Monitoring second Classic over wireless bridge

[Westbranch]

Have you verified that ALL the settings are the same on both units? 
Are the input voltage readings at each unit the same?

hth

[Resthome]

Okay, The second Classic has 800 Watts of PV now so I'm running through a charge cycle.  Everything was fine through the bulk part with both using the temp sensor on the Master Classic.  The system is set to roll over to float based on Wzbjr amps set at .01 * C (5.1 amps in this case).  In the absorb phase, the slave follower (doesn't have the batt temp sensor) kept driving the wattage down somewhat faster than the master for about an hour and finally it went to resting with the master still in absorb throwing (Resting 38:Unknown) message.  Does this sound like normal behavior?  The master is still in absorb but will probably go over to float in 15-30 minutes.  I'll see what it does then.  Slave has produced about .5 Kw before going to resting.  Master has more PV and produced nearly 2 Kw so far.

ReasonForResting = 38   8-4-2015  External charger.  zero watts @ above set point 90 sec

This was added around 8/4/2015 -  I don't use follow-me, but I thought there was really no master slave and that any time any controller changed state the other was to follow. Maybe Ryan can correct me if I'm wrong.

This should really be in the Classic forum for better response.

[Powerplay]

Have you verified that ALL the settings are the same on both units?
Are the input voltage readings at each unit the same?

hth

The setting are the same on both.  Unit #2 has higher input voltage readings since it is wired that way, but I did not think that this mattered for follow me since both are doing their own thing but staying in the same charging phase until one is driven near zero near switch to float.  Also the temp is rising during the day to about 25 C.  I least I didn't read that any where.  The follower popped back to float when the light started getting lower and both units needed to produce some power to stay in float for a bit.  Now both are resting (input voltage is lower than battery).  Unit #2 has 4 panels in series (longer drop to get to the combiner), Unit #1 has 3 panels in series but nearly twice the total wattage.  I think the system will start fine with both in bulk tomorrow.  Do you think the 38: resting state can damage the second Classic?  It seems to come out of it if a load is placed on the system and more power suddenly needed.  Really it seems to work fine as long as it isn't hard on the CLassic.

[Powerplay]

ReasonForResting = 38   8-4-2015  External charger.  zero watts @ above set point 90 sec

This was added around 8/4/2015 -  I don't use follow-me, but I thought there was really no master slave and that any time any controller changed state the other was to follow. Maybe Ryan can correct me if I'm wrong.

They might have both been technically still in the same state since the Absorb count down timer was still running like absorb was still the phase for both.  Yet number two was resting with 38.  In the latter half of the absorb phase if the loads suddenly drop then not much power is needed to maintain voltage and the set point itself is dropping with the slow temp rise.  So it might be normal behavior, unless of course it isn't.   

[BobWhite]

ReasonForResting = 38   8-4-2015  External charger.  zero watts @ above set point 90 sec

This was added around 8/4/2015

Im not sure I know what that would mean? My thought would be that (in fallow-me), Master and slave aren't communicating properly in this case. So the slave is seeing a charging source greater than itself causing it to rest, not a master telling what it should be doing?

[Powerplay]

Im not sure I know what that would mean? My thought would be that (in fallow-me), Master and slave aren't communicating properly in this case. So the slave is seeing a charging source greater than itself causing it to rest, not a master telling what it should be doing?

Only a couple kinds of events I can think of.  Switch from bulk to absorb & slave sees it first.  Drops to zero to allow battery to drop to absorb voltage.  Master recovers first and has a lot more juice to throw at it.  Slave has to stay at zero for more than 90 seconds and goes to a resting phase.  Master is at a pre 8-4-2015 FW release ( it is at 2056 I'll check its date) so does not throw the resting state.  Master has enough juice to cover absorb and slave can't get back in until a higher load is applied.  Does that sound realistic?  I'm going to try a 'sweeper' test (with a real clunker vacuum cleaner I have that draws about 1Kw) next time I have some sun to test my theory.  If I turn on the sweeper and the slave snaps back into absorb supplying power to help keep up with the extra load.  We'll see.

[Resthome]

Where I have seen this new change RFR 38 that was put in recent firmware is coming out of Equalize and going to Float. The battery voltage is higher than the float set point for greater than 90 because of the surface charge on the battery from the Equalize cycle. Once the battery voltage drops below the float set point the Classic comes out of Resting and return to the Float voltage.

Are both your Classics at the same firmware version?

[Powerplay]

Once the battery voltage drops below the float set point the Classic comes out of Resting and return to the Float voltage.

Are both your Classics at the same firmware version?

No use running my sweeper test then.  I think you've nailed it.  I'm not equalizing AGMs but running a normal charge cycle.  The Controllers are in Absorb phase.  The set point is T-comped and the Temp has been gradually rising since morning.  The one I call Slave is using the Master's T-comp data and this works fairly well.  But when the battery temp rises enough to cause the absorb set point to fall.  Both controllers go to zero watts to allow the battery voltage to fall.  If it takes more than 90 seconds the FW on the Slave (FW 2079) throws RFR 38 but the Master (FW 2056) does not have this feature so bounces back staying in Absorb.  Things don't get back in sync until the master signals Float and then the FW on the Slave joins back in.  So I think I'll need to update the FW on the master to (2079) and under these circumstances the system should behave better.  But do you think with both controllers at RFR 38 they would return to Float or Absorb once the set point voltage falls?  If I need to update Firmware (with Ubuntu/Wine), I'll take that thread to the Classic topic so folks can see how that one goes.  I might be blazing new territory there.

So with a normal charge cycle should I update Master to 2079 or Slave to 2054?  I likely will not be running Equalize on AGM batteries anytime soon. 

[Westbranch]

The one I call Slave is using the Master's T-comp data and this works fairly well

HM, so you do not have 2 RTS's... 

Not using 2 CCs I don't have any experience with the ''sharing'' of temp data.. 
How does it supposed to work? Or do you mean they are set the same?

I would think that each CC would have its own sensor...

[Powerplay]

I would think that each CC would have its own sensor...

As soon as I set the Slave to use Master's battery temp data it always agrees with what the Master thinks Battery temp is.  And you're correct, I misspoke, the two controllers are set with the same T-comp settings and they always agree on the battery temp since both use Master's RTS.  So this coordinates well.  Sorry for the confusion.

HM, so you do not have 2 RTS's...

Only the Master has a battery temperature sensor and the Slave is passed this data.  No chance to get off track here.  Both set the same, share the master temp data.
I assume RTS is battery temp sensor.

I would think that each CC would have its own sensor...

If this is the case there is a small chance for them to be off a bit from each other.  It is better if the Master shares its temp data with the 'Slave',  IMO.

I think unrelated is when the T-comped set point falls due to rising battery temps and can seem to confuse the throwing of RFR 38 which should only be seen during Equalize if I understand it correctly.  Thanks.  Do you think I should revert to FW 2056 or stay with 2079?

[Resthome]

I think unrelated is when the T-comped set point falls due to rising battery temps and can seem to confuse the throwing of RFR 38 which should only be seen during Equalize if I understand it correctly.  Thanks.  Do you think I should revert to FW 2056 or stay with 2079?

It's not tied to Equalize, it's when ever the batteries bank has a high surface charge on them that have the battery voltage higher than the controller voltage set point and it stays that way for > 90 sec. It could be coming from Absorb to Float. It depends on how far apart the set points are and how long it takes the battery voltage to fall. If you have no load it may take a while if you have some load you may never see it because the battery voltage will drop quickly with the load and 0 watts.

http://kb1uas.com/mnsforum/index.php?topic=2880.msg27490#msg27490

[Westbranch]

Do you think I should revert to FW 2056 or stay with 2079?

I know that 2079 made some upgrades from 2056, so I would go with 2079.

Who knows just what might not align in version to version.. 

I DID notice a great jump in output when I went from 19xx to 2056, but not much from 2056 to 2079...

AFAIK most of the changes were around communications to MM2

[Resthome]

8-5-2015  Classic Rev 2050
   More Classic SL mode limit fix

   Added Reason For Resting 38 that will force to resting if external
   charging sources are present, raising Vbatt above set point V. and 0 watts
   GUI.exe changed back to original version.

8-11-2015
   MNGP Rev  2054   SL changes

8-17-2015
   Classic Rev 2056  Factory Burn In OCP modes

8-18-2015
   V4.93  replaces   update_Classic-All.exe   with the 32 bit version

8-25-2015
   V4.94      Removing an unused file in the package that is causing false
         positive anti-virus alarms.  Still Rev 2056 for Classic firmware rev

11-2-2015
         Classic control Version 2074 adds My Midnite 3 capability  (MM3)

         Networking fixes added back in.

         Auto-EQ bug fixed where EQ day count would be reset if      Classic went back to Float, essentially disabling Auto-EQ

11-9-2015
         Classic_ALL_2074_XX0V_11-9-2015  changes  WbJrAmpHourChrg,
         WbJrAmpHourDisChrgadj, WbJrAmpHourChrgadj  32 bit regs to
         register address 4407 from register address 4373
         
11-16-2015
         Classic_ALL_2077C_xx0V_11-16-2015  Classic Revision 2077 with
         newer network build from 11-14-2015 and ReBulk above Float Voltage
         and SOC% fix

11-20-2015
         Classic_ALL_2078_xxxV_11-17-2015_AZT  Re-Build of 2077C

11-23-2015
         Classic build 2079   Fixes MNLP (Classic Lite panel) communications glitch

[Powerplay]

I DID notice a great jump in output when I went from 19xx to 2056, but not much from 2056 to 2079...

Classic #1 was on 2056 from the start.  Even with poorly angled panels I've been getting about 85.4% of rated power from it.  I can't wait to see what it does in summer when the sun will be in more direct alignment.  Next week I'm putting up my last 400W of panels for this round of upgrades and I'll take both classics to 2079.  One always needs to know how to update firmware anyway.

@Resthome:

Very helpful rundown of the recent FW upgrades.  I also agree with your analysis and think I'll see RFR 38 less likely after adding more planned loads this summer.  I built a rainproof 125 amp 240 volt sub-panel last week.  Everyone knows where that's going.     I'll start a thread in the Classic topic to let people know how updating FW with Ubuntu/Wine and the Win 98 version of the updater (seems to run well in Wine) goes.

Thanks to all for the advice.

[Resthome]

Yeah more direct sun helps but more summer heat hurts you output. The hotter the panels get the less they produce.