Recieved Brand New Classic 150

[svencool]

Friday and got a chance to hook it up today. Just got home and it's midnight here in Ohio Look at it's main screen and where it says IN the Volts are flicking between 0.7 to 0.8? Any ideas? Thanks Mike.....

[finalman]

My IN is sitting at around 5Vs as well with no solar connected wouldn't mind finding out why mine is doing this as well.

[svencool]

I'm not sure if its a firmware thing or not. I tried to see what my firmware was but haven't succeed yet in figuring that out.....

[Westbranch]

It has been around since the first  Classics were made...boB has posted several times about it.  Don't worry. It is just there when the sun goes away and it will be ~ 1/2 of your battery volts

[Vic]

Normally when the Classic is Resting  --  NO PV input power,  Vin shows 1/2 - 2/3 of battery voltage at that time.

0.7 - 0.8 (V)  seems quite low.

To determine the FirmWare version on the Standard Classic,  press the status button about 6 - 8 times.  There is a screen that gives the Classic & MNGP Firmware Versions.

Vic

[svencool]

As far as the voltage being low could that be a wire routing issue? I have 2 100w panels 12v and 2 100ah Deka AGM batteries I have a Tri-Metric 2030-RV installed as well. I have Positive & Negative leads coming from the PV going to CC with an inline Fuse on the positive side. Then I have the battery positive lead going to battery with inline fuse as well. The Negative battery lead going from the CC to the right side of my 500 amp shunt also my wire running to my inverter is on the right side as well. The left side of the shunt has my wire that runs to the battery. Right side of Shunt has the Tri-Metric G1 , G2. Left side of shunt also gets the Tri-Metric Sig wire & the Tri-Metric B1 is running to battery positive. That's the way I was walked through in hooking it up. Just an FYI I also have a inline fuse from battery positive to Inverter as well.

Mike

[Vic]

OK Mike,

The wiring sounds OK.

So,  you have a 12 V battery,  with the two Deka batteries wired in parallel,  assume.

Are you certain that when the Classic is resting,  after dark,  that the input voltage is not 7  -  8 volts,  approximately??

This would make much more sense to me.

And,  also assume that there are no other connections to the PV modules,  other than the Classic and the fuse that you described (??).

As an aside,  fuses are fine,  especially initially when you are getting to know your system.  DC circuit breakers are inexpensive,  MidNite breakers are rated to be used as a disconnect ( a switch) as well.   When you need to service your or add to your system,  having a good DC circuit breaker is quite handy.   AND,  when you need to update the Firmware in the Classic,  you will need to turn off the PV input,  and cycle the battery connection to the Classic.  So having a DC breaker on the PVin and the battery connection to the Classic will be a good thing.

Fuses are a safe circuit protection (fuses and breakers really are there to protect the wiring from getting overheated,  and possibly causing a fire).   Fuses and breakers just need to be sized to the wiring Ampacity of the circuits that they protect.

More later.   Vic

[svencool]

Hey Vic here is a picture taken a few minutes ago and it's almost 10pm here,
http://www.photostrated.com/p725480256/e528e5b49

So what's it look like?

Mike

[Resthome]

Hey Vic here is a picture taken a few minutes ago and it's almost 10pm here,
http://www.photostrated.com/p725480256/e528e5b49

So what's it look like?

Mike

I would try disconnecting both POS & NEG from the PVinput on the Classic and see what IN shows. You did not say the mfg of the panels. Have you ever seen any output from these panels?

[Vic]

Mike,

Yes,  that IS 0.7 V.   A bit troubling.

As Resthome mentioned,  a good test is to disconnect the PV input ...   Try removing the fuse,  at night,  when there is no illumination on the PVs,  and see what Vin does.  And what brand and model number PV modules are you  using?

What type fuses are you using on the Classic's input and output?

DC circuit breakers would be a great upgrade on your system.   Sometimes fuses are a bit tedious to use as a disconnect,  and it is usually not a very good idea to pull a fuse while there is current flowing.   Also,  if a fuse is a bit difficult to use as a disconnect,  sometimes some will simply work on PV input wiring while it is still connected to the Charge Controller (CC).  This is NOT GOOD,  especially if an MPPT CC is still connected to the battery.

Some good,  inexpensive DC breakers:
http://www.solar-electric.com/installation-parts-and-equipment/midnite/cipr1/stfubr1/mnepv.html

And,  these:
http://www.solar-electric.com/installation-parts-and-equipment/midnite/cipr1/stfubr1/pamodccibr.html

Vic

[svencool]

Well the panels are Renogy 100w 12v Panels. It's about 5am here and I removed the fuse from the positive lead coming from the Panels and my voltage went up to 5.2v and my batteries are sitting at 12.7 What does this mean now? Also when i put the fuse back in it drops to .07 to .08 just another piece of the puzzle.

Mike

[Resthome]

Well the panels are Renogy 100w 12v Panels. It's about 5am here and I removed the fuse from the positive lead coming from the Panels and my voltage went up to 5.2v and my batteries are sitting at 12.7 What does this mean now?

Mike

Mike

That is a normal reading and says the controller is normal with the PV disconnected and it should be a similar reading with the PV connected and no sun. Your readings are extremely low with the panels connected.

I would check each panel by themselves and measure the open circuit voltage (Voc) with full sun and short the panel and measure the current Isc with a clamp on amp meter.

You should get number similar to the panel specifications:

Open-Circuit Voltage (Voc): 22.5V
Short-Circuit Current (Isc): 5.75A

[Halfcrazy]

If the PV voltage on the classic is dropping that says something is putting a load on it. Probably not enough to worry about but that's what is happening. The PV input is held up by a pull up resistor to keep some voltage in the PV caps. There is almost 0 current available there but there is some current.

[cmclane28]

Well the panels are Renogy 100w 12v Panels. It's about 5am here and I removed the fuse from the positive lead coming from the Panels and my voltage went up to 5.2v and my batteries are sitting at 12.7 What does this mean now? Also when i put the fuse back in it drops to .07 to .08 just another piece of the puzzle.

Mike

From what I am reading, it sounds like you found some kind of issue with the fuse? You said when you removed the fuse from the positive PV lead your voltage (I assume on the Classic itself) showed up as 5.2 V with a 12V nominal bank. That would be about normal based on what I am reading in this thread. But when you put the fuse back into the positive PV lead the voltage on the Classic went back down to .7 - .8? Might want to try replacing the fuse I suppose. Seems pretty clear that something is up with that.

[boB]

Yeah, if it is only the PV connected to the input of the classic, then the PV is a bit "leaky" but nothing
to worry about.

As long as it works during the day and the PVs are working, I would just leave it as is.

boB