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Charge Controllers and Clippers => The "Classic" charge controller => Topic started by: kitestrings on May 26, 2021, 03:00:50 PM

Title: Aux2
Post by: kitestrings on May 26, 2021, 03:00:50 PM
Hi all,

We've been happily plodding along with our two, Classic 250's on a wind system here since about 2013.  We also have solar, which is controlled off our original, OB MX-60.  I have one of the Aux2 outputs sending surplus to a domestic water pre-heat tank via SS relays, and it is set up using Waste Not.  Works great.

On these nicer, longer days I sometimes manually turn Aux2 on as soon as there is sufficient output to increase our daily kWh harvest.  Today when I selected Aux, manual On, nothing happened - no amber light, no LED I have on this opportunity diversion.  Sometimes the rubber key might not get hit just right, but this was not the case, as it showed "manual on" on the screen, but relay did not change states.  I tried a couple times, and also tried just manipulating the offset to see if it would pulse in Waste Not; it would not.

An hour or so later I walked by to notice it was pulsing on its own accord, and the manual on/off worked fine again.  I don't think this has ever happened.  I wondered if there was a state - sweeping comes to mind, but we're of course in wind mode - where aux setting are over-ridden?  Or, could there have been something off the keypad I might have inadvertently hit to cause this?  Or lastly, is this possibly a intermittent failure that I might expect to see more of?

Thanks for any help, ~ks
Title: Re: Aux2
Post by: boB on May 27, 2021, 12:12:37 AM

well, I'm not sure but I think there may be some kind of "ghost" in the Waste-Not function ?

Maybe you stumbled onto this problem.  I don't know exactly what it is but maybe it's time to take another look at this ?

What are the WN settings like, width and such ?  But things should NOT have changed if it has been working OK for so long ?

Title: Re: Aux2
Post by: kitestrings on May 27, 2021, 11:19:58 AM
Hi boB,

Nothing has changed recently, and I have seen it happen again.  I have it currently set at -1.0 volts offset with a 1.0 V width.  When the winds are high (and there may be PV output) I increase the offset to ~-3.0V.  This time of year the turbine gets shut down on sunny days and it is only diverting excess PV.  That was the case when this occurred.

CL00415, CL00418, purchased 03/29/11; factory update 11/04/13, Rev 1408.  I've done no updates.  (If it ain't broke.)
Title: Re: Aux2
Post by: kitestrings on May 27, 2021, 02:58:14 PM
That should read, "and I have not seen it happen again."
Title: Re: Aux2
Post by: boB on May 27, 2021, 03:48:18 PM
Quote from: kitestrings on May 27, 2021, 02:58:14 PM
That should read, "and I have not seen it happen again."


Ahhhh OK !   Interesting.

It's gotta be climate change and global warming giving you too much wind !

No. I really don't know.  Keep a eye on it.