Solar dropping out

[WhiteSuit]

Hi

last year I fitted two 150watt solar panels in series through a Tracer 30amp MPPT controller to the 440 amp hour leisure bank. Works well meaning spring to Autumn I am close to self sufficient for electric. I originally connected direct to bank, via suitable fuse, but altered the positive to the shunt so that bmv monitor recorded amps as well. I have the remote mt50 meter so I can remain entertained when there is nothing on the telly! 

This summer while cruising on the Thames in very hot sunshine the solar stopped charging. I covered the panels in black cloth, disconnected one of the connectors between panels and tracer, checked fuse, broke the circuit between tracer and bank, reconnected everything which then worked perfectly. At the moment as only using the boat for leisure, returned in September with solar charging and bank full. During September's cruise the solar cut out twice in a week and restarted in exactly the same way. I have looked through menus on the mt50 but there are no errors saved. 

Has anyone any ideas what is wrong? I am guessing at a connection which are all proper solar cable connectors. Is there a fault with the tracer? What do I test because it is an intermittent fault?  Is connecting output to the shunt wrong?

all advice great fully received as I am going to the boat next week.

edited to say there was no problem with the fuse

Edited October 12, 2017 by WhiteSuit

[Jess--]

with the tracers if there is anything displayed on the screen the controller is still connected to the batteries (they blank after about 5 seconds with no batteries)

with that in mind I would be checking the connections on the panel side (possibly at the panel itself)

[Robbo]

As the panels are connected in series it could be a broken panel, doesn't take much to break them especially the flexible ones.

If it half works and half doesn't, connect one up at a time to see which one is causing the issue and check for broken circuits.  (it may be just a hairline crack on the circuit that works when it's warm as it's expanded and touched together, etc.

Edited October 12, 2017 by Robbo

[WhiteSuit]

32 minutes ago, Jess-- said:

with the tracers if there is anything displayed on the screen the controller is still connected to the batteries (they blank after about 5 seconds with no batteries)

with that in mind I would be checking the connections on the panel side (possibly at the panel itself)

The monitor does go blank which is how I know nothing is going in. I thought Tracer is meant to shut down if outside of normal parameters and restart when OK. I thought first time with maximum overhead sun plus alternator that might have been cause. I just restarted it before it restarted itself. If the mt50 shows nothing does that show connection between tracer and batteries?

 

11 minutes ago, Robbo said:

As the panels are connected in series it could be a broken panel, doesn't take much to break them.

If it half works and half doesn't, connect one up at a time to see which one is causing the issue and check for broken circuits.  (it may be just a hairline crack on the circuit that works when it's warm as it's expanded and touched together, etc.

if fault panel side does it blank tracer?

[Jess--]

with no panels but battery connected the screen should still display

with panels but no batteries it will blank

[WhiteSuit]

7 minutes ago, Jess-- said:

with no panels but battery connected the screen should still display

with panels but no batteries it will blank

So the problem is battery side then or the tracer.