Lazy Classic

[mike90045]

I'd much rather be spending time reading someone elses troubles, then posting mine.

Bright clear day, 50F, battery temp in the 40's.  pre-noon, foggy all morning, Array #1 maxed out, controller still in bulk
array 2, classic 200, 2V short of absorb setpoint, and getting 140w instead of 1400w which I was expecting !! No fans running,  switched the array breaker off - on thinking the MPPT got hung.   Nada.
Switched off the other array, voltage crashed to 60V in seconds,  no change, still lame output.
Any ideas what happened?  Eventually, the array (2Kw) woke up and did some charging today.

[dgd]

Have you tried swapping the two Classics to see if the 'lazy' one stays lazy with different array?
Also check the voltmeters in both are just about identical

[mike90045]

one classic, 3 morningstars.  The classic is on a 170V array.

I  am now beginning to hate even having heard of a 200V controller that would allow me to use all my panels. 

I may decide to rewire my array, drop a pair of panels off (400watts), buy another TS-MPPT-60 and end up harvesting more power.

I would loose the control of the system the Local App gives.

So, if anyone has see how a Classic can be charging low batteries, in bulk, and not be harvesting power (ok, it was 2.2A instead of my expected 22A) and not running hot (it was cold in the shed, all parts of the controller were touchable and fans not running).   help !!

[Vic]

Hi Mike,

Several confusing things from the two images;

The Classic status screen shows that there has been 2.4 kWh produced for the day,  so far (we assume),  and that it is producing about 140-ish W at the time of the image.  So there may have been more clouds,  perhaps,  or SHADING on the Classic 200's array   ...  or a poor connection,  somewhere  ??

Is the LApp image to show the result of switching the Classic Off ?
The LA shows 5.3 kWh,   where did that come from,  verses 2.4 kWh?

Dunno,   good luck,   Vic

[Westbranch]

Mike I see you have V. 2096/2097 FW loaded... 
I assume via XP machine. with XP version not Win 10 Version  ..
How long has it been since the update? 
Was it stable before and right after the update? or?

Like Vic said,   good luck.

[mike90045]

classic was  updated months ago.
the photograph of panel, was just before noon, full sun and battery below the target voltage, indicated by the BULK status. My 1/2 horse water pump was running.

Later that night, I grabbed a screen shot, which showed that day's status, and somehow, during the day, it started working in my absence, and logged 5+ Kwh eventually.

Today, all seemed fine, cranking 1400watts, and had started absorb.  Much less AM clouds today.    It was like the Legacy MPPT got hosed yesterday, and was not tracking and harvesting.

[Halfcrazy]

Did you do a factory restore after the upgrade? Basically the only way the Classic can "Not" produce power when power is available and it is in MPPT mode is to be wrong on the PV Input voltage.

[Halfcrazy]

Also looking at the local app image it looks like you have the Classic set for 12v but charging a 48v battery, I think I would suggest doing a complete factory restore and doing the initial set up again

[mike90045]

Months ago, when I flashed, I did the VMM and then reloaded settings

I have it set for 12v, to have the least temp comp for the batteries, since setting temp comp to 0 removed battery temp reporting.  All I've seen is the meter reads wrong, but the Digits are right.  Battery temp is happy.

With 2 different classic 200's neither worked worth beans, except when set to Legacy P/O mode.  And this one has been happy the last couple months.  Maybe it's been doing this ever since the FW update,  and I've never "Caught it in the act".

[australsolarier]

i have watched the midnite classic taking a rest from honest work before too. in fact just yesterday. the midnite classic decided to output 5w only for about 5 minutes. it then jumped back to full capacity generation. it might be possible that australian workers take "smokos" during work and it thinks this is just the thing to do. this is not the first time i observed this. "force bulk" or "bully reboot" cures it for the moment from taking rests. not a big problem, but certainly a minor nuisance.

i also set my midnite classic the "legacy P&O". the other mode is even more fickle. for example decides there is partial shading in a totally clear blue unobstructed sky and is cycling indefinitively.