<div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr" class="gmail_signature" data-smartmail="gmail_signature"><div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr"><div style="font-size:12.8px"><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in;font-size:12pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Hello Wrenches</p>
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in;font-size:12pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">I am challenged recently troubleshooting a Southwest wind
whisper controller. It is of the type
with a brake toggle switch on the top, and a green and red light indicating
charging and braking modes, with a dump load integrated in the unit itself. The optional display we swapped from the original
controller. The wind machine is a whisper
100. I noticed the controller was bad during a
battery swap. The suspicion was a
lightning strike, as a surge <span class="" id=":1io.1" tabindex="-1" style="">arrestor</span> was blown, and the boards front side was
cooked. Because of <span class="" id=":1io.2" tabindex="-1" style="">COVID</span> the clients\u2019
budget was really tight the cheapest solution was to replace a like for like used
controller which I found from a respected installer who pulled it from a
previously working system. The system
itself I inherited from an installer who\u2019s work I have been fixing for years,
and who\u2019s craftsmanship has proven questionable over and over again. </p>
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in;font-size:12pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">In replacing the new controller, we were extremely careful
to perform all test and procedures found in the manual to ensure the new
controller wasn\u2019t subject to some malfunction that had cooked the first. We
verified the switch positions for 24V on the circuit board and the dump load
was wired correctly as well. The AC
input resistance and voltage were within reason, and the conductors tested out
on the <span class="" id=":1io.3" tabindex="-1" style="">megger</span> as well. That said the associated manual is not very
detailed, and the condition that we are dealing with now is that when
connected, the newer controller has both the red brake light and the green
charging light illuminated on top of the unit and the break is engaged
regardless of the position of the brake toggle switch. There are no details in the manual describing
this condition. We tried power cycling the unit by
disconnecting the battery, and we also tried the reset button on the power board
multiple times. The manual goes on to
state after repeated attempts using the reset button with no result to contact
<span class="" id=":1io.4" tabindex="-1" style="">SWW</span> technical support. I tested the unit
on the bench power supply as well. While
occasionally on start-up I might get a quick light sequence it always reverts
to the same state as mentioned before with the brake engaged and lights
on. </p>
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<span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;font-size:12pt">In the interest of trying to be somewhat concise I did find
some strange anomalies during this fun adventure, but for now, the questions I
have for you all is if you ever have seen this condition and what might have
caused it? Is there a special reset procedure SW Wind had up its sleeve if the
reset button didn\u2019t work as stated in their manual?</span><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;font-size:12pt"> </span><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;font-size:12pt">While I completely respect where the original
controller came from, could it have been failed out of the box if by chance during
their decommissioning the disconnection from either the AC or DC inadvertently happened
inversely?</span><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;font-size:12pt"> </span><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;font-size:12pt">More likely though is there a
sleeping problem I missed that could have subjected the newer controller to the
same issue as the first? </span><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;font-size:12pt"> </span><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;font-size:12pt">If the
resistance and voltage test on the incoming AC side prove in spec, can I rule
out our issue is coming from the tower side, or is there anything else I can
examine? I\u2019ve searched for white papers and called around a fair amount but
haven\u2019t found much direction.</span><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;font-size:12pt"> </span><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;font-size:12pt">Anything
you all could pass on would greatly be appreciated.</span></div><div style="font-size:12.8px"><br></div><div style="font-size:12.8px"><br></div><div style="font-size:12.8px"><img src="http://static.squarespace.com/static/52f26626e4b049d9fe1f4f70/t/52fd4d40e4b0c0844a0eb2de/1393270590052/?format=1500w" width="200" height="72"><br>Jay <span class="" id=":1io.5" tabindex="-1" style="">Pozner</span><br>(970) 642-5554<br><a href="http://www.nunatakenergy.com/" target="_blank">www.<span class="" id=":1io.6" tabindex="-1" style="">nunatakenergy</span>.com</a><br><span class="" id=":1io.7" tabindex="-1" style="">NABCEP</span> Certified <span class="" id=":1io.8" tabindex="-1" style="">PV</span> Installer:<br>Cert.#031310-177<br></div><div style="font-size:12.8px"><img src="http://static.squarespace.com/static/52f26626e4b049d9fe1f4f70/53067822e4b0822d0c7053a4/53067823e4b0ec57163c45a8/1392932899560/NABCEP%20PV%20Seal%20Jay.jpg?format=300w" width="75" height="96"><br></div></div></div></div></div>