7. Troubleshooting Guide - MPPT
7.1. Troubleshooting and support
For unexpected behaviour or suspected product faults, refer to this chapter.
Start by checking the common issues described here. If the problem persists, contact the point of purchase (Victron dealer or distributor) for technical support.
If you're unsure who to contact or if the point of purchase is unknown, refer to the Victron Energy Support webpage.
7.2. The solar charger is unresponsive
The solar charger is unresponsive (inactive) if the display is not illuminated, there is no charging activity, and it is not communicating with the VictronConnect app via Bluetooth or the VE.Direct port.
If the unit is active, the display is active or can communicate with the VictronConnect app via Bluetooth or the VE.Direct port.
For the solar charger to be active, it must be powered either via the battery or the PV terminals (or both), and the unit must be switched on.
Ensure that the unit has been switched on via its main switch, located at the underside of the unit on the left-hand side.
Ensure that the PV switch has been switched on. It is located at the underside of the unit, in the middle.
Once switched on, the solar charger will activate as soon as one (or both) of the battery or PV terminals are powered.
The voltage of the battery or the PV terminals needs to be above the minimum voltage as specified in the technical specifications chapter.
For instructions on how to check the voltage, see the below "Battery and PV terminal voltage check" procedure.
Warning
WARNING – A dangerous voltage can be (or is) present on the solar charger electrical terminals; only perform this procedure if you are a trained electrical technician.
Use a multimeter set to DC voltage mode.
Measure the voltage between the positive and negative battery terminals.
Measure the voltage between the positive and negative PV terminals.
Confirm that the battery or the PV voltage is at least above the minimum voltage as specified in the technical specifications chapter.
Check the battery and PV supply cables.
Check the fuses and circuit breakers.
Check if all connections are tight.
Is the battery voltage sufficiently high enough? If not, charge the battery with an auxiliary charger.
Is the PV voltage sufficiently high enough? Is there a problem with the PV array, or is it night?
Consider the solar charger to be faulty.
7.3. Solar charger is off
If the solar charger is off, the VictronConnect app will indicate this. and
To find out the reason why the solar charger is off, click on the "Why is the charger off?" text. |
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A pop-up window will appear with some of the explanations and possible remedies. |
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There is insufficient PV power.
The settings being edited on an external display
The charger is disabled in the settings.
The charger is disabled by remote or BMS.
Low lithium battery temperature.
7.3.1. PV voltage too low
PV voltage check procedure.
Caution
A very high voltage is present on the PV cabling even when the PV array is disconnected or switched off. Do not perform any of the procedures below unless you are a trained solar electrician. PV voltage can be up to 450V DC.
Switch off the Multi and ensure there is no voltage present at the PV terminals coming from the device.
Disconnect the MC4 connectors with a suitable tool.
Measure the voltage on the PV cables. It is not advisable to use standard multimeter probes for this operation. Use a fully insulated MC4 test lead set connected to the multimeter.
Confirm that the PV voltage measured is above the minimum PV start up voltage of 120V.
The minimum PV start up voltage is 120V but needs to be above 65V for the MPPT to continue operating.
If there is insufficient voltage on the MC4 PV cables.
Check the PV cables.
Check the fuses and circuit breakers.
Check for heavy cloud cover, bad weather and make sure it is not night time.
Is there excessive shading or the PV modules are very dirty.
Mechanical or electrical issues with one or more PV modules in the array.
Faulty wiring between the PV array Multi
Open or faulty circuit breakers
Blown fuse
Problems with a PV combiner.
If the MPPT still does not start after conducting the above checks then there may be a fault within the Multi
7.3.2. PV voltage too low
The solar charger will commence charging when the PV voltage is a minimum of 120V. Once charging has commenced, the PV voltage must remain higher than 80V for charging to continue.
Warning
WARNING: Depending on the solar charge controller model, the PV voltage can be up to 450Vdc.
Voltages above 50V are generally considered to be dangerous. Check your local electrical safety regulations as to the exact regulations. Dangerous voltages can only be handled by a qualified technician.
Use the VictronConnect app, a solar charger display or a GX device to check the battery voltage and PV voltage.
In case the above step is not possible, measure the battery and PV voltages at the solar charger terminals using a multi meter instead.
Compare both voltages. The PV voltage needs to be a minimum of 120V to start up, and also 80V to continue operation.
Causes of zero or low PV voltage:
Not enough solar irradiance into the solar panels:
Night.
Cloud cover or bad weather.
Shading – see this shading blog story for more information.
Dirty panels.
Seasonal differences.
Wrong orientation and/or inclination.
Problems with a panel or panel wiring:
Mechanical or electrical issue with an individual panel (or multiple panels).
Wiring problems.
Blown fuses.
Open or faulty circuit breakers.
Splitters or combiners issues, or these are used in an incorrect way.
PV array design issues:
Solar array wiring configuration mistake - not enough panels in a series string.
Reverse PV polarity:
The positive and negative have been swapped when connected to the controller, read next paragraph: “Reverse PV polarity”.
7.3.3. Reverse PV polarity
As long as the unit is installed within the published specifications, the PV input is protected internally against PV reverse polarity.
In the case of reverse PV voltage, the solar charger will not indicate an error.
The only way to detect reverse PV voltage is by the following signs:
The controller is not charging the batteries, the charge current is zero.
The controller is getting hot.
The PV voltage is zero, or close to zero.
If this is the case check for reverse polarity using a multimeter by ensuring that the positive PV cable is connected to the positive PV terminal, and the negative cable is connected to the negative terminal.
Caution
Measuring PV voltage at the PV terminals of a solar charger should only be performed by an electrical technician.
7.3.4. Safety relays are closed.
Safety relays, which are visible in the service compartment at the PV inputs, may have closed. This only happens if the Multi RS Solar has protected its self from a hazardous situation.
Under normal operating conditions the small black flag on top of the relay should be in the "OK" position. If the flag indicates towards the position with a danger symbol then it is closed. When the relays are closed the PV array is short circuited to stop PV power from entering the Multi RS Solar. The PV fuses or circuit breakers in the installation may open.
The fault cannot be cleared nor reset. The relays have closed to prevent further damage due to the internal fault.
The Multi RS Solar should be returned to the supplier.
Warning
DO NOT ATTEMPT TO RESET THE SAFETY RELAYS. THE RELAYS HAVE CLOSED TO PROTECT FROM A HAZARDOUS SITUATION.
7.4. Solar charger externally controlled
The solar charger can be controlled by an external device. The external device can stop or reduce the charge current to the battery. This is not a fault but expected behaviour.
Managed batteries or an inverter/charger with an external control system like, for example, an ESS system, can control the solar charger via a GX device. The battery dictates if charging is allowed, and when charging is allowed, what charge voltage and currents are used. If external control is active this will be displayed in the VictronConnect app and also on the GX device.
The VictronConnect app indicating that the charger is externally controlled. |
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7.5. Batteries are not being charged
This chapter describes situations where the charger is active, but the batteries are not being charged.
The VictronConnect app indicates that the charger is active and the charge voltage is correct, but the charge current is zero, or close to zero. |
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There are a number of reasons why this can happen, namely:
The battery is full, and no more current is needed.
The solar charging is not connected to the battery (cable, fuse or circuit breaker issues).
Wrong configuration (voltage or current set too low).
The charger is externally controlled (ESS or DVCC). See the Solar charger externally controlled chapter.
The battery temperature is too high and temperature-compensated charging is active or set incorrectly, see the Wrong temperature compensation setting chapter.
Reverse PV polarity.
Reverse battery polarity.
7.5.1. Battery is full
Once the battery is full the solar charger will stop charging or will greatly reduce the charge current.
This is especially the case when at the same time the DC loads in the system are not consuming any power from the battery.
To find out what the state of charge (SoC) of the battery is, check the battery monitor (if present), or alternatively, check what charge stage the controller is in. Also, observe that the solar cycle is (briefly) progressing through these charge stages at the beginning of the daily charge cycle:
Bulk stage: 0-80% SoC.
Absorption stage 80-100% SoC.
Float or storage stage: 100% SoC.
Be aware that it can also be possible that the solar charger thinks the battery is full, while in reality, the battery is not full. This can occur when the charge voltages have been set too low, causing the solar charger to prematurely switch to the absorption or float stage. For more information see the Battery settings too low chapter.
7.5.2. Battery not connected
For the solar charger to be able to charge the battery it needs to be connected to the battery.
It might look like the battery is connected because the solar charger is able to operate without a battery connected and the VictronConnect app will show a battery voltage and a charge stage, but the charge current is zero or close to zero.
Loose or missing battery cables.
Loose cable connections or badly crimped cable terminals.
A blown (or missing) fuse in the battery supply cable.
Open (or faulty) circuit breaker in the battery supply cable.
Missing or incorrectly wired battery cables.
Use the VictronConnect app, a connected display or a GX device to read the solar charger battery voltage or use a multimeter to measure the battery voltage at the terminals of the controller.
Caution
Measuring battery voltage at the battery terminals of a solar charger should only be performed by a qualified electrical technician.
Use a multimeter to measure the voltage at the battery terminals.
Compare the two voltages.
If the battery voltage and the controller voltage are different, then investigate why this is. Follow the path from the controller to the battery to investigate what could be the cause.
Check and verify that all cabling is connected correctly, and that no wiring mistakes have been made.
Check if all cable connections are tight while taking maximum torque levels into consideration.
Check if all cable lugs or cable terminals have been crimped correctly.
Check fuses and/or circuit breakers.
Note
If a blown fuse is found, first ensure that the battery polarity has been correctly wired before replacing the fuse. See next paragraph for more information on reverse battery polarity.
7.5.3. Battery settings too low
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7.5.4. Reverse battery polarity
Reverse polarity is when the positive and the negative battery cable have been accidentally swapped. The battery negative has been connected to the positive solar charger terminal and the battery positive has been connected to the negative solar charger terminal.
Note
Be aware that a red cable or positive labelled cable might not necessarily mean that the cable is indeed a positive cable. A wiring or labelling mistake could have been made during installation of the solar charger.
The solar charger is not protected against reverse battery polarity and any damage caused by this is not covered under warranty.
Caution
Always verify the battery polarity before reconnecting the battery wires to the solar charger.
7.5.5. Reverse PV polarity
As long as the unit is installed within the published specifications, the PV input is protected internally against PV reverse polarity.
In the case of reverse PV voltage, the solar charger will not indicate an error.
The only way to detect reverse PV voltage is by the following signs:
The controller is not charging the batteries, the charge current is zero.
The controller is getting hot.
The PV voltage is zero, or close to zero.
If this is the case check for reverse polarity using a multimeter by ensuring that the positive PV cable is connected to the positive PV terminal, and the negative cable is connected to the negative terminal.
Caution
Measuring PV voltage at the PV terminals of a solar charger should only be performed by an electrical technician.
7.6. Batteries are undercharged
This chapter deals with possible reasons why the solar charger is not sufficiently charging the batteries and the steps you can take to check or remedy the situation.
The batteries take too long to charge.
The batteries are not fully charged at the end of the day.
The charge current from the solar charger is less than expected.
7.6.1. Insufficient solar
Check if the solar charger reaches the float charge stage each day.
To investigate look at the history tab in the VictronConnect app. The histogram displays how long the batteries have been charged in the Bulk, Absorption and Float stage each day, for the last 30 days. If you click on one of the histogram columns you will see a breakdown of the charge stages.
You can use the charge times to see if the PV array is properly sized for your requirements.
A system that never reaches the float stage could have the following issues:
Not enough solar panels.
Too much load.
A problem with the array causing it to have a reduced power output.
For more potential reasons see paragraph: “PV power or yield less than expected”.
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System spending all its time in bulk with breakdown of charge stages - System in bulk and absorption
7.6.2. Too much DC load
The solar charger does not only charge the batteries, it also provides power for the system’s loads.
The battery will only be charged when the power available from the PV panels exceeds the power being drawn by the loads in the system, like lights, fridge, inverter, and so on.
If the system battery monitor is correctly installed and configured you can see how much current is going in (or out) of the battery and the solar charger will tell you how much current the solar array is generating.
A positive sign alongside the current reading means that current is flowing in to the battery, while a negative sign means that current is being drawn from the battery.
7.6.3. Battery cable voltage drop
If there is a voltage drop over the battery cables, the solar charger will output the correct voltage, but the batteries will receive a lower voltage which can potentially lead to undercharged batteries. A voltage drop in excess of 2.5% is unacceptable.
Battery charging will take longer.
The battery receives a too-low charge voltage.
There is a loss of charge power.
The battery cables heat up.
Battery cables with insufficient cross-sectional area.
Badly crimped cable lugs or terminals.
Loose terminal connections.
Bad or loose fuse(s).
For more information on cabling issues and voltage drop see the Wiring unlimited book.
This check must be performed while the charger is charging with a full current. Typically best done in the morning. Use the VictronConnect app to check the output current.
Measure the voltage on the battery terminals of the solar charger using the VictronConnect app or a multimeter.
Measure the battery voltage on the terminals of the battery using a multimeter.
Compare the two voltages to see if there is a voltage difference.
7.6.4. Wrong temperature compensation setting
If the temperature compensation coefficient is set incorrectly, the batteries can be undercharged or be overcharged. The temperature compensation can be set via VictronConnect or via a display.
To find out the correct temperature compensation coefficient setting for your battery, refer to the battery documentation. When in doubt use the default value of -64.80mV/°C for lead acid batteries and disable the temperature compensation setting for lithium batteries.
7.7. Batteries are overcharged
Warning
Batteries that are being overcharged are very dangerous! There is a risk of battery explosion, fire or acid leakage. Do not smoke, create sparks or have open flames in the same room as where the batteries are located.
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Incorrect charge voltage settings.
Applying equalization while the battery is not suitable for equalization.
High current and undersized batteries.
Battery faults.
Too high current, while the battery is not accepting charge anymore because of aging or prior mistreatment.
7.7.1. Battery charge voltages too high
If the battery charge voltages are set too high this will cause the batteries to overcharge.
Check if all the battery charge voltages (absorption and float) are set correctly.
The charge voltages have to match the recommended voltages as stated in the battery manufacturers documentation.
7.7.2. Battery unable to deal with equalization
During equalization, the battery charge voltage will be quite high and if the battery is unsuitable to be equalized, the battery will be overcharged.
Not all batteries can be charged with equalization voltages. Check with the battery manufacturer if the battery you are using needs a periodic equalizing charge.
Generally speaking, sealed batteries as well as lithium batteries don’t need and therefore should not be equalized.
7.7.3. Battery old or faulty
A battery that is at the end of its service life or has been damaged by incorrect use, can be prone to being overcharged.
A battery contains a number of cells that are connected in series. When a battery is old or has been damaged, a likely scenario is that one of these cells is not operational anymore.
When the faulty battery is charged, the damaged cell will not accept charge and the remaining cells will receive the broken cell’s charge voltage and thus will be overcharged.
To fix this, replace the battery. In case of multiple battery system replace the whole battery bank. It is not recommended to mix batteries of different ages in one battery bank.
It is hard to tell what has exactly happened to a battery during its lifetime. The solar charger will keep 30 day of battery voltage history. If the system also contains a battery monitor, or if the system is connected to VRM, the battery voltages and the cycle history of the battery can be accessed This will give a complete picture of the battery history and it can be determined if the battery is near the end of its service life or has been abused.
Find out how many charge and discharge cycles the battery has been subjected to. Battery lifetime correlates to the number of cycles.
Check how deep the battery has been discharge on average. A battery will last for less cycles if deeply discharged, compared to more cycles if discharged less deep.
Refer to the battery data sheet to find out how many cycles at what average discharge the battery is capable of. Compare this with the battery history and determine if the battery is near the end of its service live.
Check if the battery has been totally discharged at all. Total and very deep discharge will damage a battery. Check the battery monitor setting history on the VRM portal. Look for the deepest discharge, the lowest battery voltage and the number of full discharges.
Check if the battery has been charged with a too high voltage. Very high charge voltage will damage the battery. Check the maximum battery voltage and the high voltage alarms in the battery monitor. Check if the measured maximum voltage has exceeded the battery manufacturer recommendations.
7.8. PV problems
This chapter deals with the remaining solar problems that were not already discussed in the earlier chapters.
7.8.1. PV yield less than expected
Check the solar charger history in the VictronConnect app. Check the total maximum power (Pmax) for each day. Does this match the array power?
To find the potential solar yield per day for a specific PV array size in a specific geographical location, use the MPPT sizing calculator on the solar charge controller product page.
These are some of the reasons why the array is generating less power than expected:
Low sun angle, seasonal differences or morning/evening.
Cloud cover or bad weather.
Shading from trees or buildings.
Dirty panels.
Incorrect orientation and/or inclination.
Broken or faulty solar panel(s).
Issues with wiring, fuses, circuit breakers, wiring voltage drop.
Bad splitters or combiners, or these are used in an incorrect way.
Part of the PV array not working.
PV array design issues.
Solar array configuration mistakes.
The batteries are too small, or getting older, and have a reduced capacity.
The VictronConnect App can be used to see what the maximum PV power was for any of the last thirty days. This information could be used to diagnose problems with less than expected PV power or daily yield. |
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7.8.2. Full rated output not reached
There are a few reasons why the solar charger is not reaching its full rated output.
Some of these reasons have already been explained in the the chapter: “The batteries take too long to charge, are undercharged or charge current less than expected”. Some additional reasons are explained in this paragraph.
PV array too small
If the PV array power rating is less than the solar charger nominal power rating, the solar charger cannot output more power than the connected solar array can provide.
Temperature above 40°C
When the solar charger heats up, eventually the output current will derate. When the current is reduced naturally the output power will reduce as well.
The controller is operational up to 60°C, with a full rated output up to 40°C.
In case the solar charger heats up quicker than expected, pay attention to the way it has been mounted. Mount it in such a way that the generated heat can dissipate.
Ideally mount the solar charger on a vertical surface with the terminals facing downwards.
If the solar charger is located in a closed enclosure, such as a cabinet, make sure that cold air can enter and hot air can leave the enclosure. Mount vents in the enclosure.
For very hot environments consider mechanical air extraction or provide air conditioning.
7.8.3. Mixed PV panel types
It is not recommended to connect a mix of different PV panel types to the same solar charger.
Only use solar panels that are the same brand, type and model.
7.8.4. MC4 connectors wrongly connected
For a detailed explanation of how to connect MC4 connectors, MC4 splitters and MC4 combiners, see the Wiring unlimited book, chapter: “Solar panels”.
7.8.5. PV connections burned or melted
Burned or melted PV cables or connections are generally not covered under warranty. In most case this is due to any of the following reasons:
Solar cable
Cables with rigid core wire or rigid strands used.
Cables where the core wire has been soldered.
Cable too thin - remember that the current will be higher when the PV voltage is lower. For more information on cable thickness see the Wiring Unlimited book.
MC4 terminals
Current has exceeded 30A per connector pair.
Incorrectly crimped MC4 connectors.
Bad quality MC4 connectors used
7.8.6. Optimisers cannot be used
Do not use solar panels with optimisers together with the solar charger.
Nearly all optimisers contain an MPPT or other tracking mechanisms and this interferes with the MPPT algorithm in the solar charger.
7.8.7. Ground current
The system should not have a current flowing to ground under normal operation.
If a ground current is detected, first investigate all the equipment connected to that system and check for ground faults.
Next, check how many connections to ground the system has. There should only be a single point in the system connected to ground . This should be at the battery.
For more information on system grounding, see the "System grounding" chapter in the Wiring Unlimited book.
The Multi RS Solar connection between PV DC and battery DC is fully galvanically isolated.
The connection between PV DC and AC output is not isolated.
7.8.8. PV voltage too high
The PV voltage should never exceed the maximum rated PV voltage of the solar charger. The maximum PV voltage rating is printed on the front or on the side of the housing of the controller, and in the product specification sheets.
The solar charger stops charging if the PV voltage exceeds the maximum rated PV voltage. At the same time, it will display an overvoltage error #33, and will fast blink its absorption and float LED.
Charging will not recommence until the PV voltage has dropped 5V below the rated maximum voltage.
When investigating a high voltage issue, also look at the history of the VictronConnect app, solar charger display or GX device. Check the highest PV voltage for each day (Vmax) and also look for past overvoltage warnings.
Check the open circuit voltage (Voc) rating of the PV array. Ensure that it is less than the maximum rated voltage of the solar charger. Use the MPPT sizing calculator on the solar charger product page. In case the PV array is located in cold climates or if the night temperature drops close to or below 10°C the PV array can output more than its rated Voc. As a rule of thumb, keep an additional 10% safety margin.
An overvoltage event can damage the solar charger, depending on how much the maximum PV voltage was exceeded. This damage is not covered by warranty.
7.9. Communication problems
This chapter describes issues that might arise when the Multi RS Solar is connected to the VictronConnect app, other Victron devices or third-party devices.
7.9.1. VictronConnect app
Important
For operational issues of the VictronConnect app, like the app will not run or is unable to connect to the solar charger, see the generalVictronConnect manual.
7.9.2. Bluetooth
Please note that it is highly unlikely that the Bluetooth interface is faulty. The problem is most likely caused by something else. Use this chapter to quickly rule out some of the common causes of Bluetooth issues.
For a full troubleshooting guide see the VictronConnect manual.
Check if Bluetooth is enabled
It is possible to enable/disable Bluetooth in the product settings. To re-enable:
Connect to the solar charger via the VE.Direct port.
Navigate to the controller settings and then to "product info".
Re-enable Bluetooth.
Check if the controller is powered-up
Bluetooth is active as soon as the solar charger is powered-up.
Check that Bluetooth is in range
In open space the maximum Bluetooth distance is about 20 meters. In a build-up area, inside a house, a shed, a vehicle or a boat this distance can be a lot less.
The Windows VictronConnect app does not support Bluetooth
The Windows version of the VictronConnect app does not support Bluetooth. Use an Android, iOS or macOS device instead. Or alternatively connect using a VE.Direct to USB interface.
The controller is missing in the VictronConnect app device list
Some steps to try to resolve this issue are:
Press the orange refresh button at the bottom of the VictronConnect app device list and check if the solar charger is now listed. Only one phone or tablet can be connected to the solar charger at any given time. Make sure no other devices are connected and try again.
Try to connect to another Victron product, does this work? If that also does not work, there probably is an issue with the phone or tablet.
Rule out any issues with the phone or the VictronConnect app by using another phone or tablet and try again.
If still unresolved, refer to the VictronConnect app manual.
PIN code lost
If you have lost the PIN code, you will need to reset the PIN code to its default PIN code. This is done in the VictronConnect app:
Navigate to the device list of the VictronConnect app.
Enter the solar charger's unique PUK code as printed on its product information sticker.
Click on the option symbol next to the solar charger listing.
A new window will open which allows you to reset the PIN code back to its default: 000000.
How to communicate without Bluetooth
In case Bluetooth is not functional, turned off or unavailable, the VictronConnect app can still communicate via the unit’s VE.Direct port. Or, if the unit is connected to a GX device, the VictronConnect app can communicate via VRM. For more information see the VictronConnect app chapter.
7.9.3. VE.Direct port
These are not common and if this occurs it is probably due to one of these issues listed in this paragraph.
Physical cable connector or data port issues Try a different VE.Direct cable and see if the unit will now communicate. Is the connector inserted properly and deep enough? Is the connector damaged? Inspect the VE.Direct port, are there bent pins? If this is the case, use long nose pliers to straighten the pins, while the unit is unpowered.
Note, unlike most other Victron products it is not possible to connect the to a GX device (i.e. Cerbo GX) using the VE.Direct interface. You must use the VE.Can interface to connect to a GX device.
7.9.4. VE.Smart communication
The Multi RS Solar does not support VE.Smart networking.
7.10. Error code overview
The error codes are displayed on the VictronConnect app, display or connected GX device.
For the most up-to-date version of this list see this link: https://www.victronenergy.com/live/mppt-error-codes.
Notice
Note that not all of these errors might apply to your product. Some error types only apply to solar chargers, DC-DC chargers or AC chargers or are specific only to certain models within a charger group.
This error will auto-reset after the battery voltage has dropped. This error can be due to other charging equipment connected to the battery or a fault in the charge controller.
Check if the T-sense connector is properly connected to a remote temperature sensor. Most likely cause: the remote T-sense connector is connected to the BAT+ or BAT- terminal. This error will auto-reset after proper connection.
Check if the T-sense connector is properly connected to a remote temperature sensor. This error will not auto-reset.
Check if the V-sense connector is properly connected to the battery terminals. Most likely cause: the remote V-sense connector is connected in reverse polarity to the BAT+ or BAT- terminals.
Check if the V-sense connector is properly connected to the battery terminals.
High DC ripple is usually caused by loose DC cable connections and/or too thin DC wiring. After the inverter has switched off due to high DC ripple voltage, it waits 30 seconds and then restarts.
After three restarts followed by a shutdown due to high DC ripple within 30 seconds of restarting, the inverter will shutdown and stops retrying. To restart the inverter, switch it Off and then On.
Continuous high DC ripple reduces the inverter life expectancy
The charger is stopped to avoid charging LiFePO4 batteries at low temperature as this damages the cells.
This error will auto-reset after charger has cooled down. Check the ambient temperature and check for obstructions near the heat sink.
This error will auto-reset. If the error does not auto-reset disconnect the charge controller from all power-sources, wait 3 minutes, and power up again.
Possible causes for an over-current on the battery terminals:
switching on/off a very large load on the battery side.
sudden change in irradiance causing a temporary over-power in the mppt.
overloading the inverter ac output.
Possible solutions:
if possible provide adequate cooling for the unit, a cooler unit can handle more current.
reduce the load on the inverter.
charge the battery before using the inverter, at higher battery voltages the same amount of power requires less current.
For solar chargers:
The maximum bulk time protection is a feature that was in the chargers when they were just released (2015 or earlier) and later the feature was removed.
If you do see this error, then update to the latest firmware.
If you then still have the error, perform a reset to factory defaults of the configuration, and reconfigure the solar charger.
The current measurement is out of range.
Disconnect all wires, and then reconnect all wires, to make the charger restart. Also, make sure the minus on the MPPT charge controller (PV minus/Battery minus) is not bypassing the charge controller.
This error will not auto-reset.
If the error remains, please contact your dealer, there might be a hardware defect.
The internal temperature measurements are out of range.
Disconnect all wires, and then reconnect all wires, to restart the unit.
This error will not auto-reset.
If the error remains, please contact your dealer, there might be a hardware defect.
This condition indicates an over-current condition on the battery side. It can occur when a battery is attached to the unit using a contactor. Or in case the charger starts up without a battery connected but connected to an inverter that has a large input capacitance.
This error will auto-reset. If the error does not auto-reset disconnect the charge controller from all power-sources, wait 3 minutes, and power up again. If the error persists the charge controller is probably faulty.
This error will auto-reset once the battery voltage drops below the float voltage. To protect the battery from over-charging the battery is disconnected.
Possible causes:
over-sized PV array configuration, if there are too many panels in series the battery voltage cannot be reduced any further. Consider wiring more PV panels in parallel to reduce the voltage.
configuration issue, check if the battery settings match with the installation (especially absorption and float voltage settings).
another charger in the system raises the battery voltage above the expected level.
This error will auto-reset after PV-voltage has dropped to safe limit.
This error is an indication that the PV-array configuration with regard to open-circuit voltage is critical for this charger. Check configuration, and if required, re-organise panels.
The current from the solar-panel array has exceeded the maximum allowed current.
This error could be generated due to an internal system fault.
Disconnect the charger from all power-sources, wait 3 minutes, and power-up again. If the error persists the controller is probably faulty, contact your dealer.
Applies to the MPPT RS, Inverter RS and Multi RS products.
Please upgrade your firmware to at least v1.08 as the issues causing this error have been addressed.
If you are using firmware v1.08 or newer this error indicates that the internal dc voltage is too high. This error will auto-reset. If the error does not auto-reset disconnect the charge controller from all power-sources, wait 3 minutes, and power up again. If the error persists the charge controller is probably faulty.
PV panel isolation resistance too low. Check the PV array cabling and panel isolation, the inverter restarts automatically once the issue is resolved.
The ground leakage current in the PV array exceeds the allowed 30mA limit. Check the PV array cabling and panel isolation. Check the installation and restart the unit using the power-switch.
The voltage difference between Neutral and Ground is too high.
Inverter or Multi (not connected to the grid):
The internal ground relay is activated but the voltage over the relay is too high. The relay might be damaged.
Multi (connected to the grid):
The ground wire in the installation is not present or not connected properly.
Line and Neutral are swapped in the installation.
This error will not auto-reset. Check the installation and restart the unit using the power-switch.
Some loads like motors or pumps draw large inrush currents in a start-up situation. In such circumstances, it is possible that the start-up current exceeds the over current trip level of the inverter. In this case the output voltage will quickly decrease to limit the output current of the inverter. If the over current trip level is continuously exceeded, the inverter will shut down: wait 30 seconds and then restart.
The Inverter can supply more power than the nominal power level for a short time. If the time is exceed the inverter stops.
After three restarts followed by another overload within 30 seconds of restarting, the inverter will shutdown and remain off. To restart the inverter, switch it Off, then On.
If the error persists reduce the load on the AC out terminal by switching off or disconnecting appliances.
A high ambient temperature or enduring high load may result in shut down to over temperature. Reduce load and/or move inverter to better ventilated area and check for obstructions near the fan outlets.
The inverter will restart after 30 seconds. The inverter will not stay off after multiple retries.
If the battery voltage is getting low and a large load is applied to the AC output the inverter is unable to maintain the proper output voltage. Re-charge the battery or reduce the AC loads to continue operation.
If the battery voltage is getting low and a large load is applied to the AC output the inverter is unable to maintain the proper output voltage. Re-charge the battery or reduce the AC loads to continue operation.
If the error immediately pops up when switching on the inverter (without load) on a full battery the cause is most likely a broken internal fuse.
The inverter performs diagnostic tests before it activates its output. In the case that one of these tests fails an error message is displayed and the inverter does not turn on.
First try to restart the inverter, by switching it Off, and then On. If error persists the inverter is probably faulty.
There is already AC voltage on the AC out terminal before switching on the inverter. Check that the AC out is not connected to a mains outlet or to another inverter.
This error will not auto-reset. Check the installation and restart the unit using the power-switch.
Err 59 - ACIN1 relay test fault
Automatic checking of the disconnect means failure. This usually indicates a broken relay (sticky contact) in the AC input stage.
Try to restart the Multi RS Solar by switching it off and then on again at the rocker switch. If the error persists then a relay is likely to be faulty.
Communication with one of the paralleled chargers was lost. To clear the warning, switch the charger off and back on.
The controller is being paralleled to another controller that has different settings and/or a different charge algorithm.
Make sure all settings are the same and update firmware on all chargers to the latest version.
This error shows when the charger is configured to be controlled by a BMS, but does not receive any BMS control messages. In that situation, the charger stops charging by reducing its output voltage to the battery base voltage (12V/24V/36V/48V). This is a safety mechanism, the reason to still enable the output is to allow a system to self-recover from a battery low situation.
Solar Chargers only show this error when there is solar power available and thus the device is ready to initiate charging. It does not show at night. And in case there is a permanent problem, the error will raise in the morning and clear at night, and so forth.
Solution: check the connection between the charger and the BMS.
How to reconfigure the charger to standalone mode:
Our Chargers and Solar Chargers automatically configure themselves to be BMS-controlled when they are connected to one; either direct or via a GX Device. And that setting is semi-permanent: power cycling the charger will not reset it.
When removing charger from such system, and reusing it in a system without BMS, that setting needs to be cleared. Here is how to do that:
Chargers with LCD display: go into the setup menu, and change setting ‘BMS’ from ‘Y’ to ‘N’ (setup item 31).
Other chargers: reset the charger to factory defaults with VictronConnect, and then reconfigure it.
Applies to SmartSolar/BlueSolar chargers VE.Can (FW version v1.04 or higher) and SmartSolar VE.Direct chargers (FW version v1.47).
To clear the error on the SmartSolar VE.Direct chargers update the FW version to v1.48 or higher.
To clear the error on the SmartSolar/BlueSolar chargers VE.Can, update the software. If the error persists, it will be because the charger is connected with both a VE.Direct cable and on VE.Can. That is not supported. Remove one of the two cables. The error will disappear and the charger will resume normal operation, within a minute.
Background:
Error 68 indicates that the charger detects multiple conflicting network sources, with the same priority, trying to send the same information to the charger. VE.Can and VE.Direct interfaces have both the same priority level, and BLE (using VE.Smart Networking) has a lower priority.
Having a higher priority level means that, if the same information (e.g. Battery voltage sense) is being received from both VE.Can and BLE (using VE.Smart Network) by the charger, the information on VE.Can will be used and the one coming from BLE will be ignored.
Now, if the same information is being received from two interfaces that have the same priority level (as VE.Can and VE.Direct), the charger does not know how to prioritize those, causing error 68 to be triggered.
Applies to Inverter RS and Multi RS models. Firmware versions 1.11 and higher.
This error indicates an issue in the configuration. There are units present on the same can bus that have different system configurations. Please ensure that all units are set to either “Single Phase” or “Three Phase”. All units will remain off until the configuration is fixed, after which the units will resume operation.
Applies to Inverter RS models. Firmware versions 1.11 and higher.
The Inverter RS model used cannot be paired with a Multi RS and/or Transfer Switch. Only Inverter RS models with a production code newer than HQYYWW can be used for this purpose. Only the incompatible Inverter RS units will remain off.
Applies to Inverter RS and Multi RS models. Firmware versions 1.11 and higher
There are units present with incompatible firmware on the can bus. Make sure that all units are updated to the same firmware version. All units will remain off until the until the firmwares are updated, after which the units will resume operation.
This error will reset after the CPU has cooled down. If the error persists, check the ambient temperature and check for obstructions near the air inlet and outlet holes of the charger cabinet. Check manual for mounting instructions with regard to cooling. If error persists the controller is probably faulty.
If the unit does not work and error 116 pops up as the active error, the unit is faulty. Contact your dealer for a replacement.
If the error is only present in the history data and the unit operates normally this error can be ignored safely. Explanation: when the units power up for the very first time in the factory, it does not have calibration data and an error 116 is logged. Obviously this should have been cleared, but in the beginning units left the factory with this message still in the history data.
SmartSolar models (not the BlueSolar models): upgrading to v1.4x firmware is a one-way trip, you cannot go back to an older firmware version once you upgrade to v1.4x. Reverting to older firmware gives error 116 (calibration data lost), this can be fixed by re-installing the v1.4x firmware.
This error indicates that a firmware update did not complete, so the device is only partially updated. Possible causes are: device out of range when updating over the air, a cable got disconnected or power was lost during the update session.
To fix this the update needs to be retried, download the correct firmware for your device from the Victron Professional Portal
When your GX device is connected to VRM, you can do a remote firmware update using this firmware file. You can do this via the VRM website or using the VRM tab in VictronConnect. VictronConnect can also be used together with the firmware file to update using a Bluetooth connection.
The procedure to add the file to VictronConnect and start the update is described here: 9. Firmware updates
The charger cannot read its configuration, and stopped.
This error will not auto-reset. To get it working again:
First, restore it to factory defaults. (top right in Victron Connect, click on the three dots)
Disconnect the charge controller from all power-sources
Wait 3 minutes, and power up again.
Reconfigure the charger.
Please do report this to your Victron dealer and ask him to escalate it to Victron; as this error should never happen. Preferably include firmware version and any other specifics (VRM URL, VictronConnect screenshots or similar).
If the unit does not work and error 121 pops up as the active error the unit is faulty, contact your dealer for a replacement.
If the error is only present in the history data and the unit operates normally this error can be ignored safely. Explanation: when the units powers up for the very first time in the factory, it does not have calibration data and an error 121 is logged. Obviously this should have been cleared, but in the beginning units left the factory with this message still in the history data.
The unit performs internal diagnostics when activating its internal DC-DC converter. This error indicates that something is wrong with the DC-DC converter.
This error will not auto-reset. Check the installation and restart the unit using the power-switch. If the error persists the unit is probably faulty.
This “Internal DC voltage measurement error”, is raised in case an internal (high-) voltage measurement does not match certain criteria.
First, make sure to update the firmware to v1.08 or later. The limits were too strict in earlier versions. And it could trigger falsely during MPPT start-up in the morning and MPPT shutdown in the evening.
If the error still occurs after updating to v1.08 or later, then it means that a measurement circuit inside the unit is broken.
This error will not auto-reset. Check the installation and restart the unit using the power-switch. If the error persists, even after above mentioned firmware update, the unit is most likely faulty and must be sent in for repair/replacement.
The sensor used to measure residual current did not pass the internal self test.
This error will not auto-reset. Check the installation and restart the unit using the power-switch. If the error persists the unit is probably faulty and must be sent in for repair/replacement.
The unit performs internal diagnostics when activating its internal voltage supplies. This error indicates that something is wrong with an internal supply voltage.
This error will not auto-reset. Check the installation and restart the unit using the power-switch. If the error persists the unit is probably faulty.