Classic 150 blank screen after firmware update.

[michaels]

I'd noticed some decreased input voltage to my classic 150 - checked all my connections to make sure they're tight and all were. After reading around  I turned off solar charging on the 150 and turned it back on and my input voltage jumped back up to 60 or whatever it normally is (the system has been working so good I rarely look at it - that just changed!) but then slowly dropped back down to 27v.  I can also get it to jump up if I press the right softkey I think it is - but it goes right back down slowly till it hits 27v.  Sooo I decided to then do a firmware update and all seemed to go well until I tried to update the MNGP and it hung there saying bad cable...turned off 150 and let it sit for a while and with USB cable plugged in and the update screen waiting on the 150 to come on I turned on the 150 and got the error about bad communication.  Played with it for about an hour and finally gave up.  Put the cover back on and connected the blue screen cable and re-attached the front panel and when I fired it up it has a blank screen and the left red lamp stays on which I believe is the comm fault warning.  Anyway - no screen on the 150.  Any suggestions?  It appears to power up ok as I can hear the fan and see the internal lamps going thru power up test - but the red comm lamp on the front cover stays on and screen blank so I have no idea if it's working or not...would love to get that screen back!  Thanks in advance!!

[dgd]

Hi,
Unless I misunderstood, it seems you removed the front cover, disconnecting the short blue cable that goes to the MNGP display, then did the update.
The bad cable message may be because you disconnected that small blue cable.You need to have the MNGP plugged in otherwise the firmware update for MNGP will not work.

The input voltage dropping slowly down to 27v from 60v may be a known issue that occurs in SOLAR mode where input V drops to just a few volts above battery voltage and stays there.
Solution is to use solar LEGACY P&O mode.

dgd

[michaels]

Yes - I did the first update with the cover off and unplugged but subsequent ones I did with it plugged in as I had the same thought.  Maybe that screwed something up.

[dgd]

No I dont think it has broken anything.
Just do the firmware update again but just select the MNGP update and do it.
Remember to stay connected until the black box closes, this may take a minute or so after it says the update is completed after it reaches 100%. I hope you did that with the main firmware update otherwise you should repeat that too.

Then power cycle the Classic and all should be ok 

dgd

[michaels]

Ok - went down there and rebooted the pc - checked to make sure com-8 was still good started the update software and turned on the 150 and it seems to be working!  So far it's 60% done.  This time around I just did the MNGP update and not the 150 itself unless you think I should do it again as well.  It seemed to do fine the 1st time.

[michaels]

It finished and my screen is back!!  Whew!  Now to see if I can find out why the low input voltage all of a sudden!  Thanks for your replies - I thought I broke it! 

[Cniemand]

Whew! I'm always happy when I dig myself out of a hole I put myself into.

[michaels]

<quote>The input voltage dropping slowly down to 27v from 60v may be a known issue that occurs in SOLAR mode where input V drops to just a few volts above battery voltage and stays there.
Solution is to use solar LEGACY P&O mode.

I just caught this in your previous post - wish I had seen it last night and I'd have tried to look that up this morning while I was at home.  It certainly describes my problem to a "t".  I assume that's a setting in the 150?  Wish I was at home - wasting a lot of free sun today!!!

[Westbranch]

If I understand you correctly,
I assume that's a setting in the 150?

It is a function of the hardware components used, and can not be 'set', it is what it is, the readout is ~ 1/2 of the high Vin number for a period of time post sundown and then slowly drifts to a lower number...

hth

[Vic]

Hi michaels,

YES,  Legacy P&O IS a setting in the Mode menu of the Classic.  Be certain to switch the 'Mode' back to ON,  after setting Leagacy P&O.

The Vin being dragged down to several volts above battery voltage seems to occur more often in variable cloudy conditions,  at least for the Classics that I have watched.

FWIW,   Vic

[michaels]

I'm not seeing this "legacy p&o" mode in any of the menus.  I just updated firmware to the latest if that's a consideration.  Maybe it's called something else now?  Just checked the manual that came with the 150 and it does mention it but I surely can't find it - and looking around some of the options or whatever that used to be there no longer are but I assume this is because of the firmware update.

[Vic]

Hi michaels,

Enter the Mode screen,  scroll to the right,  which probably says 'Solar",  and press Enter.  Scroll up or down to find all of the Classic's operating Modes  --  Legacy P & O should be one of them.

Let us know how you are doing.  Thanks,   Vic

[michaels]

Ok I found it - looks like that menu changed as I remember it used to say solar/wind/etc.  Anyway, I selected that mode and turned the 150 back to "on" so hopefully I'll see some more kwh generated tomorrow when I get home.  Nice sunny day here and the log said 4 generated today. 

I need to go on and split these panels up and put some on the FM-60 that's laying on the pool table getting in my way - I'm pushing the 150 pretty hard.

Thanks again all I'll report my findings after I get home tomorrow!

[Westbranch]

Michaels, did you do the Factory Reset after completing the Update...  I did not see it mentioned in your posts. (did I miss it ?)

[ClassicCrazy]

Michaels, did you do the Factory Reset after completing the Update...  I did not see it mentioned in your posts. (did I miss it ?)

And always remember to save your settings using the Local Status App  before you do the factory reset ( VMM) ( and best to save it before the firmware update ) . After you do the reset it will go back to defaults and it is a lot easier to restore all you previous settings using the Local Status app .

Larry