Epever 3210AN charge controller dropping out of MPPT mode

[igorrius]

Hello !
my Epever 3210AN solar controllerdoes not work as mppt in cloudy weather.
I turn on the solar panels, the controller searches for the optimal voltage, does not stop at its optimal value and drops to 14 volts.
help me please fix this problem.
Perhaps it doesn't have enough power?
What is the minimum input energy level required for MPPT to operate?
Maybe reflashing will help.
Please help me flash it.
Is adapter usb\rs285 enough to flash its firmware?
where can I get the firmware file?
and where can I get software and drivers for firmware?
youtu.be/iBWhEuQ1geI

 

[12VoltInstalls]

cloudy weather.
I turn on the solar panels, the controller searches for the optimal voltage, does not stop at its optimal value and drops to 14 volts

This is a brand-new unit?
A) The Epever doesn’t like cutoff voltages set close to running voltages
B) I did read where there is a software fix for the high-voltage cutout bug
C) if the batteries are full or the charging parameters aren’t correct you will not get ANY charging anyways.

 

[igorrius]

This is a brand-new unit?
A) The Epever doesn’t like cutoff voltages set close to running voltages
B) I did read where there is a software fix for the high-voltage cutout bug
C) if the batteries are full or the charging parameters aren’t correct you will not get ANY charging anyways.

yes, it's new.
I didn’t adjust the voltage, everything was by default, I just changed the battery type in the battery type settings.
when I was filming the video, I reduced the battery voltage,connected the load and the battery voltage decreased

 

[12VoltInstalls]

reduced the battery voltage,connected the load and the battery voltage decreased

That’s expected - the amount of drop depends on load, cables, state of charge

when I was filming the video, I reduced the battery voltage,connected the load

are you using the load output terminals on the SCC?

 

[igorrius]

That’s expected - the amount of drop depends on load, cables, state of charge

I decided that a full battery charge could cause this controller behavior.
So I reduced the voltage using an inverter so that the solar controller thinks that the battery is not charged

 

[igorrius]

That’s expected - the amount of drop depends on load, cables, state of charge

are you using the load output terminals on the SCC?

I take the load from the battery directly, the load goes past the controller

 

[Kiwi2000]

This is a brand-new unit?
A) The Epever doesn’t like cutoff voltages set close to running voltages
B) I did read where there is a software fix for the high-voltage cutout bug
C) if the batteries are full or the charging parameters aren’t correct you will not get ANY charging anyways.

Epevers are terrible for just randomly throttling down to a low PV voltage. Mine were always randomly doing it.



This is when I replaced one Epever for a Victron. Battery voltage is at 13.3v. Well below the boost setting of 13.8. Battery bank was on around 80% SOC.

The 520 watt string to the Victron SCC was producing more than the Epevers 780 and 1500 watt strings combined.

Supposedly a firmware upgrade (if you were lucky enough to find the right file to download) would fix the issue. However I have no faith in Epever whatsoever now and swapped them all out for Victrons. That fixed the issue.

 

[12VoltInstalls]

a firmware upgrade (if you were lucky enough to find the right file to download) would fix the issue

It’s on their website ain’t it?

 

[Checkthisout]

Hello !
my Epever 3210AN solar controllerdoes not work as mppt in cloudy weather.
I turn on the solar panels, the controller searches for the optimal voltage, does not stop at its optimal value and drops to 14 volts.
help me please fix this problem.
Perhaps it doesn't have enough power?
What is the minimum input energy level required for MPPT to operate?
Maybe reflashing will help.
Please help me flash it.
Is adapter usb\rs285 enough to flash its firmware?
where can I get the firmware file?
and where can I get software and drivers for firmware?
youtu.be/iBWhEuQ1geI

Sounds like maybe it's just cloudy? What voltage is your array?

In any case, here you are. I think you have to email them for firmware. I may have found it at one point but avoided doing it because it wasn't exactly clear that the firmware was correct.

https://www.epever.com/upload/file/2107/Controller%20Software%20Upgrade%20Steps-EN-XTRA_N_SV200.pdf

Downloads Archive

www.epever.com

 

[igorrius]

Sounds like maybe it's just cloudy? What voltage is your array?

panel voltage 60 volts.Looks like I have the same problem as here
https://diysolarforum.com/threads/epever-charge-controller-dropping-out-of-mppt-mode.52189/
I'll wait for the adapter from Aliexpress, make a cord and flash it with this firmware

Epever firmware update - Tracer AN, Triron, Xtra N

Found these links and files a few days ago when I was having issues connecting via RS485 to my EPEVER TracerAN 3210. I tried everything I knew and researched every thing I could find. Switched computers, comm ports etc but never connected. I am not new to interfacing via RS485m to industrial...

diysolarforum.com

 

[Checkthisout]

panel voltage 60 volts.Looks like I have the same problem as here
https://diysolarforum.com/threads/epever-charge-controller-dropping-out-of-mppt-mode.52189/
I'll wait for the adapter from Aliexpress, make a cord and flash it with this firmware

Epever firmware update - Tracer AN, Triron, Xtra N

Found these links and files a few days ago when I was having issues connecting via RS485 to my EPEVER TracerAN 3210. I tried everything I knew and researched every thing I could find. Switched computers, comm ports etc but never connected. I am not new to interfacing via RS485m to industrial...

diysolarforum.com

Following. Please report back if successful at fixing problem or not.?

 

[Kiwi2000]

Sounds like maybe it's just cloudy? What voltage is your array?

My Epevers would do it under any kind of conditions. First thing in the morning. Clear blue sky. Sunburst as a cloud cleared away. Clear blue sky when a load came on. I even saw them both do it at exactly the same time once even though they are not networked together. It must be something about the way they are programmed. They would drop PV voltage down to either 14 volts or 19 volts.

See this thread where I documented their behaviour...

Budget MPPT recommendation - Epever BN 40A 150V - was Eco-Worthy 60A 150V MPPT

Finally have things wired up - except it too me a long time to get it done and the panels were in the shade by the time I flipped the panel breaker on. This 4215BN has several lithium choices built in, so it may be a dead product but they're still updating it. I do have questions as to the...

diysolarforum.com

 

[Kiwi2000]

It’s on their website ain’t it?

They were new recently purchased units. They should work decently right out of the box.

 

[mikefitz]

new recently purchased units.

In the UK, Victron unit costs are comparable to Epever (Amazon listing)
Epever 3210 £95, Victron Smart 100 30 £104.

 

[Kiwi2000]

In the UK, Victron unit costs are comparable to Epever (Amazon listing)
Epever 3210 £95, Victron Smart 100 30 £104.

Yes with the price drop now there should be no reason to purchase a Epever SCC over a Victron.

Just go Victron for a much better product and user experience.

 

[AlpineJoe]

I had the same problem with my both my EPever 4215BN's. The factory sent me new firmware and it solved the problem. The firmware wasn't on their website. Been working fine ever since I updated it. That said, now with the Victron price drop, I can get a Victron 150/45 Smart for nearly the same as the Epever, but the Victron has a nice bluetooth app and logging. That I miss with the EPever. The jury is out whether the Victron makes more power than the EPever. So far they seem comparable production wise.

 

[Checkthisout]

Yes with the price drop now there should be no reason to purchase a Epever SCC over a Victron.

Just go Victron for a much better product and user experience.

This is true.

I paid like $450.00 or something for the Epever 150/100.

Can get the Victron for like $100.00 more now. ?‍?

 

[igorrius]

The factory sent me new firmware and it solved the problem

today I received a response from Epover and here there is a strange thing:
in the instructions there is a power graph, where at 50 watts it has more than 90 percent efficiency.
Epover write that the controller switches to PWM mode below when the current is below 1.5 amperes,
but 1.5 amperes in my case is: 1.5 amps x 50 volts = 75 watts . Something doesn't add up here.

answer Epover:
Nice to meet you. We had check about the video and all the issues you describe.
Actually, at cloudy day, if the generate current from PV lower than 1.5A, the controller will enter the directly through mode, seems like the PWM controller working, so the PV voltage will drop, when the generate current exceed 1.5A, the controller will reenter MPPT charging mode, so the cloudy day can not let controller work normal.

If you want to update the firmware version have a try, please take a picture about the label of your controller, we will check if your controller can be update. But we think that problem can not be solved by firmware version update.

Have a nice day!

Best regards
Fred Zhao
EPEVER Support

 

[AlpineJoe]

today I received a response from Epover and here there is a strange thing:
in the instructions there is a power graph, where at 50 watts it has more than 90 percent efficiency.
Epover write that the controller switches to PWM mode below when the current is below 1.5 amperes,
but 1.5 amperes in my case is: 1.5 amps x 50 volts = 75 watts . Something doesn't add up here.

answer Epover:
Nice to meet you. We had check about the video and all the issues you describe.
Actually, at cloudy day, if the generate current from PV lower than 1.5A, the controller will enter the directly through mode, seems like the PWM controller working, so the PV voltage will drop, when the generate current exceed 1.5A, the controller will reenter MPPT charging mode, so the cloudy day can not let controller work normal.

If you want to update the firmware version have a try, please take a picture about the label of your controller, we will check if your controller can be update. But we think that problem can not be solved by firmware version update.

Have a nice day!

Best regards
Fred Zhao
EPEVER Support

What many of us ‘stuck’ Epever owners did to show its a fault of the controller is to disconnect the panels and reconnect them. Each time I did that I made a lot more power as the controller found the correct mppt point again.

Are you able to disconnect/reconnect your panels next time you have this problem?

 

[igorrius]

Are you able to disconnect/reconnect your panels next time you have this problem?

Yes, for me, too, turning the panel off and on gives an increase in charge power.
At a current of 1.4 amperes, the controller operates reliably in mppt mode if the panel is turned off and on.
Apparently there are two separate problems:
stuck in PWM mode and you need to turn the panels off and on again

and apparently there is some kind of minimum power at which the mpt cannot catch the voltage at the top and goes into a 14 volt PWM.