Report Card for Beta Units...??

[ClassicCrazy]

So our Beta KID with blue LCD displays will be worth a fortune as collector items some day ?   Great !!!!

[dgd]

I noticed this morning that my KID was producing almost no current to battery (under 2A) when in BULK. Bright sunshine and KID's 700W array was clean, no shading ..
Other solar C150 was in BULK making 1800W. Wind c250 making average 200W
They all moved to ABSORB at 29v but after a while the KID was doing nothing saying it was in FLOAT, that was not a problem.

However with other Classics and Trace inverter all showing battery voltage is 29V or 28.9V the KID was showing 28.1V and there was no output to battery.

So I did a factory reset and it went through the setup voltages again. They were all as I had previously set.
Now the battery voltage showed the correct 29V and KID started putting 5A into battery bank.
Is there some sort of auto calibrate of voltages when factory reset is done?

Why would the battery voltage on KID get to 0.9v lower than real voltage?

dgd

[Mario]

I noticed this morning that my KID was producing almost no current to battery (under 2A) when in BULK. Bright sunshine and KID's 700W array was clean, no shading ..
Other solar C150 was in BULK making 1800W. Wind c250 making average 200W
They all moved to ABSORB at 29v but after a while the KID was doing nothing saying it was in FLOAT, that was not a problem.

However with other Classics and Trace inverter all showing battery voltage is 29V or 28.9V the KID was showing 28.1V and there was no output to battery.

So I did a factory reset and it went through the setup voltages again. They were all as I had previously set.
Now the battery voltage showed the correct 29V and KID started putting 5A into battery bank.
Is there some sort of auto calibrate of voltages when factory reset is done?

Why would the battery voltage on KID get to 0.9v lower than real voltage?

dgd

dgd, when I first released the code there was a bug on the Tcomp that would make it mess up the battery voltage in some cases. actually Robin found it in his unit in Hawaii.
Do you Have a BTS connected to it?
What kind of temperature is the kid exposed to?
and also a battery temperature?
Also can you provide the Temps from the kid Menu?

Thanks
Mario

[dgd]

Mario,
It was a hot day yesterday with outside about 26c. Batt temp was 24c and I noticed the C150 was running its fan most of the day. Ambient temp around KID was also about 26c. The KID felt quite warm but still cooler than Classic.
No BTS on KID.
I will get temps menu info when its get hotter today around midday.
I may be incorrect but I really got the impression that the KID was limiting the power it produced as in BULKMPPT mode it was using just a hundred watts or so from a 700w array. Even with hot PVs I would have expected maybe 400 to 500 watts.

Will you have any KID firmware updates available soon

dgd

[Bunkie314]

I noticed a big difference in the battery voltages today.  The kid was saying 14.3 volts and my magnum inverter was .4  to .5 volts lower. I verified that the magnum measurement with my DMM at the battery terminals. I do have BTS installed on the kid and a WBJR. During bulk mppt it goes into a rest mode every so often when its charging fairly well, the Kid case is fairly cold. Battery volts and the kid float together after a few minutes in rest mode. Seems the BTS reads higher than the magnum and a hand held temp gun. BTS of the kid was 2 C and the magnum was -4, temp gun -3. I've got some photos of the voltage readings but can't see how to attach them.

Also noticed the kid input voltage shows 11.7 volts most of the night after dark.

One question about the anticlick sensitivity, 3 to 25 range I determined. I've never heard it clicking on the 8 setting which is the factory setting?  Little explanation on the setting 3 mean? 25 means?

[Westbranch]

I've got some photos of the voltage readings but can't see how to attach them.

Use/click insert Image, left most button above smilies. two  { img ]  will appear, click on 'Attachments below text box, make sure cursor is between  2 'img's',  browse for pic on your computer, double click on the file, now hit " post " at bottom of page

[chris]

Use/click insert Image, left most button above smilies. two  { img ]  will appear, click on 'Attachments below text box, make sure cursor is between  2 'img's',  browse for pic on your computer, double click on the file, now hit " post " at bottom of page

  or you could upload your pic to photobucket and post the IMG link

[Bunkie314]

I just checked the kid again and the BTS is saying they are 28 C, its freezing outside. Magum system is saying temp is 0 C. Interesting part is the kid voltage is compensating but doesn't seem accurate (I have -5.5 mV/cell programmed in for temp compensation). Battery voltage is about 1 volt lower at 14.3 vs the kid showing 15.3. I'm going to run some 8 g wire and inline fuse with a more direct contact to the batteries to make sure its not something I've done with how I've connected in for voltage readings.

On a tablet it seems to limit image options or it could be operator error. Thought about photobucket since I do have an acct.

Oh, FW is 1704.

[Robin]

Mario will have to respond to the inaccuracies pointed out here. I am sure they are all curable, but they will probably have to wait until Andrew gets the new boot loader working. I can comment on the blue LCD display though. We are totally out of beta KIDS. Mario has a couple that he needs for development, Kyle did have two downstairs in the pre-wire area, but we had to steal one of them for a beta site. Doug has one at his bench that he used for manual photos. I may try to get that away from him. I don't have one either. I do have a blue LCD in my desk drawer though. I am saving it for when Mario quits fooling around with stuff!

[Bunkie314]

I checked in early this afternoon on what the kid was doing. Its lightly overcast but should be getting some charging.  Kid said rest mode. Checked in about 30 minutes later and still in rest mode.  Looked at the temperature display and it stated the cpu was at 34 C, FET's at 56 C, and the battery was 27 C. Again its right at freezing by other independent readings. Did a reset and walked through all settings.  CPU at 0 C, FET's at 1 C, and batt at 28 C. It immediately went into bulk mppt charging after turning on solar.  This was the only time I have seen the battery temp change on the display. I reduced the temp compensation a touch (-5 from -5.5 mV). Bulk ran right up to the 15.1 volts and went into absorb. Temp compensation is working but the temp display for the battery is not.  The voltage discrepancy readings don't appear linear and shift around after some period of time.  After I did the reset everything started to come together with other meter checks. I have determined that my magnum battery monitor is reading 80 mV high but I can't get a handle on what the kid is doing.  I didn't think about getting the day and hour run time prior to the reset,  ops.

I hope this is helpful and the correct location to post.

[dgd]

Bunkie314,
this is almost the exact same voltage issues I am seeing on beta KID #28. Reset seems to fix it but it soon starts wandering again 
I eagerly await a firmware update as I think Mario has fixed this problem already 

dgd

[Bunkie314]

Ran and checked temperatures and voltages before work this morning.  Kid off was .2 volts (low ) and the CPU was 27 C, FET's at 56 C, and batt at 28 C. No sun at 5 this morning and 18 F temperature outside.

[Halfcrazy]

The FETs are at 56C with no sun?

[Mario]

Bunkie314,
The temperatures you are seeing are wrong, actually in the code you have (as well as all Betas) when the temperature goes to negative instead of displaying -1 or -2 it will seem like a real big number, and you are only seeing 2 digits it is actually 256 when you see 56 and that is the reason why it didn't come on in the morning because it got fooled and thought the FETs were too hot.

The BATT temp is different because that is in a negative number internally but displayed wrong. I have fixed some of this problems in a new firmware update I have here.
I am testing the new bootloader updater so we can distribute this new revision soon and it should fix the problems with your Kid.

Mario

[Bunkie314]

Mario,

Really hasn't been cold here this year, could possibly be chilly the next couple days. Single to double digit negative F forecast overnight the next few days, but we are on the warming trend now. Any other info I could provide?  Battery temp did go from 28 to 27 once before, don't remember any of the other specific conditions when it did. The WBJR temp seems to be right in the ballpark.

Sometime during the day it figured itself out without intervention from me, charged the batteries, and temps are lingering around 0 C at 8 PM (might be a couple degrees high, but I don't have a calibrated instrument and am comparing to ambient temp)

Hope this was helpful.