Replacement MPPT controller

[Theo]

We decided to splash out on a paint job for Theodora and now we have a problem.  I had a phone call from the boatyard, who will, for the moment remain nameless, in which they said that they had corrected the wiring of the solar panels. What was wrong with it they did not reveal but I had wired them up ten or so years ago and they had been working OK since then.  I return to pick up my boat and notice funny readings on the display.  We have six small panels and I had wired them up in two series sets of three with the two sets in parallel.  I did that to keep the imput voltage within the working limits of the controller.  The silly b*****s had corrected my wiring and put them all in series so they have destroyed the controller.  The upshot of this is that they are buying me a new one.

 

What brands to people advise?  The old one was a Tracer 2210RN.  Should I buy another or is there something better or is that one OK?  If it is is will be really easy to swap.

 

Nick

Edited July 10, 2021 by Theo
Typos

[dmr]

I like the Victron solar controller.

 

I am not an out and out Victron fan, in fact I was quite suspicious of them for many years and regarded them as makers of excessively expensive complicated stuff, but I now have the solar controller and battery charger and really like them.

I am also a mobile phone hater but was persuded by my wife to get an iPhone, and using the phone and bluetooth to adjust the various settings is good, much better than complicated  sequences of button presses and nasty little monochrome screens as built into many devices.

 

..............Dave

[Richard10002]

I have a Tracer and it works well, but I have seen some criticism,  from people I consider knowledgeable, that they stick in low light, and don't power back up when the light improves. I haven't actually seen it happen, but don't watch 24/7.

 

If buying again, I'd probably buy Victron, mainly because I have a few other Victron things now, and like the Bluetooth reporting to my phone, as well as being a very reputable brand.

[Rob-M]

We also have the Victron SmartSolar, very simple to use via Bluetooth integration with the Victron app.

[PeterF]

I had a Tracer on my last boat on my self installed solar, it worked reasonably well but often got stuck, say cloud passed over and it moved to one point on the power curve, when sun returned it would not move to the increased maximum power point.

 

On the new boat I have a Victron smart solar with Bluetooth and concur with the positive experience given above. Easy to configure from the phone, easy to monitor and I have not seen it get stuck on the wrong power point once since getting it in late April and I am pleased that I went for this compared to the Tracer.

[Rob-M]

1 hour ago, Theo said:

We decided to splash out on a paint job for Theodora and now we have a problem.  I had a phone call from the boatyard, who will, for the moment remain nameless, in which they said that they had corrected the wiring of the solar panels. What was wrong with it they did not reveal but I had wired them up ten or so years ago and they had been working OK since then.  I return to pick up my boat and notice funny readings on the display.  We have six small panels and I had wired them up in two series sets of three with the two sets in parallel.  I did that to keep the imput voltage within the working limits of the controller.  The silly b*****s had corrected my wiring and put them all in series so they have destroyed the controller.  The upshot of this is that they are buying me a new one.

 

What brands to people advise?  The old one was a Tracer 2210RN.  Should I buy another or is there something better or is that one OK?  If it is is will be really easy to swap.

 

Nick

Are there many boat painters in Alvechurch...?

[john6767]

1 hour ago, Rob-M said:

We also have the Victron SmartSolar, very simple to use via Bluetooth integration with the Victron app.

That’s what we have too, seems good to me, but no experience of any others.

[Keith M]

Having installed and service PV installations for many years Victron regulators are my only choice they work faultlessly.

[Theo]

14 hours ago, Rob-M said:

Are there many boat painters in Alvechurch...?

Only one company AFAIK but they were local to Tardebigge an seemed to do a decent enough job on their fleet.  One lives and learns.

 

N

 It looks like the Victron, then...

 

I will check the specs but I think that it will cope with all six panels in series which means that I will have to reverse the correction that the boatyard made. 

 

Thanks for all the thoughts and advice.

 

N

[Detling]

For boats parallel connection is better because wired in series if one panel is partially shaded it will restrict the current flow for the string, in parallel only that panel has reduced current all the others can provide full power.  Trees and ropes frequently provide partial shade, on a rooftop of a house it is unlikely to happen but on a boat every day usually. 

[Theo]

I was reminded of this fact when I was testing the solar panels by covering them one at a time!

 

Thanks Mr Detling.

 

N