Open letter to Robin and boB

[Highflyer]

Robin and boB,

Rosie, B-17 and other items have been in work for years.  Yes years.  Hawks bay and Barcelona have been in work for years as well.  The industry is passing Midnite on by.

I am concerned that Rosie, HB, B-17, Barcelona and the other items are never going to be good enough for the engineers.  Rosie was planned as a 4000 watt inverter, it is up to 6000 watts and counting (it can start a 15000 watt load on half of a Rosie).   HB was going to be an 80 amp charge controller, it's up to 120 amps and counting.  All while the rest of the industry is releasing new products. 

I am one of your biggest fans.  I go out of my way to buy American made products, but if you won't release them, we can't buy them.  I waited for two extra years to build my new barn because I wanted to go Midnite.  The barn is being built.  I can't put my life on hold any longer.  It's a sad day, but I am looking at other options to power my barn.  The silver lining is the new bifacial panels have 30 year warrantees at nearly 85%, and no plastic backings to degrade.

I wish Midnite all the best.  Please start looking at the trees before we loose the forest.

I'm still rooting for you, but I just can't wait forever.

[Robin]

Hi Brian, you are correct, these products have taken a very long time. That said, we should be shipping you a beta HB tomorrow. I also have Barcelona’s built, just waiting on side panels from China and some code from Mario. It isn’t a matter of the engineers messing with the products. The products were not shippable until now? They still are not finished, but by the time etl is done with those two, they will be sellable. The Rosie and B17 will be demonstrated in full working order in New Orleans this September. Production won’t be far off if they work as well as I think they will. Are you available to attend the Solar Power International this sept? I can get you tickets. Things are finally coming to fruition. This stuff just isn’t easy.

[boB]

Yes, this stuff is particularly hard, especially to this complexity and there is a LOT more competition these days.

At OutBack, we had 4 and 1/2 engineers and took one and 1/2 years or so but that was not as complex.

I understand your frustration though.  Ya have to move on to something available.  I would too.

I think another reason for the long time is the number of engineers we have working on things and the coordination required.

Another high frequency inverter/charger was the Statpower (now Xantrex) Pro-Sine.   It took them 6 years to finish that.

Brian, I hope you will stick around here at least and that we can make it right with you even though you may be using other
products.  I'm sure we will end up getting SOMETHING you can use in addition to that other equipment.

boB

[Highflyer]

Robin and boB,

Thanks for the responses.  I am not going away anytime soon.  I really am one of your biggest fans.  I am willing to pay more for US made quality, I just need that choice. 

The new barn will be built next month or early September, so I have a little time. I can leave it unpowered until winter.  Hopefully, Things will be available by then.

I have a place on the wall and panels ready to power HB in the old barn.  I can't wait. It will get used hard!  I ran Cat6 to the barn and have a switch and wireless connectivity available for testing and reporting back to the mothership.

SPI, I would be honored to attend.  I can easily work around those dates and be there.  Just say the word!

My frustration can't compare to yours.  I get that.  Your passion for this stuff is what drew me in years ago.

I have the luxury of upgrading in the future if I have to pick other equipment soon, but others will not be able to buy twice.  We are all rooting for you loudly, we want to see you succeed.  I guess the wait got to me today, knowing the barn is being started and I was going to have to look elsewhere focused the conversation.  Thanks for the update.  I am still very much ready to help in any way. 

Again, thanks for the personal responses, It just go to show your passion and professionalism.

[Weldman]

I am too waiting for them, I am building my pole barn right now and hopefully they will be out by October when I am done or I will be forced to go with Schneider Electric Conext 100.

[Vic]

As someone who knows nothing of what is required to bring an Inverter/charger or,  CC to market  ...

Hybrid inverters that connect connect to the grid,  have become very complex,  with ever-changing specs/standards,  and individual state requirements,  it seems that a new entrant may well have continually go back to square one to change hardware and  firmware,  to meet Grid Zero,  and similar needs of customers.

CCs may not have this changing environment of specs,  coming from the regulators  but MidNite has such high standards,  that the goalposts are also moving every month,  or,  so it seems.

We ALL waited for a number of years for the MN Classic to be finished-enough to begin shipping.   This CC was leaps and bounds beyond anything,  other than the MX-60,  which the Classic plussed by a lot.   MidNite swings for the fences.   We need to wait for their very high internal standards to be met.

It will be worth the wait.   We are all concerned about the huge investment that it takes for MidNite get into position to finish and produce this next great round of products.   But,  who else will do it?

Whatta I know?   The record of the present group of folks involved in designing and producing the new products at MN is stellar,  indeed.

Patience is rewarded,    We all are rooting for you folks at MidNite.   We know that you are gettin' 'er done.   Please keep at it,   you are in the home-stretch.

FWIW,  IMO,  Vic

[boB]

You're way too kind, Vic       But thanks !

All of your rooting  definitely gives me a boost !

Robin and I worked in the pro and consumer audio industry before this power stuff.

Audio was a breeze compared to this stuff (well, software and DSP does keep it interesting) ...

BUT I have to say that having been in that field, plus medical electronics for me, and Robin doing military electronics stuff that only has to work once.... has really been an important experience factor for trying to do something this complicated.  There's a little bit of everything.

For me, I'm trying to pull out all the stops which makes me feel good about what I have done in the past.  I love to learn.

Too bad that in 20 to 30 years (hopefully), we will have forgotten all of this

boB