chrisski
Solar Boondocker
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- Aug 14, 2020
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- 5,179
I appreciate it. I thought I entered the model number in. Perhaps I got it wrong. Nice charge controller. I have not looked at many SCCs over 150 volts.
Midnite - Victron - Other - Help me choose
- Thread starter Bigtruckin85
- Start date
Bigtruckin85
New Member
I had also been looking at the Midnite site, and hadn't seen it until sales dept directed me to it. I guess it likes to hide.
. The panels I have are a weird VOC at 85.6. Most SCC's can do 150 or 250. So either one panel, or two panels in series, with a bunch of head room. That's why I liked the Classic 200 because I could do 2s5p efficiently. With the 5048DIY, it also pretty much uses exactly what it is expected at 5s2p. If my understanding is correct.I have been using Midnight Classic 150’s for quite a few years with no problems. The programming is built in with no need for an external programming device. there is a Rs-485 port for communications with external devices but the most important point.....heavy cast aluminum cases as heat sinks...heat kills electronics..the better the radiator the better the heat dissipation. That coupled with the brightest design team in the industry , and product support that no other company even approaches..
And yes I do use the Whizbang Jr. with the Deltec shunt to accurately monitor the battery status.
I have seen quite a few of the less expensive Victron units, they all are plastic sealed units that are not serviceable. They have no external heat sink, also programming requires that you supply an external device via bluetooth which sucks, hasn't worked on a single installation or the way too expensive victron connect which is more money than the charge controller, they want to sell you all their consumer grade devices as a network.
I did a whole career in american high tech and do recognize top grade product.
My system:
Midnight Classic 150 .... two
Midnight Kid ....two
MagnaSine MS4024AE
Exeltech XP 1100.......ultra low EMI/RFI for radio
Exeltech XP-600 “ “
Samlex DC-DC converters low noise, low EMI/RFI
Rolls Surette S-530 L-16
All tier one product, never had a system fail
And yes I do use the Whizbang Jr. with the Deltec shunt to accurately monitor the battery status.
I have seen quite a few of the less expensive Victron units, they all are plastic sealed units that are not serviceable. They have no external heat sink, also programming requires that you supply an external device via bluetooth which sucks, hasn't worked on a single installation or the way too expensive victron connect which is more money than the charge controller, they want to sell you all their consumer grade devices as a network.
I did a whole career in american high tech and do recognize top grade product.
My system:
Midnight Classic 150 .... two
Midnight Kid ....two
MagnaSine MS4024AE
Exeltech XP 1100.......ultra low EMI/RFI for radio
Exeltech XP-600 “ “
Samlex DC-DC converters low noise, low EMI/RFI
Rolls Surette S-530 L-16
All tier one product, never had a system fail
Hedges
I See Electromagnetic Fields!
- Joined
- Mar 28, 2020
- Messages
- 20,535
Looks like the MN5048DIY isn't a charge controller, it is an inverter/charger with MPPT charge controller.
At $1,246.00, definitely worth a try.
It says 10,000 VA surge and 4 HP. 5 seconds over 125% of rated (5000W), maybe that's how long the surge lasts.
At $1,246.00, definitely worth a try.
It says 10,000 VA surge and 4 HP. 5 seconds over 125% of rated (5000W), maybe that's how long the surge lasts.
Bigtruckin85
New Member
Midnite doesn't sell direct, so that price is the suggested retail (which as with most manufactures is usually stated higher than what it actually will be). I was quoted around 900, plus tax and shipping, ending up around $1000. The separate classic and inverter/charger I was looking at would have been around $1500 before any tax or shipping. So it definitely is seeming like a good route to go.
I don't expect to need the 5000W for awhile to be honest. My issue would be the actual quality of the inverter.
There is quite a huge difference in quality between that asian midnight inverter/charger imported by midnight and a true American made product like the Washington designed and all American built Midnight Classic Charge controller and the soon to be released Midnight Rosie inverter.
I have a pile of asian made products which have failed in service, a few in my use but mostly other people who bought tier 2 offshore products which are only supported if you pay the shipping back to china and then back to the USA which is far more than the unit costs in the first place.
I had two EP solar charge controllers which did their best to destroy my Rolls Surette batteries by failing to fully charge them as they were designed for car batteries and had no adjustable settings for true solar batteries, They were sold as is and came back to bite me in the butt once again. I had to buy them back and they are still in the trash pile along with 4 assorted chinese all in one combo inverters/chargers which failed to operate properly leading to failed installations and includes a brand new Best Sun Powerwall which was scrapped for the lithium batteries as all else was tier 3 chinese garbage.
The other thing upsetting is the fact that most chinese solar gear is not legal here due to the fact that it is not
”LISTED TO U.L. 1741 by a NRTL”
that statement appears in the National Electrical Code and is a requirement of code approval for installation in a building in the USA
The statement “ Tested to U.L.“ means absolutely nothing....
tested by whom?
Franks french fry shop?
Bob,s muffler ?
NO.......it must be “LISTED TO U.L. 1741 by an NRTL”
OK.....so what is an NRTL....that is a Nationally Recognized Testing Laboritory which is a designation issued by the U.S. OSHA (Occupational Safety and Hazards Agency) to a testing laboritory which is recognized by OSHA and designated by OSHA as a NRTL.
So what is the bad in that....
The building inspector can refuse to sign off on your installation
BUT WAY WORSE......If you burn down due to the “non code installation” your insurance has no obligation to cover your losses as insurance companies do have a requirement to be compliant with the NEC....the National Electrical Code. That requires all electrical devices to be listed by a NRTL to the application.
An outlet that is U.L. listed for a single family home is NOT listed for a commercial building, store, church, barber shop etc. It must be listed for the application intended....
However it is acceptable to use that $4.00 commercial outlet in your house where the code only requires a .39 cent outlet.
I do not ever install .39 cent outlets.......my standard is the commercially rated $4.00 outlet
I have never had a system fail in over 20 years of doing commercial , industrial , and residential electricity
NO OTHER testing laboritory can list to U.L. period...most chinese gear is not “LISTED TO U.L. “
I have a pile of asian made products which have failed in service, a few in my use but mostly other people who bought tier 2 offshore products which are only supported if you pay the shipping back to china and then back to the USA which is far more than the unit costs in the first place.
I had two EP solar charge controllers which did their best to destroy my Rolls Surette batteries by failing to fully charge them as they were designed for car batteries and had no adjustable settings for true solar batteries, They were sold as is and came back to bite me in the butt once again. I had to buy them back and they are still in the trash pile along with 4 assorted chinese all in one combo inverters/chargers which failed to operate properly leading to failed installations and includes a brand new Best Sun Powerwall which was scrapped for the lithium batteries as all else was tier 3 chinese garbage.
The other thing upsetting is the fact that most chinese solar gear is not legal here due to the fact that it is not
”LISTED TO U.L. 1741 by a NRTL”
that statement appears in the National Electrical Code and is a requirement of code approval for installation in a building in the USA
The statement “ Tested to U.L.“ means absolutely nothing....
tested by whom?
Franks french fry shop?
Bob,s muffler ?
NO.......it must be “LISTED TO U.L. 1741 by an NRTL”
OK.....so what is an NRTL....that is a Nationally Recognized Testing Laboritory which is a designation issued by the U.S. OSHA (Occupational Safety and Hazards Agency) to a testing laboritory which is recognized by OSHA and designated by OSHA as a NRTL.
So what is the bad in that....
The building inspector can refuse to sign off on your installation
BUT WAY WORSE......If you burn down due to the “non code installation” your insurance has no obligation to cover your losses as insurance companies do have a requirement to be compliant with the NEC....the National Electrical Code. That requires all electrical devices to be listed by a NRTL to the application.
An outlet that is U.L. listed for a single family home is NOT listed for a commercial building, store, church, barber shop etc. It must be listed for the application intended....
However it is acceptable to use that $4.00 commercial outlet in your house where the code only requires a .39 cent outlet.
I do not ever install .39 cent outlets.......my standard is the commercially rated $4.00 outlet
I have never had a system fail in over 20 years of doing commercial , industrial , and residential electricity
NO OTHER testing laboritory can list to U.L. period...most chinese gear is not “LISTED TO U.L. “
Midnite Beta Tester
Just Testing
Comment on listing. The reason most of the cheaper inverters/charge controllers etc. are not listed? $$$$$ it costs tens of thousands of dollars to get an NRTL listing. UL, ETL etc. The testing guidelines are extensive! From "are they using sheet metal screws or machine screws" to nearly 4000 volt "Hipot" tests between chassis ground and the devices input. If you are off grid with no homeowners ins. then Listed to U.L. or ETL etc. is not an issue. Unless you actually care about your home burning down....Listed products do fail and burn down buildings. But as Tecnodave has mentioned, if listed and you have ins. then getting a check made out in your name is much more likely when/if disaster strikes.....
Hedges
I See Electromagnetic Fields!
- Joined
- Mar 28, 2020
- Messages
- 20,535
My concern with non-UL listed is anybody can make anything that sort of functions, without understanding FMEA (Failure Modes and Effects Analysis) so more likely failures lead to hazardous conditions. Not that it can't happen with UL listed as well, but that is a bar that indicates some competence and review. Like construction that passed city permit inspection, so obvious common errors are probably caught.
Bigtruckin85
New Member
Does anybody have experience with SunGold Power inverters, or AIO's? Searching for them here or anywhere else doesn't come up with a whole lot of first hand experience. I was notified a few days ago that they had a new AIO that to my untrained eye seems a lot like the MPP LVX6048. The one from Sungold Power seems to have 120 amp charging, vs 100 amp from the MPP. The Sungold Power 6048 does not specify a surge capacity. I asked their customer service and was told the inverter is not LF or HF and they suggested it has a 20% surge. I don't know enough to know if that seems legitimate. I didn't see a surge capacity in the LVX6048 manual either. I would guess that customer service is based in China for Sungold Power, so that is something to consider.
I have taken in the info regarding UL listing, but it seems like getting a product that has been listed requires jumping to a higher price range than I am ready for. And this is intended to be an off grid build.
Sungold AIO
Anybody have thoughts/experience with these or with Sungold Power?
I have taken in the info regarding UL listing, but it seems like getting a product that has been listed requires jumping to a higher price range than I am ready for. And this is intended to be an off grid build.
Sungold AIO
Anybody have thoughts/experience with these or with Sungold Power?
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