Controller / Alternator interaction SOLVED

Well, today I solved the funny ‘interaction’ issue between the TriStar MPPT controller and the mains alternator.  IDing the True Cause was made so simply once I dumped real-time data from the controller using a connected computer.  Most people who had commented back about this got it right, sort of. . . . Though  it was the controller going into Float Mode due to high charge voltage, what had bothered me was this reduced output would occur even when the batteries were down in charge (Vbat at say 14.3 while under heavy charging - receiving 195A from the mains alternator) –  I expected ALL sources to be in ‘bulk’ mode as we had not reached the terminal charge voltage of 14.6v (per Dyno-battery specifications for out house battery)


The issue was I had not wired up a remote Voltage Sense to the Morningstar controller – as that would require a not-so-simple pulling of yet-another-wire from the front of the boat to the back.   And even though I am using mcm373 cable for battery runs (mcm373 is two sizes larger then 4/0 wire);  195A from the mains alternator results in a almost 0.6v drop.   This was reflected back to the Morningstar causing it to see a higher assumed 'battery' voltage, cutting back back on delivered amps and even entering ‘float’ mode….

Example – while underway today I measured:
Vbat = 14.34v – per DMM (Link-10 shows 14.30v)
Valt  = 14.85v – Per DMM.
Aalt  =  195a  – Per clamp-on DMM.
Vmsc = 14.80v -  Per Morningstar internal reporting.

Morning Star had entered Float mode.

Without a remote sense wire the Morningstar can only see the voltage at the ‘common’ distribution point which starts with the actual battery voltage, and then includes the voltage drop over the mcm373 wire as a result of it carrying the heavy mains alternator current.  As opposed seeing only  the actual battery voltage.  (The mains alternator regulator was just fine, it already has a remote battery voltage sensing wire).

Lesions learned:

1. Even if one uses BFA Wires (Big Fat A__) (mcm-373)- Lots of Amps still can cause a significant voltage drop.
2. Don’t be a lazy bum, pull the remote sensing wire!!!

Oh well, guess will need to set aside a day to pull a cable.  Just need to decide how I can get it past the back of the washer without having to pull that out…

Solar Data!!! What does Solar on a Boat Really Produce?

Ahh, love it…

Today Kristi must have been bored, as she kindly rearranged the FHSUs (Forward Horizontal Storage Units  aka V-Berths) clearing access into the starboard cabinet.  As a result I could pull out a Keyspan USB <--> RS-232 adapter and connect up the TriStar MPPT data logging software.  And guess what, they had already configured it from the factory to capture some good stuff!!!

Daily AH produced via 480W of panels

Here is a graph of daily Ah’s produced starting from when we fired up the panels (May 25th being the 1st Full day), and yup you can see those first couple of days were productive ones!  Looking at the data closer I again notice a correlation between very low output days and when we motored, but not symmetrically.  All the ‘really low’ days (100Ahs or less) were days we motored.  However there are also some days we motored where the output did not drop real low..  No real answer for that.   Finally  I would ‘guess’ the days in the 120-160 range were likely rainy days, but I did not mark the calendar so cannot say with certainty.

This is where monthly averages come into play!  And the controller was pre-configured to capture total Ah’s produced from 1st power-on.   4,462 Ah’s were delivered over a 29 day period.  Or an average of 153Ah’s per day.  (A more ‘correct’ measurement is the KWh’s produced, which is 59KWh total, or a bit over 2KW’s per day.  Seeing as Boaters seem to like Ah’s will stick with that for now.)

OK, this is real results for two 240w panels oriented largely ‘flat’ here in the PNW.    How does this compare and what does it mean?  4,462Ah comes to around 45 hours of generator time we did not need.  And in fact, we have only used the generator twice after installing the panels – both times to support Laundry.

My modeling had indicated 61KWh (or 4,583Ah) for the month of June.   Looks like I hit it within 3%.

Side note:  The TriStar has optical isolation on the RS-232 port which is self-powered via the external RS-232 connection (they steal power from DTR and/ or RTS).  I had good results using a Keyspan 19HS adapter, but when I tried another no-name one things would not work.  Not only does there need to be a connection on DTR and/or RTS, but it must be sufficient 'voltage' to power to optical isolation.  Many lower-cost RS-232 dongles may have the signal, but skimp on the voltage - trying to get by with just 5v from the USB connection.  I have always had good luck with the Keyspan 19HS, it is kind of the golden-standard of the industry.

See a bit more here: http://www.morningstarcorp.com/en/support/item.cfm?ItemId=209
     or here:  http://www.morningstarcorp.com/en/support/library/TS.APP.RS232_Wiring.01.EN.pdf


This will be interesting to see how things progresses over the summer.  I will add a ‘Solar Ah produced’ row to the month ‘Costs’ summary.  Keep an eye there!

Hope Island

We spent three days on the mooring buoy, riding the wind-generated waves, while I completed a work project.  Yesterday, things aligned when I wrapped up the project and the sun came out!  In our rush to FINALLY get off the boat, we didn't bring the camera!  And while hiking, Al say's 'there's a deer not twenty feet from you."  So I immediately stopped, and it took me a couple beats to find him, but there he was staring back at me, not startling at all, even when I said "Hi, Little Boy" to him (he had a couple of nubbins on his head).

We have been communicating with our friend and fellow boater/blogger, Hira.  The South Sound are her home grounds.  We had hoped to meet up with her while she did a recent tour of Peter Puget's exploration of the South Sound, but we ended up on a surprise visit to Portland instead.  Yesterday Hira emailed to find out our location, and came down on the flood tide.  We were sitting on the island and watching a boat coming and Al spoke exactly what I had been thinking:  Could that be Hira?!  We had a good evening sharing steaks and conversation.

(check Hira's blog at:  http://shatooshandpashmina.blogspot.com/ )

As Hira, Shatoosh and Pashmina 2 left this morning, we took photos of each other.

After morning chores and a facebook hit, we packed up some snacks and went back to the island.  No deer posed for us today.  

It doesn't show in the photo, but we had a view of Mt. Rainier.

The picnic table didn't have a backrest....

WOW

You have probably figured out by now that some of my favorite photos to take are sunrises and sunsets.

And you know that I prefer glassy water above any other.

Add some clouds for texture....jet contrails OR the fluff from God.

And a mostly unspectacular sunset yields some pretty awesome pictures:

It was the reflection that first caught my eye

Then the contrails and clouds bring out the 'star' in the sun

And back up for the bright finish

Just a Photo

I'll Be There

We have said before that perhaps the most difficult thing about the cruising lifestyle is leaving the family behind -- aging parents, growing grandchildren, and kids who are now young adults -- the source of our deepest joys, and greatest worries.

So when we got a call from Al's ex last week saying that his son needed him, we said we'd be there.

We needed to find a place to park the boat for a week, with access to car rental.  We motored three hours to Olympia, and Al hoofed it to the Budget Rental office, arriving only 20 minutes before closing time.  We were able to make it to the Portland area Saturday afternoon.

While Al focused his attention on son, hopefully helping to solve a few difficulties, he was also able to spend some time with his daughter, who provided us a place to stay for the week.  And I was left free to visit my daughters and grandchildren.

We enjoyed soaking up the love of this surprise visit, and hope all those we spent time with feel the love that we poured out in return.

And I still can't believe I didn't take a single photograph this time!

We have now returned to the boat, found her still afloat, provisioned and done laundry, and are prepared to resume exploring the South Sound beginning tomorrow!

Birds of Jarrell Cove

Here is a lovely chain of events!

Solar power generation => less need to run generator => QUIET => hear more birds!

And Jarrel Cove State Marine Park has a helpful bulletin:

Inside is a checklist and birding tips.



The other morning while slowly waking up, we enjoyed a concert by the purple martins, chattering of swallows, and eagle cries.  We had wondered what type of birds would occupy the houses on poles in the water, and that is how we discovered the flutey scales we heard were purple martins.

Last night we saw that the ravens don't mind the nails pounded into the tops of poles, put there to keep birds off.

And on a somewhat related topic, we enjoyed colorful eggs for breakfast this morning.  While at Longbranch last weekend, harbormaster Lynn brought us two dozen eggs from a man up the road who has chickens.  I have seen brown eggs before, but a few of these were the prettiest aqua, like huge robin's eggs.