Customer is cheap and thinks they can get something for free but then complain later. New Zealand is a land of cheap skates.
This post bought to you by off grid power. Going off the grid works. But there is no cheap option.
fungles,
Aug 13, 9:05am
Why Morningstar? What do you use in your solar system? What makes Morningstar superior to other brands and why. Why do you consider the installer didnt know what he was doing? I would be interested to learn something from you.
comsolve,
Aug 13, 9:13am
There are only 3 brands which are widely used in off grid solar installs because of their established reputation. None of them are made in China and Morningstar (made in Taiwan) is the only one who makes small controllers.
There is quite a few points in the OP which makes me doubt this "sparky" knows what they are doing.
fungles,
Aug 13, 9:14am
Tell me more.
comsolve,
Aug 13, 9:15am
I'm waiting for the OP to respond to my questions. It's fairly obvious what is wrong - just don't know know how wrong.
fungles,
Aug 13, 9:18am
I see, do you have your own off grid solar setup?
comsolve,
Aug 13, 9:19am
Yes. I have lived off the grid since 2015.
fungles,
Aug 13, 9:20am
Great! Welcome to us alternate planet dwellers. Explain your system.
comsolve,
Aug 13, 9:25am
3kW array (I want to double it) 48V battery bank 3kW inverter (Outback - compliant to AS/NZS 4777) 60A MPPT Morningstar charge controller Self installed to regulations and ROI'd by an electrical inspector so fully legal. Cost for a system like this - around $30k not including all the extra costs associated with installing gas hot water and cooking.
comsolve,
Aug 13, 9:27am
My bet is the OP has thrashed the crap out of the batteries due to not having enough PV. It's a common issue with budget installs.
People don't install enough PV because they want to pinch pennies.
The charge controller also looks like a piece of crap.
And possibly not equalising - if the batteries are flooded (wet).
fungles,
Aug 13, 9:34am
Thats impressive. And i dare say its working out for you. I think you will find pretty much all Chinese manufacturers make a range of controllers, large and small, not just Morningstar, the majority of which are of equivalent quality. The problems we are trying to solve here are still murky, cerrtainly too soon to poke accusations of the electrician. Your Morningstar controller is your preference, you have not factually explained why its the ONLY one you would use. I prefer better value for money and use a "blue sky" MPPT as it is of equivalent quality to what you are using. Im picking Muzz has a 24 volt sytem as opposed to 12 volt, we have yet to find out. You have correctly established there is a problem there, im interested to find out just what. I am hesitant to blame the controller just yet, a 24 volt system would explain the 520 watt panels at 35 volts, and the 20 amp controller quite nicely.
comsolve,
Aug 13, 9:49am
It's very simple. There are a bunch of regulations attached to off grid power systems - both the grid and the extra off-grid regs apply - and without the right paperwork for all the components - Mr Sparky should never have touched it. No if's, but's or maybes.
We know the controller is not compliant so the question is - what other lemons are there?
If that doesn't convince you, quality brands are designed better, made better, last longer and are supported by western companies who speak english.
If the OP had a Morningstar (or Midnite or Outback) they would not have to ask here.
fungles,
Aug 13, 9:52am
We have already established the energy requirements are well within storage capabilities, the panels are adequate to supply the batteries, you are not reading what he wrote. The system has operated for 2 1/2 years, suggesting a recent component failure, not a poorly designed installation. Just what a charge contioller "looks like" has nothing to do with its quality or efficiency, read my message about this above. Im inclined to think you dont actually know very much, but want to voice an opinion anyway, not very helpful really.
comsolve,
Aug 13, 9:57am
You asked for my two cents and now you are whining it's not what you want to hear? Well, look at it this way. My system works and the OP's doesn't.
How you could say for sure the batteries are being charged when I did not see any post where the OP told us the capacity of the batteries, is a mystery.
Nor did I see any post where the OP told us where they were situated which is also highly relevant.
I call your bluff dude.
It's you who doesn't know.
Undercharging batteries for 2 years could also cause the issues. But the OP, as many others, who end up with this problem under estimate the charge rate needed. Because it's cheaper upfront to get bigger batteries and thrash the crap out of them and replace them 2 years later.
Out of all the problems encountered with off grid, people under sizing their array is up there as one of the most common and also the most hard to convince them otherwise.
Because it worked when the batteries were new. duh.
comsolve,
Aug 13, 10:04am
"2 large batteries" could be anything up to 560Ah combined, which would need a *minimum* charge rate of 60A.
Even if they are more modest at 300Ah combined, that 20A charge controller is not up to the job.
Even at 10% *minimum* it's really not enough.
fungles,
Aug 13, 10:06am
For christ sake, ALL the off grid setups I have seen or worked on are not compliant, there is no such thing unless they are grid tied. Any system under 60 volts by memory do not require any professional input at all. The Inverter is sold as a simple domestic product, bought over the counter and used as a domestic appliance. Unless you are grid tied my friend, you have been ripped off big time. A 12/24/36/48v controller does NOT have or need compliance, neither do the panels. The ONLY compliance needed, if you want to be anal about it is the 240 volt AC wiring. And, as for established brands, again, try reading above. The main difference between an "established" brand and a Chinese generic of similar performance is advertising budgets.,,, money well spent for people such as yourself.
comsolve,
Aug 13, 10:11am
Wrong, wrong and wrong.
You have obviously never read the regs.
I am wasting my time with you.
Additionally, portable inverters are not legal for fixed installs unless they have the relevant certs. And I haven't seen any that do.
fungles,
Aug 13, 10:13am
Yes you are.
comsolve,
Aug 13, 10:18am
Those who say there is no difference between Chinese crap and stuff which has been proven in this field are the same lot who keep coming on to forums and trying to get help when it goes to custard.
Solar panels (Suntech / CNPV) excluded.
fungles,
Aug 13, 10:30am
Muzz did say each battery was 120ah, you dont or will not read, In parallel we get 240 ah, with a daily requirement of 80ah. 10 hours of the 24 hour drain at least is supplied directly by sunlight, further reducing storage requirement. Those batteries are well porportioned to the requirement. if anything there is too much panel. You need to quote facts and figures to convince me my friend, uninformed opinion wont cut it with me.
comsolve,
Aug 13, 10:41am
You are pretty arrogant. Firstly, I am not your friend. Secondly, I have nothing to prove to you. I couldn't care less what you do.
fungles,
Aug 13, 10:45am
I am so very sorry to hear that, i quite liked you, and I grew up in Dannevirke too. Oh well, thats life.
intrade,
Aug 13, 11:04am
i have vast experience in china quality . i have had manufactured 1000 head sets for a nokia 3210 ,3310 and over 90% is faulty . its the way the country and mentality of people works. for china they would cheat anyone if it was cheating your best friend of 10 years to make big money or no money and keep a friend, chinese all would choose the money and f. k any friendship. Money has a higher status then friendship there. In new zealand its like this monsantos gets sued for cancer causing roundup causing cancer. But here in nz no one gets cancer from it. Thats the nz mentality . every man and his dog has cancer here. umm yea . And china crap is all top quility it magically gets better when it enters the border of nz. Yea na i dont think so. cheap stuff to be good from china to be as good as expensive tested stuff yea na not when you have to buy 10 to get 1 good one. look at the hako soldering iron luise rossman pulled A part. And i seen a guy testing china solar controllers cant recall who it was he had 5 almost identical looking on outside. inside they where different. and only 1 was actuarly functioning correct his test showed.
intrade,
Aug 13, 11:13am
or the china voltage regulator that went up in flames from the EEv-blog a tini cheap ass resistor " a capacitor not resistor stress fracture shorted the imput . not suited for the product caused it to go and start a fire. As was explained by dave johnes after he repaired it. CE stands for chinese . excrement on products. i think A.v.e said that lol. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q2rvAoO-MIA
comsolve,
Aug 13, 11:47am
I have literally experienced this and quite a few times. They don't give a s* about the long term picture. If they can screw you this time, the future doesn't matter.
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