is midnite solar is the best charge controller in the world?

[James1079]

To size your panel strings. I need 2 numbers
1) The Voc number from the sticker on the back of the panel
2) the max input voltage of your controller

1) 37.1
2) 150
at four panels that comes out to 148.4 which is pretty darn close to 150. I think the true question is how much error margin does the Trina solar panel or the Morningstar 60 give me. I'm on the 43-degree latitude in Michigan and once in a blue moon we have some pretty clear cold mornings

[Mike90250]

To size your panel strings. I need 2 numbers
1) The Voc number from the sticker on the back of the panel
2) the max input voltage of your controller

[James1079]

"Plumbers flux is ACID core "

the plumbers flux I used was just to dip the copper wire in. The sodder I used was rosin core electric solder. I guess I would have been better off just not using the extra flux?

[James1079]

Thanks Mike. A good friend of mine had just told me about the acid in plumber's flux that's why I mentioned it. I will cut and redo the wires. Yes I understand the question mark was in the title, and like I said no offense to the moderators, I hope one day that I can help to teach people also, I understand that your purpose is to help people understand solar principles. I guess sometimes that requires editing other people's words to fit the general understanding of the public? LOL. Could I get a quick advisement on string configuration? I think three in a string is my Max for this controller?

[Mike90250]

I edited the title and you must have re-edited and overwrote my edit notes. You did have a ? mark at the end.

....... I did solder the connection with plumber's flux and electrical rosin core solder....

You have ruined several inches of wire and the connectors. Plumbers flux is ACID core and will eat through stranded wire in several months/years.
You have to cut the wire back several inches - past where the flux wicked along the strands. use a proper crimp tool and crimp the MC connectors on the wires.

As to the box, I have used a 6 position combiner box and mixed DC functions in it. GardenSolarCombiner.jpg

[James1079]

Am I hallucinating again, or did someone change the title to this thread? I don't remember putting "IS" in the title( no offense intended to the moderators just curious)?

[James1079]

I hope you managed to make that wire seal waterproof, because MC4s internally
won't survive long when wet. Bruce Roe

It is not tight enough for my sleep well at night standards. the mc4 nut did not tightened until almost to the end before it grabbed. Tomorrow I will either use electrical or Teflon tape 2 tighten the seal. Wich do you think? I did solder the connections since I don't have a crimp tool yet

[bcroe]

I guess this will work to top up my batteries until my solar wire arrives. If you had to pick between white or black to put the female mc4 connector on coming from Source what is your choice?

I hope you managed to make that wire seal waterproof, because MC4s internally
won't survive long when wet. Bruce Roe

[James1079]

I have a $150 budget for Breakers and a combiner / breaker box any suggestions? I was thinking since I just soldered some mc4 connections to some Romex, that worse case I could solder some 15 amp Automotive fuses in between somewhere( to charge my batteries) until I get my breaker box...

[James1079]

Here's my next 2 or 20 hours of work. Haven't had time to get in it to it yet but I really like that it has three Network option ports inside it

[James1079]

https://rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?m...2F272919346977
I bought this 50 foot times two. black and red. It should be here in 4 or 5 days. But now I'm thinking I should have just ordered all black and know to always check with a meter, and label accordingly, since obviously an extension mc4 cable will have one male and one female on opposite ends. Also bought five pair of tees and 10 pair of ends. I haven't decided the string size but I think for my setup, two or three panels in a string?

[James1079]

I guess this will work to top up my batteries until my solar wire arrives. If you had to pick between white or black to put the female mc4 connector on coming from Source what is your choice?( I did solder the connection with plumber's flux and electrical rosin core solder)

[Mike90250]

Thanks Mike can I do that without internet? .....

Yep, my controllers have never seen the internet, just a long haul wireless router to my laptop with an external wifi & antenna

[James1079]

Thanks Mike can I do that without internet? I have a nice router. I am going to the post office tomorrow to return my broken controller.( I considered keeping it for a spare but I couldn't figure out how to hook it to a computer and the LCD screen shows battery voltage about 12% lower than actual, so I'm guessing hooking it to a computer would show the same parameters)

[Mike90250]

I ordered the Morningstar mppt 60. Do I need the optional monitor? Or can I hook it to my computer somehow without it?

The morningstar has a web interface built in. But you will need something between your computer and the Morningstar - A Router. it can be Wired or Wireless (WiFi)
Then you open your browser on your computer and type in the serial number tsmppt12345678 (nope, not my real #)
of the morningstar and you will connect to it, and see either

Logged: http://tsmppt12345678/datalog.html

Logged TristarMPPT60_Logged.jpg



Realtime http://tsmppt12345678/liveview.html
TriStar_MPPT60_3kwPV.jpg