Not working right???

[Old Tom]

Have a Solar60 mppt running off 8-100w parallel panels
Unable to find a user manual on line nor a mfg name on unit.

It keeps flashing on the display screen so not sure if it is working correctly or not

 

[chrisski]

Can you post a pic? That may help determine if it’s a PWM or MPPT.

 

[Old Tom]

I'll be going back over there tomorrow morning and I'll Post one then. Thx

 

[chrisski]

Now that I reread the post, 8 x 100 watt panels in parallel to me means it’s most likeLy a PWM controller. It would look somewhat like the one in this instruction book:

https://www.inverter.com/doc/ATO-PWM-solar-charge-controller-user-manual.pdf

The instructions would be somewhat similar. They usually come with next to no instructions.

All those panels in parallel could give 50 amps which is quite a bit of energy And would require some thicker than nor Al 10 AWG wiring once combined.

 

[Old Tom]

I ckd the ato-pwm download and that's not it.
It's all black with orange letters I got a pic but not able to put it one this. They are in e-bay as 60-80a controllers one says u s energy but can't find that

 

[Rednecktek]

Does it have USB ports on the front? If it's either of the ones I'm thinking of you've got a krap PWM controller that can't do 50a through it and has probably been cooked.

Pro Tip: If it's got USB ports on it for charging, it's PWM and the label is a dirty dirty liar. If it says MPPT and it's less than $50, it's a dirty, dirty liar.

Grab a decent mid-range MPPT controller from someone like EPEver, RichSolar, HQST, or even PowMr for about $100 and re-string your panels to take advantage of the higher voltage capabilities of the new controller and watch your watts really take off.

 

[12VoltInstalls]

decent mid-range MPPT controller from someone

Probably needs to be 4S2P to keep voltage below max input.

 

[chrisski]

Probably needs to be 4S2P to keep voltage below max input.

If it is a PWM, that could exceed the voltage rating for a PWM controller. They tend to be 1s for a 100 watt 18-22 volt panel with a 12 volt battery and 2S for the same panels with a 24 volt battery.

 

[12VoltInstalls]

If it is a PWM, that could exceed the voltage rating for a PWM controller. They tend to be 1s for a 100 watt 18-22 volt panel with a 12 volt battery and 2S for the same panels with a 24 volt battery.

I meant if they grabbed an Epever or whatever