Harbor Freight 45 Watt Solar Controller

[luv2weld]

I need some help from someone that has a set of Harbor Freight 45 solar

panels with the new type controller. I bought a set of them to run the

fans in my solar lumber kiln. When I took the controller out of the box,

there was something rattling inside it. I don't want to take it back and

exchange it because it's 90 miles one way. So I opened it up.

Here's a shot of the top of the controller.





Here is what I found rattling around. The penny is shown for size comparison.

The arrows are pointing to 2 small solder balls.





Can someone please tell me where the capacitor is supposed to be hooked up??

If you have never opened the controller before, look at the photos here.

Just unscrew the top 2 screws on the front and rear panels.

The top will lift off. DO NOT touch the screws on the sides. They hold

heat sinks on transistors.

Any help will be greatly appreciated.

Ralph

[Warrior]

Hard to say were it might go. Can you take a picture of the circuit board? Top & bottom

Warrior

[Tritium]

At the risk of sounding like a smart a%$ and as a previous owner of 2 harbor freight controllers my suggestion is in the trash where the controller should go as well. :-)

Thurmond

[WindChopper]

Just got my 6 HF panels out in the sun about a month ago on a ghurd MorningStar SS-10 Controller .... tells you what I thought of the old controller.

My first one lasted about the magic half hour before the smoke got out.

The second was shipped off to a new home, never connected.

The HF panels themselves work well on a real controller.

But .... having said that, the new controller looks interesting.

Would still use a MorningStar or something like it, but the new controller does look interesting.   The box looks like it would be very nice to build something USEFUL in.

At least if I decide to expand my panel count, I'll get some nice project boxes with them.

Maybe I can put the single axis tracker electronics that I still have not finished in one of the boxes !

Russ

[Tritium]

A Morning Star is the type I replaced my 2 HF's with. No problems since.

Thurmond

[RCpilot]

Come on guys. He's asking for help, not how bad of a product he bought... Agreed with Warrior, take a shot of the board and let us see it, then we may be able to help.

Kelly

[TomW]

luv2weld;

I have to agree that a couple of photos of the circuit board will tell more than the solder blobs and the capacitor photo will.

From here at that resolution my guess is that cap was never soldered, nor were its leads clipped as they would be in a thru hole board and may be a part that just wandered into the case during manufacturing. That is not unheard of.

The solder blobs are just a sign of a poor manufacturing and quality control processes. They can cause damage if they migrate to the circuit card.

Get some pictures of the card in there and maybe we can help figure out if it matters or not.

Good luck with it.

Cheers.

TomW

[RP]

Do the ends of the cap have any trace of solder on them?  If not then it's likely an "extra" that fell in there before the cover was screwed down.

If they DO look like there were soldered (poorly) then don't bend the legs as the distance between them will help identify where it "fits" on the board or between connectors.

[WindChopper]

Ok I'll be nice.

Actually the shape of the leads would seem to indicate that they were never inserted into component holes on a PCB.   I would expect them to be parallel and cut short.

They may have been a 'flying' add-on to the solder side or tagged across the "Solar Panel" Contacts or the "Battery" Contacts on the back panel.   But again I would expect the ends to be bent to accomodate the terminals.

This may be a case of needing to see another new series controller to ID the location.

As suggested, this may just be a stray that got into the housing before it was closed.

From the shape of the Cap leads, stray sounds most likely.

Russ

[ghurd]

It doesn't look like it was inserted or soldered to me either.

It doesn't necessarily mean it's an 'extra'.

See if there is one just like it in the PCB.

Look for empty places it may fit marked "C1" or "C59" or whatever.

A new product means a new PCB, and it may not yet have had the circuit revised.

Could be all the parts are in, and it's just extra.  No empty holes = No Problem?

It's good all the rattling parts are out!

Not that I ever saw that controller, but I still believe the system will do a lot better with a decent controller... Like a SG-4 for one kit, or a SS-6 or SS-10 for multiple kits or when expansion is planned.

I personally would still like to see a photo of the guts.

G-

[VisualMonster]

wow, they really do need to improve on their product quality.  You probably saw my previous post about that same controller... it seems to be working fine for me so far, but I also noticed a similar problem with mine.  heard something rattling inside when I first pulled it out of the box, then I unscrewed it slightly and had 1 small metal round thing fall out.

I removed it right away to prevent an accidental short inside.

Have you tried yours out?  If it works, then I agree it was probably an extra part that fell in.  Otherwise, I'll snap a pic of mine tomorrow and post it here.

[nothing to lose]

Darned slow internet here!

 I took my controller apart to look at it for you, then the pictures got loaded, I don't have that controller!

 When did they change them and what's that one supposed to do? I guess I have the old style type here. I didn't know they had a new one.

The Made in China label on yours says same as mine, 09/03 it looks like from your picture.

Mine does not have a cap like that in it that I can find, though it does have a black round one on the 9v jack. Just thought I would mention it since I already took mine apart, even though it's not the same

Also I agree with the other guys about getting a better controller if that new style is same as the old ones, Just a squealer? Squeals when volts are to high or too low so you know to turn it off? Does not actauly control anything, but they make a handy power box outlet for 3,6,9,12V stuff. I've used mine allot but not for a charge controller.

 I have 5 of the old style, a nice person sent me a spare, Thanks

 I bought 4 or 5 Morning star controllers from Ghurd when I bought my HF panels. That's what I use for the sets connected to 12V battery banks.

 I have a panel set I charge Bruce Packs with, they just wire direct to the 19.2V packs.

[Bruce S]

Hey VisualMonster;

   If you're game, open your up and take some pics of the new controller.

And have WindChopper take a pic of his, this way we can compare the two.

I did do a PSA about the other controller , which has problems with shorting out the 3,6 & 9 V points to ground.

Load up some pics and lets see what's going on.

WindChopper, I looked as close as possible at the pic you sent and it doesn't look as if the Cap has had any solder touched to it. The blobs are probably a result of a cold soler joint. If HF a call BUT don't tell them you opened the unit, they'll either ship you a new unit , or ask you to take the unit back. Grumble about it and they usually send you a 20% of coupon:-).

Hope this helps

Bruce S

BTW IMHO even though some of these are less than perfect , we are getting what we pay for. I opened mine and checked everything.plus did the same for people I've helped put these units up HF will stand behind their stuff, you just gotta grumble a little, for those who've decided to put them in the trash, let me know where you're at and I'll do a little dumpster diving:-D

[Bruce S]

luv2weld;

 My bad I mixed you with Windchopper !! SORRY!! same thing goes, since it open load up a pic of the inside , if you want to and let's have a look.

If you're not able to, do give HF's toll-free number , talk to them about how nice the stuff is and all that, then tell them the problem and see what they have to offer if they say take it back to the store, let them know how far it is/was. Normally they'll cough up a coupon of two if you grumbble they right way:-) Long time buyer of stuff, trying out their Solar kit for the first time and can't cause of a problem etc et&c.

Cheers

Bruce S

[Bruce S]

Well said!!

[luv2weld]

Bruce,

Thanks for understanding exactly what I was after.

I have loaded some Hi Res pictures in my files and some low res that

I will post here with a link to the Hi Res.

There are smears of solder on the legs of the capacitor, so it looks

like it was supposed to be attached to something. There are at least

6 cold solder joints that are visible. I just can't be sure which ones

the cap was hooked to.





The same picture, better quality here

http://www.otherpower.com/images/scimages/6285/Insides_001.gif

Second picture





Second picture better quality

http://www.otherpower.com/images/scimages/6285/Insides_002.gif

Image number 3





Same image

http://www.otherpower.com/images/scimages/6285/Insides_003.gif

Image number 4





Same image

http://www.otherpower.com/images/scimages/6285/Insides_004.gif

Image number 5





Same image

http://www.otherpower.com/images/scimages/6285/Insides_005.gif

Thanks to TomW, NTL, ghurd, RCpilot, RP, and VisualMonster for trying to help.

For the others, I didn't buy the panels for the controller. I bought the panels

because I needed the panels. The controller was a freebie.

Ralph

[VisualMonster]

If it helps, here are mine:

 

 

 

I don't think mine has that green capacitor...

[Volvo farmer]

You're on to something there about Harbor Freight. As long as you are willing to admit that you get what you pay for, I have found them to be an excellent value... sometimes.

The thing that really blows me away about HF, is the ability to get parts, yes PARTS for cheap Chinese, throw-away stuff for good prices. My 4500W HF  gasoline generator crashed the rotor into the stator because of poor assembly technique. I was able to buy both a rotor AND a stator, for about 1/4 of the original machine's cost and it has been fine for 2 years and 30+ hours now.

I also burned up an impeller running it dry on a 12V HF pump. I called to see about an impeller... Three bucks on a $40 pump. Gimme three of them then... Might happen again.

Sometimes I hate cheap Chinese tools and stuff, sometimes I love it. I will give some props to HF here though, because you can actually buy parts for this stuff within the first few years of production. Nothing sends a big, almost useful, piece of machinery to the landfill faster than the phrase NLA.  No Longer Available.

[luv2weld]

VisualMonster,

Thanks for taking the time and trouble to open it up and post the pictures.

Just a quick look tells me they are still evolving. Take a look at the

back of the front panel for both. On mine---3 circuit boards. On yours--

only 2. I guess it's still a work in progress. Guess we'll have to wait

for someone else to check in with theirs to see what else has changed.

But, Hey, that's a lot better than having 200 years of tradition

unhampered by progress!!!!!

Thanks again.

Ralph

[(unknown)]

By the description you gave my guess is the capacitor was probably added onto the bottom of the board as a fix for something. Very common method of applying fixes in between revisions.

[Warrior]

I agree, it doesn't seem to be missing from the components side of the PCB.

You'll have to look underneath.

Taking it apart won't be any worse if it's already broke It seems to me it just fell in...

Warrior

[jmk]

I would make the phone call before you do anything to it, like mentioned above. I have a trace and their support was excellent.

[Jeff]

I have two of the old-type controllers. Both had the same problem: Even with careful metering, and a reduced-amp fuse (stock: 4amp, replaced w/3amp), the unit overheats & something "dies" and becomes useless for a PDU. They still charge afterwards, but the outputs for 3, 6, and 9v no longer work! H.F. was great about replacing the unit after 1 month when it popped. They didn't even want the old unit back! The second unit has now lasted it's 1-year warranty & they won't replace it.

Anyone have any schematics or general idea what piece usually dies? Sure could use those lower voltage outputs!

I also need one of those MorningStar SunSaver-10's or the SunKeeper SK-12's badly!!!

I'm still using just 1 H.F. 45w array, but will be adding back a 3amp windmill soon (I hope).

I'll be getting disconnected from the grid soon, and not by choice. I've been down to 40-80Kw/h per month for a year now. The cost of being connected is more than triple of what I'm using!

[(unknown)]

Perhaps these pics will help.

[luv2weld]

m,

That is exactly what I needed!!!!!

Thank you for taking the time to photograph the board and

post the pictures.

Ralph