My Morningstar TS-MPPT-60 gave up after some rough treatment from me. So decided to take it apart and have a look. Some pictures for those of you who have an interest in electronics.
Above picture: Three large step-down inductor coils to the left. On the upper PCB is the main controller, a TMS320F28015PZA 60 MHz, 32 bit, and a com controller, a PIC18F67J60 for ethernet. Straight under the PCB is the heat sink. On the lower PCB is a strange shiny metal arrangement. That's how the FETs and rectifiers get clamped down against the heat sink. It acts like a spring.
Above picture: Here is the other side of the bottom PCB with the heat sink removed. I've cleaned up the PCB, but you can still see burn marks on the lower left FET. 12 x IRFB4321 Power MOSFET. 4 x STPS20170 Schottky rectifiers. Four FETs burned. I could replace them, they are only approx $3 each. No guarantee the controller would work though, but might be worth a try.
So how did this happen? Well, it is mostly my own fault, with some minor blame on the product instructions. When you upload a new setting to the controller you use a software on your PC called MSView. After the upload the controller enters fault mode, and you have to turn it off and then on again to go out of fault mode. Before you turn off the controller you absolutely have to disconnect the array, which I always do. But this time I had seen a cool new feature in MSView, where you can reset the controller from within the software. So I tried it, thinking it was just a software reboot. The controller then short circuited itself, which led to my BMS disconnecting the battery from over current protection. The array was still connected to the controller, so all of its power came rushing in and fried the FETs as can be seen above.
The controller kind of worked after this, but very poorly and strangely. After many emails back and forth with Morningstar support, I gave up. Now I've ordered a new charger, this time a Victron SmartSolar 250/100.
Above picture: Three large step-down inductor coils to the left. On the upper PCB is the main controller, a TMS320F28015PZA 60 MHz, 32 bit, and a com controller, a PIC18F67J60 for ethernet. Straight under the PCB is the heat sink. On the lower PCB is a strange shiny metal arrangement. That's how the FETs and rectifiers get clamped down against the heat sink. It acts like a spring.
Above picture: Here is the other side of the bottom PCB with the heat sink removed. I've cleaned up the PCB, but you can still see burn marks on the lower left FET. 12 x IRFB4321 Power MOSFET. 4 x STPS20170 Schottky rectifiers. Four FETs burned. I could replace them, they are only approx $3 each. No guarantee the controller would work though, but might be worth a try.
So how did this happen? Well, it is mostly my own fault, with some minor blame on the product instructions. When you upload a new setting to the controller you use a software on your PC called MSView. After the upload the controller enters fault mode, and you have to turn it off and then on again to go out of fault mode. Before you turn off the controller you absolutely have to disconnect the array, which I always do. But this time I had seen a cool new feature in MSView, where you can reset the controller from within the software. So I tried it, thinking it was just a software reboot. The controller then short circuited itself, which led to my BMS disconnecting the battery from over current protection. The array was still connected to the controller, so all of its power came rushing in and fried the FETs as can be seen above.
The controller kind of worked after this, but very poorly and strangely. After many emails back and forth with Morningstar support, I gave up. Now I've ordered a new charger, this time a Victron SmartSolar 250/100.
