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Other MidNite Electronics => WBjr => Topic started by: aaapilot on April 23, 2024, 01:24:59 PM

Title: Extending Purple Wire?
Post by: aaapilot on April 23, 2024, 01:24:59 PM
Can the purple wire be spliced to make it longer?  If so, aprox how long can it be?  I have a Rosie, Hawks Bay, and Classic 200 in the same system.  The WBjr is located in the Rosie and should pass along the readings to the HB, but I'm getting a discrepancy.  The shunt is located in the Rosie, so I need to add aprox 12" of wire to allow the purple wire to connect to the HB and see if the numbers are passed along to the Rosie correctly.

Secondly, I'm thinking about attaching a 2nd WBjr to the first and running the wire to the classic so I can monitor the system via the phone app.  That would be aprox 3' total, including the length of the purple wire.  Thanks all!

Dave
Title: Re: Extending Purple Wire?
Post by: ClassicCrazy on April 23, 2024, 01:58:56 PM
I stacked two Whizbangs - see in video how I did it .
Had to use spacers so I could get access to the shunt mounting screw .
https://youtu.be/7t7lw8ryIxA?si=5CuEpeRcCFfbBBxx&t=358
Larry
Title: Re: Extending Purple Wire?
Post by: mahendra on April 23, 2024, 02:13:38 PM
I have done this also both my Classic 150 and Classic 200 have their wbjr.

I didn't do this for redundancy since I had my first failed.

MN was graceful in offering to propose a replacement out of warranty but I just bought a new one.

I didn't have a system to send back the damaged one at the time.
Title: Re: Extending Purple Wire?
Post by: boB on April 23, 2024, 07:09:23 PM
Yeah, long purple wire shouldn't be a problem.  I don't know if one mile of wire would work but there is plenty of voltage from the Classic to power it and the data rate is so slow that it should work fine up to who knows how long of a wire...

Lettuce know if it doesn't work for how long you want it but if it is in the same room as the other equipment, it should definitely work.

boB
Title: Re: Extending Purple Wire?
Post by: aaapilot on April 23, 2024, 10:18:03 PM
Quote from: ClassicCrazy on April 23, 2024, 01:58:56 PMI stacked two Whizbangs - see in video how I did it .
Had to use spacers so I could get access to the shunt mounting screw .
https://youtu.be/7t7lw8ryIxA?si=5CuEpeRcCFfbBBxx&t=358
Larry
Thanks Larry, think I'll give this a try.  There isn't much room in the Rosie chassis to get to the shunt, so I hope I can make it work.  I'll take a look at your video!

Dave
Title: Re: Extending Purple Wire?
Post by: aaapilot on April 23, 2024, 10:22:35 PM
Quote from: boB on April 23, 2024, 07:09:23 PMYeah, long purple wire shouldn't be a problem.  I don't know if one mile of wire would work but there is plenty of voltage from the Classic to power it and the data rate is so slow that it should work fine up to who knows how long of a wire...

Lettuce know if it doesn't work for how long you want it but if it is in the same room as the other equipment, it should definitely work.

boB
Thanks boB, I'll do that mod first chance I get.  The distances are minor as the Rosie/Hawks Bay are just 12" apart on the wall.  The Classic is next to the Hawks Bay on the opposite side.

Dave
Title: Re: Extending Purple Wire?
Post by: ClassicCrazy on April 23, 2024, 10:39:24 PM
Quote from: aaapilot on April 23, 2024, 10:18:03 PM
Quote from: ClassicCrazy on April 23, 2024, 01:58:56 PMI stacked two Whizbangs - see in video how I did it .
Had to use spacers so I could get access to the shunt mounting screw .
https://youtu.be/7t7lw8ryIxA?si=5CuEpeRcCFfbBBxx&t=358
Larry
Thanks Larry, think I'll give this a try.  There isn't much room in the Rosie chassis to get to the shunt, so I hope I can make it work.  I'll take a look at your video!

Dave
It was tough to get the whizbang out of the minidc box i had it in. That is because I couldn't get to the shunt mounting screw without taking off the existing whizbang first - which was a pain to do in the back of the box. That is why I installed the spacers on the whizbang going back in - which is showed in the video ( link jumps to  video at that time )
Larry
Title: Re: Extending Purple Wire?
Post by: boB on April 24, 2024, 12:46:27 AM

Larry,  how close are the two WB Jr.'s readings to each other ?

Did you ever check to see ?  Just curious.

You could also use two shunts and put them in series I think.  But then you get slight shunt differences maybe.  Within their tolerance anyway.

boB
Title: Re: Extending Purple Wire?
Post by: ClassicCrazy on April 24, 2024, 11:15:01 AM
Quote from: boB on April 24, 2024, 12:46:27 AMLarry,  how close are the two WB Jr.'s readings to each other ?

Did you ever check to see ?  Just curious.

You could also use two shunts and put them in series I think.  But then you get slight shunt differences maybe.  Within their tolerance anyway.

boB

They are pretty close. The Hawkes Bay updates pretty quickly ( tracking faster ?)  and the Classic that I am looking at is slower to update ( via app anyway) . I never really compared them before since I usually just look at the Hawkes Bay display. I will have to take a look at them tonight when it is just loads rather than pv input.
Larry