A Forum run by Enthusiasts of MidNite Solar

MidNite Solar Monitoring software and hardware => Local App software => Topic started by: toothy on July 06, 2016, 10:06:08 PM

Title: strange local app follow me behavior
Post by: toothy on July 06, 2016, 10:06:08 PM
Hello All

My local app has been spotty, connection wise, with quite a few "device not available"sometimes it works more often not. It used to work fine as did mymidnite both now are a bit goofy.

3 Classics SN-#1-1457-#2-1323-#3-7510

Firmware 2096 and 2097 updated today.

Figuring I had a wire issue I pulled the follow me wire from #1 middle and #2 bottom and put in a new cable. After plugging in, #1 fan spun up, flashy lights and all was well.

I did the same thing between #2 and#3 no fan spin up and no flashy lights.

I did the same thing between #3 and #1 and #3 fan spins up and flashy lights.

Do you all think the lack of #2 spin up and flashy lights would have anything to do with my intermittent local app and mymidnite?

Thanks
Wade



Title: Re: strange local app follow me behavior
Post by: Resthome on July 13, 2016, 08:52:39 PM
The fan spin up and flashing LEDs is the Classic rebooting itself.
Title: Re: strange local app follow me behavior
Post by: Westbranch on July 14, 2016, 12:54:33 AM
did you do a factory reset (Vulcan Mind Meld) on all 3 units?  Don't forget to check ALL settings after a VMM.... ;)

To do it power down and then hold in left and right arrows while powering up,  first connect battery and then PV...
Title: Re: strange local app follow me behavior
Post by: toothy on July 14, 2016, 02:00:48 AM
Resthome,
Now you have me wondering if the flashy fan spin up on #2 is there on power up. I think so, I'm almost sure I would have noticed that.  It's when I plug in the follow me cable between classics that there is a difference between the units. 2 act alike 1 is different. Since the local app works very poorly I was wondering if there was a possible relationship.

Westbranch,
Yes, I've done the VMM on all units and corrected setting and checked multiple times. I even VMMed #2 more than once and also reloaded the FW.

Thanks guys
Wade

Title: Re: strange local app follow me behavior
Post by: boB on July 14, 2016, 03:39:33 AM
AHA !   If when you plug in your Follow-Me cable, the Classic flashes LEDs and fans spin up (test mode),

then it has indeed reset itself and the most likely reason for that would be because the Follow-Me cable is backwards.

A backwards cable will short the power (9V) from the middle jack temporarily, until the internal resettable
fuse heats up and opens and when that happens, the processor will reset from that brief short.

Turn one end of the RJ-11 connector around and that should fix that particular problem.

Also, the Follow-Me will not work when the cable is backwards.

boB
Title: Re: strange local app follow me behavior
Post by: toothy on July 15, 2016, 02:17:21 AM
You lost me boB, not surprising.

It worked pretty well for a couple of years, both the local app and good data on myMidnite.

NO wires were changed and the performance just deteriorated.

Follow me seems to work fine, a few seconds between unit follows but pretty quick.

I'll try some stuff and get back if I can't get it narrowed down. I think I'll run 2 in follow me and one in left field, alternating units and see what happens. I think I'll make all nice new short Cables and see what that does.

2 units do the flashes and spin up one does not when plugging in the follow me cables.

Thanks
Wade
Title: Re: strange local app follow me behavior
Post by: boB on July 19, 2016, 01:09:26 PM
Quote from: toothy on July 15, 2016, 02:17:21 AM
You lost me boB, not surprising.

It worked pretty well for a couple of years, both the local app and good data on myMidnite.

NO wires were changed and the performance just deteriorated.

Follow me seems to work fine, a few seconds between unit follows but pretty quick.

I'll try some stuff and get back if I can't get it narrowed down. I think I'll run 2 in follow me and one in left field, alternating units and see what happens. I think I'll make all nice new short Cables and see what that does.

2 units do the flashes and spin up one does not when plugging in the follow me cables.

Thanks
Wade

OK, as long as it is working...  Do you see the blue LED inside the Classic flash a SHORT blip ?  Or does it
stay on for a second ?  When you see it flash quickly, it means it is reading the registers from the
classic connected to its master connector  (or is it its slave connector ?)

If the LED stays on for a second, which can happen once in a while when connected properly,
it means it has missed that data packet but will get it the next time around.

Sounds like you know what you're doing. So for general information, if one cable is wired incorrectly,
the communications "loop" between all classics will be broken but one Classic may read its neighbor
just fine.  It just won't go around in a circle if one cable is wired wrong.

boB

Maybe you onl
Title: Re: strange local app follow me behavior
Post by: toothy on July 27, 2016, 06:19:23 PM
Thanks boB,

With all 3 controllers in"led 1" I have short blue blip every few seconds.

I have changed all wires including the 240' between gen shed switch and the router. Symptoms remain the same.

The porch sn:7512 is the goofy one, as seen on mymidnite attached.
kestrel sn:1457
garden sn:1325

The porch controller looks different on mymidnite monitoring same values and says "device not available" on the local app.