Hello,
My Classic 200 was working fine for last several months and couple days ago it stopped charging batteries. The green lamp flashing at sunny days and no charging at all. I tested the voltage from solar array - 170 volts going into Classic but no charging going on. I turned off/on cables, reset firmware to factory - did not help. Can anybody help me - what the problem could be?
Thank you!
trigrong
As I pointed out in my Email, please use a volt meter and check the actual voltage on the blue terminal block in the classic from PV+ to negative and from Battery+ to negative. Try to watch the PV voltage for say 2-3 minutes and see how stable it is. Not the range it is fluctuating that may help.
Also what serial# is it (Roughly if you do not want to give the actual number)
Ryan
Hello Ryan,
I'm out of my house but I asked my friend to measure voltage. He says that PV voltage changes from 152 to 160 volts and he hears some sound like a rely switches. The gel batteries stays at 20 volts. I'll be there in couple of days and will be able to connect my computer to the device and look at app software. As well, I'll give serial number.
trigrong;
I have to ask what voltage are the batteries supposed to be?
20 volts sounds very low for a 24 volt bank and very high for 12 volt?
At that voltage the Classic may not fire up because it doesn't see a valid voltage on the batteries? I am not sure on that but is my first thought early in the day.
Tom
24 volts. Nothing was changed in configuration. It worked for several months and suddenly stopped - that is why batteries out of charge. I can try to charge batteries and try but I doubt it could be a reason.
If your 24 volt batteries are at 20 volts, they are dead. They probably can't be recovered :'(
--vtMaps
no, it's GEL batteries. Replaced two batteries in array and with 23.9 volts it still doesn't work.
So to confirm this is a Classic 200 LITE correct? It will be good to see if the Local App provides a reason for resting. There will be a number in front of the resting on the local app this may help us.
Ryan
Yes, this is Classic 200 Lite. Tomorrow will be at home and try to connect via Local App to see the reason.
Thank you!
I stuck in a deep snow and got to the home at sunset but still, it was 100 Volts. The local App said Status - 1 Resting (Low Light). I suppose same was at day when it got 160 Volts. Any thoughts?
Is there any shading at all on the panels?
What we need to do is take a digital volt meter and place the probes on PV+ and Negative on the blue terminal block on the classic. Every 90 seconds it should try to turn on and that voltage should dip. If it is dipping say 10 volts or more it is assuming there is not enough power to run and this sort of indicates either hard shading or a loose wire connection somewhere. RFR1 will likely not be a fault in the classic as it has to try to turn on and see the PV voltage fall to much to throw a RFR1
Thank you for information!
Yes, two of the 10 panels has been covered by layer of snow. Is that could be a problem?
YES, Snow on panels =no sun on panels = no power from panels.
You need to get all of the snow off the panels. Any small patches of snow will greatly diminish the output of the panels, the same effect as shade! Use a broom with soft bristles.
If you can change the angle of the PV mount it is best to have the PV's as VERTICAL as possible to shed the snow without someone being there.
Quote from: trigrong on December 12, 2013, 05:27:48 PM
Thank you for information!
Yes, two of the 10 panels has been covered by layer of snow. Is that could be a problem?
Please try changing the mode from "SOLAR" to "Legacy P&O" and see if that helps it get going.
boB
Quote from: Westbranch on December 12, 2013, 06:01:55 PM
YES, Snow on panels =no sun on panels = no power from panels.
You need to get all of the snow off the panels. Any small patches of snow will greatly diminish the output of the panels, the same effect as shade! Use a broom with soft bristles.
If you can change the angle of the PV mount it is best to have the PV's as VERTICAL as possible to shed the snow without someone being there.
Not sure where the OP is located, but in my situation here in Nova Scotia, after a couple of years fighting nature and using long handled brooms to pull piles of snow down on my head, I woke up and now shift my PVs to vertical for Winters. The slight difference of the sun's Winter elevation and the vertical panels is far more than made up for by the total elimination of any snow on the panels, and the additional power received as a result of reflection off the snow covered ground. Not to mention no longer having to fight mother nature and wade through piles of snow to enjoy pulling blankets of snow down on my head.
Not kidding, when the Winter sun pokes it's nose up over the SE horizon, within 10 minutes I'm getting really great production, aided by reflection off the snow.
My solar panel wiring shorted out several weeks ago from snow melting on the connections. After I replaced the fried bad connection, the panels went back to producing electricity like nothing had happened.
Quote from: waynefromnscanada on December 12, 2013, 10:11:27 PM
...and the additional power received as a result of reflection off the snow covered ground. Not to mention no longer having to fight mother nature and wade through piles of snow to enjoy pulling blankets of snow down on my head.
Not kidding, when the Winter sun pokes it's nose up over the SE horizon, within 10 minutes I'm getting really great production, aided by reflection off the snow.
Thats an interesting thought, reflection of light from snow increasing PV production.
I remember years ago when PVs were more expensive than gold that some designs of PV systems had reflector plates either side of the PV to apparently increase output. Seems it didn't work very well as never hear of PV reflectors now.. :D
dgd
It woke up! :) Guys, thank you very much for your time and kind! I really appreciate your help. My friend just thought that 8 panels should be enough to run the appliances - it was hard for him to clear snow from those two panels and result was unexpected. They showed good voltage.
Could you explain the process that is going on when one of the panels in shade? Is that kind of safety thing or just not enough Ampers? I though the current should go through the all panels even they in shadow. I'm just wondering to be smarter :)
Quote from: trigrong on December 13, 2013, 03:08:35 AM
Could you explain the process that is going on when one of the panels in shade? Is that kind of safety thing or just not enough Ampers? I though the current should go through the all panels even they in shadow. I'm just wondering to be smarter :)
The individual solar cells in your panels are arranged in series (like a chain). The current through the series is limited to the current through the shadiest cell (sort of like a chain is only as good as its weakest link).
Now that's an over simplification... you have many of these series chains in a series/parallel arrangement. You also have bypass diodes that may allow SOME power to get around a shaded series chain.
Bottom line: any shading from a bird dropping, overhead power line, tree branch, etc is devastating to output.
Wayne's comment on vertical panels is spot on. Other things you can do to help with snow is use panels with black frames, and put the panels in landscape (rather than portrait) orientation.
--vtMaps
Quote from: vtmaps on December 13, 2013, 06:29:18 AMand put the panels in landscape (rather than portrait) orientation.
--vtMaps
Good point VT!
Actually Ive also done that with all my panels. Why? because the cell strings are wired in series lengthways in the panel, and each panel, depending on design, can have 2, 3, or more parallel strings. If the PV is mounted "portrait", any snow that slides down to the bottom of the panel will cover some cells from every string, basically killing all output, even though the top half of the panel may be clear.
If however the PV is mounted "landscape", and snow slides to the bottom, it shades all or most of one string only, leaving the string/s above it clear to produce at least half the panel's rated power. I learned that before I started tilting my PVs vertical for Winter.
vtmaps,
got it! Thank you for clarifying!