Classic Lightning Damage

[verdigo]

Thunderstorm yesterday. Classic is beeping and indicating a ground fault. I have some array damage as well but have disconnected the grounds of the affected strings and shut off those breakers. Did a restart with no change. I removed the Ground fault 2 pin header from the board and did another restart as well with no change. Should I pull this thing and send it in for repair or does anyone have any other ideas? The  ground fault breaker on the DC side did not trip during the event.

[TomW]

I have seen sky sparks scramble electronics and d no real damage so I like to power down and let sit a couple days before  signing the death certificate. With a Classic you probably should disconnect (turn off breakers) to the batteries AND the panels to completely power it down.

If it took any kind of direct hit rather than just a spike of induced voltage from a nearby strike it likely is damaged.

No guarantee but I would try that before sending it in.

Calling Midnite Tech Support would be wise, also.


Tom

[Westbranch]

did you have any SPDs in use?  they would tell you if a hit happened....

[CDN-VT]

Since Tom started it , I also had a weird start once , I re-powered up the classic and all was fine , I do have many SPD's .

With all off power breakers , classic is black lights ALL off , I hooked a alligator jumper's  between ground & power out and in , shorting all , I also pulled out the back up battery in the MNGP , left it overnight /4 hrs for me at that time.

I started it , , remove all dead outs alligator jumper's between power & gronds & insertered the MNGP back up cell, turned on main battery breaker , and held down both horizontal opposing arrows (as in reboot mode) VMM as some call it.
I had my classic back up without a red led all the time ??

Got me & here , but that cured it ..
Thats all I got , good luck & SPD's are our friend !!

VT

[verdigo]

Since Tom started it , I also had a weird start once , I re-powered up the classic and all was fine , I do have many SPD's .

With all off power breakers , classic is black lights ALL off , I hooked a alligator jumper's  between ground & power out and in , shorting all , I also pulled out the back up battery in the MNGP , left it overnight /4 hrs for me at that time.

I started it , , remove all dead outs alligator jumper's between power & gronds & insertered the MNGP back up cell, turned on main battery breaker , and held down both horizontal opposing arrows (as in reboot mode) VMM as some call it.
I had my classic back up without a red led all the time ??

Got me & here , but that cured it ..
Thats all I got , good luck & SPD's are our friend !!

VT

I did all of that except shorting the power and ground. We do that a lot with cars at my garage to get the computers un logic locked. I am going to do that right now. I will let you know if it works.  One other symptom it displays is (address 255 un-used) It does this every 30 seconds or so.

[verdigo]

did you have any SPDs in use?  they would tell you if a hit happened....

Unfortunately no I did not. It won't be going back into operation without them at least on the combiner and the e-panel. 

[CDN-VT]

OUCH !!!
Like Mr Tom said , Call Midnite & get it in for repair.
I run at least 2 SPD's per setup on a grid & one for sure on a three back woods emergency bunk & eat cabins , outside library is flash light , till this year .

VT

[verdigo]

Already made the call. Waiting on a call back now. Hoping it is repairable.