SRNE MPPT Solar Charge Controller Fail! 

I am very sad to see this, I have been working with SRNE for a few years now, and never had issues. Very reliable, very good quality. I would also add honest supplier, as I have met them in person during international PV fairs in Europe. Regarding the load disconnection issue, you needed the model srne mppt ml2420. This has a load terminal, and a display. This would most likely solve all your issues. 1) most likely one of the problems you are experincing is due to real time redings. (bluetooth display is most likely the last know value, not an actual what is the value just now as a display would show) 2) The clamp meter you are using should not really be used to measure mA Although it does give a reading, the accuracy is most likely quite off. This is why their technical people where asking you to measure current with the leads, not the clamps. (most likely the clamp meter is not able to do this, but your other simple multimeter will) The polarity would not be parallel + to + and - to - of course, but in series with the load, this would be much more accurate. Last but not least, the MPPT charge controller you are using is deisgned to work with higher power panels at least a 100W panel. Its self power alone is most likely in the 5W range. So using it with a 10W panel is incorrect to say the least. I have worked with the same model you are using, and although any make/model can have a defective unit, I dont believe this is the case. I belive you are using it incorrectly. If you still have it (cos this video is over 1 year old), I do invite you to test it differently with even more load, and you would be surprised. Especially when you have a youtube channel, shaming a company / product when you are the one mistaken. Feel free to reach out if you want, it would be nice :)

I have been working with SRNE for a 5 years now,I have 3 pv systems with MC2124/2430/2450 + lcd monitors not with BT App and never had issues,this controllers is very good working.

I would try a EPever tracer AN controller, they seem to work well, mppt, and has output, and avalible in 10-20 amp, I have had the 30 & 40a for years, no issues,

I have a "Rich Solar" 40a mppt, made by SRNE, and the bluetooth app is TERRIBLE. TERRIBLE. The view of the history is unreliable and buggy, the app doesn't update. The actual controller seems to work but the readout from the app is crap.

Note if a charge controller has a USB port that isn't for communication don't buy it, especially if it says its MPPT

Please give the link to the seller so I can avoid that seller.

Go with EPEVER brand, they re pretty good

Hello sir love your video . but i think the problem is the app. i have been using (SRNE MPPT ML2440) not same model. from my experience product is good and been using it for 5 years already. god bless

Hi Andy, luv your channel. Hoping you could help me with something. I have a victron smartsolar 100/20 controller to charge a 12.8v 100Ah LFP battery. I am currently ( pardon the pun) using 250W 22voc/18vop, Isc 14.3A/Imp 13.6A folding panels. Can I use 2x 190w panels at 42.5voc/36.6vmp, 5.62Isc/5.2Imp either in series or parallel as this falls within the input values of the controller even though it would be limited by the 20A output? I feel like I am cheating the system as the higher voltage regulated down to the lower voltage would produce more current than the maximum 20A output in ideal conditions. I would limit the output current on the controller at 20A. I guess the extra current would be lost as heat, but considering the panels would be mounted flat, it would be rare if ever I would achieve maximum Panel Power? I want the oversize for those days that aren't ideal for solar. I appreciate your help thanx Stu.

I appreciate all your videos, but on this one I don't understand why you would even want the "load" option on the charge controller. Electrically, without it, your load is going to tap off the inputs/outputs of the battery anyway right? Am I missing something?

For the same money you can buy a Victron Smartsolar 75/10 already with BT and reliable :-)

Thanks great video your mistakes keep me from making the same ones very informative video

Boa tarde! Será que vocês teriam o arquivo de atualização do mppr ML2420 ? eu agradeço

Andy help. My srne stop clear data and not show on phone record diagram im wrong put 120 w on load output and start this problems

Fairly new to watching (maybe two months) this channel - very helpful - thx : Question did you ever complete the 24vdc li-ion battery for your solar powered gate. I think doing the series and parallel connections with these small packs would be v difficult; however I would love to see the video ????

Just use your pwm on there since you can program it it works with lithium it works with lead or gel and returned mppt and get your money back that's a easy solution and your pwm will work just fine and you can actually read the numbers on the screen I got pwm on my solar controllers they work fine no problem and their programmable like you said but mine has a load but it's only 300 watts so I don't use it but they're advertising on the pwm they said in the ad that it was a mppt which it is not I could dispute that but what's the point they're made in China and ain't really a whole lot you can do about it other than return it and get your money back but I needed to charge controllers so I'm using it

I had a similar experience with a PowMR controller, it would read 52A and the meter would show 40A. There was also a 1.6A AC component as well, so this discrepancy might be due to pulsed DC output and non-true RMS meters measuring the output. You should try this test again but put your meter on AC current and see if the output is pure DC or is really pulsed DC.

Love your vids. I learn plus I get to chuckle as well.

I use an EPEVER TRACER for more or less the same purpose. It has load terminals but I decided in the end not to use them. It turns out that it can only sustain a relatively low amperage on the load. They never exactly specify how much it is in the manual, but it seems to be around 5 to 8 amps. Because my gate arms/levers draw more than that I attached the gate controller directly to the battery instead. I bought a cheapishh BMS to take care of the low-voltage cut-off which also comes with a bluetooth app! So now I don't use the load terminals at all :(

Hello . What is the maximum wire size that can fit in SRNE Charge Controller? thank you

I'd be looking at the epever TracerAN 1210A with the BT its around $110 on ebay, or just go with the buck converter and a low voltage cut off module - $6

Hey, epever LS1024B is fully programmable, it operates like the tracer AN series, but is pwm and extremely cheap. It has load, and same mt50/wifi/BT options as the tracer. Check it out, they're awesome for these small projects 👌

It is so interesting to hear your drama. Thank you

I think you better must to use a panel with higher voltage to give to the mppt more performance and margin of working

Have you gotten anywhere with your gate project yet Andy? I picked up 3 EPSolar Tracer-1215RNs used with 1 display panel for $45. Unfortunately they only have set voltages for lead acid variants, and no wireless monitoring. Otherwise one could work well for you.

Andy did you ever get a resolution with this vendor (shop) SRNE? Just curious as I have purchased the 40 amp model recently and a BT module separately. Great videos by the way. Really enjoy the content. Keep up good work.

I don't know how to address you Mr Andy or uncle Andy... I'm watching some of your older videos but I can't find the one were you actually building the battery pack for the solar gate...

will you recommend this MPPT controller for a beginner system with AGM batteries. thanks.

10x

This one cannot turnoff the battery on low ; no lo cutoff ?

The music sounds a lot like The Go-Betweens - Our Town. A great Queensland band.

Hello Andy, have you tested the JBD BMS. The ones I have have contactors and get to disconnect the entire battery. I could send it to you for testing if interested. Please let me know.

Maybe they intentionally fake the solar voltages to hide it is a pwm charge controller.

Tricky one. Does the app have settings, looks like the refresh rate is set too long, i.e. reads every 30mins instead of every 5 seconds. Definately not live data. Could you not also use he USB charging output as a switch instead of the load terminals, I guess you would need more hardware to do this. wouldn't be as simple as having the load terminals.

Quero ver esse vídeo em português falando sobre ele

Hello please guide , can I connect 3 solar panels of 150watt in parallel for 12v system to this 30amp controller???

Are you sure the app wasn't just frozen? I use that same app for my Renogy controller. Seems to freeze a fair amount, especially if I've had it in the background.

that is normal without load connection it is a professional loader

For SRNE solar charger, choice model ML4860 it is complete MPPT SRNE SCC

Try Walmart's first choice for pv. Mppt60 40 amp mppt 54 dollars clearance

Love it . Like to hear your result with Ali Express .

Which one better Epever or srne

I was thinking about the smp-20 from Ali Express but I believe to control it you need an adapter for bluetooth it looks like a knock off of a Victon charge controller and I saw a review saying they were able to use the victron app but I'm not sure if you can use other dongles because the victron one is the same or more than the controller and I believe you need it to program other parameters

Throw out the MPPT controller! You're right, the cost of keeping the batteries at 100% is to great. So: leave the gate open (the 'roos can jump over it anyway). If you have cattle or sheep, put in a "cattle guard". Save the batteries for TV or charging your phone. 8^)

I believe the over discharge protection would be done by a BMS. It shouldn't be the job of a charger

Thank you for the series. I enjoy watching it to releave stress. Are you sure, the different voltage and amp is not the mttp regulator? Plus the measure the amp you need to measure as a shunt and not as you did. So I think die seller is kind of right, isn't he/she?

Little known fact: almost all power supplies and power converters made today are pulse width modulation (PWM) since they are smaller, lighter, cheaper and more efficient. Even your cell phone charger is a PWM converter. And almost ALL solar charge controllers are *technically* a PWM converter, but only *some of them* have the MPPT algorithm. The solar industry calls them either PWM (if they don't have MPPT optimization) or MPPT (if they do) and that's just the naming convention. Saying a MPPT controller is *not* a PWM controller is technically not accurate, but that's the way the naming convention goes. And then there's a few cheap foreign brands say they're MPPT, but they don't perform as well as a true MPPT controller. As always, YMMV, so stick with reputable brands for best performance. To include the MPPT algorithm in a solar controller design you have to pay licensing fees. Yup, some bright guy invented it and now chases people who try to use it without a license.

Testing with More power panel. May be not start up the mppt tracker inside at lower current. A few weeks ago I testing mppt Epever ETracer 45 Amp with a 2 solar panel 10 w in series and fáil display measure. Working same us PWM. Now with 2x 320 w panel work perfect. Try more poder panel 2x50 w in series ?

Victron.

For $100 it should have a calibration in the app