Morningstar TriStar MPPT 60

Solar battery charge controller

The 150V TriStar MPPT 60 combines solar battery charging with a built-in Ethernet interface. Its Modbus measurements use fixed-point scaling constants read from the controller, not one universal volts-per-count multiplier. This makes an initial scaling read as important as the battery-voltage address itself.

Morningstar TriStar MPPT 60 solar charge controller
  • Modbus TCP

Solar battery charge controller

Compatibility

Documented local Modbus TCP interface

Morningstar publishes a local Modbus TCP map with voltage/current scaling, battery and array measurements, charging state and fault points. The examples below provide a best-effort starting configuration for an Edge Modbus client; they are manufacturer-documented reads, not a physical-site validation.

TS-MPPT-60, 150V family, using MS-002582 Modbus specification v11. Not the TriStar PWM controller or TriStar MPPT 600V. The 30A and 45A versions do not inherit the 60A Ethernet interface. Read-only monitoring; charging setpoints remain under the established battery commissioning process.

Connect it with

For the TS-MPPT-60 local Ethernet interface

  • Modbus
  • Edge
  • Platforms
Solar battery charge controller
Interface
Gateway
Edge
Output
TriStar MPPT 60TS-MPPT-60 Ethernet port
Protected EthernetSegmented LAN
ZGW-20 GatewayHosts Edge locally
EpiSensor EdgeModbus client + register map
Customer platformMQTT · API · files
Modbus TCP
Protected Ethernet
Runs locally
Optional onward data
The documented defaults are DHCP, TCP port 502 and unit ID 1. Confirm the actual address before use. The v11 specification notes that the controller closes the TCP socket after each response; the client must reconnect cleanly where that behavior applies. The customer-platform output is optional; Edge remains the local system of record.

Models

Download
ModelsInterfaceRoute into Edge
TS-MPPT-60, 150VBuilt-in Ethernet plus serial interfacesUse the 150V TriStar MPPT map and read its scaling constants.
TS-MPPT-30 / TS-MPPT-45Different current ratings and communication-port availabilityDo not assume the 60A model’s Ethernet path.
TriStar MPPT 600V and TriStar PWMDifferent controller families and protocol definitionsObtain their own register specifications rather than copying this point map.

Specifications

Map
MS-002582 v11; addresses explicitly identify request PDU offsets1
Ethernet defaults
DHCP, TCP 502, Modbus ID 11
Voltage scaling
V_PU = whole + fraction / 65536; measurement = signed raw × V_PU / 327681
Serial defaults
9600 baud, no parity, 8 data bits; the controller sends 2 stop bits and accepts 1 or 21
Read functions
FC03 holding or FC04 input-register reads as documented1
Installation envelope
IP20 / Type 1 indoor vented enclosure and -40 to +45 °C ambient range are documented; the housing is not an outdoor weatherproof enclosure.3

Interface

Documented measurements and integration boundaries for TriStar MPPT 60.

  • V_PU at PDU addresses 0 and 1: whole and fractional parts of the voltage scaling constant.
  • I_PU at addresses 2 and 3: the corresponding current scaling constant.
  • Battery voltage at 0x0018 and battery terminal/sense measurements at 0x0019/0x001A.
  • Array voltage and current, battery charging current and charge state from the named RAM variables.
  • Controller faults and alarms alongside energy and daily-log quantities.
  • Remote temperature-sensor disconnection has a specific sentinel; it must not appear as a real temperature.

Assessment

TS-MPPT-60 150V Ethernet monitoring using MS-002582 v11.

InteroperabilityWell supported
The public protocol defines functions, PDU addresses and fixed-point scaling with a complete voltage example.1
AccuracySupported with conditions
Voltage/current scalers and distinct terminal/sense points are documented. The hourmeter word-order inconsistency requires separate verification.1
SecuritySupported with conditions
The local interface includes writable charging and network parameters. The cited protocol does not establish encrypted or authenticated Modbus transport.1
ReliabilitySupported with conditions
Documented TCP socket behavior and status/fault points allow deliberate reconnect and stale-data handling.1
RuggednessSupported with conditions
IP20 / Type 1 indoor vented enclosure and -40 to +45 °C ambient range are documented; the housing is not an outdoor weatherproof enclosure.3
ScalabilitySupported with conditions
The networking guide covers routed/bridged arrangements, but the endpoint and unit ID must identify the intended controller rather than assume every model has Ethernet.12
LifecycleSupported with conditions
The protocol carries a version and date; retain it with controller firmware and revalidate scaling after equipment changes.1

Setup

Read battery voltage, charging current and power

Keep the manufacturer’s voltage example, then extend the same map with current and power. The added current/power payloads are synthetic decoder fixtures, not measurements from a connected controller.

Scaling request
FC03, address 0, length 2; PDU 03 00 00 00 02
Scaling data
00 7B E0 41: V_PU = 123 + 57409/65536 = 123.87599182128906
Voltage request
FC03, PDU address 24, length 1; 03 00 18 00 01
Voltage data
0D B0 = signed 16-bit 3504
Decode
3504 × 123.87599182128906 / 32768 = 13.246504984796047 V
Display comparison
Approximately 13.25 V after rounding; compare the corresponding local measurement
Current scaling
FC03 at PDU address 2, length 2; request 03 00 02 00 02. I_PU = unsigned whole + unsigned fraction/65536. Synthetic data 00 40 00 00 gives I_PU = 64 A. Read the installed value rather than fixing it at 64.
Battery and array current
Battery current is signed S16 at PDU 28 (0x001C); array current is S16 at 29 (0x001D). FC03 request 03 00 1C 00 02 reads both. Each value is signed raw × I_PU/32768. Synthetic battery data 14 00 = 5120 gives 10.00 A with I_PU = 64. Register 39 (0x0027) is the separately filtered one-minute charging current.
Output and input power
FC03 at PDU 58 (0x003A), length 2; request 03 00 3A 00 02 reads output power then input power. Each is one unsigned U16: watts = raw × V_PU × I_PU/131072, not the voltage/current denominator 32768. Synthetic output 10 00 = 4096 gives about 247.752 W using V_PU = 123.87599182128906 and I_PU = 64. These are controller DC powers, not site AC import/export. The OEM notes that array input power can have significant error; use it for controller trends rather than billing.
Charging state and quality
Add charge_state at PDU 50 (0x0032), faults at 44 (0x002C), and alarm high/low words at 46/47 (0x002E/0x002F). Decode state/bitfields from the v11 tables, not as watts or amps. Compare battery current and output power with the same controller timestamp; their different filtering can prevent exact instantaneous equality. States: 4 fault, 5 MPPT, 6 absorption, 7 float, 8 equalize and 9 slave.

Acceptance: This example verifies the fixed-point method, not a permanent device-wide multiplier. Read the scaling constants from the actual controller; replacing them with the example values can produce plausible but incorrect readings.

  1. Identify the 150V controller

    Record TS-MPPT-60 from the nameplate and note firmware. The 600V product and PWM TriStar use different maps. Verify that the chosen network endpoint is the controller rather than an unrelated bridge.

  2. Establish the protected Ethernet connection

    Find its DHCP lease or documented network configuration. Use the configured unit ID and TCP port, normally 1 and 502. Keep the local monitoring interface off the public internet; network reachability does not make write commands safe.

  3. Read scaling before measurements

    Read holding registers 0 and 1 together for V_PU, then 2 and 3 for I_PU. Decode each whole-plus-fraction constant using denominator 65536. Retain those values with the device configuration and refresh them after replacement or firmware changes.

  4. Verify one battery-voltage point

    Read one register at PDU address 24 (0x0018). Decode its signed 16-bit raw value and multiply by V_PU/32768. Compare with the controller display or an appropriate reference at the same electrical boundary.

  5. Make polling resilient

    After voltage, read battery/array current at PDU 28/29 using I_PU/32768, then output/input power at 58/59 using V_PU × I_PU/131072. Add charging state 50, faults 44 and alarms 46/47. Keep reserved gaps out of blocks, handle reconnects where the controller closes TCP after a reply, and leave charging settings unchanged.

Sources

  1. TriStar MPPT Modbus specification MS-002582 v11, 21 August 2018 (opens in a new tab) (PDF) Morningstar
  2. TriStar MPPT networking companion document (opens in a new tab) (PDF) Morningstar
  3. TriStar MPPT 150V operator’s manual (opens in a new tab) (PDF) Morningstar

Further reading

Product names and trademarks belong to their owners. Publication does not imply endorsement or a commercial relationship.