No output of my PIP-2424LV-MSD to my Load

[Jim Burrow]

I have the PIP-2424LV-MSD by MPP all-in-one controller/inverter and for the last couple of months on my test bench, it has been running flawlessly while doing different testing on it and running a floor fan at 220 watts as a load.

Yesterday, I wanted to connect and test the system with a solar panel for the first time. But to make room in my shop, I needed to move my test bench over a little so I could lay the solar panel against the wall and get sunlight to shin on it.

So, to move things, I had to disconnect the battery(s). After moving the desk and batteries to their new location, I went home for the evening.

This afternoon, I went back to the shop (my shop is in my airport hanger without heat) and put a 50-ohm resistor (that I always use) across the PIP-2424LV-MSD control/inverter to eliminate that spark when connecting a battery. All went well and I connected the batteries to the controller and turned it on. – It came alive!

The inverter turned on, but there is no 120-volt ac output power out of the PIP-2424LV-MSD to the load. The MPP display shows there is 120 volts ac output to the load but there is no voltage at the output terminals of the controller. Measuring the ac voltage at the terminals, all I get is a pulsating ac reading and not 120 vac.

The temperature in the hanger is around 60 degrees F. and will within the controller operating range.

The question:
Has anyone experience this problem and if so, what did you find happened?

The second question, is there anyone in the USA on the west coast preferably in California that does repairs on these controller/inverters? I don’t want to send it back to China as it would cost more for shipping than to buy a new one.

If I had the schematic for this controller/inverter, I could troubleshoot it myself and probably do the repair.
Sure glad I didn't have the system installed on my house. I would be without house power right now.

 

[snoobler]

RTFM might help

Setting 04 is the power save feature:

 

[schmism]

was the load on when you turned on the unit?

To reset my units, I have to, (starting at) no grid, no load, no solar. Then battery on, then unit on, then turn on everything else (grid, load, solar)

 

[Jim Burrow]

RTFM might help

Setting 04 is the power save feature:

View attachment 27280

I will look tomorrow, but I believe it is in the default mode - Saving mode disable.

 

[Jim Burrow]

was the load on when you turned on the unit?

To reset my units, I have to, (starting at) no grid, no load, no solar. Then battery on, then unit on, then turn on everything else (grid, load, solar)

I'm not sure, but I think the load was on. that is my Floor fan for testing. I will try tomorrow the sequence you just mentioned. - Thanks. It's nice to know that my unit may not be bad and others have experienced my problem.

For option #4, power savings mode, what setting do you have set? I'm presently using the default setting. I didn't know what is was until now.

 

[snoobler]

If you had the load attached and on, even if it was in power-save mode, it should have sensed the load and turned on.

 

[Jim Burrow]

If you had the load attached and on, even if it was in power-save mode, it should have sensed the load and turned on.

It had always turned on before during all kinds of conditions that I tested for. I guess my main concern is why am I getting a pulsating output voltage at the load output terminals and not a study ac voltage. It's a slow pulse, much slower than 60 Hz. I would think that the converter would be generating 60 Hz or 120Hz (depending on the design) before going to the final stage of generating a pure MPPT 60Hz 120v output. Put then my electronic engineer knowledge is 50 years old. - still back in the Vacuum Tube eara.

 

[snoobler]

It sounds like a power save pulse. If it gets nothing back, no load, no 120VAC, 60Hz.

 

[Jim Burrow]

It sounds like a power save pulse. If it gets nothing back, no load, no 120VAC, 60Hz.

No output at all, just dead. But the MPP display displayed 120vac for the output. But that could be where the voltage pickup is located before the circuitry of the power save pulse. I do get a pulse reading with my volt/ohm meter.

Thanks to all you guys for your feedback, I have some things to check tomorrow. Including changing my option #4 "power saving mode" setting. In reality, there is no reason for it to go dead other than what you all have mentioned.

I will post what I find or what happens tomorrow. - thanks again and when you guys sleep on it tonight and a new thought pops into your head on what else could be happing, please post it. These posts could be helpful to others in the future if they experience this problem.

 

[Jim Burrow]

Report:
No output power to the load and no alarms.

Summary:
I now have the system working as it should.

Analyzes:
It looks like all you guys were right, my controller/inverter must have gone into a power saver mode. - I have no idea why!

Steps to resolve this no power to load:
Notes
1 - In power-saving mode, my controller uses <15 watts to stay on.
2 - My batteries are connected in series for 24 volts and are only 35ah capacity. At 22.0 lower battery shutoff voltage point, the battery is discharged down to roughly 50% dod. - Prior testing of battery capacity.
3 - At a low battery discharge point of 22.0 volts and there is no input power from Utility or Solar Array, the controller disengages the load and will power itself off.

Steps that were taken to recover the system to normal operations.

1 – Before going home last night, I disconnected the Utility and solar array from the controller.

2 – I left the battery connected to the controller in hopes the battery would discharge to the low battery voltage point of 22.0 (50%) at which time the whole system would shut down, as there where no input power from the utility or solar array to take over and continue to supply power to the load and to start recharging the battery.

3 – This morning when I check the status of the controller, I found it was off. - good boy!

4 – Clicked on the Utility switch to apply utility power to the controller.

5 – The controller came alive and showed that the battery did discharge to a low battery cutoff of 22.0v.

6 – Noticed that on the LCD display the Utility was charging the battery.

7 – Turned on my load, in this case, a 100-watt bulb and the bulb light.

8 – All seems to be working fine now.

9 – Left the system running with the load on and the Utility connect. The system should cycle between the battery powering the load and the Utility charging the battery and applying power to the load when the battery reached is low voltage point.

10 - when back home.