My Classic 200 lite has been up and running for a couple of weeks now. I have two other older charge controllers running of different solar arrays (MX-60 and FM-60).
I notice on some days the kWh from my Classic was lower than the other two charge controllers when usually it is higher because it is connected to a larger solar array.
Two days ago I notice the input voltage would start around 132 volts and slowly go all the way down to 30 volts. Then it would jump back up to 132 volts and start dropping again. The watts would go down after the input voltage goes below 100 volts. It did this for about 30 minutes before I clicked Bully Reboot. Then it started out at 132 volts slowly went to 102 volts and stayed (which it produces the most watts at that input).
The same problem happened today. And again after I click Bully Reboot, it held the input voltage around 102 volts like I believe it is suppose to.
Both days it had the problem were mostly sunny, but cloudy in the late afternoon when the problem started. In the morning and early afternoon it worked fine.
All three charge controllers bounce between Bulk and Absorb depending on when my Air-condition kicks on.
I believe I have the latest software running.
Any ideas of what could be causing this?
Hi shayler,
I have NO experience with Classic Lites, but, if there is a way for you to try selecting the Legacy P&O mode, which is in the Mode menu on standard Classics, that might help some.
This mode sweeps much more slowly, and may work better for variable cloudy conditions.
I, too, have seen the PV input voltage being dragged down to just above the battery voltage in variable cloudy conditions.
FWIW, my opinions, and so on. Vic
Yeah, normally should not come down to battery voltage unless it is really a shaded array.
Try Legacy P&O and see if it helps for now.
Also, if you can grab the software/firmware revision that would be great so we can make sure.
boB
Ok, I set my Classic to Legacy P&O through the Local App. It was in Settings -> Basic -> MPPT Mode. I have not noticed any problems so far.
I have also click on the check for updates button and it says I have the latest, but I believe it is just referring to the Local App application version 0.3.61 .
The Local App just tells me Classic 200v (rev 4). I could not find a version number of software on controller.
I used Simply Modbus TCP Client to read these settings.
Register
4102 2013 decimal
4103 0408 hex (software build date 4/8/2013)
16387 1370 decimal (build revision of the application code)
16389 1122 decimal (build revision of the communications code stack)
Using the classic_register_map_rev-B3-May-28-2013.pdf
Can you tell if I have the latest software?
The revision info is available on the Status->Info menu on the Local App.
1370 is pretty old -- it will not communicate with MyMidNite if you want it to.
I think we're up to 1849:
http://www.midnitesolar.com/firmware.php?firmwareProduct_ID=1
What atop8918 said!
Needs a more current version.
The line with (build revision of the application code) tells us that.
Tom
I would try turning the other controllers off, and see if it still does this. That would confirm if somethings wrong or not. There will generally a bit of give and take with multi controller systems, one controller is in bulk but the other has absorb, and the one in bulk feels kinda useless, etc. Try to get the set points as close as you can, using a accurate DMM.
Thanks atop8918 for the location of the revision number. That is a lot easier to get than the way I did it. So far running it in Legacy P&O gave me a lot more kWh than the other controllers. More than I recall ever sense having installed it. I never seen the input voltage get much lower than 100 volts either.
I will try to update my Classic 200 tonight and switch it back to Solar mode. I will let you know if I start having the input voltage problem again. Thanks for all your help.
I have been running Classic Rev: 1849 and Network Rev: 1839 for about a week now in MPPT Mode Solar. Today it started to act up again.
Today was very sunny in the morning, but cloudy this afternoon (like before). It was at 5.3 kWh when my other two Outback controllers were at 4.8 kWh and 4.3 kWh. Classic would start at about 130 volts slowly drop down to about 30 volts, then jump up again. When I did a Bully Menu Reboot, the classic held at about 95 volts. This is very similar to before. I have not seen a problem if it is cloudy most of the day or sunny most of the day. Any Idea of what it could be?
Quote from: zoneblue on August 07, 2014, 03:11:59 PM
I would try turning the other controllers off, and see if it still does this.
I think you should take zoneblue's advice and see if this is being caused by one of the other controllers.
The problem seems to happen late in the day... batteries are well into absorb? Maybe the other controller when they sweep are driving the battery voltage up a bit and the Classic is responding.
--vtMaps
As noted previously, I have seen this situation, or one very, very similar with intermittent clouds. The Sweep, looking for the Max Power Point appears to get hung-up, a few volts above Vbat, often for quite some time. Pressing the " Enter " button usually initiates a new Sweep, but usually the Classic will wind up at the same low Vin point within a few seconds. And, during these low Vin episodes, the ideal Vmp for the solar conditions appears to be about 85 - 90 volts. And the Classic 150 seems to like Vbat + 5-ish volts.
Some conversation here:
http://midniteforum.com/index.php?topic=1762.0
Legacy P&O seems to resolve this issue on that system, although the Sweeps are much slower, as one would expect.
At the times where the issue occurs here, there are NO other CCs, or any other charge sources ... all FWIW. good Luck, Vic