Help! Solar stopped working in Czech Republic

[Broko]

Currently in Czechia, this morning solar stopped at 11am. 0w blue led blinking no voltage. App history has moved this mornings solar to yesterday. All cables seem okay. 2 x 140w victron panels in parallel victron 100/20 mppt. 2 x 150ah Lithium under the seat.
It is very hot at the moment.
Any ideas?

 

[Richard n Ann]

Is there a fuse between the solar controller and solar panels?

They're in parallel so unlikely both have failed

 

[Lenny HB]

Check voltage coming into controller should be 17 to 24v, if lower than 17v it would suggest a panel problem. If so try disconnecting each panel in turn to see if it is a problem with one. then check output voltage if charging should be 13 - 14.4v.

If volts from panels OK disconnect panels from controller then disconnect battery after a few minutes reconnect batteries then the panels, it may reset the controller if it's had a glitch.

 

[Broko]

Check voltage coming into controller should be 17 to 24v, if lower than 17v it would suggest a panel problem. If so try disconnecting each panel in turn to see if it is a problem with one. then check output voltage if charging should be 13 - 14.4v.

If volts from panels OK disconnect panels from controller then disconnect battery after a few minutes reconnect batteries then the panels, it may reset the controller if it's had a glitch.

Voltage in 0.
Out 13.05 (battery)
Both fuses okay. (Controller and to battery)
Cannot get on roof as I have no ladder.
Controller seems to have thrown a wobbly.

 

[suavecarve]

Why did you only get 360 watts yesterday when you weren't full.

I m up the road from you under a tree and got 1.1 kw.

You aren't covered by a bigger tree are you ?

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[Broko]

Why did you only get 360 watts yesterday when you weren't full.

I m up the road from you under a tree and got 1.1 kw.

You aren't covered by a bigger tree are you ?

That's not yesterday it was this morning!!

 

[suavecarve]

That's not yesterday it was this morning!!

And I just took more notice of your first screen shot now.
Connections somewhere would be my guess. Not under a branch and when the wind blows and pulls a wire ? Looks too uniform for even that thought process

 

[Broko]

Middle of field. Shade in morning shade in evening. Full sun during day. 30c now.

 

[Richard n Ann]

Try swirching the controller off and on again, disconnect power though, not in an app

 

[DBK]

Voltage in 0.
Out 13.05 (battery)
Both fuses okay. (Controller and to battery)
Cannot get on roof as I have no ladder.
Controller seems to have thrown a wobbly.

If voltage in, from the panels, is zero, it suggests a wiring issue between the panels and the controller.

Could be hard to check if you can't get on the roof but you could see how much of the wiring you can access internally.

If the panels are connected in parallel there may be a junction box somewhere.

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[Lenny HB]

With the the panels disconnected from the controller if you get voltage from the panels it's a controller fault.

If no volts I think you need to get on the roof, can you not get out through a rooflight or borrow a ladder. It's either a connection or could be a blocking diode in one of the panels short circuit.

 

[Broko]

If voltage in, from the panels, is zero, it suggests a wiring issue between the panels and the controller.

Could be hard to check if you can't get on the roof but you could see how much of the wiring you can access internally.

If the panels are connected in parallel there may be a junction box somewh

Redone all wiring, pulled fuses, problem must be wiring on roof as no power to cables.
Not a massive issue as we have sterling B2B and are on the way home so won't run out of power. It's been great for weeks only plugged in once.

 

[Ian_H]

Sounds daft, just close your vents so no shadows and try?

 

[Broko]

What I can't understand is how when it stopped working at 11am then restarted a couple of times it added a day. I hadn't touched it by then. Does the controller get a date from somewhere or just decided voltage is 0 therefore must be night.

 

[Broko]

Sounds daft, just close your vents so no shadows and try?

No shadows on panels from vents. Thunderstorms coming so we'll see what tomorrow brings.

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[Broko]

Back home and found lose connection on roof. I can only think of some stress on the cables from wind has moved them.
Should I tape them all together or tie wrap them.
All connections are under one of the panels and was a pain getting off.

 

[suavecarve]

Cable tie together then cable tie/tape so you can get at them next time easier

 

[suavecarve]

Has your victron returned to normal or have you just gained a day in effect ?

 

[Lenny HB]

If the MC4's are clipped together properly they won't come undone but it is easy not to get the plugs fully home, done it myself.

 

[Broko]

If the MC4's are clipped together properly they won't come undone but it is easy not to get the plugs fully home, done it myself.

It was the connection inside the MC4. The cable that goes in the MC4 had pulled apart meaning the male and female were not properly connected.
Lots of cable ties and tape will hold it.

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[Lenny HB]

It was the connection inside the MC4. The cable that goes in the MC4 had pulled apart meaning the male and female were not properly connected.
Lots of cable ties and tape will hold it.

If you don't have the right tool they are a bit of a pig to crimp properly.

 

[fishplug]

If you don't have the right tool they are a bit of a pig to crimp properly.

This statement is factually accurate.

Don't ask me how I know

Thankfully they're not expensive tools to buy.

 

[Broko]

Has your victron returned to normal or have you just gained a day in effect ?

I don't know what happened to the days. It seemed all the days were pushed back and the morning was a separate day. I thought it was the Victron playing up at first with the gap and then shunting a day forward.
Btw it was the male and female inside the MC4 that had separated, the male connector was pushed back as if the cable had been pulled.
Victron seems okay.
All very strange. I did get dribs and drabs of solar over the week.

Now when I look at the trends the days don't match 13th June is now 12th June again.
Hopefully this might be helpful to someone. If it changes I'll report back.