Charge controllers are a must-have equipment whenever you want to add energy storage to your PV system. Without it your panels may kill your battery in a little time. One of the largest and most known manufacturers of solar regulators is Midnite Solar Inc. Let’s examine the devices that it puts out on the market in our quick review.
About MidNite solar
Midnite Solar Inc was founded in 2005. Its headquarters are located in Arlington, Washington. It is specialized in solar equipment for grid-tie and off-grid systems. The manufacturer offers for sale battery systems, circuit breakers, solar controllers and other devices. It’s the largest manufacturer of combiner boxes in the USA and provides a full range of Surge Protector Devices.
MidNite solar charge controllers for sale
MIDNITE Charge Controller 79А MPPT CLASSIC 200 SOLAR INC
Specifications
- Condition — New
- Manufacturer — Midnight Solar Inc.
- Model — Classic 200
- Operating Temperatures — -40—122°F
- Type — MPPT Charge Controller
- DC/Charger Volt Compatible — 12V, 24V, 48V
- Maximum charging current — 79 A
- Maximum input voltage DC — 200 V
- Battery charging voltages — up to 120V battery bank
- Rated Efficiency — 98%
- Use — Grid-tie, Off-grid
- Dimensions LxWxH — 14.9 x 6 x 4 in
- Weight — 12 lbs
- Warranty — 5 years
- Delivery time — 5-7 business days
MIDNITE Charge Controller MPPT 96А MPPT CLASSIC 150
Specifications
- Condition — New
- Manufacturer — Midnight Solar Inc.
- Model — Classic 150
- Operating Temperatures — -40—122°F
- Type — MPPT Charge Controller
- DC/Charger Volt Compatible — 12V, 24V, 48V
- Maximum charging current — 96 A
- Maximum input voltage DC — 150 V
- Battery charging voltages — up to 120V battery bank
- Rated Efficiency — 98%
- Use — Hybrid, Off-grid
- Dimensions LxWxH — 19 x 8.5 x 5.7 in
- Weight — 12 lbs
- Warranty — 5 years
- Delivery time — 5-7 business days
MIDNITE Charge Controller MPPT 96А CLASSIC 150-SL
Specifications
- Condition — New
- Manufacturer — Midnight Solar Inc.
- Model — Classic 150-SL
- Operating Temperatures — -40—122°F
- Type — MPPT Charge Controller
- DC/Charger Volt Compatible — 12V, 24V, 48V
- Maximum charging current — 96 A
- Maximum input voltage DC — 150 V
- Battery charging voltages — up to 120V battery bank
- Rated Efficiency — 98%
- Use — Hybrid, Off-grid
- Dimensions LxWxH — 14.9 x 6 x 4 in
- Weight — 12 lbs
- Warranty — 5 years
- Delivery time — 5-7 business days
MIDNITE Charge Controller MPPT 79А CLASSIC 200-SL
Specifications
- Condition — New
- Manufacturer — Midnight Solar Inc.
- Model — Classic 200-SL
- Operating Temperatures — -40—122°F
- Type — MPPT Charge Controller
- DC/Charger Volt Compatible — 12V, 24V, 48V
- Maximum charging current — 79 A
- Maximum input voltage DC — 200 V
- Battery charging voltages — up to 120V battery bank
- Rated Efficiency — 98%
- Use — Grid-tie, Off-grid
- Dimensions LxWxH — 14.9 x 6 x 4 in
- Weight — 12 lbs
- Warranty — 5 years
- Delivery time — 5-7 business days
Quality And Performance
Traditional PWM-controllers are very cheap, but unfortunately, they are not very efficient — their conversion rate is only at 75-85%. A lot of energy gets lost in the process and your battery receives much less than your PV modules give. Besides, they fit only certain configurations and don’t help the production.
MPPT-controllers from Midnite Solar show efficiency that is close to 100% — you can see that the Classic model shows 98% efficiency. They fit almost every solar system and maximum power point tracking technology serves to maximize the production of your array.
Warranty And Service
Charge controllers from Midnite Solar come with a 5 year warranty for the product. A regulator by itself lasts for 10-15 years. The simplest regulators don’t cost much and quickly pay for themselves by increasing the lifespan of your battery. MPPT regulators come at a higher price, but fit almost every system and maximize the production of your array. MidNite Solar charge controllers are easily programmable and can be adjusted to your preference. They also record the logging data: the Classic model has 20 Megabytes as storage.
What to look for when choosing a MidNite charge controller
When choosing a regulator, make sure that it fits your system and your battery — after all, the Midnite charge controller is designed to protect it. Check if the battery voltage is compatible with the model that you are looking to buy. Pick the controller of the right size: watch out for the maximum input current and maximum input voltage. The first number is measured in amps and the second one is measured in volts. Measure the current and voltage in your installation. You can use connection in series, parallel or combine the two methods to get the As and Vs that you need.
FAQ
Q.: Why does a solar system need a charge controller?
A.: A controller is in order whenever there is a battery. It ensures the safety of your energy bank and makes it last longer. Midnite solar charge controller prevents overcharge, state of deep discharge, reverse currents. It also allows easy monitoring of the state of a battery and MPPT technology maximizes the production of your array.
Q.: What happens if I connect panels to a battery without a regulator?
A.: The voltage from PV modules usually gets higher than the one of your storage. Thus the battery might heat up. This is already bad — it dies quicker this way. In the worst case scenario it explodes.
Q.: How does a controller help me in monitoring the system?A.: Charge controller shows you the charge of your battery, its current condition and temperature. More advanced MidNite charge controllers measure ambient temperature and the voltage of your array.