Aux1 SOC Low to start generator: Classic resets and gen starts at wrong SOC

[2twisty]

Scratch that data point.  I cold booted the controller again later today and it started the generator.

So, it seems that if the SOC falls between the low and high setpoints, it will start the generator.  Not sure how to address that programmatically, unless there is some way to store the state of Aux1 over a reboot so that it knows that AUX1 was OFF while the SOC was 70ish.  That should indicate that it was still falling and not rising. 

And I DO need a daily reboot.  If I don't reboot the CC daily, I will usually lose the ability to connect via the Local App.  Interestingly, I can usually ping the IP of the Classic...  Every now and again, I can't even do that.  But most of the time I can ping it but not connect.  I either get "retying" forever, or "not found."

Rebooting the Classic (and sometimes the host PC) restores access via the Local App

[boB]

2twisty, try this

http://fusion.midnitesolar.com/MidNiteSolarUpdate_1923_12-18-2014_v4.60.exe

BTW, Merry Christmas too !

boB

[2twisty]

OK.  I'll download it and do the update tomorrow. 

What changed? 

[2twisty]

Found the Changelog:

12-18-2014
   Classic build 1923
   Lifetime kW-Hours and Lifetime Amp-Hours will now accumulate and
   not be limited to just 16 bits worth. (long time bug) 65535
   
   Aux 1 SOC% output will now remember On/Off state through an auto-restart    cycle

   Whizbang Junior accumulations will save periodically throughout the day to    non-volatile memory every 90 minutes

   Classic will go to Resting for 8 seconds when MPPT mode and power output    stays below 50 watts for 15 minutes in Legacy, Hydro or Dynamic tracking    mode if Insomnia is On.  (night charging sanity check)

   Removed VariMax Absorb mode

   MNGP build 1922
   Added menu  LIMITS---MORE--- High battery temperature charger shut off

   Fixed Daily Hi-Power graphs log numerical readout.  Was only
   showing 3 digits

   Increased time required to show "Got Comm ?" message by 2 seconds

[2twisty]

Well poo.  This is the first firmware update I've attempted since I got my Classic.  All my windows Machines use 64-bit, so apparently, the USB driver won't install.

I also have a Mac.  Could you produce this firmware in the Mac/Linux flavor for me?  Or, is there a 64-bit windows driver available yet?

Also, Will I have to do a factory reset after uploading this? I'm assuming so.  Is there any way to back up the Classic's settings?

[Resthome]

Well poo.  This is the first firmware update I've attempted since I got my Classic.  All my windows Machines use 64-bit, so apparently, the USB driver won't install.

I also have a Mac.  Could you produce this firmware in the Mac/Linux flavor for me?  Or, is there a 64-bit windows driver available yet?

Also, Will I have to do a factory reset after uploading this? I'm assuming so.  Is there any way to back up the Classic's settings?

Are your Windows machines running win7 or win8.1 ?? The USB to Serial driver installs a little different between this two OS's. The Midnight instructions are pretty good but they have to be followed in the exact sequence or you can have trouble installing the driver the first time.

Yeah, you need to do a factory reset Vulcan Mind Melt and No there is no way to backup the Classic setting. Best you can do is jot them down. After a while they become second nature.

[mike90045]

Uh, there is a really good point just raised.    Does Midnight have 64 bit drivers for the windows machines with win8+ ?

I just had to install 64 bit drivers on my wife's pc, for sync with a Palm OS PDA, the 2003 install disk only has drivers that support the 32 bit machines.   Some kind souls continued work after palm sold to HP, and HP abandoned the palm platform.  Having the right drivers made all the difference

Could this be the factor why some win 8 machines work, and some don't ?  32 bit vs 64 ? (and why I drag out an old laptop for the firmware update)

Classic will go to Resting for 8 seconds when MPPT mode and power output    stays below 50 watts for 15 minutes in Legacy, Hydro or Dynamic tracking    mode if Insomnia is On.  (night charging sanity check)

Does this solve the generator charging voltage confusing the Classic and getting the batteries running the PV and  consuming watts ?  If Insomnia is OFF ??

[boB]

The drivers seem to work ok on 32 or 64 bit windoze 7 and win 8...   windows 8.1 made it VERY hard to install non-signed drivers though.

It can be done, just takes an act of congress on windoze 8.1

Yes, there IS a mac and Linux version but you must be computer literate to use the Mac and Linux version since it is command line driven at the moment.  Still the old yechhy USB virtual comm method.  Will make up this version tomorrow and post that link.

Mike, I think this covers the problem where in the evening if there was somehow some watts showing up that the Classic will shut itself down if less than 50 watts of offset is showing.

boB

[2twisty]

My windows machines are Win7x64SP1

I am quite proficient with command line in OSX/Linux. 

I didn't see any "step by step" instructions for installing the USB drivers.  Can you point me to them?

[boB]

EDIT:   Found it here.  Instructions are at the bottom for various OS's...

http://www.midnitesolar.com/firmwareReport.php?firmware_ID=9&firmwareProduct_ID=1&act=edit

boB

This is the normal page for downloading firmware and there are some instructions here...

http://www.midnitesolar.com/firmwareReport.php?firmware_ID=10&firmwareProduct_ID=1&act=edit

There is this older document...

http://www.midnitesolar.com/pdfs/Classic_firmware_update_doc.pdf

Now, there IS another PDF or two that is newer and more in depth.  BUT I'll be darned if I can find it !

There is also a video or two showing this.  I know that Ryan knows where it is.

We'll get a link for it tomorrow if not sooner I hope.

OK, found it thanks to Google.  There SHOULD be a link to it on our firmware page though...

http://www.midnitesolar.com/firmware/Firmware_install_Windows7.pdf

And windoze 8  ...

http://www.midnitesolar.com/firmware/Win8_firmware_update.pdf

boB

[2twisty]

OK.  I've got the firmware updated and my settings restored.  I'm running my generator manually right now since we have had 2 days overcast and little solar input.

If I'm awake at midnight (2 hrs from how) I will note AUX1 behavior.  However, it won't be a fair test until I can get back to float on solar, since the Classic is really confused about SOC right now, with the alternate charging and the multiple reboots for firmware updates, it thinks I'm at 90-something right now, when, in reality, I should be in the upper 70s.

I'll report back after I've gotten back to float.

I would like to add my voice to the request for ethernet firmware updates, as well as a way to back up the settings on the classic and easily restore them so firmware updates can be painless.

[boB]

Glad you got it updated.

The Local App will soon (if not released already ?) be able to import and export all modbus registers.  That is one way
to back up the settings.

Updating firmware is always a PITA.  In the case of the Classic, The USB method happened first and the way it is now
was pretty much the only way that was going to work then.  Then,  the Classic was updateable by Ethernet but
not the MNGP. It could be finished to update the MNGP and that may (or may not) happen.  Now, the way to go is
most likely how the Kid is updated, by a drag-and-drop file transfer.  It would be even harder to make
all the older Classics compatible with a newer update method.  If we had unlimited resources, we'd be working
harder on this but it is going to take a longer unfortunately.  This comes up a lot around here though as you might
imagine.

It would be nice if the processor used in these products had more memory like a PC or Linux computer but it is
very limited.

[Resthome]

boB, is this new firmware update going to take care of the issue of the Equalize function somehow getting into the Start Equalize function rather than defaulting back to the Stop Equalized. I just saw this again when I made a trip to the lake to check on things. I was changing the Rebulk value and when I hit enter to save the setting the controller jumped to Equalized when I when to the Equalize menu sure enough the Equalize Start option was showing. This has been brought up in the forums before and I believe you were aware of it but don’t see anything in the Readme file about it being fixed. Hopefully it can be included as with everything else Midnite has going on the firmware updates are getting few and far between.

Sorry to hijack the thread but since the subject of new firmware came up I thought I would ask.

[2twisty]

OK.  Got to float today.  We shall see if it works properly on the reboot tonight.

Believe me, I'm quite aware of the small amounts of memory that these processors have.  I used to have an aftermarket ECU in my car to control a turbocharger.  The SOC in that thing had so little room left that the developer had to optimize the code every time to make the tiny changes fit.  I've never understood why they don't put more RAM on these SOCs.

I'd love to see a RasPi with a couple gigs of RAM. It would make many things so much easier!

[2twisty]

Fell alseep before midnight last night.  However, the starting of the generator usually wakes me briefly, and from the SOC I saw by morning, it looks like the generator did NOT start prematurely last night.

I guess I now need to wait for a time to see if it turns on properly, lol.

I'll update this thread as soon as I have any useful data to report.  But from the looks of it, it seems to be working!