Votronic MPP 250 duo

[BikerGraham]

Wonder if anyone has had a problem with the above controller suddenly stop charging up both the liesure and end gone batteries ?

Seems that at some point last week it stopped working. Checked over yesterday and the units fuse seems ok.

Measured
18.6V across the solar panel terminals.
12.8V across the leisure battery terminals
12.4V across the engine battery terminals.

Is there a reset for the unit or am I looking at a replacement one. It’s only been in since end of august.

 

[funflair]

What type of leisure battery do you have? I and others have had issues charging LiFePO4, I could kick it back into life by disconnecting everything and then reconnect the controller to the battery followed by the solar and it would work again.

 

[jongood]

Wonder if anyone has had a problem with the above controller suddenly stop charging up both the liesure and end gone batteries ?

Seems that at some point last week it stopped working. Checked over yesterday and the units fuse seems ok.

Measured
18.6V across the solar panel terminals.
12.8V across the leisure battery terminals
12.4V across the engine battery terminals.

Is there a reset for the unit or am I looking at a replacement one. It’s only been in since end of august.

Have you got the dipswitches set correctly?

 

[BikerGraham]

Have you got the dipswitches set correctly?

Yes. It’s been working well for 2 months up until last week.

 

[Googlebot]

Both my Votronic controllers occasionally do this. Very annoying.

I have switches on the wiring from the panels. I switch the panels off and just pull the fuse. Wait for 10 seconds and put the fuse back. Panels back on and sorted.

No idea why it does this, all settings are correct and they otherwise work perfect.

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[BikerGraham]

Have you got the dipswitches set correctly?

It’s the standard lead acid battery that Bailey fit.
Will try disconnecting the wires and then reconnecting. Hopefully that will work.

 

[BikerGraham]

Both my Votronic controllers occasionally do this. Very annoying.

I have switches on the wiring from the panels. I switch the panels off and just pull the fuse. Wait for 10 seconds and put the fuse back. Panels back on and sorted.

No idea why it does this, all settings are correct and they otherwise work perfect.

Interesting, wonder why it’s doing that.

Will try pulling the wires and reconnecting. Thanks

 

[Bobby-gg]

Interesting, wonder why it’s doing that.

Will try pulling the wires and reconnecting. Thanks

Don't forget to disconnect the solar before the battery, then reconnect the battery before the solar.

Guess how I know

 

[Ditcha]

Bin it and go blue

 

[Manic]

Don't forget to disconnect the solar before the battery, then reconnect the battery before the solar.

Guess how I know

And don’t disconnect when it’s under load

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[paddymcc]

Are you sure that the leisure battery isn't full. 12.8v suggests that it is? Check with a multimeter. 12.4v starter is a bit low but the Votronic prioritises the leisure battery so the starter may well be lower, especially after a few poor solar days.

 

[liw1978]

My new MPP250 is under-performing (in comparison to the PWM Votronic SR220 that it replaced) and I'm coming to the conclusion that it's just rubbish in low light conditions - where if you believe everything you read about PWM vs. MPPT it should be better.
The SR220 has maintained the batteries over 5 or 6 winters without a problem and has now been re-purposed to the boat and for example yesterday, with just a flat 50w panel covered with pools of rain water, was still achieving 14+ volts at times.
The MPP250 hasn't been able to generate a charge voltage above c. 12.9v from the 200w of panel (similarly horizontal and rain-covered) recently and with van and control panels on the batteries were losing charge. Things are just about OK with both panels off.
I've seen a slight, but only slight, improvement by reverting the 2x 100W panels from serial to parallel configuration which defies logic but basically I think it's just useless and I'll soon be reverting to its good old PWM stablemate.
Resetting it has done nothing.

 

[Lenny HB]

Are you sure that the leisure battery isn't full. 12.8v suggests that it is? Check with a multimeter. 12.4v starter is a bit low but the Votronic prioritises the leisure battery so the starter may well be lower, especially after a few poor solar days.

If the battery is fully charged it should be float charging at 13.8v.

 

[Lenny HB]

I've been using a MPP 350 for a few years with Gel batteries and never had any problems. Only problems I've heard about with them is when connected to Lithium.

I think Googlebot is using them with Lithium so his results don't surprise me, never heard of any problems with La batteries.

 

[Lenny HB]

My new MPP250 is under-performing (in comparison to the PWM Votronic SR220 that it replaced) and I'm coming to the conclusion that it's just rubbish in low light conditions - where if you believe everything you read about PWM vs. MPPT it should be better.
The SR220 has maintained the batteries over 5 or 6 winters without a problem and has now been re-purposed to the boat and for example yesterday, with just a flat 50w panel covered with pools of rain water, was still achieving 14+ volts at times.
The MPP250 hasn't been able to generate a charge voltage above c. 12.9v from the 200w of panel (similarly horizontal and rain-covered) recently and with van and control panels on the batteries were losing charge. Things are just about OK with both panels off.
I've seen a slight, but only slight, improvement by reverting the 2x 100W panels from serial to parallel configuration which defies logic but basically I think it's just useless and I'll soon be reverting to its good old PWM stablemate.
Resetting it has done nothing.

Are you sure your battery hasn't had it?

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[BikerGraham]

Bin it and go blue

Just bought it in august replacing the originally fitted one by Bailey.

 

[Ditcha]

Just bought it in august replacing the originally fitted one by Bailey.

Should still be under warranty send it back then buy victron win win.

 

[Lenny HB]

Should still be under warranty send it back then buy victron win win.

Only problem with the Victron is no starter battery charging ( that can be solved at additional cost) and no AES output.

 

[BikerGraham]

Thanks for the advice everyone.

Looking at the last 30 days recording on the phantom tracker app which I know is an indication only. It appears that about the 15th of this month to have stopped charging.

Only other spike is when I started the engine on Sunday and when messing around with the cntroller yesterday.

It has been pretty poor weather wise. Dark and wet. But Sunday was sunny as was yesterday.

Will get to the van again on Friday and disconnect / reconnect and see what happens.

Fingers crossed otherwise it’s another replacement.

Am away to Spain on 15th December so need it sorting by then.

 

[BikerGraham]

Should still be under warranty send it back then buy victron win win.

Bought it from another funster so can’t.

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[poppycamper]

Votronic duo 250... has been charging lithium hab battery and trickle Start battery for 5 years.. no problems.

And don’t disconnect when it’s under load

Why.. when lithium at 80% I regularly turn off solar (inline switch) to prevent further charging?

 

[Ditcha]

Only problem with the Victron is no starter battery charging ( that can be solved at additional cost) and no AES output.

Multiplus sorts both them problems

 

[Lenny HB]

Multiplus sorts both them problems

How? doesn't charge starter battery off grid & no AES output for when batteries are charged and plenty of solar.

 

[funflair]

How? doesn't charge starter battery off grid & no AES output for when batteries are charged and plenty of solar.

I would say that 90% ++ don't know what to do with the AES out Lenny and then of the ones that do most can't be bothered .

 

[andysam]

I've not seen anyone mention fuse? Does that unit have one and have you checked it. My Victron's fuse went.

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[Manic]

I've not seen anyone mention fuse? Does that unit have one and have you checked it. My Victron's fuse went.

Yes it has a 20amp fuse on the front but the OP say he’s checked that.

 

[Ditcha]

How? doesn't charge starter battery off grid & no AES output for when batteries are charged and plenty of solar.

4amp battery charge even when MultiPlus (compact) is not on and you can set up assistants to switch AC loads off and use DC loads by battery charge state our inverter loads I run my Aircon with the excess solar when available, coupled with a cerbo you can control almost anything through the built in relays be it fridge, generator, Aircon, pumps you name it.

The problem with AES it's 30min switching interval so nice hot fridge

 

[andysam]

Yes it has a 20amp fuse on the front but the OP say he’s checked that.

Apols missed that. I always continuity test mine, I've missed a cracked fuse before now.

 

[Lenny HB]

I would say that 90% ++ don't know what to do with the AES out Lenny and then of the ones that do most can't be bothered .

But I do and I use it.

 

[Lenny HB]

The problem with AES it's 30min switching interval so nice hot fridge

Why not it's only switching the energy source swapping between 12v & gas.
Just on gas it would be turning on and off.

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}