MorningStar Tristar or Midnight Charge Controller For Small Off Grid System?

[Amy@altE]

No problem with that Amy from a code POV, but it does allow your competitor to underbid you, and makes the manufacture mo money. So you need to understand the difference between minimum code requirements and biz requirements. One effects the other.
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I'd rather not make the sale than sell what I don't believe in. I also try to prevent the Burning Man reenactments at people's homes.

[Sunking]

I'd rather not make the sale than sell what I don't believe in.

I hear you and respect that. I do the same. Typically I do not even respond to bids if I do not believe in the concept the client wants.

[Mike90250]

When I viewed their website, and the specs for the 45Amp model, it appeared that it did have "data" logging capablity which I assumed meant it allows you to use an ethernet cord to see the information.

But anyway, my main question here is, what makes Morningstar's controller better than Midnight's charge controller that is around the same specs? I definitely want to expand my system in the future, but both controller manufacturers seem to allow that, so I'm a bit lost as to which one to go with.

Whoa. here's my data.

Morningstar Only the MS 60A mppt has the ethernet port. The MS 45A I think, has a serial port (my 60a does) and I connect it to my laptop with a SERIAL-USB adapter. The morningstar MSView program downloads the log files, and also can re-program the settings. MSView is a very powerful program, but the .CSV file it outputs, needs to be massaged in a spreadsheet.
The ethernet is just a Viewing HTML page, not interactive.


Midnight Classic. I've never tried to get the logs out of it, I just need the daily stats that I can read off it's monitor panel (over ethernet) The Classic has a nice ethernet remote control app, I use the float/absorb controls, and the ability to tweak the voltages remotely, enables me to get the two controllers to sync nicely.

With my 2 Evergreen arrays, the Morningstar seems to have a better efficiency and robustness than the Classic. it's also much cooler and quieter (no fans)