A Forum run by Enthusiasts of MidNite Solar

Charge Controllers and Clippers => The "Classic" charge controller => Topic started by: bbbuddy on July 26, 2012, 08:59:42 PM

Title: MOUNTING REMOTE
Post by: bbbuddy on July 26, 2012, 08:59:42 PM
How does the removable front screen and control buttons mount on a wall inside a house when the Classic is in an outbuilding?  Is there a wall mount frame, or cut-out electric box that holds it?

What does it look like when mounted remotely?  Anyone have pictures?
Title: Re: MOUNTING REMOTE
Post by: Vic on July 26, 2012, 09:33:48 PM
Hi bbb,

Believe that the remote MNGP display/control head looks like this when separted from the Classic:
http://www.solarpanelstore.com/solar-power.large-charge-controllers.midnite_classic.mngp_panel.info.1.html

This is a pic from a site that sells extra Graphic Panels (as you know one comes with the standard Classic,  but not with the Classic Lite).

Believe that there four holes for screw-mounting the MNGP.  At one point I thought that someone was selling an inexpensive cover plate that plugs the "hole" on the Classic,  where the MNGP was before it was remoted.

Vic
Title: Re: MOUNTING REMOTE
Post by: bbbuddy on July 26, 2012, 09:43:09 PM
Thanks, yes I know about the cover plate to replace the remote on the front of the Classic, but I still don't see how the remote mounts on a wall. 
For instance, my Magnum ME-ARC came with a mounting plate and a wall box and a template for cutting the right sized hole into a wall...I'm not finding anything like that for the remote for the Classics...not even any size for the remote, other than what I can 'infer' from a picture.
Title: Re: MOUNTING REMOTE
Post by: Vic on July 26, 2012, 11:43:28 PM
Hi bbb,

Sorry,  was not certain the level of your current knowledge.

I have not seen a drawing or Template.   I do not have a Classic at this location,  so no additional info from me just now.

Have you seen this Thread? ... :
http://midnitesolar.com/smf_forum/index.php?topic=623.0

The tenth post has this photo  which COULD give some additional info.   The mounting should not be a big deal,  which you could figure out when you have a Classic in hand,  IMHO.

Could not attach that pic as it is too large,  and cannot resize it on this machine.   Good Luck,  Vic
Title: Re: MOUNTING REMOTE
Post by: bbbuddy on July 27, 2012, 12:47:43 AM
Thanks Vic, saw the photo, but it's no more help than the other one.

For a viewer and control that is meant to be able to be mounted REMOTELY I guess I expected to actually be able to visualize it mounted on a wall along with my ME-ARC and TRIMETRIC AND have some hints on how it's mounted, or meant to be mounted, and some idea of it's size so i will know whether it fits where I want to put it....

Saying buy it then figure it out is not really acceptable with an item this expensive...is it?

I am thinking of whether to buy another Outback to cover my additional solar panels I just bought, and which would give me redundancy, or sell the Outback and buy the Classic 150 to handle the 2200 watts. 
But the main thing that I LIKE on the Classic is the ability to mount the remote in the house to see what it's doing, and control it, without buying a bunch of other stuff. 

I REALLY LIKE my ME-ARC and Trimetric, and miss having a remote for the Outback.  It would be the main reason to buy a Classic, for me.
Title: Re: MOUNTING REMOTE
Post by: Halfcrazy on July 27, 2012, 06:41:14 AM
It pretty much just needs a small hole for the phone cable plug to come out of the wall through. Then the remote will mount flush against the wall with 4 screws of your choice depending on wall construction. The picture below shows the back of the MNGP. Let me know if you need actual dimensions and hole sizes etc I can get you a cad drawing of the back of the MNGP.

Ryan
Title: Re: MOUNTING REMOTE
Post by: bbbuddy on July 27, 2012, 10:10:38 AM
Thanks Ryan that picture helps.  It looks to be about 4-5 inches wide?

From the front I haven't seen any screw holes, do those holes in the back come through from the front?  Because I see no holes when looking at the remote from the front...
is there a front panel on the remote that comes off, you screw the "base" on the wall, then snap the front panel over it and hide the screws and holes?
Title: Re: MOUNTING REMOTE
Post by: Halfcrazy on July 27, 2012, 10:19:22 AM
Page 10 shows the inside and explains how the front cover removes: https://dl.dropbox.com/u/31975941/Classic%20Just%20the%20facts%20RevC.pdf

The physical size is 4.75" x 3.76" x 0.85"


Ryan
Title: Re: MOUNTING REMOTE
Post by: bbbuddy on July 28, 2012, 11:51:45 AM
Thank you, when I saw that page in the .pdf, it was in the context of removing the paper under the battery etc, and I didn't notice that it was actually showing the remote screwed onto the front of the controller, with a snap on cover that hides the screws.

A section on removing the remote from the controller and mounting it remotely would make a nice addition to the file...
but not "seeing" what I was looking at there is all my fault.  Thanks for your patience.

And thanks for the dimensions.