question

greenarc avatar image
greenarc asked

Terminal fail on 100/20, need another negative route (URGENT)

my MPPT, I needed to take out the cables on my PV sockets, and when trying to plug back into negative I realised that the the little box doesn’t open nor close. Absolutely awful quality of terminals. So until I can get a new controller, will it be to use the ground on the side of the controller?


Really so unhappy with this. Victron probably won’t give me a replacement either.

wiring
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2 Answers
Alexandra avatar image
Alexandra answered ·

@GreenArc

The manual is very clear about torque specs on the terminals.

There is a common between battery negative and pv negative.

That being said if you are nice to the dealer you got it through, sometimes there is a pleasant surprise in the works.

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greenarc avatar image
greenarc answered ·

Thanks for the response there, not nice to be left in the dark with this.

I’m sure everything is designed with torque specs that would possibly be available, however how many of us realistically have a means to know that we are within the threshold of the designed torque? I imagine not much, and this must be taken into consideration when designing something for the public, and if you design something that has a very low threshold, easy to break, who is to blame? I don’t want to blame anyone, but certainly I imagine many people would agree they should make the terminals more robust/reliable. I consider Victron to be one of the best when I choose to get a quality product, so I naturally expect a more forgiving robust product.


I believe somehow the screw thread broke on this causing the screw to keep turning somehow, but air assure you, I didn’t in my eyes believe I put an exaggerated amount of pressure on that thread, so that’s why a I’m surprised. Especially as I am more on the delicate side haha -no big muscular blunt-handed guy that’s for sure. I have a lot of feeling in my fingers still and I’m usually more on the under side than over :)


anyhow, getting to the dealer is hard as it was a small shop in Portugal. I didn’t even get to go to the shop, he met me in a small town for my convenience, so I don’t have much confidence in reaching the person.


Anyhow I’ve contacted Victron, and I am certainly not trying to be mean, but I must be persistent because now is not a good time to be buying another device. I’ve had to pay a surprising load of costs out lately, so it really was bad timing..


Fingers crossed, and I’ll hang on firm to my optimism haha


Thanks for the response : )

1 comment
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Alexandra avatar image Alexandra ♦ commented ·
Yeah the torque is fairly low. Have really only seen them fail when incorrect wiring is used with a gorilla on the end of the screwdriver. And one when my son (in youthful exuberance) did a terminal in on his first mppt. It will forever be connected ;).

I have yet to damage one and have done quite a few now. Also have a demo system that is dismantled fairly often, no issues so far. Maybe you managed to wind past the thread in the terminal, I have done that in circuit breakers they have a similar clamping system?


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