[RE-wrenches] Outback Charge controllers resetting to default settings

[Sue Stankevitz]

In the Classic the coin battery does not affect the solar programming of the unit, only the time and date. Did the FM have a date/time setting? I don’t recall for sure, if not it likely does not have a battery in the display. If only we could have boB back, he would know.

Sue Stankevitz
MidNite Solar, Inc.<https://www.midnitesolar.com/index.php>
(360) 403-7207 (XT122)
[cid:image001.gif at 01DC839B.3543FD50]

From: RE-wrenches <re-wrenches-bounces at lists.re-wrenches.org> On Behalf Of Tyrone Houck via RE-wrenches
Sent: Sunday, January 11, 2026 11:48 AM
To: RE-wrenches <re-wrenches at lists.re-wrenches.org>
Cc: Tyrone Houck <tyronehouck at gmail.com>
Subject: Re: [RE-wrenches] Outback Charge controllers resetting to default settings

Hmmm. I don't know..the ones I've seen do it never actually lost power. I had two at the same site do it and my intuition was that the mate was somehow responsible.




On Sun, Jan 11, 2026, 8:34 AM Zeke Yewdall via RE-wrenches <re-wrenches at lists.re-wrenches.org<mailto:re-wrenches at lists.re-wrenches.org>> wrote:
One of my customers thinks it happens after the charge controller loses power due to a battery BMS shutdown.  And the other one, it did happen on the charge controller that was disconnected for a while for a new array being wired in.  So... I'm wondering, how does the FM100 store programming data?  Is it in some sort of memory that requires power?  And if so, does it have a coin battery in there or how does it remember the settings when battery power is removed?  I know this is a common thing in old ham radios of a certain vintage, that they have an internal coin battery to remember settings and after 5 or 10 years, it has to be replaced.  The Midnite Classics also have the coin battery in the display... so, does the FM100 have something like this?

Zeke


From: Tyrone Houck <tyronehouck at gmail.com<mailto:tyronehouck at gmail.com>>
To: RE-wrenches <re-wrenches at lists.re-wrenches.org<mailto:re-wrenches at lists.re-wrenches.org>>
Subject: Re: [RE-wrenches]
Message-ID:
        <CAEqH54=DNxM-buzrijftd+ZpnmkPe_haQy_7539RyxwcFDpSkA at mail.gmail.com<mailto:DNxM-buzrijftd%2BZpnmkPe_haQy_7539RyxwcFDpSkA at mail.gmail.com>>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="utf-8"

I have had that happen before on at least 3 different occasions.
Specifically with the fm100. Totally random and  couldn't come up with a
logical explanation. I just reprogram and roll with it...always seemed odd
though.

_______________________________________________
List sponsored by Redwood Alliance

Pay optional member dues here: http://re-wrenches.org

List Address: RE-wrenches at lists.re-wrenches.org<mailto:RE-wrenches at lists.re-wrenches.org>

Change listserver email address & settings:
http://lists.re-wrenches.org/options.cgi/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org

There are two list archives for searching. When one doesn't work, try the other:
https://www.mail-archive.com/re-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org/
http://lists.re-wrenches.org/pipermail/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org

List rules & etiquette:
http://www.re-wrenches.org/etiquette.htm

Check out or update participant bios:
http://www.members.re-wrenches.org
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://lists.re-wrenches.org/pipermail/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org/attachments/20260112/763c5581/attachment.htm>
-------------- next part --------------
A non-text attachment was scrubbed...
Name: image001.gif
Type: image/gif
Size: 4417 bytes
Desc: image001.gif
URL: <http://lists.re-wrenches.org/pipermail/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org/attachments/20260112/763c5581/attachment.gif>