# HVD Fault



## Tango (Aug 19, 2002)

I've a Morningstar 60 Charge Controller and it started giving an HVD (High Voltage fault) yesterday. The operation manual gives the definition but doesnt describe the solution. Dunno what is causing it or what to do about it. Manual says it is in diversion mode, so I thought it is doing its job, right? But then it says that faults left unresolved can cause serious problems. Does anyone know the resolution? Happens only during the day when sun is at peak and I am not using much power now since I only have a small 400 watt inverter to power the laptop and nothing else. Also this brings up an important point. I really need to be better equipped to manage these things. Is there a book?


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## 12vman (Feb 17, 2004)

Check this out..

http://morningstarcorp.com/products/TriStar/index.shtml

Hope this helps..


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## mightybooboo (Feb 10, 2004)

See page 10...

http://morningstarcorp.com/products/TriStar/info/TS_BenchTesting.pdf

BooBoo


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## 12vman (Feb 17, 2004)

Could be a battery issue..?
That 400 watt inverter your using.. Do you have it connected (tapped) to a 12 volt point? If so, check the liquid level in the batteris involved in that circuit..

A friend of mine half tapped like this and it caused some headaches. The involved batteries were being ran down lower than the other 2 in that circuit, causing them to boil big time and drying them up..

Just a thought..


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## Tango (Aug 19, 2002)

Boo, I can't open large pdf files with this laptop. It aways freezes :grump: was that a test I can perform? Anyway, the 400 watt inverter is on one battery. I tried spreading it like the rest of the equipment with positive one one battery and negative on another but it kept sparking and I was afraid (yes, I'm a chicken). There are no faults currently and the batteries were equalized yesterday, the whole system was reset yesterday. I'll check battery levels right now.


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## mightybooboo (Feb 10, 2004)

Looking up your controller it said HVD is high voltage disconnect.That it was seeing your batteries as overcharged.And was disconnecting you from your panels.

So as your battery voltage goes down,it 'should' reconnect you,said it would try 2 times,then shut em(panels) off from the system.

I dont know if you can manually reset your controller after that,or if it will do it automatically.It said something about disconnecting it???Let me see if I can find the info and cut/paste it for you.

But as Im reading it,as your battery voltage falls you should be back in business without a problem.

One thing you can check is if your battery temp sensor wires are intact and the temp probe is in place.Both on the battery and controller connections.

Souns like 12v man saw it correctly,as the batteries being unbalanced voltage and controller seeing it as a problem?

So you are good to go now?

I have to tell you,Ive never seen a controller problem(Thank You,God!) before,so this is only me reading the site and trying to understand it.

Also,do have the optional manual disconnect,reconnect 'button'?It said to turn it off and on with this to reset it.

Im sorry,I cant find the doc. where I read that.

BooBoo


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## 12vman (Feb 17, 2004)

Quote:
"There are no faults currently and the batteries were equalized yesterday, the whole system was reset yesterday. I'll check battery levels right now."

Is the controller set to equalize daily? This isn't necessary if you use the battery daily.


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## Tango (Aug 19, 2002)

Okay, looks like we overcame that one  Thanks Boo and 12Voltman :baby04: The batteries were overcooking. I added 2 quarts of distilled water total to the batteries and cleaned them up with baking soda- look new now :dance: 

The controller should equalize batteries once every 30 days automatically, I can equalize them manually and so I tried that yesterday. The battery where the little inverter is getting juice from was lowest. Boo, that was what I thought it should mean. It is the purpose of a controller afterall. :shrug: This controller is supposed to shut down when the batteries reach capacity and let them start charging again when it is safe to do so. I bought the digital display to understand better what was happening and what it was doing but I don't have that mastered yet, LOL. To quote from Shreks's sig line "it is on my to do list."  Thanks! :baby04:


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## Tango (Aug 19, 2002)

mightybooboo said:


> Also,do have the optional manual disconnect,reconnect 'button'?It said to turn it off and on with this to reset it.
> BooBoo


Yes, there is a reset button on the face of the controller. Haven't used it though. I go through the diagnostics. I think the reset button is the standard. I added the diagnostic digital display.Ahhh  so many toys....and I haven't learned to play yet.


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## Al. Countryboy (Oct 2, 2004)

Don't you have any solar lights? A few years ago I bought a used solar pannel which I used to keep three batters charged and found out fast that the pannels were over charging my batteries. Didn't have a controller or any other solor gagets. I was using this as a back up in my home incase we were without power. I took old light fixtures and converted them to 12 volt using the small bulbs like used in the tail lights of cars. Had them in the hall, one bathroom and the livingroom. Have one wall plug that is 12v for a small TV which has never been used. I found myself using the lights all the time. I would hook the batteries up to the solar pannel when the lights inside started to get dim. I was supprised at how long the batteries would stay charged using these small bulbs. I used car fuses going to each light incase there was a problem. I had another light used hang while working on your car that used a 12v bulb that looked like a regular light bulb and gave off a good bit of light but used more power. I would hook it to my car battery and run it into the kitchen if the power was off very long. My whole system cost almost nothing and was alot of fun to hook up. You may already have something better than my backup system, but others may want to give it a try.


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## 12vman (Feb 17, 2004)

Tango..
Is there a way to undo the equalization? There's no need to use that function if you use the battery all of the time. If the system was setting dormant for long periods of time, the battery liquid will stratify, or seperate. The equalization remixes the liquid by boiling the battery. Normal charge/discharge on a daily basis will let them boil enough to keep them mixed as long as you have your bulk voltage level set correctly..


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## Tango (Aug 19, 2002)

Hey AL. Countryboy, I meant to say the other day that I've missed your posts. Where've you gone to? Have a doe year this year?  Anyway, you've just described the travel trailer 12 v system except for the inidividual breakers. That was a simple system that I really appreciated. Helped me understand a lot of things. A lot of people can do that type of 12v circuitry, imo, if they gave themselves the chance. Would be a good break into solar. I have a shurflo 12v pump that is so simple too  I love that thing. It makes me think I am competent  but alas, I am in a bigger system now. Once I get the gyst of it , I hope it will seem simpler. You guys have it easy, your minds almost gravitate toward these techno issues whereas, my mind was never trained and rather discouraged in techno. Had I not had a father who could have cared less for what a girl was allowed to do in his culture, I would never have learned much about anything. Woohoo for my dad :hobbyhors 



Al. Countryboy said:


> Don't you have any solar lights? A few years ago I bought a used solar pannel which I used to keep three batters charged and found out fast that the pannels were over charging my batteries. Didn't have a controller or any other solor gagets. I was using this as a back up in my home incase we were without power. I took old light fixtures and converted them to 12 volt using the small bulbs like used in the tail lights of cars. Had them in the hall, one bathroom and the livingroom. Have one wall plug that is 12v for a small TV which has never been used. I found myself using the lights all the time. I would hook the batteries up to the solar pannel when the lights inside started to get dim. I was supprised at how long the batteries would stay charged using these small bulbs. I used car fuses going to each light incase there was a problem. I had another light used hang while working on your car that used a 12v bulb that looked like a regular light bulb and gave off a good bit of light but used more power. I would hook it to my car battery and run it into the kitchen if the power was off very long. My whole system cost almost nothing and was alot of fun to hook up. You may already have something better than my backup system, but others may want to give it a try.


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## Tango (Aug 19, 2002)

12vman said:


> Tango..
> Is there a way to undo the equalization? There's no need to use that function if you use the battery all of the time. If the system was setting dormant for long periods of time, the battery liquid will stratify, or seperate. The equalization remixes the liquid by boiling the battery. Normal charge/discharge on a daily basis will let them boil enough to keep them mixed as long as you have your bulk voltage level set correctly..


Thanks for letting me know. I can disable it methinks. I thought it would equalize the batteries in a system  woe, how little I know.


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## mightybooboo (Feb 10, 2004)

I equalize about every 3-6 months on my standby batteries,since the rarely get used.
You are correct though,by mixing up the stratified layers it does make the voltage outputs equal and maximized.

I know there is a controller that does it every 21 days,is that yours?Oh,see you said 30 day cycle.

I would agree with 12v man,you shouldnt really need to equalize if you are doing pretty good charges.

Just curious,do you know how deeply you discharge,does it show that?

Equalizing a lot can be hard on the battery plates.Then again,if you see a plaque forming on the plates that equalization charge helps shed the plaque,its like a hard white scale on the lead plates.

I forgot,what type batteries are you using and how many?

I need to service mine too,got some blue corrosion on a couple lugs,Im sure they could use watering.Thanks for the reminder,been a while.

BTW,if the nuts and bolts are getting eaten away,replace em with stainless steel,they hold up really well.Pricey,but man they are tough!

Glad to hear it was a self limiting 'problem',thats super news,and your controller was working just as designed,AWESOME! :dance: 
Thats a pretty nice controller I saw some good reviews on it,including a 0.1-0.2% failure rate,and rated for 15 years,thats pretty good,eh? :bow: 

BooBoo


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## mightybooboo (Feb 10, 2004)

Tango said:


> Boo, that was what I thought it should mean. It is the purpose of a controller afterall. :shrug: This controller is supposed to shut down when the batteries reach capacity and let them start charging again when it is safe to do so.


It also optimizes the voltage from the panels to the batteries,making the charging more efficient.Little magic boxes for sure.

When my panels make more voltage than needed,my controller drops the voltage and increases the amps going into batteries,I can see up to 20%+ increase in amps when its on vrs. when I switch it off,really amazing.

This is what I have on the WinnyBegger,except I have an older one without the equalizer function,but looks identical.For small 25 amp or less system I recommend this highly,its a goody.

http://www.blueskyenergyinc.com/sb2000e.htm

BooBoo


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## Tango (Aug 19, 2002)

A software option for this controller would let me change the equalization. I don't know if I can change it now other than manually initiate it. The manual makes it sound like eq. is a good thing :shrug: Automatically initiates every 30 days whether they are stored or in use. What gives?

Boo, I have a trimetric battery meter but haven't used it on the house yet. When I get the sundanzer connected I will hook the trimetric up, I hope. I used to go to about 50% discharge and the backwoods solar people told me it would be better to have fewer batteries and let them discharge more. I now have only three batteries connected and they dischrage into the red zone daily but I don't know to what point.

In a way I would like to be able to store more power given the sun's excellent positioning right now, but since I can't use it, oh well, it passes me by. With the frdige I will have two more batteries and the trimetric plugged in.


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## mightybooboo (Feb 10, 2004)

I think the best battery setup is what you can reliably recharge fully each day.

The shallower the discharge,the more service cycles.My BIL fully off grid only discharges 10%,then his genny comes on if solar isnt enough.Here is the chart showing cycles on the left,and depth of discharge across the bottom.10% discharge gives 5 times the cycles then 50% discharges.

http://www.windsun.com/images/cyclelife2.gif

His 8 'L-16s' are 15 years old now I think and still very servicable.


Lucky you having a trimetric.If I had one I would be hooked up ASAP,they are sooooo cool.(then again,I have plenty of projects not done yet too,LOL)  

As for the auto equalize,I think they put in that function for remote cabins or batteries that sit without use for a month or more at a time,in that case equalizing would be very useful.As stated above,if you are constantly cycling,things stay nicely mixed.

BooBoo


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## Tango (Aug 19, 2002)

Sorry I'm not sure waht this means. That a battery should be discharged maximally each day or that it should stay in the hig end of a charge? (8 days without a good sleep will add to this type of confusion). BWS told me that I should use enough battery to allow a good discharge each day, letting the batteries work for me rater than the array working for the batteries. I understood that to mean to use the least amount of batteries possible in rder to let them discharge each day. Is that what you are saying? Seems liek you are saying to keep them topped off. :shrug: 
Marcia (who should be in bed sleeping)



mightybooboo said:


> I think the best battery setup is what you can reliably recharge fully each day.
> 
> The shallower the discharge,the more service cycles.My BIL fully off grid only discharges 10%,then his genny comes on if solar isnt enough.Here is the chart showing cycles on the left,and depth of discharge across the bottom.10% discharge gives 5 times the cycles then 50% discharges.
> 
> ...


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## mightybooboo (Feb 10, 2004)

Keep them at least 85% charged,100% is better.

Yes,they should ideally charge fully each day.The smaller the amt. of discharging from full daily,the longer they will last.Like right now you are producing excess power.If you had more batteries,you could discharge the battery bank less daily,and they would last longer,plus give you more reserve for bad weather days.Just dont get too many batts that you cant get them fully charged.

You will really get into that aspect when you get that trusty trimetric online,you will know exactly how deep you are discharging and recharging daily.IE,it tells you how many amp/hrs you pulled out,and how many you put in daily.As you know Im sure.That gauge will show you when youve reached your goal of 10-20- or 50% discharge,and can also fully replace that consumed amt of power daily.

The 85% business?Thats what most 3 stage chargers do in bulk mode,they give max charging to 85%,Then taper charge the last 15% .It takes a bit longer to get that final 15%.If charging from a genny,you get the most bang for your fuel dollars by only charging up to the 85 or 90% limit that bulk charges at.Doesnt pay to run the genny for that final 15%

Maybe someone can explain better. :help: 

What am I missing Pros? :help: 

Like how to explain how fast you deplete the battery affects the total output it can give? I dont know how to even begin explaining that.Do we even need to go there for Tangos system?Sounds like she is discharging at a good even rate.

BooBoo


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