Hi, everyone!
Still have unresolved problems charging with the HB, and frankly, it's really getting under my skin.
I have 6kWp array. Bright sunny day. It's 50ºF outside. Batteries report 75%, and the HB is producing ZERO current!
Now, give it some time, I didn't keep track of how long, and I start to see current flow. At one point this afternoon, I was watching 65A going into the batteries.
I did notice, the current dropping and it went to zero, yet the sun was shinning. HB was reporting BULK charge, but wasn't.
Then checked it again ten minutes later, ZERO power. Same sun, same batteries.
That's not low current. It's ZERO current flow.
HB reports 470ish volts with no current being produced. Batteries at 75% so there is plenty of storage available.
I don't know what's wrong. Is it the HB? It's not warm, fans don't even come on. No breaker popped. Everything appears as right as can be, except on a perfectly sunny day with 6kWp array into batteries that need charged, the charge controller is setting at ZERO current.
Using my old lead acid batteries and the Classic 150, same array, same sun, I didn't see any such operation.
Yesterday, HB reported FLOAT, and ZERO current flow, yet the batteries were being discharged at 12A!
How is that even possible? Float with no current to the batteries, yet the batteries are discharging?
Firmware is 25.12.2
Mike
Yes, that is known bug in that version firmware, update to 26.1.14.0 and it will be fixed. This version is on the MN Production app (magenta/purple app icon).
Quote from: Wizbandit on October 17, 2026, 12:06:08 PMYes, that is known bug in that version firmware, update to 26.1.14.0 and it will be fixed. This version is on the MN Production app (magenta/purple app icon).
Thanks!
However, I can't get the uploader to work. It says 'scanning for device' and just sits there and spins. At the top of the screen it says tap device card to connect. What is that and where is it?
I restarted the android tablet, uninstalled the uploader and reinstalled it. No joy!
I verified that blue tooth was on, on the android table bluetooth screen it sees the two mngp2, the batteries, but not the rosie or the HB.
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UPDATE!
Changed from the Android tablet to my iPad. The iPad saw the devices and I was able to upload the 26.1.14.0 firmware.
HB tripped the array breaker off, and then sat there for over 20 minutes with the screen saying there was no MPPT device.
Remembering from earlier experience, not to start pushing buttons while the firmware is doing its install thing, I waited and waited, and waited some more. After 30 minutes I decided that was long enough, so i pressed the MPPT button and whoa! There was Hawk's Bay. Turned on the array breaker and it's producing 68A in the batteries.
I will keep an eye out on it to make sure it's not doing bad things.
Checked on the firmware, and it reports 26.1.14.0.
mike
The last part of what you said about it being in float but drawing power out of the batteries. That is sort of normal with lithium batteries after it gets done with absorb, it will go to float but the battery voltage is above the float setpoint . So power is going to come out of the batteries until it gets to the float setpoint - which will sometimes then show SOC 98 or 99 % .
Usually after firmware update you do a reset and you will have to enter all your settings again. I forget if you can just reset one device via mngp2 - like look for reset in the Hawkes Bay menus and it will not reset the Rosie.
Larry
Set "REBULK" TO 53.5v with Float = 54.2v and all will work better.
I set "ENDAMPS = 1" and Absorb Time to 20 min because Lithium have a SSR that cuts charge input to "0" amps when they are full and 90 seconds later REBULK forces a drop to FLOAT.
I almost never see Absorb timer hit MAX.
This is only for "Lithium Chemistry" in "Open Loop" control.
Quote from: qrper on October 17, 2026, 12:42:51 PMYes, that is known bug in that version firmware, update to 26.1.14.0 and it will be fixed. This version is on the MN Production app (magenta/purple app icon).
Changed from the Android tablet to my iPad. The iPad saw the devices and I was able to upload the 26.1.14.0 firmware.
HB tripped the array breaker off, and then sat there for over 20 minutes with the screen saying there was no MPPT device.
Yes, it does not dynamically auto update the MPPT status, you need to keep pressing "MPPT BUTTON" every so often for it to check...
(Same for a Rosie Update... I have RMA'ed 3 Rosies this year from users power-cycling a Rosie in the middle of a 5-7 minute update from being impatient breaking the update, don't do it)
Quote from: Wizbandit on October 18, 2026, 08:07:17 AMSet "REBULK" TO 53.5v with Float = 54.2v and all will work better.
I set "ENDAMPS = 1" and Absorb Time to 20 min because Lithium have a SSR that cuts charge input to "0" amps when they are full and 90 seconds later REBULK forces a drop to FLOAT.
I almost never see Absorb timer hit MAX.
This is only for "Lithium Chemistry" in "Open Loop" control.
I will change the settings today, and see what happens. I have to admit, after using lead acid for over 50 years, the lithium batteries are kind of a pain in the butt.
mike
mike
Quote from: qrper on October 18, 2026, 09:48:51 AMQuote from: Wizbandit on October 18, 2026, 08:07:17 AMSet "REBULK" TO 53.5v with Float = 54.2v and all will work better.
I set "ENDAMPS = 1" and Absorb Time to 20 min because Lithium have a SSR that cuts charge input to "0" amps when they are full and 90 seconds later REBULK forces a drop to FLOAT.
I almost never see Absorb timer hit MAX.
This is only for "Lithium Chemistry" in "Open Loop" control.
I will change the settings today, and see what happens. I have to admit, after using lead acid for over 50 years, the lithium batteries are kind of a pain in the butt.
mike
mike
I also had issues with charging via my hawkes bay until I raised the rebulk. I have my rebulk set for 53.2v and 0 end amps and 54 v float. I have other controllers on my system - a Classic and a Victron so I needed to tweak settings on all of them so they play nice with each other.
When you get those settings dialed in , you will be amazed at how much faster lithiums charge compared to lead acid. When you had lots of power available with lead acid, the controller would cut back the current . With lithium , your solar array can put all that power into the batteries.
Larry
When I got up this morning and checked the batteries, they were sitting at 80% and reported a voltage of 53.2.
Hawk's bay status was "FLOAT" yet was charging at 1800W.
I set the defaults as in this message string, and cycled power. HB came back on with "BULK" and charging at 2600 W. It was a few hours later, and more sun hitting the panels now.
So far, I've spent more time looking at this Hawk's Bay than my wife.