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Update
July 29, 2010 |
Classics are now scheduled to ship at the end of September
2010. Learn More About Pre-orders. |
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Update
June 21, 2010 |
More Data collected as we have a few more mostly sunny
days (well almost).
  
Click Image to Enlarge
First Photo: The clouds kept coming! The Classic was holding its
own against the FM60. As it should be since they were the brain-child
of the same person.
Center Photo: Almost all sun after Noon.
Right Photo: Not sure what happened, the Classic Gen2 beat the FM60
by 0.5 KWH today. I checked all the breakers in the combiner box and checked
the shunt box. All looks normal. The rapid cloud cover / sun burst
are really messing with the MPPT Tracking code. |
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Update
June 18, 2010 |
More Data collected during especially cloudy days. Great for
testing the responsiveness of the MPPT Tracking code.
Click Image to Enlarge
First Photo: The Baseline Comparison of MX60 to FM60. It was a
rather clear / sunny day.
Other Photo: Various Days of comparison between the Classis GEN2
that is using the array from the MX60.
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Update!
June 6, 2010 |
We have several days of data collected so far. The
Classic GEN2 MPPT Tracking code is relatively solid. There are some days
with lower production and some with higher production. New software is
coming out soon... The schematic shows how the the Charge Controllers are
connected to the System. The Outback FN-DC is using 3 shunts, one for the
inverter, and one for each of the two Charge Controllers that are on deck
for testing. We are in the processing of adding two more charge controllers
and may feed those to the Inverter shunt to help isolate the charge
controllers that are being monitored. (The reason for adding two more charge
controllers is more comparison and to simply add more Production Capacity)
 
Click Image to Enlarge
Left Photo: The Charge Controller System Schematic for our System.
Center Photo: The Classic GEN2 is producing power! Yea!! Beta is underway.
Right Photo: Data Collection Image. |
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Update! May 2010 |
I moved our beta Classic GEN2 from the Display Board to our Development and Testing
System. First, we added a FLEXnet DC
and new MATE. The Wiring Duct makes adding, removing and changing Charge
Controllers and other devices quite easy...
Click Image to Enlarge
Left Photo: Open up all the charge controllers to move certain
Negative wires to the new shunts for monitoring.
Center Photo: Wire the Classic to it's own shunt and input & output
breakers. Move Array 2 from MX60#2 to Classic Input.
Right Photo: Two arrays are connected to two charge controllers at a
time. One MX60 can rest for a while. |
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The Classic April 2010
Update |
We received our first Classic 150 Beta!!!! It is
a Generation 2 revision and will show some of the
features coming in the Production units
I wired the Classic GEN2 into a display board for the
required dog & pony show. The display board is our 3D
Backplate and allows the wiring to run behind the stuff for
a very clean look.
Click Image to Enlarge
Things I noticed right away:
· Built in Ethernet Port (data logging and software/firmware updates)
· Built in USB Port (data logging and and software/firmware updates)
· Terminal Bus Bar for # 6 AWG (or maybe # 4 AWG) wire
· Ground Terminal is UP facing
· Master Upstream / Slave Downstream Communication / Sync Ports
· The faceplate and buttons are actually a MATE Style REMOVABLE REMOTE
(Just add CAT5/RJ45 cable)
· 9 FETS for Power Output, two transformers for MPPT (looks like a third
for measurement, still need to dig deeper)
· 3 (yes three) ball-bearing fans for cooling, two down below for the
internal electronics and one at the top for the external
heat sink fins |
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The Classic March 2010
Update |
MidNite fine-tuned (clarified) the model numbers for
production Classic Charge Controllers. Classic 150 (
150Voc Input )
Classic 200 ( 200Voc Input )
Classic 250 ( 250Voc Input )
The Number after the name indicates the highest input
voltage threshold for the controller.
For the Classic 150, it looks like preliminary data shows
80 or 90 Amp Output! (You'll want to use or convert over to
Panel Mount Breakers!) The Graph to the right is an earlier
version, who knows what the final specification will be. It
could be lower for longevity or higher if the thermal
management software holds out.
For the higher voltage controllers, like the 200 Voc and
250 Voc unit, the maximum output current will likely be
lower than 70 or 80 Amps.
You can see this in the data, especially at higher
voltage battery banks. |
Click Image to Enlarge |
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The Classic February
2010 Update |
MidNite Solar made it to another milestone for the Classic and
it is now in its second wave of testing. The Classic will be
the first to have voice prompts built in, among several
other ground-breaking features. Take a listen to Milli,
the new voice in RE:
MidNite-Robins-Milli.mp3
Also, model numbers are guessed to be:
MNCLS90-150
MNCLS80-200
MNCLS70-250
That's right, higher current controller is on its
way and higher voltages will also be available soon!
Another feature that has a few of my customers ready, the
Classic is also a MPPT Wind Controller. Advanced software
will give the Classic the ability to Track Wind Turbine
output, squeezing the power out of them...
All I can say is:
WAY COOL!!
Read the
February 2010 news from MidNite |
Click Image to Enlarge |
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The Classic |
MidNite Solar is hard at work developing their next product,
the Classic Charge controller. I had a chance recently to meet
Robin Gudgel founder of MidNite Solar at my favorite Starbucks
in Austin, Texas. He brought the current prototype of the
Classic and we spent time looking the features, talked about
the latest software in the works and discussed other solar
related items. All I can say is:
Cool!
Click Image to Enlarge Update:
The Classic in now in beta testing. We should expect our
beta test unit any day!!!
Read the
latest news from MidNite |
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The Classic Features: |
Robin's brother boB (yes, the father of the MX60) posted the
following wish list for the Classic:
1. Remote Mountable Control / Meter.
2. Ability to Stack Multiple Classics.
3. Use of external shunt in the metering system.
4. Smart algorithms for Sun, Wind and other power sources...
5. Plus much, much more yet to be revealed! |
Click Image to Enlarge |
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The Testing Continues |
Development and Testing are well underway as Robin and boB continue to
work on their next little Baby. More updates to come...
Click Image to Enlarge |
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Update! Fall 2007 |
Development and Testing are getting closer! During SOLwest
2007, boB and Robin demo'd the Classic. Notice the super high Input Voltage to
Classics. No more 150 VDC ceiling for the HV version of the Classic...
Click Image to Enlarge |
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Update! Fall 2008 |
boB has been working his slide rule overtime this fall and the
Classic is even closer to being completed! A few Classic controllers have
make it out to the world. We are impatiently waiting on our test unit and
hope to put it through its paces soon! boB modified the current
measurement circuit to be temperature compensated! I think the Classic will
be the first MPPT controller to have a temperature compensated current
measurement system! You can see the prototype of the daughter board version
installed. Production Classics will have this circuit integrated.
The first few Classics are installed now and the data has been rolling
into MidNite Solar. So far it looks great! Can't say much more than that
until we get our own ;-)
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