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Henrik Känngård avatar image
Henrik Känngård asked

SmartSolar MPPT problem with Tigo optimizers?

Hi!


I have a strange problem with my Victron setup. First the setup: Two houses which I plan to take off grid on the countryside in Sweden. Both equipped with a Multiplus and a SmartSolar MPPT (250/100), then connected to a battery bank of regular led-acid 12V batteries. The solar array is equipped with 4 300W Solitek panels each with Tigos smart optimisers (TS4-L).

Now to my problem: During good sunlight the output is very “spikey”, meaning current and voltage goes from full to zero and sometimes the current spikes in VRM even shows up to 15kA (is this even possible??). Anyone with similar experiences with similar setups or any tips on how to get a more stable output?


See screenshots from VRM & VictronConnect (both at full sunlight on the panels).


/Henrik

MPPT Controllers
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4 Answers
wkirby avatar image
wkirby answered ·

Your problem is that you have two MPPT devices trying to track the MPP independently.
The MPPT within the optimisers and the MPPT within the 250/100 are "stepping on each others toes". An MPPT cannot track the maximum power point if another one is trying to do the same thing. If both do a sweep at the same time the PV Voltage could be dragged to a very low value and the MPPT's will think it's night, produce low output base on the last sweep and not try again for a few minutes.

Try and remove the optimisers and see what results you get.
Optimisers are usually only designed to be used with string inverters and often only work with their own brand.

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Henrik Känngård avatar image
Henrik Känngård answered ·

Thanks you @WKirby, this was what I suspected, the retailer thought they could work independently and not disturb each other, I will try change them to something simpler! :)

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solarhack avatar image solarhack commented ·

Hi


Have you resolved this?

I came across this older post and had a few comments. Not all Optimiser's contain a MPPT internally. The SolarEdge Optimizers use an MPPT but Tigo uses an impedance matching circuit that creates a variable impedance which acts like a "variable bypass diode".

I would check I have installed the Optimisers as recommended by Tigo (e.g In a parallel string every panel must have an optimizer on all strings).

This only seems to affect parallel strings on Victron.


If you read some of the attached posts they have further info.

https://community.victronenergy.com/questions/898/tigo-optimisers-ts4-o-compatibility-with-victron-m.html




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Henrik Känngård avatar image Henrik Känngård solarhack commented ·

I resolved it by replacing the optimisers with units without this feature and since then my setup is working flawless. Before I tried multiple setup without success, like connecting all panels in series and also in parallel and even half in series and half in parallel. The system seemed fine as long as there was not perfect sunlight, meaning the optimisers did the opposite as they should...

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Mikael avatar image Mikael Henrik Känngård commented ·

What model did you change to? I have plans to add optimisers to on a similar setup.

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thomasw-1 avatar image
thomasw-1 answered ·

Dear Victron-Team,

PV module performance optimiser get more and more meaning, also in terms of emergency shoutdown for all PV modules.

Since Tigo is supported in the meantime by a series of inverter manufactures (e.g. Fronius, SMA, Solax, Growatt, Omron, Kostal, Sungrow, Schneider Electric, etc.), I would appreciate, if you could consider the support with Victron MPPTs on near term.

Are there already any plans contrary to you statement from 2019?

Thomas

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cadoxa avatar image
cadoxa answered ·

DONT USE Tigo optimizers with Victron MPPTS, I fried 3 250/100 with those modules. I end up exchanging my MPPT for a Fronius Primo 6.0.1

At my third MPPT Victron told me they would replace no more units if I wouldn't remove the modules.

Hope that helpped

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