Classic build 1923 from 1-18-2014 Beta

[Westbranch]

Vic here is what boB wrote to me on a problem I was having with updating

There is another way to do a VMM factory/restore if the software updated correctly but the battery voltage
will come up as 12V until changed with the MNGP or the Local status panel...

There are 4 jumpers behind the main power terminal block on the control board...  Power the classic
off and back on and within one minute, install the right-most and the left-most jumpers.
The 3 LED on the control board will flash back and forth.  Then you can un-install those
two jumpers.

boB

hth
Eric

[Westbranch]

Ps it would help if you are like me and have old stiff fingers, to use a pair of disposable  PLASTIC SURGICAL TWEASERS, to reach into that tight space above the terminal block.  the ones I have are kind of a pale green colour..

hth

[Vic]

Hi Zone,   yea,  thanks that was what I had loaded on Jan 12,  and uninstalled it and reloaded again onto the laptop  ...  still hangs   FOREVER    "Sending Data"

Thanks Eric,   have tried a number of permutations on those one and four jumpers,    but the LEDs do not sequence,  they just stay lit at fairly low intensity.

Dunno.    But have some more bricks for construction around here   ...

Mabe the previous Production FW is hanging around on the laptop ...   This is the earliest that I have ever tried new FW.  Normally wait a few months for others to endure any disappointments.

Thanks  !  Vic

[Vic]

Ps it would help if you are like me and have old stiff fingers, to use a pair of disposable  PLASTIC SURGICAL TWEASERS, to reach into that tight space above the terminal block.  the ones I have are kind of a pale green colour..
hth

Thanks Erik.  Am in the Center of Nowhere,  and at a remote site at that.  Have no tweezers,  or needle nose,  but did use a screwdriver to pry off the jumpers ...  only dropped two of them,  but only once.

The updates seemed to go fine   ...   waited for the updater to close itself for the Cl UD,  and the MNGP UD quickly returned to the GUI screen ...   oh well ...  Thanks,   Vic

[Westbranch]

Thinking about that it would be nice if they had a "Previous Version" location to access at times like this.... when latest and greatest....  isn't...

[Vic]

Thinking about that it would be nice if they had a "Previous Version" location to access at times like this.... when latest and greatest....  isn't...

Yes it would,  and as far as I know,  the new FW over-writes the previous when we download a later version.   Perhaps not ...   

but,  in a few days  we are gonna need to charge batteries ...  OK,  Thanks zoneblue,  and Erik.

Time to leave this site ...  am sure glad that there is an Internet node here.
Thanks,   Vic

[ClassicCrazy]

Vic - did you get your Classic going yet ?  I did load the old firmware 1849 back in , then did the 4th jumper first - then the first jumper and the leds top would start blinking different colors if I remember correctly. I think I powered down Classic, then removed jumpers and repowered and went through the setup but this time MNGP sent data okay .  I then loaded up the newest firmware again and did the same process just stated and again the MNGP sent data okay after the jumper reset. 

I hope you get your system going - and yes I was glad I had the old firmware version still on my laptop. If you need it I can email it to you or load it into dropbox or google drive somewhere you can download it.

It truly is disconcerting when the Classic won't do anything ! And yes those jumpers are a bit difficult to pin on , especially with cold hands .

Good luck .
Larry

[ClassicCrazy]

Here is 1849 firmware if you need it

(updating this post to add official Midnite link to previous firmwares)

http://fusion.midnitesolar.com/

[Vic]

WOW !!  Thanks Larry!    Really appreciate the previous FW version.
Can't thank you enough.

NO,  both Classics are still hung,  trying to send Time data..

Think that there is really nothing that I need that is in the new rev.,  that is not in the previous.

Will try implanting the version that you sent.   Thanks again,  and will advise.   Vic

[Vic]

And,  Larry,

I may need to use your jumper trick to get the previous FW running.

Thanks,  also for the tip on the jumper sequence.

Really appreciate all your help.  Thanks again!!   Vic

[Vic]

OK,  THANKS again ClassicCrazy Larry for the info and the previous rev of the Classic FW.

FOR WHATEVER REASON,  AFTER INSTALLING 1923 FW  IN TWO CLASSIC 150s AT THIS LOCATION,  A JUMPER RESET WAS REQUIRED.  WITHOUT THIS JUMPER RESET,  NO AMOUNT OF RELOADING THE SOFTWARE FROM THE MN SOLAR SITE,  REUPLAODING INTO THE CLASSICS,  etc WOULD UN-HANG EITHER CLASSIC 150.

A PCB Jumper Reset was the only thing that un-hung the Classic (standard model with MNGPs).

In the release notes,  the method of Jumper Resetting is detailed -- copied from there:

The way to do the hardware version of the factory restore (VMM)is as follows. There are 4 sets of jumpers directly above the blue terminal block. For the purpose of this we will call the left most jumper JP1 and the right most JP4 (actually labeled "Boot") •Step 1- Turn the PV and Battery power off to the Classic and remove the front cover
•Step 2- Locate the 2 jumpers JP1 and JP2. Take the actual jumpers and keep them in your hand
•Step 3- Turn the Battery power on to the classic
•Step 4- within 1 minute place jumper JP4 on its two pins and then place jumper JP1 on its two pins. at this point the 3 LEDs on the top of the circuit board should flash back and forth for about 60 seconds.
•Step 5- After the flashing stops power down the classic and remove JP1 and JP4 and stow them back on a single pin like they where.
•Step 6- Put the front cover on and power up the Classic Lite (or Classic). If you have the MNLP set to Custom you will need to go to the local app and reset the battery voltage and setpoints etc.

Technically, at this point my comments relate to Production FW,  and my posts on this matter  does not really belong here,  as believe that what was a Beta,  became Production 1923 without any mods (?).

NOTE:  When doing the Jumper Reset,  you MUST WAIT for the LEDs on the Classic main board to STOP blinking --  previously,  I gave up too soon,  and guess that all of the Resetting was not complete.  (this wait interval was not actually defined in Erik's posted info from boB - IMO).  One Classic reste took about 45 seconds,  the other about 38 seconds,  by my count.

AND,  there IS a lot of customized data that must re-entered into the Classics to return them from the Factory Defaults ...   be certain to check the Charge > Limits menu for voltage limits.  These seem narrow to me   ...   but all of those customized settings are there because the Classic CC is so very flexible and capable - I should not complain.

Am back to 1849.  Thanks to all who posted helpful info --  have never needed to do anything but the MNGP VMM ...  this time that was not sufficient and the Classics got permanently HUNG.

FWIW,  Thanks,    Vic ...  now back to doing the work that I came to this site to really do.

[ClassicCrazy]

Good to hear you got the firmware loaded and working again Vic. 

I know what you mean about putting the settings back in. Too bad there isn't a way to save them on a file and reload - but guess that wouldn't work when a firmware update changes things around.  It would be nice if there was a way to at least just save a text file of the parameters and settings  so after the firmware update you could compare it to the previous ones to make sure they were all entered in correctly . I just thought of something - maybe saving  screen shots of Local Status App config screens would serve that purpose. Problem with that is Local Status App won't show the whole config without scrolling down so will take more than three screen shots.

Larry 

[Vic]

My gripes about all of the custom settings is primarily,  that this one site is seldom attended,  and if I happen to miss re-setting one of the Customizations that we count on to do its job,  it might take a while to discover it.   For example,  had changed from Classic current monitoring function to " Shunt ",  but forgot that Aux 2 does not default to WbJr enabled,  etc.

Anyway,  we have read here,  that there is a plan that the LA will have the ability to save and restore customizations in the future ...  have never used the LA,  but this may be a good reason to do so,  when that is implemented.

But,  we are back on-line now,  with 1849,  so Thank You very much,  Larry for that file,  and the note that you had to Hard Reset your Classic ...  surprised that there have not been others who had this issue.

Have fun,  keep warm,  Thanks again Larry,  Wb and  zoneblue for the replies.    Vic

[ClassicCrazy]

Local Status App makes it easier to change all those settings.

I did go on to the latest firmware and have had no problems with it - but did have to do the jumper reset for it.

[boB]

Vic said...  "NOTE:  When doing the Jumper Reset,  you MUST WAIT for the LEDs on the Classic main board to STOP blinking --  previously,  I gave up too soon, ....."

You should not really have to wait for the LEDs to stop flashing.  Just give it a few seconds, say 5 or 10 seconds and then remove the jumpers and
re-power the classic.  The Classic will not boot when the boot jumper is on when re-powering it which is why it has to be used after the Classic has been power cycled.

Vic, when you re-powered the Classic after updating it to 1923, did the 3 LEDs on the Classic board come on one at a time left to right for 3 seconds and then flash back and forth with fans turning on at power up self test ?   If so, when you did the VMM from MNGP display, did it send ANY data at all before sticking ?  The biggest bit of information on that is what address number did it stick at ?

The normal reason this sending data sticking problem happens is when the Classic is updated but the MNGP/Remote is not updated.
There MAY be some new registers in the Classic that were not there in the previous revision.  I don't think there are in rev 1923
that were not there in 1849 but not positive.

Another reason the MNGP may stick is because the Classic did NOT get successfully updated and it has not firmware in it.
In this case, the 3 LEDs will not flash back and forth after the 3 second (or so)  LED left to right count-down.
The MNGP will get stuck sending data at the very first address if the Classic is not communicating with the MNGP.
If it IS communicating and it is just a matter that the MNGP didn't get updated, then the MNGP will send at least some
data before getting stuck.

BTW, there are a bunch of older firmware  revisions always at this site...

http://fusion.midnitesolar.com/

It is not absolutely necessary but I suggest going into the C:/midnitesolar  directory and running uninstall before
running the new  MidnitesolarUpdate  .exe  file.

Take your pick !

The Local App has the import/export settings function but I believe that release of this version is on hold because
there is another issue regarding the LA and disconnects that is being solved as well.
That is in addition to the Classic networking which, as I understand, is coming close to a resolve in its disconnect
issue as well.

boB