Victron Energy BlueSolar MPPT 250/100-Tr VE.Can100A MPPT solar charge controller, 250V PV, VE.Can

Overview

The BlueSolar MPPT 250/100-Tr VE.Can is the top model of the BlueSolar range, combining 100A charge current with up to 250V PV open-circuit voltage and 70A short-circuit current. Nominal PV power reaches 5800W at 48V, and maximum efficiency is 99%. It has VE.Can for synchronising up to 25 units, a programmable relay and a remote on/off terminal. The housing measures 295×216×103mm and weighs 4.5kg; Victron specifies a 120–140A battery fuse.

• 70A or 100A, 12/24/48V automatic, 36V selectable
• PV input 150V or 250V open-circuit
• Up to 25 units synchronised via VE.Can
• Programmable relay and remote on/off terminal
• Optional plug-in SmartSolar Control display
• Up to 99% maximum efficiency

How it works

These are the largest BlueSolar controllers. The 150/100 accepts up to 150V PV open-circuit voltage, the 250/70 and 250/100 up to 250V, with 145V or 245V as the start-up and operating limit. They charge 12V, 24V and 48V batteries automatically, and 36V by software selection, at 70A or 100A. Charging is adaptive multi-stage with temperature compensation, and an equalisation stage is available with defaults of 16.2V, 32.4V, 48.6V or 64.8V.

Key features

Two RJ45 VE.Can ports let up to 25 controllers be daisy-chained for synchronised charging and connected to a GX device, which monitors each one individually. A two-pole remote on/off terminal accepts a switch, a logic signal or a lithium BMS, and a programmable relay, rated 240VAC/4A or 4A up to 35VDC, can trip on alarms, battery or PV voltage, temperature or day detection. An optional SmartSolar Control display plugs into the front and can be fitted while the unit is running.

Installation and compatibility

Mount vertically, terminals down, with 10cm clear above and below, within 3m of the battery and never above it. The controllers are rated for indoor unconditioned locations, pollution degree 3, and altitudes up to 5000m, with full output to 2000m. Battery fuses are 80–100A for the 250/70 and 120–140A for the 100A models. The VE.Can bus is not galvanically isolated, so positive-grounded systems need a separate CAN isolation module; the first and last device need terminators.

Monitoring and settings

A VE.Direct port connects VictronConnect through a VE.Direct Bluetooth Smart dongle or USB interface, for live data, history, settings and firmware updates. With the dongle, a Smart Battery Sense, BMV-712 or SmartShunt can share battery voltage, temperature and current. Absorption and float voltages are set with the rotary switch, which offers eight presets, or with the display, VE.Direct or Bluetooth.

Questions and answers