Lite resting in full sun code 0 - unknown

[daneltravieso]

Hi.
I'm now entering day three of full sun with my Lite refusing to let the power through to my batteries. I'm on an off-grid system on a boat in London and three days of full sun in a row is about as rare as.... well it's pretty frustrating anyway.
The input voltage from the panels is normal and correct, the charge mode is correct and the solar is "ON", the control panel tells me it's RESTING LOW LIGHT (0 - UNKNOWN).
The troubleshooting in the manual is rather wanting.
Any ideas?

[dgd]

Are you testing the  input voltage with a voltmeter at the input terminals of the Classic?
Checked all the ipnut wiring/connections are secure?  input polarity correct?

dgd

[boB]

Hi.
I'm now entering day three of full sun with my Lite refusing to let the power through to my batteries. I'm on an off-grid system on a boat in London and three days of full sun in a row is about as rare as.... well it's pretty frustrating anyway.
The input voltage from the panels is normal and correct, the charge mode is correct and the solar is "ON", the control panel tells me it's RESTING LOW LIGHT (0 - UNKNOWN).
The troubleshooting in the manual is rather wanting.
Any ideas?

What is the battery voltage and what is the input PV voltage sitting at ?

I'm not sure what you mean by it is correct ?

Reason for resting 0 means that it has not woken up and gone to Resting yet.

Thanks,
boB

[daneltravieso]

Thanks for the replies, I should clarify: The system is virtually brand new, running only six months. All the batteries are topped up, the connections are good and the polarity is correct. When I read the battery voltage with a meter at the battery terminals it is around 75v (this is a 72v bank) and this reading does not change with the Lite switched on or off. The solar mode is "ON", the input voltage is higher than the battery voltage - in this case around 93v and the temperature readings are all as normal, ie as they always have been whilst the system has been running. I've checked for firmware updates through the local app and none were available.

[Halfcrazy]

Hm 93 volts may be to low. The Classic needs 1.33% of its Battery voltage on the PV side in order to turn on. So in this case it is looking for 99 volts in before it will turn on. This is because it knows the MPPT voltage will below battery. I would try one of two things to verify my theory. Put a load on the battery and get it down to the 70-72 volt range and see if it turns on. The other thing you can try is switching to Legacy P&O it will turn on at a lower voltage.

Ryan

[daneltravieso]

Thank you Ryan! Switching to Legacy solved the problem - and just in time before I ran out of power to send you this! The one single factor in the whole system that HAS changed is, of course, an ambient temperature rise - a very rare thing in England - that has reduced my input voltage ever so slightly. You're a bloody genius Ryan; the stereo is back on, the laptops are charging, life is sweet again!

[vtmaps]

When I read the battery voltage with a meter at the battery terminals it is around 75v (this is a 72v bank)

Hi Danel,  What sort of inverter do you have?  I'm not familiar with any inverters that can take a 72 volt imput.  Are your batteries lead acid?

--vtMaps

[daneltravieso]

Lite resting in full sun code 0 - unknown AGAIN! The Legacy fix worked for a whole day (yesterday) but today the Lite won't pass thro the power again. Input voltage 97v.
So still searching for answers on this one..........

[Halfcrazy]

Well I suspect it is the same issue. The panels must be a little warmer today? The Input Voltage is just to low for a 72 volt battery. I assume these are 3 panels in series? If so is there any way you can reconfigure for 4 in series?

Ryan

[boB]

Lite resting in full sun code 0 - unknown AGAIN! The Legacy fix worked for a whole day (yesterday) but today the Lite won't pass thro the power again. Input voltage 97v.
So still searching for answers on this one..........

Reason for Resting number 0 (unknown) actually IS known... What that means (0) is that the Classic
has not gone to Resting... Probably because it has not woken up yet.

I am trying to see if we can change the Local App to get different RFR numbers.
This is where the regular Classic with MNGP is maybe easier to deal with since
it gives you a lot more information than you might not see otherwise with just
the Local App.

One piece of information that is not being shown is when your input voltage is
too low for the Classic to turn on.

In your case, you have a 72V battery with only 97 volts input which is most likely
too low.   The input voltage will need to be  Battery Voltage +  1/3 of Battery Voltage
minus 2 volts to turn on.
So, if your battery voltage was 75 volts,  you would need at least  75 + 25 -2 = 98 V
input in order for it to turn on.

boB

[chouinardstable]

i have same problem , charge status resting 0 unknow , show 0 volt but i have voltage but i must disconnect the controler to check it .  i have 2300w ,150 volt , outback 3648 . i did connect just 3 pannels to lower the voltage but no result ,

i start to be piss , thats the second unit .

Paul

[chouinardstable]

Is it possible my cooling fan dont work ? , was very noisy and the temperature is  FET 27.6C , PCP 33.9C and Bat 23.5C

[TomW]

i have same problem , charge status resting 0 unknow , show 0 volt but i have voltage but i must disconnect the controler to check it .  i have 2300w ,150 volt , outback 3648 . i did connect just 3 pannels to lower the voltage but no result ,

i start to be piss , thats the second unit .

Paul

chouinardstable;

I would suggest you open a new thread on your problem. You will likely get better help that way for your specific problem.

Give more details on what you mean by show 0 volt but i have voltage but i must disconnect the controler to check it . . It probably is a completely different problem.

Please post a new thread with as much information as you can and the Midnite and forum folks will help get your problem  sorted out quickly.

A new thread will help avoid confusion  and make finding a solution faster and easier.

Tom

[Halfcrazy]

Well 0 volts is a sign of a couple things. Please call in to tech support so we can help you out. Do you have your RMA# handy or the last name of the RMA so I can look into what happened to the first one?

Ryan

[daneltravieso]

Thanks boB for that info on code 0. It is definitely an under voltage problem, however, reconfiguring the panels results in a much worse hyper voc problem in winter (the panel ocv is 52v so I have them in banks of two, banks of three was hyper voc in winter). Switching to Legacy mode has virtually solved the current problem except this issue with getting the Lite to "wake up" - once awake it will claim to be bulk charging at a much lower voltage than it takes to wake it up in the morning. Yesterday it rested all morning with inputs in the mid-nineties and finally woke up around lunchtime, I didn't notice what voltage that was, later in the day it was bulk charging at inputs in the mid-eighties. Still, today it got up a bit earlier! Have I just got a lazy teenage Classic? Next thing it'll be having afternoon naps after getting too stoned at lunchtime.
It's a shame about the shortcomings of the Local App software; and the Midnite troubleshooting for these devices.
Cheers all.