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Axpert Plus 3kw, need help programming please!


Lime

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Hello! I'm an absolut beginner when it comes to solar - just thought I knew enough to install my own solar system but after connecting it all up I got stuck with the programming of the inverter. It's and Axpert Plus 3kva inverter/charger connected to four 12V 230Ah GEL Batteries (Ultracell UCG-230-12), connected to 24 v,  and six  320 watt solar panels connected in series. It all came as a kit and I thought it would just be a case of plugging it all in... So I've seen some info on this website about the settings, and a document called Axpert Settings 1.1 by Chris Hobson but I'm not pernitted to download this. The problem now is that the inverter is showing 0 input v from PV array and the AC led light is flashing green, with no "solar panel symbol" showing. The manual is really not helping me here so please, if anyone can, I'd really appreciate some help here! Kind Regards, Emil

 

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Welcome Lime. You've come to the right place.

Am not a Axpert Expert, but check if there are any the volts coming in from the panels, as step 1.

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1 hour ago, Lime said:

and six  320 watt solar panels connected in series.

This is your 1st mistake that I can see, you should have 3 sets of 2panel in series (for 72 module panels as 320W panel would normally be). By connecting 6 panels in series your open circuit voltage will be about 270V where your MPPT is max 145V - I think you may have toasted your inverter.

The Axpert 3kVA+ comes in both 24V and 48V version - are you sure that yours is the 24V?

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Just now, Lime said:

Ok... I bought it as a kit and got all the pieces ready to just plug it in. I asked the guy I bought it from before connecting 6 panels in series if that was correct or if they had given me the wrong cable/connectors but was told they were ment to go in series. The specs for the panels are:

"Maximum voltage, V VMP 37.00 Current high voltage, IMP 8.38 A Open circuit voltage, VOC 4601 V short circuit current, ISC 8.92 A Efficiency Cell, 17.40 (%) Efficiency module, 15.50 (%)" 

And the inverter:

"OMEGA 3K-24 TOP 60A MPPT Power: 3000VA / 2400W Voltage: 230 VAC 230 VAC INPUT selectable voltage range: 170-280 VAC / 90-280 VAC Frequency range: 50 Hz / 60 Hz (Auto sensing) OUTPUT voltage Regulation VAC (Batt Mode.) 230VAC ± 5% 230VAC ± 5% peak Power: 6000VA Efficiency 93% 93% transfer time: 10 ms (for Personal Computers) 20 ms ( for Home Appliances) wave Type: Onda pure battery and charger Volataje 24 VDC input voltage float charge: 27 VDC PROTECTION overload: 31 VDC Maximum Load Current: 20 A / 30 A SOLAR CONTROLLER Maxima photovoltaic power: 1500W voltage range MPPT MPPT: 60 ~ 115 VDC maximum open circuit voltage VOC: 145V Maximum Load Current: 50A maximum charging efficiency: 98% Consumption standby: 2 W "

If I had blown the inverter shouldn't it show me a fault message/error code? =(

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So I-m trying to understand the trouble shooting in the manual.

"Problem: Mains exist but the unit works in battery mode.

LCD/LED/Buzzer: Input voltage is displayed as 0 on the LCD and green LED is flashing

Eplanation/Possible cause: Input protector is tripped

What to do: Check if AC breaker is tripped and AC wiring connected well. "

So what I don't get now is if the "input protector is tripped" why am I supposed to check the AC breaker (which is just a little black button and nothing happens when I push it) and the AC wiring (which I haven't even got yet)? So... I'm wondering if there's any way of untripping the input protector or have I just managed to blow up my bran new inverter? Adviced by the seller... =(

 

 

 

 

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32 minutes ago, Lime said:

MPPT: 60 ~ 115 VDC

maximum open circuit voltage VOC: 145V

  • Your MPPT section of the inverter has operating voltage range (PV input) of 60V - 115V
  • and an absolute maximum open circuit voltage of 145V
  • Your panels have an operating voltage of Vmp = 37V
  • and an open circuit voltage of Voc = 46V
  • 2 panels in series will give operating voltage of 74V
  • and open circuitr voltage of 92V
  • 6 panels in series will give operating voltage of 222V
  • and open circuit voltage of 276V

Read through the above twice. I cant say if the MPPT section of your inverter has been blown but if you connected 6 panels in series I would be amazed if it wasn't (I have never tried this personally so not speaking from any kind of experience in this regard).

If on the other habd you have connected the 6 panels in parallel then your voltage at the PV imputs would be less than the 60V required for the MPPT to switch on.

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I'm afraid you are right... =(  So I guess all I can do is to contact the seller and ask for a new inverter, hoping he will take the blame telling me to connect them in series, as well as giving me cables and connectors with only that option. The whole reason I went for a "kit" from someone I thought new better was for it to easy for me to just hook it up. Thanks for your time and advice guys!

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@Lime before you go and take the inverter back, there could be a simple case of a connection issue, and the panels never delivered the full watts.

Or you have connected them series and in parallel, falling within the max 145volts.

Or the MPPT picked up the high voltage, and did not come on, or a fuse blew.

Test the voltages on the panel cables first. Maybe it is in excess of 145v, fix that first, or maybe there are no volts coming in.

Take it one step at a time, check the panel volts 1st, for if the MPPT indeed did blow, at least that is now fixed.

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2 hours ago, Lime said:

So I guess all I can do is to contact the seller and ask for a new inverter,

If you decide to go this route may I make a suggestion; the 24V version of the inverter that you have been sold is a bit limited in that it has a maximum PV capacity of 1500W, if you trade up to the 48V version of the same inverter then your PV capacity goes up to 3000W which is far more versatile if you decide to add panels in future (which you probably will) - or better yet the MKS 5k which is the 5kVA version if your budget allows.

The reason that I suggest this is that you have 11kWh of battery capacity and a panel that will probably average around 6kWh/day if well aligned, you may well find that you would like to increase panel capacity in future as budget allows and it would be nice if your inverter was able to accept it.

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If the MPPT is blown up, and the seller won't replace it for a reasonable fee, then you may be able to purchase just the MPPT board and replace it yourself, or get the inverter repaired (so they replace the MPPT board for you and you still have warranty). The inverter part, which is the majority of the cost, should still be fine. But you way want to trade up anyway as Pilotfish has suggested.

If the MPPT has died, the symptom would be that you won't see the PV panel icon appear on the LC Display, and you won't have a U2 firmware version number, even with correct-voltage PV connected. The inverter part (which drives the display) can't tell the difference between no PV input (e.g. night, not connected yet) and a completely blown up MPPT. So you won't see an error code related to a faulty MPPT / Solar Charge Controller (SCC). I'm speaking from 5kVA model experience here, but I believe that the smaller models behave much the same.

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