I have 3 classic 150's - they have been up for a week. Yesterday I did a firmware update on all 3.
I now have Classic Rev 1849 and Network Rev 1839. Today was a raining cloudy day so there wasn't much sun.
On of my classic's failed to produce at all. All 3 are in Solar mode and are all on! I was looking at the Midnite
Solar Status panel on my computer and notice the 1 that didn't produce said resting(36 unknown), the others just said
resting. Not sure what is going on but this might be an error message. I turn it off for about 30 seconds and it still
came up with error message. Any ideas?
Thanks
Hi ZI Bill,
Did the Classics produce reasonable amounts of power before the FW update?
Did you do the Reset after the FW update? This is done by powering off the PV in, and the Classic's battery breaker. Then press the left arrow keys on the MNGP (since these are standard Classics - not Cl lites). Now while holding these two arrow keys, switch the battery breaker back on, continue holding the keys until you see the wake-up screen -- you probably did this.
Is your system off-grid, Grid Interactive, OR?
What was the Vin to the Classics when you saw the Resting. Assume that one Classic has the 10- 100 W PVs, and the other two each have 12 of the Sharp 250s. Also assume that the Vmp of the Sharps is about 30 V, and that you are running four string of three 250s in series, for a string Vmp of about 90 V. This is the best configuration on a Classic, if the above assumptions are OK.
Sometimes, CCs will Rest when there is another charger that has raised the Battery voltage higher than the Classic would use to charge the battery.
Resting is normal for conditions of too little PV input. AND there a number of additional Reasons For Resting (RFR) ... see RFR Table Link below.
Will look for RFR 36. Looks like 36 deals with battery temp discrepancy between a stored value and a subsequent BTS reading, or similar ...
Here is a link to the current RFR Table:
http://midniteforum.com/index.php?topic=2034.msg19018#msg19018
More later, 73 Thanks, Vic
Quote from: n4zi on December 15, 2014, 07:35:46 PM
I have 3 classic 150's - they have been up for a week. Yesterday I did a firmware update on all 3.
I now have Classic Rev 1849 and Network Rev 1839. Today was a raining cloudy day so there wasn't much sun.
On of my classic's failed to produce at all. All 3 are in Solar mode and are all on! I was looking at the Midnite
Solar Status panel on my computer and notice the 1 that didn't produce said resting(36 unknown), the others just said
resting. Not sure what is going on but this might be an error message. I turn it off for about 30 seconds and it still
came up with error message. Any ideas?
Thanks
I've got the same firmware in a Classic 200. And the same issue - cloudy weather = nearly no output. I found that abandoning the SOLAR algorithm and using the LEGACY P/O algorithm, I got much better harvest in cloudy weather, but not as much as another controller on a sister PV array. Today was an especially bad harvest day:
400 wh 2Kw PV Classic 200
1240wh 3Kw PV Tristar MPPT60
Been running the genset daily now for 2 weeks, and may have sun next week - I hope. If there is no sun, there is no power !
Yes yesterday I got 0.2KW on the 1kw array and 0.8 kw on one of the 3Kw arrays. My shop is off grid for now.I
have very little load usually less than 80 watts shown on the XW when lights are off. I didn't reset any of the classics
after the firmeware update. Some how the (2) are working OK and show the latest firmware. I reset the one with the
error message and it still remained. I had to rest all my voltages, as well as reprogram the relay. It also reads the wizbang
JR. The other 2 dont have external functions. My 440 ah battery showed 375 ah available this morning when I left for
work at 4:30. I hope to get my service disconnect and go grid-tie with battery backup hopefully over the holidays! It
would take a huge battery bank to go off grid with the house. Not ready for that yet! I will see what I get later. I will
get my wife to shoot me a picture of the classics around noon to see whats going on! I have all the classics on a local
area network for now - not sure if I want them on the internet!
Thanks
OK (Bill I think?),
First probably a good idea to reset the other two Classics to factory defaults, then you will need to set your charge parameters back to where you need them. Be certain to reset the Limits of charge voltage range in the "Limits" menu in the Charge menu.
For the shop system, guess that this is 12 V (?), if the batteries are fully charged (there may be little or no use of this system, just now) then there will be very little power "produced", as there is little power required to bring that battery back to full charge. If you were to place a load on that battery, you might see more power output from the PV array ... what was the final charge stage for the shop battery?
Questions:
1. What is the string voltage on the Classics with the Sharp PVs?
2. Are each of the PV arrays with Sharp PVs oriented in the same direction as the other Sharp array?
3. Are you using the Battery Temperature Sensor (BTS) on each Classic, or are you using "Follow Me"?
4. When any of the Classics are Resting, what is the input voltage from PV, into each of these Classics?
5. What is the model number of the Sharp PVs?
6. What is the string configuration on the Sharp PV arrays ... had guessed on this, but what is the actual number of PV modules per string one each Sharp array?
Sorry for all of the questions, BUT, there may be something there that might spark some useful reply to you.
IF, your weather is very dark all day form dense clouds, then it is normal for the PVs to produce almost no power at all ... is you cannot cast a reasonable distinct shadow when standing outside, there is usually little PV output power.
All FWIW. Thanks, Vic
agree with vic, factory reset is essential after some firmware upgrades in particular. There was one that i specifically recall that would not charge after upgrade unless "VMM"ed.
Questions:
Everything returned to normal yesterday! But Sun didn't last long only got about 3.6 kwh overall - guess thats all the
batteries need for a full tank!
1. What is the string voltage on the Classics with the Sharp PVs? suppose to be around 90 volts full load - 108 to 110 voc
2. Are each of the PV arrays with Sharp PVs oriented in the same direction as the other Sharp array? Yes all facing south
3. Are you using the Battery Temperature Sensor (BTS) on each Classic, or are you using "Follow Me"? only on on (1) classic
- I did set up follow me last night!
4. When any of the Classics are Resting, what is the input voltage from PV, into each of these Classics? 108 to 110 v
during the day and 28 to 22 vdc at night - I know that the Classics turn off if there is no place for the energy to go!
5. What is the model number of the Sharp PVs? ND 250 QCS 24 ea 8 banks of 3 - 4 to a Charge controller!
6. What is the string configuration on the Sharp PV arrays ... had guessed on this, but what is the actual number of PV modules per string one each Sharp array? 8 banks of 3 - 4 to a Charge controller!
I realize that I wont get maximum power from my panels until I have somewhere for it to go - I have plans to get my 200
amp service disconnect this weekend and figure out a time to get it installed! Then I will go Grid - Tie with battery backup!
Boy Vic - I am jealous of that battery bank you got there - it's on my want list! I'd also like another 3 kw of panels. My
location here is not perfect and during November, December and January the Sun still dips into the trees. Good thing the leaves are gone! But thats the way the cards play here. Gonna have some Grid-tie questions soon!
Thanks,
Bill
Hi Bill,
Thank you very much for the updated information.
So your string voltages should be fine for the Classics with the Sharp PVs.
Did not really say it before, BUT, even though the Classic with the 10 -100 W PVs might have been doing fine without the Factory Reset after the Firmware update, if you have not done so yet, you should reset that one as well. There might be some things that that Classic may not do well, and you might not know it for some time, and it could take a bit of time to figure out what is up with it, IMO.
So, good luck with the new system. Have Fun. 73, Vic _._ _.... .. _._. . .