Elmar Solar MPPT

Profinity monitors the Elmar Solar Maximum Power Point Tracker (MPPT) Series A and B, which use the CAN database (DBC) file described in the Elmar MPPT DBC documentation. Elmar Solar makes MPPTs that optimise the output of solar arrays. The Elmar range distributed by Prohelion consists of the Elmar 3A MPPT, the Elmar Race MPPT and the Elmar Best MPPT, described in the Solar Charge Controllers by Elmar documentation.

Add the MPPT to a profile

To monitor an Elmar Solar MPPT, add an Elmar Solar MPPT tracker to the Profile. Profinity prompts for the following information about the device, and the Change Settings button on the MPPT dashboard changes these details later.

Parameter	Description	Default
Name	The name of the component. Must be unique.	The component name
Milliseconds Valid	The timeout of the device, from 1 to 60000, or -1 if the device should never time out. If the network receives no traffic from this device within this many milliseconds, Profinity treats the connection as lost.	5000
Base Address	The CAN address of the MPPT, as described in the Elmar MPPT DBC.	0x300

Once the MPPT is added to the Profile, the Elmar Solar MPPT dashboard is available in the sidebar. The dashboard displays input and output voltage graphs, error status indicators and, under the MORE DETAILS banner, temperature readings.

Elmar Solar MPPT

The raw CAN data from an Elmar Solar MPPT can also be viewed in the DBC view, which opens from the Messages and Signals button in the top right corner of the dashboard.

MPPT data

The top row of the MPPT dashboard presents a summary of the following information, from left to right.

Cell	Meaning
INPUT VOLTAGE	The voltage produced by the connected solar array, in volts.
INPUT CURRENT	The current delivered by the connected solar array, in amps.
OUTPUT VOLTAGE	The output voltage of the MPPT, in volts.
OUTPUT CURRENT	The output current of the MPPT, in amps.

Below the summary are two time-series graphs depicting the input voltage and output power of the MPPT. Hovering the cursor over a graph shows the data in greater resolution.

The MPPT EVENTS panel at the lower left of the window shows status indicators for MPPT events, and the colour of each indicator matches its type.

Type	Colour	Indicators
Error	Red	Low array power, hardware overvoltage, hardware overcurrent, metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistor (MOSFET) overheat, 12 V undervoltage, battery low and battery full
Limit	Amber	Input current minimum and maximum, output voltage maximum, duty cycle minimum and maximum, and MOSFET temperature
Limit	Green	The local and global MPPT limits

The events correspond to the Status message of the Elmar MPPT DBC, which carries the error and limit flags, the mode, and the CAN receive and transmit error counters. The datasheets of each product are linked from the Solar Charge Controllers by Elmar documentation.

The right-hand side depicts a simplified flowchart of the MPPT state, which is either Standby or On according to the Mode signal of the Status message, and the grey box marks the current state. Expanding the MORE DETAILS banner shows the input, output, and power readings, the MOSFET, controller, and power connector temperatures, and the auxiliary 12 V and 3 V supply and battery-side output voltages. The state of a connected battery is described in the BMU section.