MidNite Solar Classic SL Basic Owner’s Manual Firmware revA 19xx This Manual covers models Classic 150-SL, 200-SL & 250SL
Classic SL owner’s manual (continued) The MidNite Solar Classic charge controller conforms to UL 1741, Safety for Inverters, Converters, Controllers and Interconnection System Equipment for Use With Distributed Energy Resources, Second Edition, May 7, 1999 with revisions through January 28, 2010 and CAN/CSA C22.2 No. 107.1: 2001/09/01 Ed: 3 (R2006) MidNite Solar Inc.
Classic SL owner’s manual (continued) Battery Temperature Compensation....................................................................................................................... 17 Battery Temperature Sensor Installation ............................................................................................................... 17 Chassis Grounding .................................................................................................................................................
Classic SL owner’s manual (continued) This Manual covers Classic 150-SL, Classic 200-SL and the Classic 250-SL. It covers the installation, wiring and use of the Classic charge controller. WARNING Warnings signs identify conditions or practices that could result in personal injury or loss of life. CAUTION Cautions identify conditions or practices that could result in damage to the unit or other equipment.
Classic SL owner’s manual (continued) DC and Battery-Related Installation Requirements: All DC cables must meet local and national codes. Shut off all DC breakers before connecting any wiring. Torque all the Charge Controller’s wire lugs and ground terminals to the specs found on page 21. Copper wiring must be rated at 75° C or higher. Keep cables close together (e.g., using a tie-wrap) as much as possible to reduce inductance.
Classic SL owner’s manual (continued) Classic SL Power Graphs & Sizing the Solar Array Table 1 Table 2 Table 3 6|Page xx -xxx-xx REV: A
Classic SL owner’s manual (continued) The graphs above represent the max power output for a given input for each Classic. Using and understanding these power graphs will help maximize Classic’s output power and aid in selecting wire and breaker/disconnects. Notice that lower battery voltages and lower PV input voltages result in higher continuous output power. The PV voltages listed are for reference and are not intended to be the only PV voltages supported.
Classic SL owner’s manual (continued) Unpacking the Classic SL When you receive your Classic you will want to unpack it and make sure everything is there and in good shape. Refer to Figure 1 Included in the Classic package should be: *Classic charge controller *Knock out covers 3 screened *Parts bag with stickers, Terminal block cover and silicone grease *User’s manual printed Email customerservice@midnitesolar.com for more information or if anything is missing or damaged.
Classic SL owner’s manual (continued) To remove the front cover of the Classic in preparation for installation, remove the 4 Phillips head screws with a #2 Phillips screwdriver. Lift the front half of the Classic casting off. You will need to unplug the display cable. It works the same as any phone cable. When installing the cover for the final time, squeeze a small amount of Silicone grease (Included in the parts bag) onto the metal pins of the male jacks on the Display cable before plugging them in.
Classic SL owner’s manual (continued) Mounting the Classic directly to the E Panel: *Remove the front cover of the Classic. *Install the mounting bracket on the E Panel and start the upper mounting screw into the bracket, leaving it about half way out so you can hang the Classic on this screw. *Install the 1 inch close nipple into the E Panel as shown in the E-Panel directions. The 1” close nipple, 3 locknuts and 2 plastic bushings are included with each E-Panel. One locknut acts as a spacer.
Classic SL owner’s manual (continued) Figure 6 Install locknut here to act as a spacer. Wiring the Classic SL WARNING: Shock hazard. Disconnect the batteries and input power before opening the Classic front cover. ALWAYS use proper Over current devices and disconnects on the PV+ and Battery + at the Classic (MidNite DC breakers work well for both).
Classic SL owner’s manual (continued) The Classic SL should be wired by a qualified professional and needs to meet all applicable electrical codes. Always make sure all source and battery circuits are de energized and wait 5 minutes before working on the wiring in the Classic. The Classic has 2 common neutral (negative) terminals. Therefore, only one neutral conductor is required to run from the E-Panel and terminate on either (or both) common neutral terminal.
Classic SL owner’s manual (continued) Diagram 1 Explanations 10 = Solar Modules (PV) 11 = DC Combiner (Like our MNPV6 or MNPV12 for example) 12 = MNSPD300-DC (Surge protection) 13 = MNSPD300-AC (Surge protection) 14 = MNSPD300-DC (Surge protection) 15 = DC breaker for the Inverter (Also serves as a disconnect for the Inverter) 16 = DC breaker for the PV into the Classic (Also serves as a disconnect for the Classic) 17 = DC breaker for the Battery into the Classic (Also serves as a disconnect for the Classi
Classic SL owner’s manual (continued) Diagram 1 14 | P a g e xx -xxx-xx REV: A
Classic SL owner’s manual (continued) DC Terminal Connector Figure 7 The Classic's DC terminal connector is located on the circuit board as shown in figure 17. The connector will take up to a #4 AWG. #4 AWG THHN when installed in the Classic and MidNite E-Panel is rated for over 100 amps and is therefore suitable for the highest power available from the Classic 150-SL. After installing the wires for the last time snap in the blue cover that is included in the parts bag.
Classic SL owner’s manual (continued) The USB cable, BTS cable and auxiliary input/output cables should run in a different conduit to preserve their signal. When installing the Classic in a MidNite E-Panel, it is acceptable to run all wiring through the same knockout hole. It is legal to run signal and power wires together as long as all wiring is listed for the highest voltage to be encountered. (Follow all local code) Current Rating The Classic limits the output current based on the model you have.
Classic SL owner’s manual (continued) Battery Temperature Compensation A remote battery temperature sensor (BTS) can be purchased separately. This sensor raises or lowers charge voltage based on temperature. Connect BTS to the BATT TEMP jack. (Refer to Battery Temperature Sensor Installation 20) The Battery temperature menu appears as T-Comp in the BATTERY MENU. In this menu you can change the voltage compensation as needed.
Classic SL owner’s manual (continued) Figure 8 Insert BTS to the jack labeled BATTERY TEMP on the control board.
Classic SL owner’s manual (continued) Chassis Grounding In all installations the Classic chassis should be connected to ground. For systems with a battery breaker sized 60 amps and smaller, 10 AWG (6 mm2) copper is generally sufficient. For systems with a battery breaker sized 100 amps and smaller, 8 AWG (10 mm2) copper is required. For grounding conductor requirements on your specific installation please consult your local electrical code.
Classic SL owner’s manual (continued) DC GFP (Ground Fault Protection) The Classic has internal ground fault protection (GFP) built in. Since 2008, the NEC requires a DC-GFP on all PV systems in the USA. The built in DC-GFP eliminates the need to purchase and install an external DC-GFP. If the internal grounding jumper is installed in a Classic, the battery negative and DC source negative must not be connected to the system grounding conductor anywhere in the system.
Classic SL owner’s manual (continued) Disabling GFP The GFP feature should only be disabled to operate the Classic in an ungrounded power system or in systems where GFP is not required.
Classic SL owner’s manual (continued) Float A Float cycle follows after the Absorb cycle is completed; Float is displayed on the screen. Battery voltage is held at the float voltage set point. Equalize The Equalization function can be manually initiated or can be set up to Auto Equalize. The intent of an Equalization charge is to bring all battery cells to an equal voltage by a controller deliberate overcharge.
Classic SL owner’s manual (continued) battery manufacturer. To adjust these voltages follow the steps below. Press Main Menu to enter the Main Menu Scroll right or left until Charge is highlighted and push the Enter button Highlight Volts and press the Enter button Use left and right arrow keys to highlight the set point voltage to adjust Use up and down arrow keys to lower or raise the voltage Press the Enter button to save the new voltages.
Classic SL owner’s manual (continued) Scroll to the right and highlight the current Mode than use the up and down arrows to set the mode you want. Take note of the Right soft key most modes have some set points that can be adjusted. Press the Main Menu button until you get back to the Mode Menu Set the ON/OFF to ON and press Enter The following Modes will appear in this order in the MODE Menu.
Classic SL owner’s manual (continued) Uploading New Firmware to the Classic The Classic has the ability to have its firmware updated with a standard USB cable and a Windows based PC. The USB cable is Standard to Mini B. Please see www.midnitesolar.com and click on the Software tab for the firmware and instructions. Due to the various different Windows configurations we will not go into detail in the Classic Manual.
Classic SL owner’s manual (continued) Stuck in the “VMM” or Quick Start. *Do a hardware factory restore. There are 4 sets of jumpers directly above the blue terminal block. For the purpose of this we will call the left most jumper JP1 and the right most JP4 (actually labeled "Boot") Step 1- Turn the PV and Battery power off to the Classic and remove the front cover Step 2- Locate the 2 jumpers JP1 and BOOT (JP4).
Classic SL owner’s manual (continued) Specifications Mechanical Figure 13 27 | P a g e xx -xxx-xx REV: A
Classic SL owner’s manual (continued) Classic Breaker sizing Table28 7 |P age xx -xxx-xx REV: A
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Classic SL owner’s manual (continued) Table 8 32 | P a g e xx -xxx-xx REV: A
Classic SL owner’s manual (continued) Glossary of Terms Absorb – Constant voltage charge stage to fill the batteries. The controller is regulating so maximum power will not be seen at this time. The Absorb timer is also counting down to the switch to Float. Aux – Auxiliary relays. The Classic has 2 relays: Aux 1 can be configured as a 12 volt signal or a dry relay, Aux 2 can be used as a PWM signal output. Refer to page Error! Bookmark not defined. for more Aux info. BLK – Bulk MPPT Mode.
Classic SL owner’s manual (continued) Mode – This menu lets you turn the charging ability of the controller On / Off as well as lets you select the DC input source. See page 21 for info on the Mode menu. Mod Bus – a standard protocol used for communications. We have published our protocol to allow users to interface with the Classic. See www.midnitesolar.com for our Mod Bus protocol. Pwr Save – Allows you to adjust the time the Backlight stays on.
