Don't overcharge / current / Global maximum amperage Midnite classic Whiz Bang Jr solar controller

Setting the WBjr current limit on the Classic
The purpose of this document is to explain how to set up a current limit on the Classic based off
the WBjr current. This will only control the specific Classic that has the WBjr connected to it so
if the desire is to limit more than one Classic each Classic shall have its own WBjr and need
these adjustments made.
The Classic MUST have firmware version 2096 or newer.
For the purpose of this example we are going to say we want to limit the charge current into
the battery bank to 50 amps max.
1- On the Classic that has the WBjr connected to it we need to press the “Main Menu”
button several times until Charge is highlighted.
2- Scroll to the right to highlight “Tweaks” and press Enter.
3- Press the right upper button under the word “More”
4- Hold the left arrow and press the upper right button 2 times (You should see a screen
like this)
5- The number under “address” should be highlighted, Scroll up or down to get to 4405.
6- Now use the right arrow to scroll over and highlight the value under “Value”
7- Change this to the current limit you want times 10. As mentioned above we want 50
amps so 50 x 10 = 500.
8- After setting the current limit to the value you desire hold the upper left button and
press enter. (You should see “DATA SENT AND SAVED”)
9- Press Status to return to the main screen
Now whenever the current into the battery exceeds 50 amps this particular Classic will back
its current down to maintain 50 amps into the battery. It will even put out more then 50 amps to compensate for the load.
Link to buy the shunt. www.solar-elec...
And here's a shunt that's $5 cheaper but it's missing a few small terminal connectors you might need to hook up smaller wires to it if your system is complicated. www.solar-elec...
Link to buy the whiz-bang jr. www.solar-elec...
Link to the Forum where I asked and found out about this solution www.solarpanel...

[@keithahlstrom176]

Wow! I’d be in panic mode if I had loads like that. The biggest load I have ever seen on my system is 37 amps. Thanks for this cool video.

[@lavatrip9344]

Well how are you going to start fires with only 37 amps?

[@keithahlstrom176]

@@lavatrip9344 good point! I’ll have to work on that.

[@rongray4118]

Travis...thank you so much for posting this video! My wife and I are getting ready to build an Earthship Biotecture style home. We are building our solar power system to function for the fifth wheel while we build then installing it in the home when we reach that point. We are in Reno-Sparks, Nevada. I have subscribed! Blessings!

[@SiriusSolar]

The battery compartment in the rear of my 40 ft 5th wheel is rather large. Since this video I've upgraded to lithium. Do yourself a favor and don't mess with lead acid batteries they are not worth it.

[@SiriusSolar]

Get as many solar panels as you can fit on your trailer roof. Then get charge controller inverter and lithium batteries to match. Run your trailer off of the batteries when shore power at the stupid RV park is weak. Use that weak shore power for charging at a steady thousand Watts if needed but you won't need it if you've covered your roof with solar and your batteries are larger enough. You definitely have enough solar for AC in the day time

[@SiriusSolar]

Try and stick with an inverter that only has one leg of 120 v output. if you use a 240-volt dual leg inverter you'll need at least 2000 Watts on each leg.

[@justfly2525]

Thank you for this video... I think I'm going to buy a SolArk now. Lol

[@lavatrip9344]

I wanted to say something about disregarding the other batteries. They are not hooked up in this video. The only batteries connected were those two large AGM batteries. One thing I was trying to discover when I made this video was will the batteries actually be capable of charging past their maximum ratings. Flooded lead acids have a very high resistance and typically will not accept more amperage than is good for them except in some short circumstances. They'll just bubble off the extra power. However the batteries in this video are AGM and certainly were capable and did charge faster than spec potentially being very bad for them.

[@SiriusSolar]

Correct. That should have been more vocally expressed in the video. One person told me that lead batteries can't consume amperages at unsafe levels. Like they're simply not capable of it and won't soak in the amps at voltages at and below correct absorb voltage. This video was also to prove that theory incorrect. What I found is that AGM batteries are certainly capable of charging Way beyond what's recommended. Flooded lead acid batteries only slightly more and not for very long. Flooded lead acids don't really get damaged. Obviously assuming you're keeping the voltage levels proper.

[@rongray4118]

Travis - I know you posted this a few years back. My wife and I are preparing to build an Earthship Biotecture style home in Nevada. Are you available for consultation? I have a little knowledge of solar but would like advice on setting up a temporary 4.6 kilowatt system to run our 50 amp RV we will live in while building. Thank you for any response. Blessings and thank you for the videos...learning a great deal from your insights and expertise!

[@SiriusSolar]

Yes I'm available. I sent you my phone number on the other thread.

[@ricky786]

Thank you for this video. Travis, what should be set for address 4405 for EACH Midnite Classic if the recommended maximum charging current is 50A? 4405=500 or 4405=250?..

[@SiriusSolar]

500

[@SiriusSolar]

Keep in mind if you're if you're changing the registries of 2 classics you'll need a whiz-bang for each of the MidNites. One shunt with two whizbangs attached to it.

[@SiriusSolar]

However there is a way which I have not learned yet of how to alter the registry to point one midnight through the network to the wiz bang of the other midnight. Doing this would only require one whizbang. If you did this you would still use 500 some where.

[@ricky786]

If I set registry address 4405=500 for each of the two Midnite Classic, the combined max current will still be 50A or it will be doubled?..Yes, it is two WBJr. in a single shunt...

[@ricky786]

@@SiriusSolar I think it's not possible to only set the limit in one midnite since they are functioning independently..In "Follow me" mode you still need to set all the parameter for each midnite but in this mode the master will just let the follower know when to be in absoption, float or equalize phase..

[@grumpy1962R]

When would a person add a charge controller and more batteries? I have a small system that was tailored for our needs but, I am already wondering if it will be enough. Since all components were tailored for maximum input, I can’t just add more panels and batteries as far as I know. But what I see in your video makes me wonder if there’s an effective/equitable solution for me

[@ek9772]

Your presentation has a lot of potential to do some good. I will try to explain. There are some installations that have several charge controllers charging a single battery bank. Unfortunately, some of these installations use charge controllers from different companies that cannot communicate, and this usually hurts the batteries since the charge controllers end up competing between them, or perhaps one or more charge controllers goes into an early standby mode. I am assuming that your two Classic charge controllers are connected between them to avoid these situations using two cables through the network ports. This permits two or more Classic charge controllers to share equally in charging the battery, and it prevents them from competing between them, and most importantly it prevents them from overcharging the batteries. However, though this is all obvious to you. It is not obvious to a lot of people. I invite you to expand more on this topic. It might actually help someone who is thinking of buying a second charge controller for their battery bank.

[@SiriusSolar]

The way I understand it is that MidNites teem never got the current sharing over the network-enabled which might explain why one of my units always works harder than the other. The network cable simply communicates what mode to be in. They follow each other so they'll both go to float or they'll both go to absorb together at the same time. They will still be very imbalance in their contribution to the batteries and inverter. I don't feel the need to make a video about it because it's explained quite well on classics channel.

[@ek9772]

Travis Sanders are you using network cable to mean singular or plural (as in more than one cable)?

[@SiriusSolar]

@@ek9772 yes I'm using two cables so the follow me network is a complete loop. So that way they both stay in the same mode.

[@ek9772]

Travis Sanders it is weird that they can share voltage information but not current information. I wonder what those boys at MidNite had on their minds. In any case, your video did a great job in explaining how to work with it.

[@SiriusSolar]

@@ek9772 they don't share voltage information like that. they only share the mode there in and so the other one can switch to that mode as well. They also share battery temperature so you only need one sensor for that.

[@johnjamce1146]

nice system

[@brittenv1000]

Is it master and slave or are they separate

[@SiriusSolar]

They are in follow me (master slave) mode.

[@brittenv1000]

@@SiriusSolar cool. Are they 150?

[@SiriusSolar]

@@brittenv1000 yes

[@Frank-yv9tq]

where / how do you find this hidden capability--well done

[@SiriusSolar]

Are you asking a question or making a statement?

[@Frank-yv9tq]

both--I'd like to know where or how you found this and to complement you on doing so

[@SiriusSolar]

@@Frank-yv9tq I called tech support who was no help so I asked in a solar forum and eventually someone chimed in with this solution at www.solarpaneltalk.com/forum/off-grid-solar/batteries-energy-storage/lead-acid/383358-unlimited-solar-panels-overcharge-guaranteed

[@Frank-yv9tq]

@@SiriusSolar Thanks!

[@rongray4118]

@@SiriusSolar Did you just sit down in your RV?! This is the system that we need for our 38' fifth wheel...assuming you are fully powering your RV with the solar. I Love It!!

[@bde5692]

Why don’t you setup one classic and on the second one use the follow me option?

[@SiriusSolar]

They are following. Following doesn't accomplish global amprage control.

[@bde5692]

Travis Sanders can you set it up one the first one in your case the 50 amps in and let the 2nd one do a follow me

[@bde5692]

When I checked my classic 200 the tweaks hidden menu said my 4405 setting was set at 30,000 is that odd or ok I have 4 lithium ion batteries at total charge amps 164.5 amps since it was higher I just left it

[@bde5692]

What is your thought on that

[@SiriusSolar]

@@bde5692 setting the first one at 50 amps & the second one to follow won't limit the total current to 50.

[@opera5714]

I could make two controllers work off of one WBjr. It isn't said enough that without knowing what current is actually going into the battery the batteries can't be properly charged. I wish I could have a bigger more conventional system. As it is, almost all my panels aren't even on my property at camp. Google earth won't even show my camp or garage. I try to keep them low profile. Even at home trees trees trees. I can barely get 1KWH into the tank. I've become an expert at low power systems. I now know a little more about your system and still wondering how water heating would fit in. I have an extra built board you could try. In fact I think I should personally install it. I used to stop in Hawaii for long weekends when coming back from Japan. Even lived on the beach when I couldn't get a hotel room. My board could lighten the load on your controller. With all those panels it seems like it would always be full on. Energy management is the future of solar. Like to work with you on any interesting problem. How big is your tank and is each controller on a separate array.

[@SiriusSolar]

Yes I have three arrays. The 1700 watt array is not hooked up yet. And the other arrays are both 2500 watts each. They're both solar world but However they're not exactly the same, one is Polly and the other is mono.

[@SiriusSolar]

They're tilted a little more towards the sun set so I don't get much power before 9 a.m. but without actually tracking the sun that's best for me because I use the majority of my power after Dark. Just as an experiment one time I was only getting 10% power and I tilted the panel towards the Sun and I was getting 90% of its rating. Upon that calculation I feel like I could easily double or triple my Daily Harvest if I track the Sun. This isn't so much of a problem now but as soon as I start utilizing leftover power above and beyond the absorb power I'm really going to want to be tracking

[@SiriusSolar]

I'm currently using one of those cheap $100 on demand propane hot water heaters. It's costing me $20 a month and it's inconsistent temperature is more annoying than the bill. I picked up seven discarded electric hot water heaters I'm sure some of them are good and they're just getting rusty outside not in use.

[@SiriusSolar]

If you're ever coming through town I could provide a dry place for you to stay in an old buss. About 800 ft away from the house I'm converting a 40ft bus to an office. I just finished the floor today. It's going to be my man cave lots of counter space and I'll load it with projects and hobbies. Another problem to add to my to do list getting power and expanding the network out there. Just for temporary I assembled all of my extension cords 14 gauge and I can only consume 300 watts in the bus and the voltage sags from 122 down to 114. Lol. I'm in a pretty remote place and for some reason they decided to run the first fiber optic on our Island to the remote places so I've been blessed with that. I'll eventually add a little kitchenette toilet and shower

[@ek9772]

Travis Sanders or you could do what Steve did for hot water. He is 100% off grid. In fact, he lives pretty close to you: kzbin.info/www/bejne/gJyZdZJ6bNOUhbs

[@frankz1125]

Great video

[@SiriusSolar]

Thanks. I'm still using the global amp limit because I haven't brought any lithium batteries home yet. Lol

[@frankz1125]

@@SiriusSolar lithium is insanely better. Where are you from?

[@SiriusSolar]

@@frankz1125 Portland Oregon but living in Hawaii now

[@eljangueo1530]

Where I can find what each address represent and what parameters I could go through all those secret settings? Is there any way we could master know our midnite?

[@SiriusSolar]

Some of them might be explained in the modbus specifications. www.midnitesolar.com/pdfs/classic_register_map_Rev-C5-December-8-2013.pdf

[@SiriusSolar]

Here's a bunch of info about the classic. This is where the modbus specs can be found as well. www.midnitesolar.com/documents.php?productCat_ID=21&productCatName=Charge+Controllers+-+Classics&model=CLASSIC%20150&product_ID=256&act=

[@SiriusSolar]

I'm not sure that the list where we made these changes in this video is in the mod bus manual I sent or not. All I know is it looked technical LOL

[@bestillandknowthatuaregod]

I have a battery bank of 10 12V 70A each. can this midnite 150 charge controller charge them with no problem ? thanks

[@lavatrip9344]

Yes. But keep in mind the charge controller can harvest twice as much power when on a 24 volt system versus a 12 volt system. And four times as much power when on a 48 volt system versus a 12 volt system. Even if you were on a 12-volt system for some strange reason which I don't recommend with that much battery power this charge controller will still be powerful enough to properly maintain those batteries. Basically on 12v you'll have 700 amp hours and if you max out the charge controller and your charging around 96 amps that would be 700 amps divided by 96 which comes out to 7.3 hours. That's how long it would take to charge. If your batteries are lead batteries then you shouldn't be draining them down more than halfway anyway so a charge time of 3.515 hours which is perfect.

[@lavatrip9344]

And if you're using lithium batteries then there's no amp threshold to properly maintain because they don't need maintenance. Lithium batteries are happy at whatever state of charge. You're not forced to return them to full everyday.

[@SolarizeYourLife]

So if the battery is fully charged...will the charger help bypass the batteries and put zero current into them, but still provide power to load???? I got lithium battery that can not get over charged what so ever!!!

[@SiriusSolar]

If the battery is fully charged you don't need to worry about it being overcharged & this video will not help you.

[@SiriusSolar]

This video is about the speed in which the battery charges. Not how full it gets. So if your solar system is capable of charging your battery faster than its specifications allow you would watch this video and follow its instructions.

[@SiriusSolar]

But to answer your, yes. Chargers by nature will do what you ask. but in this case this video is about turning the charge rate down without turning down the bypass power.

[@SiriusSolar]

this video is mainly applicable during the charge stage. Anyone who needs to follow the instructions in this in order to limit the batteries charge rate would of course after the battery is full the charger would continue to make available its maximum amount of power for the inverter without sending any power at all into the battery.

[@djbishop30189]

9:42 Wrench 😝

[@SiriusSolar]

It's actually new, anything left up at the cabin gets quickly destroyed by the wind and acid rain. This wrench was left underneath the building where it even had some protection and it still got severely weathered in a few months hopefully now that the lava eruptions in the neighborhood have stopped and the acid rain is gone it will get back to normal around here