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Topic: final solar upgrad. (Read 1887 times) previous topic - next topic

Re: final solar upgrad.

Reply #21 –
I'll be calling Bay Marine as my firmware is only 1.43 and it needs to be 2.00 I have auto updates set and maybe bluetooth won't get the job done.

Re: final solar upgrad.

Reply #23 –
FYI, all, the posted link was from 2013 and only applies to BlueSolar VE.Can MPPTs; if you happen to have VE.Can controllers on a CANBus network, you can still use these instructions, but after Victron moved to the SmartSolar and VE.Direct BlueSolar models, the synchronization feature has not been available on those models. This is largely because VE.Can and the CanBus network uses entirely different communication protocols than VE.Direct, and while VE.Direct was a major step forward in the programming interface (ie, you no longer need to use command-line based programming to set up your MPPT) and ease of use, actual programming functionality was slightly reduced due to the bandwidth restrictions of the VE.Direct interface.

The current F/W version for SmartSolar and VE.Direct BlueSolar MPPTs is 1.46 (just released Monday) and I have just confirmed with Victron that it does not currently support synchronization across devices. As previously discussed with @craneman and many others, the synchronization of devices is largely a matter of expected behavior rather than actual device performance, but I am assured -and therefore pass along the assurance- that the necessary F/W update is in the works.

Best Regards!
-Justin
Laurel Technologies / Bay Marine Supply

Re: final solar upgrad.

Reply #24 –
I have 2 controllers and have never had an issue with them not working together.

Re: final solar upgrad.

Reply #25 –
@DavidS yes, the controllers actually do work together just fine as they are; the issue is really more of a perception one than a performance one. If you have two MPPTs connected to the same battery bank, you'll notice that one will go into "float" a little earlier than the other one; this is because the controllers decide how long their absorption cycle is by looking at the battery voltage when they wake up, and since one almost will always wake up later (how much later depends on the sun/angle of panels, etc), the second controller to wake up sees a higher voltage at the battery than the first (because the first is already charging, of course) and so decides it needs a shorter absorption time than the first... and so of course goes into float sooner as well.

The reality is that there is nothing functionally wrong with this behavior at all, but the perception is that the two devices should be working precisely in tandem, which is currently impossible given the way their algorithms function... and, to be fair, two devices working exactly in tandem would be just a hair more efficient in completing the overall task of fully charging your battery banks. That in mind, I'll certainly be happy to see the upcoming F/W update for SmartSolar and VE.Direct BlueSolar devices that permits device synchronization, since obviously more efficient=more better, but tbh I'm more excited about it because then I won't have to explain how/why these algorithms aren't perfectly synced anymore... @craneman and a number of other customers understand the base concept so it's not a big deal, but oh lord some people simply cannot be convinced that there's nothing wrong with their device just because one went into float sooner than the other!

Re: final solar upgrad.

Reply #26 –
On the system that AM Solar set up for me I have two of the SmartSolar MPPT 150/70 VE.Can and they synchronize their charge stages:

"The VE.Can SmartSolar charger is equipped with CAN bus ports. This allows for communication with additional VE.Can SmartSolar chargers. The additional units are simply "daisy chained" to each other with a single RJ45 cable between the individual units.
When connected to each other, all individual VE.Can SmartSolar chargers, will synchronise their charge stages. They can also send their data, via a single cable, to a GX monitoring device."