Morningstar PS-30 System Help

2 Posts
Jan 27, 2009 03:42 pm
Morningstar PS-30 System Help

Ok, I've got 6 50w kyocera 12v PV cells, running into a PS-30, out to 3 interstate MegaTron SR-27 Deep Cycle Marine batteries RV batteries rated at 100ah each. and a load that draws 2 amps consistantly. We're here in Az, and we're finding that after about 3 days use, the system shuts off overnight, only to come back on in the morning.

I know this is probably a no brainer for some of you, but I'm stumped.  I tried putting another 100w of solar on it, and it worked fine on a cloudy day, but come full sunshine it overloaded the PS-30, and I had to remove it.

Any suggestions?
 
578 Posts
Jan 27, 2009 04:22 pm
Re: Morningstar PS-30 System Help

sounds like dying batteries, but lets get more info.

6 modules wired in parallel ?

combiner box ?

distance from array to controller/batteries ?

wire size used over that distance?

is it the prostar with the meter?

how old are the batteries?

any shading on the array?

sorry for all the questions, but that is usually how the trouble shooting goes.

cheers,

james
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33 Posts
Jan 27, 2009 06:53 pm
Re: Morningstar PS-30 System Help

Are you sure you are using good wire sizes?

If there's enough of a voltage drop on load to batteries then it could be auto shutting off too early. IE. The battery is at 11.8 volts but the load says it's at 11.2 volts and shuts off to protect batteries.
Check voltages at every point to make sure there's not too large of spreads.

 
2 Posts
Jan 28, 2009 09:16 am
Re: Morningstar PS-30 System Help

sounds like dying batteries, but lets get more info.

6 modules wired in parallel ?

combiner box ?
distance from array to controller/batteries ?

wire size used over that distance?

is it the prostar with the meter?

how old are the batteries?

any shading on the array?

sorry for all the questions, but that is usually how the trouble shooting goes.

cheers,

james
altE staff

Yes, the PV's are wired in Parallel, about 3ft of wire between each.

No combiner box, basically using a daisy chain configuration on the array.

about 15ft from the last PV in the array to the Prostar, maybe 20ft tops.

I'm using the PS-30 with no meter.

The batteries are about 2yrs old, but when I put them on our smart charger, they test good.

No shading at all on the array, on a cloudless day, this time of year, I'll get oblique sun starting at about 7:30am, and it is virtually direct from around 10:30 to about 3pm. 

Odd thing though.  This morning, right before dawn, I went out and checked on the system.  At the PS-30, the battery terminals read out at 12.17v, (Should be enough to run the inverter)  the Solar term read out at about 8.03v, just ambient light, but the load read less than 2v, like 1.7v ish.  So, I turned off the load and the voltage on the load terminals quickly started to shoot up towards the voltage of the batteries.  I'm stumped.

Thanks for all your help
 
Jan 28, 2009 08:07 pm
Re: Morningstar PS-30 System Help

Almost nothing can take the place of actually be there in person to see and, sometimes hear and, even feel in order to trouble shoot a problem. The biggest exception to that I know of is if a person has had the same exact experience allready. I have never had any experience with a Morningstar. I do have experience with several other brands though. So all I can do is read the spec. sheet and manual.

I have a question. You say "a load that draws 2 amps consistantly."
Then you make a statement about an inverter being wired to the load controll terminals. Is this correct?
 "At the PS-30, the battery terminals read out at 12.17v, (Should be enough to run the inverter)"
"So, I turned off the load and the voltage on the load terminals quickly started to shoot up towards the voltage of the batteries."
If this is true, you might try removing the inverter load from the load controll and placing it directly to the batteries, with protection of course. A fuse at least and see if this solves the problem.

More questions.
Is the 2 amp load at 12 vdc nominal or 120 vac?
If at 120 vac then that will be 20 amps dc. The statement you made about adding more PV, "I tried putting another 100w of solar on it, and it worked fine on a cloudy day,"
Your getting what, about 4 to 5 hours of equivalent full rated charge from the 6 - KC50's? Thats about, 75 to 84 amphour per day. How long does the load stay on in hours?

One more question.
Have you have check temperature of wires and terminals under load?
 

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