Home
JAQForum Ver 24.01
Log In or Join  
Active Topics
Local Time 13:48 15 May 2025 Privacy Policy
Jump to

Notice. New forum software under development. It's going to miss a few functions and look a bit ugly for a while, but I'm working on it full time now as the old forum was too unstable. Couple days, all good. If you notice any issues, please contact me.

Forum Index : Solar : MORNINGSTAR TRISTAR TS-45 ERROR

Author Message
Jaffasoft

Senior Member

Joined: 03/11/2010
Location: Australia
Posts: 102
Posted: 02:24pm 01 Aug 2017
Copy link to clipboard 
Print this post

Getting a strange error and no charging going ot the battery from my Morningstar Tristar Inverter.

I spent three days parked under the shade and noticed a positive connection was badly eaten away, so I disconnected the line cut it back a bit up the line and connected it fresh to the positive battery terminal again.

The battery is on 11.9 at the moment. They are two 6V T105 Deep Cycle Trojan Batteries connected to make 12Volts.

The inverter is TriStar Solar Controller TS-45. The error it's flashing is a yellow light on full time and alternating a green and then red light continuously.

This error in the manual says it is a short circuit in the system and to disconnect everything and connect up again. Well, I did that couple times, i have disconnected the positive line and negative line coming from the solar panels directly and also the positive and negative line to the controller completely and see the light all go out so all power and connection are totally disconnected.

It's a stand alone solar panel and battery, controller system in a campervan with 400 watts on the roof. It's been going great for 5 years. Just not sure why it's kicking in and charging again!

At the moment I connected jump lead to the Tragon Bank to top it up idol the van a while to give the battery a boost from the Vans start battery. Just for this day or two as i try to find this short circuit problem.

Any tips on how to trouble shoot? I've got a multi-meter here and checked over the connection lines as best I can all seem in tacked as normal. There is something wrong somewhere because it's still not charging.

 
Jaffasoft

Senior Member

Joined: 03/11/2010
Location: Australia
Posts: 102
Posted: 02:57pm 01 Aug 2017
Copy link to clipboard 
Print this post

I discovered two tiny temperature sense wires that have rubber together between the metal battery holder and the plastic battery and were frayed through to wire on both lines it must have been shorting. So the positive line I repaired wasn't frayed that bad that it needed repairing nor was it the cause of the fault I think but I fixed it anyway.

Lights are on full RED/YELLOW manual says that's 0-30% State Of Charge and the meter is back up at 12.7. With 12V fridge running and investor.

So may have solved my own question and will monitor see how it goes next day or two. I have disconnected the heat sensor as I am in moderate to warm climate now! And don't need the extra voltage to charge in at and can repair this in any colder climate I may encounter later. I also reconnected the - + sense wires which had come loose off the battery. Perhaps that made it up and running again too as I repaired that at the same time!?


It's amazing how some tiny thing can bring the entire system down from time to time. Edited by Jaffasoft 2017-08-03
 
yahoo2

Guru

Joined: 05/04/2011
Location: Australia
Posts: 1166
Posted: 05:28pm 01 Aug 2017
Copy link to clipboard 
Print this post

  Jaffasoft said  
The inverter is TriStar Solar Controller TS-45. The error it's flashing is a yellow light on full time and alternating a green and then red light continuously.

This error in the manual says it is a short circuit in the system and to disconnect everything and connect up again.


Yes you have found it!
the error code is red/yellow---green/yellow

that is either faulty remote temp sense or remote voltage sense.
I'm confused, no wait... maybe I'm not...
 
Jaffasoft

Senior Member

Joined: 03/11/2010
Location: Australia
Posts: 102
Posted: 06:10pm 01 Aug 2017
Copy link to clipboard 
Print this post

  yahoo2 said  
  Jaffasoft said  
The inverter is TriStar Solar Controller TS-45. The error it's flashing is a yellow light on full time and alternating a green and then red light continuously.

This error in the manual says it is a short circuit in the system and to disconnect everything and connect up again.


Yes you have found it!
the error code is red/yellow---green/yellow

that is either faulty remote temp sense or remote voltage sense.


Yes... by now it's up on float at 13.1 so it must be right again. Both the remote temp sense wires were rubbed through to bare wire touching each other along a few centimeters. It been tucked away along side the case rubbing on the battery in the case for four years or so to get to that point. Since 11/2013.
 
Print this page


To reply to this topic, you need to log in.

The Back Shed's forum code is written, and hosted, in Australia.
© JAQ Software 2025