A Forum run by Enthusiasts of MidNite Solar

General Category => System Design and Layout => Topic started by: eastpoint turbine on August 31, 2013, 12:16:12 PM

Title: Indicator light on classic
Post by: eastpoint turbine on August 31, 2013, 12:16:12 PM
 Hi to all, finally got my classic   150,   my first surprise was " how small it is "   It's been up and running a few days now   but i don't see any indicator lights on .  On first start up  a red light did come on  but quickly went off
   As i write this the display is   IN 72.6 VOLTS    watts 1165       kwh  2.5
        BATT 26.2      44.3 AMPS   and it's in bulk    but the fan has been running a long while  now  , is this normal,  is there anything to worry about?
ps  two strings of three panels in parallel
   Jason


Title: Re: Indicator light on classic
Post by: TomW on August 31, 2013, 12:31:08 PM
eastpoint turbine;

Perhaps you have the Classic set so no LEDs light? There are several options on how the LEDs work.

The Classic will run the fan when pushing a lot of power through it and it is working hard.

Mine is doing about the same power level with higher volts in and the fan is running. Of course it is around 80 F in here, too. The only LED activity I see is a blue blip once in awhile as the two Classics talk to each other over the the Classic Network.

Just from here.

Tom

Title: Re: Indicator light on classic
Post by: eastpoint turbine on September 01, 2013, 02:14:45 PM
Thanks Tomw,  i got the red led on   (blinking)
now another concern  when i measure the voltage coming IN  141.4 v   the classic is only showing 85.3 v  why such a difference?
  jason
Title: Re: Indicator light on classic
Post by: TomW on September 01, 2013, 02:42:26 PM
Quote from: eastpoint turbine on September 01, 2013, 02:14:45 PM
Thanks Tomw,  i got the red led on   (blinking)
now another concern  when i measure the voltage coming IN  141.4 v   the classic is only showing 85.3 v  why such a difference?
  jason

A lot can depend on when and where you measure these voltages. under hard charging there will always be some voltage loss in the wire between the Classic and the source and show skewed voltage readings.

Be sure all connections are solid and tight. Try measuring the voltage at the terminals on the Classic itself.  Perhaps the Classic has lost its calibration on the voltages but 50 plus volts seems like an error in the tests.

I will poke boB and Ryan on this they know this stuff  better than I do.

Tom
Title: Re: Indicator light on classic
Post by: eastpoint turbine on September 01, 2013, 03:17:00 PM
The classic sits right next to the combiner connected by less than one foot of wire
Title: Re: Indicator light on classic
Post by: Halfcrazy on September 01, 2013, 03:22:07 PM
The red blinking led is from blinky mode. Try going into the Misc menu and setting LED Mode to LED1.

Now for input voltage. Tom is spot on that it can move around a lot as the controller tracks the array. The way to check it is to get a volt meter on the PV+ and PV- terminals in the Classic at the same time you are watching the actual display. This can be tricky as you have to hold the cover at the same time. Another pair of hands helps a lot. If the 2 numbers do not agree I suggest finding another volt meter to verify what is off.

You indicate 2 strings of 3 panels so if these are standard panels that would land you a VOC of about 111 and an MPPT voltage of about 88 volts both of those values are at 70 degrees F so on the surface it seems like the volt meter may be the culprit? Can you give us the make and model of the panels?

Ryan
Title: Re: Indicator light on classic
Post by: eastpoint turbine on September 02, 2013, 05:13:54 PM
Thanks Tomw,for getting Ryan involve,  Hi Ryan, as i said in the last post the classic is next to the mnpv6 , the last check today around 6:30 am was volts at combiner 24.1 v   classic display 83.1 v (it will make no difference  opening the classic as the jumper leads are only about a foot long )  as i write this outside is dark and pouring rain   and the combiner is 82.9v matching the classic at 82.9 with 2.5 amps into the battery
The specs of the panels:-  Renesola 260 w;   voc=37.6;  isc=8.95; vmpp 30.5
3 in series to make 2 strings   yesterday i got around 48 amps in overcast conditions. the controller was only install 2 weeks ago
  Jason
Title: Re: Indicator light on classic
Post by: Halfcrazy on September 02, 2013, 06:30:32 PM
Ok so I may be missing something? So are you saying it is working correctly now?

Ryan
Title: Re: Indicator light on classic
Post by: eastpoint turbine on September 03, 2013, 12:15:48 PM
Hi Ryan,Tomw and others,( looks like the controller heard me complaining and decided to "right "itself   as the voltage display just about matches the input voltage at the c/box,   will monitor it today  and see if it reverts back to it's old self
     Jason
Title: Re: Indicator light on classic
Post by: Halfcrazy on September 03, 2013, 12:46:09 PM
So what is getting off? It sounds to me like the voltage you are reading in the breaker box is what is fluctuating not the voltage on the Classics display?

Ryan