner box at it's best is around 20a | 20a | 25a. Since the panels almost never see ideal conditions being laid flat on the roof, instead of angled at the sun, even those number are almost never met.

the specs on the panels

• Max Power at STC: 100W
• Open Circuit Voltage: 21.2V
• Short Circuit Current: 6.10A
• Opitmum Operating Voltage: 17.7V
• Optimum Operating Current: 5.70A
• Operating Temperature: -40°F to 176°F
• Maximum System Voltage: 600VDC UL
• Maximum Series Fuse Rating: 10A

Ok, so all parallel after all. Sounds like handling amps properly before and after combine box.
With 3P or more, each of your panels as wired, should have their own fuse before being combines (4:1, 4:1, 5:1).

Your array would be MUCH simpler and likely a far better producer in low light conditions if you put your 3 strings in series. Then combined as you are doing now with your combiner box.

You're getting 504W out of 1200W of solar panels. This might be the reason since 16.45V is probably the absolute minimum (surprising its working that low) to get the MPPT to function. Normally, the MPPT range is charging voltage (~14V) plus ~5V headroom.

I'd be wildly surprised if your production didn't improve with 4S, 4S, 5S strings combined in parallel.

It's has been a cloudy day today as the weather has been kind of wild out here on the coast of Oregon. At the time I took the screen shot of the 504w the panels where being shaded by the massive pine trees you can see behind my trailer. 504w is not typical in sunlight, Usually in full sun I get around 1000-1200 watts depending on time of day from the 1300w of panels.

Exactly, in full sun, all parallel vs series/parallel is not the issue.

With a higher array voltage (series strings), it will reach minimum start voltage earlier and likely charge later and on low light (cloudy) days. That is when a better configured array will produce more.

1b) The PV voltage must exceed Vbat + 5V for the controller to start. Thereafter the minimum PV voltage is Vbat + 1V.

Look at your own data, the production is minuscule will such low array volts:


That's all i got. You really should add fuses to your panels, they are not wired safely without individual fuses. Good luck.

I understand what your saying about getting the voltage up to start the charging process. Here at my house in the mountains on the coast I have odd sun hours due to the mountains around me and the trees that block the sun from where I park my trailer. All my screenshots have been from the last week while we've been having hail storms followed by bits of sunshine minutes before the next hailstorm. It's been a real s*** show this last week. I took another screenshot of a daily solar from before the charger went bad and as you can see from it I hit my voltage peak long before there is actually enough sun to generate amperage. I have no issues hitting that +5 PV voltage to start the charging. My low wattage is due to the current weather, surrounding mountains, and trees around my home. In the image you can see that brief peak in amperage for about an hour from 10-11am. That is the only time my trailer is not shaded by the mountains or trees where it's currently parked. When I go out camping is where I pay attention to where I park to maximize sun exposure and it actually comes close to it's max ratings.

As far as the fusing, you are absolutely right. I need to install some inline fusing at each panel. As a whole it goes through a circuit breaker but they aren't individually fused as they should be.

Uoavitar said:

.... I have no issues hitting that +5 PV voltage to start the charging. ...

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He's not saying you have problems reaching the start voltage, he's saying you would get there much sooner, charge much longer, and much more consistently throughout the day. He is absolutely right. Your PV performance may be good, but doing as he said would make it great.

Uoavitar said:

As far as the fusing, you are absolutely right. I need to install some inline fusing at each panel. As a whole it goes through a circuit breaker but they aren't individually fused as they should be.

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If you're going to do this, you may as well do the series changes. If you do wire them in series, you will no longer need the additional fusing.