Iconica 24v 2000w Hybrid Inverter - Solar Input Issues

Had one of these on my narrowboat for about 8 months. The solar MPPT on these units is genuinely mediocre — it's one of those "good enough on paper" specs that doesn't hold up in real conditions.

Few things worth checking:

• VOC limits — the 24v Iconica units have a fairly tight PV input voltage window. If your panels are wired in series and it's a cold morning, you can easily spike above the acceptable VOC and it just... ignores the array entirely
• Wiring resistance — these cheaper hybrid units are surprisingly sensitive to voltage drop on the PV side. Worth measuring actual voltage at the inverter terminals vs. at the panels
• Firmware — there were some known MPPT tracking bugs in earlier firmware versions. Check what version you're running

Honestly after fighting with mine for a few months I ended up adding a standalone Victron SmartSolar and bypassing the built-in MPPT altogether. Far better harvest, proper Bluetooth monitoring, and it talks to my BMV-712. The Iconica now just handles inversion/charging duties.

It's a shame because the inverter side of the unit is actually decent for the money — powers my 1200w inverter microwave without complaint.

What panels have you got connected, and what's the actual voltage you're seeing at the input terminals? Also — are you getting any fault codes on the display, or does it just silently underperform?

Would be useful to know if others have had similar experiences — particularly interested if anyone's found a way to make the MPPT behave properly without bypassing it entirely.

Reply by SueThompson99

@OakSpirit totally agree on the MPPT performance — I had similar frustrations with mine in the first few months. One thing that made a noticeable difference was adjusting the battery voltage absorption and float settings more conservatively than the defaults. The factory presets seem optimised for lead-acid in ideal conditions, which obviously isn't what most of us are dealing with.

Also worth checking your PV wiring for any voltage drop — these units seem particularly sensitive to it compared to dedicated MPPT controllers I've used. Even a small drop appeared to confuse the tracking on mine.

Curious what panel configuration you're running? On a narrowboat you're presumably limited on roof space, so getting the most out of what you've got really matters. Have you considered pairing it with a separate MPPT controller and bypassing the built-in one altogether?

Reply by JaneReid68

Interesting thread — I've had one of these on my static caravan setup for about six months now. The MPPT behaviour I've noticed is that it seems particularly sluggish responding to rapidly changing cloud conditions, which here in the northwest is basically every other minute!

One thing that did help me somewhat was keeping the solar input voltage towards the higher end of the accepted range — I'm running two 200w panels in series rather than parallel and it made a noticeable difference to harvest on dull days. Not a fix for the underlying issue @OakSpirit and @SueThompson99 are describing, but worth trying if you haven't already.

Has anyone contacted Iconica UK directly about this? I'm wondering whether it's a firmware thing that could potentially be addressed, or just a hardware limitation we're stuck with.

Has anyone tested what the actual tracking efficiency is like under partial shading or rapid cloud cover? On my narrowboat setup I tend to get patchy light from trees along the towpath, and I'm wondering if the MPPT is hunting rather than settling properly — I've noticed the output can be oddly erratic even when conditions seem stable.

Genuinely tempted to ditch the built-in MPPT and run a dedicated Victron SmartSolar alongside it. Would mean bypassing the solar input entirely and just using the inverter/charger side. Has anyone gone down that route with this unit, and does the battery charging side at least perform reliably when the MPPT isn't in the picture?

@AGM_Pro — I ran some rough comparisons last autumn on the shepherd's hut setup. Paired the Iconica against a standalone Victron SmartSolar 100/20 on identical panel strings (same orientation, same conditions as far as possible). The Victron was consistently pulling 8–12% more on overcast days with patchy cloud. Not a rigorous test, but directionally consistent over several weeks of logging.

The Iconica's tracking just seems slow to recover after a cloud edge passes. You can watch it in the app — takes noticeably longer to climb back to peak than the Victron does.

If solar yield is genuinely critical to your setup I'd honestly consider a dedicated MPPT and bypass the built-in one entirely. More kit, yes, but the performance difference is real.

@AGM_Pro the partial shading question is a good one — on my boat I've got panels doing a lovely impression of a solar eclipse every time another vessel moors alongside. The Iconica's MPPT basically throws its hands up and has a sit down at that point.

Genuinely curious whether anyone's compared it against a dedicated Victron SmartSolar