Should I update firmware

[Werner]

I installed a Classic 150 in 2015 running the solar system of my off grit home. It is running fine , no problems and I am happy with its performance.
Moving permanently to my desert home in Arizona forced me to install 20 more 315 watt solar panels to make up for cooling the house.For installed panels in series 5 S and 5 P to end up with 180 Volt. I For the new system, I decided to purchase a Classic 250 to run those panels, The classic 150 is running 10 pcs of 430 watt panel in parallel.
Booth charge controllers sharing a 16 Kw h Lithium Iron Phosphate battery  (power wall made of 960 single cells and BMS). All works good and with the additional panels I am generating
about 32 KW h of solar energy every day, allowing me to cool the house and to charge the Battery for nighttime power.

Now the problem I have is that there is a difference in the settings and readout  between booth controllers. The 150 is from 2015 and has never been updated. The 250 is new.
Should I update the firmware of the 150 or booth 150 and 250? Could I use windows XP? yes I have a old laptop and slow satellite internet. If Xp does not work, I may have to purchase a newer Laptop.

Long story short,
please advise if the firmware update will make booth controller feature the same readouts and setup functions.
please advise if I could use win XP

Thanks for this great forum!

[KyleM]

Yes your old XP machine will work doing the updates. Probably work much better than any new Windows 10 machine to be honest.

If it is not broken don't fix it.

You will never see any two controllers giving you the same readout.  One is always going to be a bit different.  That is just the nature of Solar.   

[Werner]

Thanks Kyle, I am happy to hear that my old laptop with XP would work.

Regarding the readouts, I am not concerned about a little difference in values, I am concerned that I have completely different setup screens between the old and new controller and my question is
if a firmware update would fix that.

[ClassicCrazy]

Thanks Kyle, I am happy to hear that my old laptop with XP would work.

Regarding the readouts, I am not concerned about a little difference in values, I am concerned that I have completely different setup screens between the old and new controller and my question is
if a firmware update would fix that.

If you update both to the same firmware for Classic and MNGP updates they will be exactly the same.
Only difference may be if you bought one of the controllers that were sold at auction from a bankruptcy - those are not full fledged Classics and some features are missing. Otherwise if you got new full Classic it will have all the same features as your old one.
info on the bankruptcy controllers ( http://midniteftp.com/forum/index.php?topic=5119.msg47801#msg47801)

Larry

[Werner]

Thanks for your reply Larry!
Than I will try to update the Firmware if I can manage that. I am just a DIY Off Grit person and have to rely on my solar system. (and backup generator of course.)
I love the MidNite controllers, how they perform and survive the hot Arizona environment. Having two controllers is giving me some backup in case one would fail.

and yes I purchased the 250 on Ebay, it came in its usual box, with temp sensor and was never used. The seller stated that it had less features that I am not concerned about.
It works flawless and I clocked 35 Kw h at 54 volt generated between the 150 and 250 yesterday. Great product!