Classic shut down: MODE = OFF Orange LED on MNGP blinking

[Westbranch]

Right , and also NO FW updates ever on either Classic, at least by me. 
#647 was updated when refurb'ed by MN.

I would sure like to know why it is showing "12V Batt", it may have something to do with the crash...?

[Resthome]

First the FW Update process:
I had the FW install GUI (May5/14) installed on a W7 Netbook,  and when I plugged in the USB cable I now got the normal 'bing bong' sounds for a new device connected...things were looking up    mistake!

Westbranch, not sure any of this will help but for what ever it's worth, this has been my experience with FW updates. MN is using a software driver to make the USB port emulate a serial port (COM8).  So it is critical to get this driver loaded in order to update the Firmware.

It can be confusing when the USB should be plugged into the PC and when it should not. The same with when the Classic should be powered up and when it should be Powered Down and Powered backup. In my experience the sequence is critical for the operation to succeed.

Chose Cl 150, yet Step 13or 14  in the W7 FW installation instructions NEVER appeared.

This seems to be an issue but it just may be different on the Netbook, don't know for sure.

Step 13. With the power on to the Classic, plug the other end of the USB cable into the PC you are using to install firmware. This driver window will pop up telling you it is looking for the driver.

So prior to this point you do not want the USB cable plugged into the PC. So you install the FW Update software without the USB cable plugged into the computer. After you see the ReadMe file, make sure to Power up the Classic and then plug in the USB cable to the PC.

If you still do not see the installing device driver, wait for a few minutes and see if STEP 14 failure message shows up. You seem to indicate it did show up in your next statement.

Things seemed to jump ahead and  I did get  a W command screen that asked if I wanted to abort the failed install  (??)  (but progress all the same...)

Following the instructions I went looking for the 'other devices ' in step 19 or something like it ....
no go.. nada…

So yes proceed to the Device Manager on the PC. With the Classic Powered up and the USB connected if still no “Other” it would seem to indicate that for some unknown reason the Com serial emulator driver is failing to install on the Netbook. Also look in the Device Manager for PORT (Com & PT). If  no PORT or OTHER its time for the MN experts to step in.

Tonight,  I just  deleted and reinstalled the GUI (May10/14) so will attempt an Upgrade again next weekend...

To uninstall you want to go to  C:\MidniteSolar and look for “uninstaller.exe” , double click on this file to uninstall. Deleting the C:\MidnightSolar folder will not delete all the registry setting.

Question: the GUI and the FW instructions contradict each other , the GUI says to shut of the power and the FW instructions, #13 say to have the power on, when the USB cord is plugged in.. which is correct?  I used # 13… and seemed to get a connection.

These are actually both correct at the appropriate time in the procedure. But the sequence is important. For #13 Power up Classic before connecting USB to the PC. For the Step #24 FW GUI screen you must Power Down the Classic click on the “Update Classic 150V” and wait for the DOS window to open, and then apply Power to the Classic.

Local App use:
I entered the address of the Classic but get Device not Available... seems to be the 502 port that is the issue..

You could have issues here if the version of the Local App is out of sync with the Firmware on the Classic. Not sure but a lot has been added to the LA in the latest versions that would not apply to your current firmware on the Classics until you get the firmware updated. Not sure what version of the LA you are trying to run. Still this shouldn't cause it not to see the Classic. IMHO it seems to be a network setup issue of some kind. You might want to review Ryan's video I posted previous on this topic.

Good Luck, too bad this gets complicated at times, but I'm sure MN will step in and give you a hand at getting it set up.

[boB]

If your Classic cannot be updated, then it may be time for an RMA.  Especially if you have tried
more than one computer and OS.

When you say "12 Vbatt", what does that mean ?  Where do you see that ?  Is that the
nominal battery voltage showing or the batter voltage in the main status screen ?

Are all of the voltages zero in the main status screen  ?  It may be that the MNGP is not talking to the Classic.

There is another way to do a VMM factory/restore if the software updated correctly but the battery voltage
will come up as 12V until changed with the MNGP or the Local status panel...

There are 4 jumpers behind the main power terminal block on the control board...  Power the classic
off and back on and within one minute, install the right-most and the left-most jumpers.
The 3 LED on the control board will flash back and forth.  Then you can un-install those
two jumpers.

boB

[Westbranch]

When you say "12 Vbatt", what does that mean ?  Where do you see that ?  Is that the
nominal battery voltage showing or the batter voltage in the main status screen ?

boB that is the voltage showing on the same page as the FW version data.  These sister CC's were set identically last fall ( AFAIK).  this is the first time I have gone to this page as I had no need..

Are all of the voltages zero in the main status screen  ?  It may be that the MNGP is not talking to the Classic.

It seems that the MNGP is talking to the CC. 
I reset all the '12v' settings discovered on #647's  MGNP,  to mirror #4592,  and the MGNP was reading the same as my DMM when confirming the charger was working or the PVs were working...

There is another way to do a VMM factory/restore if the software updated correctly but the battery voltage will come up as 12V until changed with the MNGP or the Local status panel...
boB

I'll give it another 'regular' try this weekend before trying the jumper technique.

thanks

[boB]

OK, give it another try...

The reason I mentioned the MNGP might not be talking to the Classic is because the firmware version
screen will show 12V if it cannot read from the Classic.  Of course, the Classic FW version
won't show up then or the voltage (150,200,250) of the Classic, either if it isn't talking.

Sounds like of frustrating.  Well, any time things aren't working correctly it's frustrating.

[Westbranch]

Tonight,  I just  deleted and reinstalled the GUI (May10/14) so will attempt an Upgrade again next weekend...

To uninstall you want to go to  C:\MidniteSolar and look for “uninstaller.exe” , double click on this file to uninstall. Deleting the C:\MidnightSolar folder will not delete all the registry setting.

RH, when I ran the new download of the GUI install.exe file, I got a message that the 'previous version needs to be deleted, Do I want to delete?'

Clicked YES and I assume it was a MN prompt, not a W7 prompt...(??) because I had to restart the Install .exe file

[Resthome]

Tonight,  I just  deleted and reinstalled the GUI (May10/14) so will attempt an Upgrade again next weekend...

To uninstall you want to go to  C:\MidniteSolar and look for “uninstaller.exe” , double click on this file to uninstall. Deleting the C:\MidnightSolar folder will not delete all the registry setting.

RH, when I ran the new download of the GUI install.exe file, I got a message that the 'previous version needs to be deleted, Do I want to delete?'

Clicked YES and I assume it was a MN prompt, not a W7 prompt...(??) because I had to restart the Install .exe file

That will work. The word "deleting" as opposed to "uninstalling" had me confused.

[Westbranch]

boB, here are a few pics of the Classic with the 12V designation showing in  pics  11 and 12. ( see next post, 4 max per post)...

FW upgrade finally went through. More later as off to sleep for now.

[Westbranch]

last 2 pics

[boB]

Pretty weird...

When the MNGP (and Classic ?) is first powered up, the MNGP reads the Classic's battery voltage
and tries to figure out the nominal battery voltage.  If it can't read it within a short
amount of time, that's probably the reason it is showing 12V which is the default if nothing
shows up.  Not sure how often this shows up in reality, but I don't think I've seen that
happen in a very long time, if ever.

[Westbranch]

boB, what does that 12 v reading impact? like when it has an unexplained RFR? 
Does that reset all the defaults to 12v?

[Westbranch]

I posted the following last night in another thread:

I Just updated the FW on 2 Classics this weekend! Hurrah.... Had a bit of trouble with #2, so:

TIP1:  always use the same USB 'hole' or the Update may not even start...

I have 3 USB connections on my Netbook. Only the one I successfully used for Updating Classic #1 would 'see' the connection to Classic #2 when I changed the connection.  I tried the other 2, because of physical orientation, but nada...   

Tip2:  allow a good amount of time for your PC and Classic to FINALLY  communicate sometimes it takes several minutes to do so...

Still working on getting comms with the LApp going.  Thought I had it all sorted before we left for the cabin, but something is not just right yet... wish I had a 3 rd Classic here...