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MPP LV2424 not charging from utility, but will bypass

chrispyfish

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Jul 10, 2021
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Hey guys - have a weird one. My MPP solar unit, LV2424, is currently plugged into a standard AC outlet for input charging. The unit detects 117V ac at the input, and is accepting it no problem, and sending it to bypass to power AC loads running off of the inverter. However, try as I might, I cannot get it to charge the battery bank via AC. Unit is set to prioritize utility charging, set at 30A max AC charge input, and is not in power saving mode. I'm kind of at a loss at this point. Wondering if anyone has any ideas?
 
I've been struggling a bit with my recently acquired LV2424, as well. It's mostly working correctly, but I've noticed some odd behavior. For example, I changed a setting recently and it did not "stick" so I repeated it, then heard the unit click and the display updated. Additionally, I'm running an old crappy Windows laptop via USB to run the WatchPower software. I've noticed that the settings always update going from the software -> LV2424, but if you change a setting on the LV2424, you need to restart the software to pick it up. So they get out of sync if you aren't careful.

Is the AC load greater than the input? If you are running high loads, then maybe it's not charging because the power is going to run your appliances? I'm still very inexperienced with all this so I'm still learning the device, as well.
 
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Is your inverter switch on ? The one on the bottom of the unit. They will not charge if the inverter is on
 
Hey guys - have a weird one. My MPP solar unit, LV2424, is currently plugged into a standard AC outlet for input charging. The unit detects 117V ac at the input, and is accepting it no problem, and sending it to bypass to power AC loads running off of the inverter. However, try as I might, I cannot get it to charge the battery bank via AC. Unit is set to prioritize utility charging, set at 30A max AC charge input, and is not in power saving mode. I'm kind of at a loss at this point. Wondering if anyone has any ideas?
I've been struggling a bit with my recently acquired LV2424, as well. It's mostly working correctly, but I've noticed some odd behavior. For example, I changed a setting recently and it did not "stick" so I repeated it, then heard the unit click and the display updated. Additionally, I'm running an old crappy Windows laptop via USB to run the WatchPower software. I've noticed that the settings always update going from the software -> LV2424, but if you change a setting on the LV2424, you need to restart the software to pick it up. So they get out of sync if you aren't careful.

Is the AC load greater than the input? If you are running high loads, then maybe it's not charging because the power is going to run your appliances? I'm still very inexperienced with all this so I'm still learning the device, as well.
I have found some strange stuff too with the LV 2424's. As long as they are tied into solar, and the grid I believe they act as a UPS, and only maintain a a float. The only way I got them to start and stop charge was to tie my solar into a separate charge controller. I know have 5, 4 are split phase parallel, the 5th was removed because I thought it was broke, its not, and I'm going to set it up as a designated charger.
 
Is your inverter switch on ? The one on the bottom of the unit. They will not charge if the inverter is on
As @coil1002 states... If you turn the power switch off and then disconnect the PV input, this will trigger AC charging. At least it does on my unit, which has charger source and output source set to solar. If I switch the unit back on, output goes to batteries...
 
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As @coil1002 states... If you turn the power switch off and then disconnect the PV input, this will trigger AC charging. At least it does on my unit, which has charger source and output source set to solar. If i switch the unit back on, output goes to batteries...
2021-08-12 (3)_LI.jpg

1,3,5, are every thing on, and grid voltage seems to pass through to output, 2 is with grid off and inverters are producing, 4 is with solar panels off and inverters are producing. and 5 shows the mppt's of the inverters coming back on line.
If the solar is removed to a separate controller charging becomes automatic, and the batteries cycle. I put the inverters in off grid , and the inverters put out a solid 120v per leg.
 
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As @coil1002 states... If you turn the power switch off and then disconnect the PV input, this will trigger AC charging. At least it does on my unit, which has charger source and output source set to solar. If i switch the unit back on, output goes to batteries...
I'm also trying to figure this out.. some bad weather approaching and I'd like to have utility charge up the battery in the event we lose power here (it's cloudy today so PV charging is not so good). I have the following setting, disconnect PV and then turn off switch and then power back on and it seems that it only is providing load from the batteries. I turn on the PV and then load switches to utility but battery is only charging from PV.

Could you let me know what your settings are?
01: Sbu
05: lbU
10: snu

This is the LV2424 - the green one or the white one?

Thanks!
 
I'm in Portland Oregon and we get very few sunny or even bright days in the fall and winter. I noticed right away that my array wasn't capturing much at all and my batteries (LiFePO4) ran down pretty quickly, even with low load.

I started experimenting with the charger source and output source priorities and found that manual toggling (SBU to utility and back; solar first to utility and back, respectively) when needed was a reasonable approach. I've got the WatchPower software running on a workstation so this is easy to do. However, as you can imagine there are lots of cons to this approach.

Trying SOL (solar first) for setting 01 should work but my results have been less desirable than manual). I'm likely missing something.

@czane I've been meaning to post here for a better way (using the settings and voltage to accomplish the same thing in an automated fashion) and your recent post motivated me to post, as well. So thank you.
 
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oops, 05: blU - battery first

I'm in Hawaii and while you'd think we'd get a lot of sun, i'm on the windward side of the island up against a 2500 foot mountain so we get a lot of rain and afternoons are very shady (mountain shade + cloud cover). Just got my system up and running at the end of october and I've only had to switch to utility a couple of times. However with inclement weather tonight I wanted to try and top off the battery in case the power goes out.

Haven't been able to figure how how to force the LV2424 to charge from utility. Thought I could set the battery stop discharging setting to something high to force it to charge, but the highest setting is 25.5 and I'm at 26.2 right now so that won't work (unless I plug in a large load).

For now the blU command set the inverter to power the loads from utility and PV is just charging the batteries (at a measly 3 amps right now).

So your manual toggling - is the sequence:

power off
disconnect pv
and then turn everything back on?

Perhaps my settings are incorrect. What is your WatchPower settings set for? Thanks for your help!
 
So your manual toggling - is the sequence:

power off
disconnect pv
and then turn everything back on?
I don't power off the unit at all. I just change 01 (output sorce priority) to utility first and 16 (charger source priority) to utility first. You can hear a switch click and within minutes my utility power is powering loads and charging batteries. I've got my max charging current set to 80 amps and max utility charging current set to 40 amps, so in my case the batteries charge at 40 amps.
 
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Ah ha!

My charger source priority didn't stick. Looks better now, charging off of utility now. Thanks for the help!
 
Ah ha!

My charger source priority didn't stick. Looks better now, charging off of utility now. Thanks for the help!
No problem, my pleasure. Glad you got it working.

One thing I've noticed with WatchPower is that is is super buggy and glitchy. It's old and outdated as far as I can tell.
 
No problem, my pleasure. Glad you got it working.

One thing I've noticed with WatchPower is that is is super buggy and glitchy. It's old and outdated as far as I can tell.
agree on WatchPower. I have a raspberry pi plugged into the usb port and using a python script to pull data. All configs done through front panel (which does mean I need to walk out to the inverter to change things).
 
agree on WatchPower. I have a raspberry pi plugged into the usb port and using a python script to pull data. All configs done through front panel (which does mean I need to walk out to the inverter to change things).
Been thinking about this myself. I've been considering doing some research and/or writing a program that replaces WP. Maybe open source it...

Have you tried issuing commands or updating config via your pi/python?
 
Guys - I know this thread is pretty old but I am having the same problem with a new MPP LV2424 (Green). I am using it without panels as a backup system. However it wont charge from utility unless I turn off the MPP.

01 SbU
05 bLU
10 have tried CSO and SnU (no difference).

System isn't much good to me if I have to go out and turn it off and on all the time.

I do intend to hook up the panels at some point but fight with my HOA.
 
I don't power off the unit at all. I just change 01 (output sorce priority) to utility first and 16 (charger source priority) to utility first. You can hear a switch click and within minutes my utility power is powering loads and charging batteries. I've got my max charging current set to 80 amps and max utility charging current set to 40 amps, so in my case the batteries charge at 40 amps.
I know this is an old thread, but thank you.
 
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