Recent posts

#21

The Rosie / Re: Rosie breaker box question

Last post by Brucey - November 06, 2025, 04:19:12 PM

hey, so looking at the diagrams in the manual for the Rosie companion breaker box, i'm seeing that those grey contacts in the lower right say PV+ and PV- in one section, and then SPD in another section. I was on the phone with James, and when I mentioned the my HB120 was hooked up directly to the DC bus bars, he seemed surprised that I was running it that way, rather than through the Rosie, if I was understanding him correctly. Can't you actually run the HB through the Rosie like that, or did I hear this incorrectly?  The manual is a little confusing and doesn't mention anything about doing this.. at least from what I can see.

You could either use the rosie breaker box to hold your pv and battery breaker, or handle that outside the Rosie breaker box and connect direct to bus bars.

Aside from freeing up Little space on my bus bars, is there any advantage to running it through the Rosie, to your knowledge?

No advantage I know of. Personally I have a hb 90 with its matching breaker box, that has the shunt trip pv breaker that will trip if battery voltage hits 68V (protection in case of scc failure)

#22

The Rosie / Re: Rosie breaker box question

Last post by BlackwaterPark - November 06, 2025, 03:20:03 PM

hey, so looking at the diagrams in the manual for the Rosie companion breaker box, i'm seeing that those grey contacts in the lower right say PV+ and PV- in one section, and then SPD in another section. I was on the phone with James, and when I mentioned the my HB120 was hooked up directly to the DC bus bars, he seemed surprised that I was running it that way, rather than through the Rosie, if I was understanding him correctly. Can't you actually run the HB through the Rosie like that, or did I hear this incorrectly?  The manual is a little confusing and doesn't mention anything about doing this.. at least from what I can see.

You could either use the rosie breaker box to hold your pv and battery breaker, or handle that outside the Rosie breaker box and connect direct to bus bars.

Aside from freeing up Little space on my bus bars, is there any advantage to running it through the Rosie, to your knowledge?

#23

The Rosie / Re: Rosie breaker box question

Last post by Brucey - November 06, 2025, 03:18:00 PM

hey, so looking at the diagrams in the manual for the Rosie companion breaker box, i'm seeing that those grey contacts in the lower right say PV+ and PV- in one section, and then SPD in another section. I was on the phone with James, and when I mentioned the my HB120 was hooked up directly to the DC bus bars, he seemed surprised that I was running it that way, rather than through the Rosie, if I was understanding him correctly. Can't you actually run the HB through the Rosie like that, or did I hear this incorrectly?  The manual is a little confusing and doesn't mention anything about doing this.. at least from what I can see.

You could either use the rosie breaker box to hold your pv and battery breaker, or handle that outside the Rosie breaker box and connect direct to bus bars.

#24

The Rosie / Rosie breaker box question

Last post by BlackwaterPark - November 06, 2025, 03:10:13 PM

hey, so looking at the diagrams in the manual for the Rosie companion breaker box, i'm seeing that those grey contacts in the lower right say PV+ and PV- in one section, and then SPD in another section. I was on the phone with James, and when I mentioned the my HB120 was hooked up directly to the DC bus bars, he seemed surprised that I was running it that way, rather than through the Rosie, if I was understanding him correctly. Can't you actually run the HB through the Rosie like that, or did I hear this incorrectly?  The manual is a little confusing and doesn't mention anything about doing this.. at least from what I can see.

#25

MNPowerFlo5 / Re: DoA PF5?

Last post by mahendra - November 06, 2025, 01:30:09 PM

Yes, same here.
I have been having some issues with a similar configuration.
We have done several troubleshooting scenarios, but none of them worked.
Attempted to update the PowerFlo firmware using several RS converters, but none worked.

At this point, I am waiting for a new RS converter from Midnite to try again.

I remember when Signature Solar added precharge to the Gyll batteries; they had similar issues. It took a while to for Signature Solar to get that sorted.I am guessing it will take Midnite some time, too.

It is not one of their flagship products; it's actually from China, so all I can say is hang in there.

Man, that sucks. I thought I was buying into a homogenous all midnite solar ecosystem finally. It's like they are all pushing out half baked tech now. I had the same experience why the Kilovaults...hours of tech support (and to their credit, getting them on the phone and prompt email returns was effortless) and we could never get the two HaB 7.5s to actually communicate with each other like they advertised. Then they went under. I was going to buy another four PF5s by xmas, but now that's pretty much off the table unless I see some results in short order and a more responsive tech support over there. I've installed SoK, EG4, and Pytes all without any issue, but i'm starting to see why so many people are opting to just build their own batteries instead of going through these companies and paying two to three times as much for a product that has issues right from the box. I still have six years of warranty on my HaBs, but of course theres no one to make a claim to now, and i'm not holding any hope that MP will be any different unfortunately. I think i'm just going to build the other four and forget about communications and run open loop. Just out of curiosity, what adaptors have you tried? The guy gave me an amazon link to some $30 Gearmo brand one and said "you can try this one"...that's great, buy one and hope it'll work because there are entirely uncertain?? Fantastic. And to think I was actually contemplating buying the AIO, lol. Thank god I decided on a Rosie and a Hawkes Bay instead.

Yes, I totally understand.
I am a Midnite guy; I have been using their products for years now. I would admit I was also somewhat disappointed with the powerflos .
Don't get me wrong, they seem like great batteries, but I expected Midnite to work out the kinks before releasing, which obviously was not the case.
This system exclusively consists of all Midnite components except for the wiring and PV.
It's not mine, but a close friend of mine.
 You can see some pics on this thread: https://midniteftp.com/forum/index.php?topic=6297.45
I would have updated on the progress and glitches we experienced.
As soon as we get this glitch out of the way, I will update on that thread.

FYI, I have some Dyness bx51100. They are a great price and excellent quality, and have been great for the past 5 months since I installed them. Dyness does not have a tech support number, but they do contact you by email and on their Facebook page.

Dyness is considered a different protocol from Pylon and the others, but from experience testing mine on most inverters like Solark, Deye, SNRE, and Schneider(with insight), basically use Pylon when setting up.

I know Midnite would get this ironed out, but it's taking them longer than usual. For sure, if boB were here, he would have definitely chime in on this issue.

I will update you as soon as we receive the Dongle.
The one from Amazon did not work for me, as I mentioned before, I also have two different Waveshare and some other generic ones. None of them worked for me.
I also tried several laptops to complete the update and swapped wires to see if there was a typo error in the manual, but none of them worked.
This issue showed up around June.
 

#26

MNPowerFlo5 / Re: DoA PF5?

Last post by ClassicCrazy - November 06, 2025, 12:00:57 PM

I do understand that there is a lot of interest around plug and play aspect of connecting batteries to controller / inverter but often seems troublesome for various reasons some of which you just mentioned.
Larry

My problem is with the way all these systems are advertised honestly. To me, most of this is essentially false advertising, which is why I don't buy chinese designed anything. I never expected that to apply to Midnite Solar branded products, but here we are. I might as well save myself a ton on money if the end result is the same. This has solidified my resolve to forsake any more branded purchases (battery wise) and just go the DIY route...tens of thousands spent between two systems four years apart that were advertised as closed loop new awesome tech and better battery management and all that only to be told twice "sorry bout that...just run them open loop then". Fool me twice, I guess.

I hear ya man, and thanks for listening to the pseudo rant with patience and a measured response. In regards to Midnite Solar as a company, they've more than earned my loyalty for the foreseeable future. I'm not of any other company where the actual EEs and designers take so much time on the phone to patiently explain how things work to a small potatoes dullard such as myself, and it's hard to put a price on that. On the plus side, I've at least got three of these batteries going and and the system up and running, so now i've got to go into the mngp and figure out all the features I've never had before with a much more sophisticated inverter and CC than i've been using the past 14 years. If you don't mind, i might just want to pick your brain at some point regarding building batteries that match my current 4(well...3 as it stands). My older system I kept separate because I was unsure of the longitudinal effects of trying to tie in two older batteries of higher capacity and differing BMSs to the same bus...plus, i'm pretty sure they have severely compromised cells in them, because my average draw is only about 300-400 watts (unless i run a couple higher wattage things like a keurig, electric skillet, air compressor, etc l...but those are very short duration bursts), and yes for a 15kw bank, they will draw down to 50v (my lvc setpoint) over the course of a day and a half with no sun...the math is WAY off. Instead, I just installed a transfer switch and now that system is resigned to standby power when needed. I'm guessing those batteries are not long for this world, but i'll use em till they die I guess.

I have 4 100ah , two 280 ah, and a 314 ah all together . They are all lifepo4 but the manufacturer, cells, bms , and build quality are different for some of those . They will charge and discharge at different rates as their internal resistances are different. But they all work together okay . They will all charge up together okay . But I do have the ability to change the bms setpoints on all these batteries so that they are similar in that respect . That mainly has to do with how the bms will balance cells, and when the SOC measurment resets to 100% . But I also use an external shunt and SOC to look at all the batteries together for a perspective not linked to what the bms reports since that SOC can get way off sometimes  under certain conditions.
Larry

#27

MNPowerFlo5 / Re: DoA PF5?

Last post by BlackwaterPark - November 06, 2025, 07:47:28 AM

I do understand that there is a lot of interest around plug and play aspect of connecting batteries to controller / inverter but often seems troublesome for various reasons some of which you just mentioned.
Larry

My problem is with the way all these systems are advertised honestly. To me, most of this is essentially false advertising, which is why I don't buy chinese designed anything. I never expected that to apply to Midnite Solar branded products, but here we are. I might as well save myself a ton on money if the end result is the same. This has solidified my resolve to forsake any more branded purchases (battery wise) and just go the DIY route...tens of thousands spent between two systems four years apart that were advertised as closed loop new awesome tech and better battery management and all that only to be told twice "sorry bout that...just run them open loop then". Fool me twice, I guess.

yes I totally understand what you are saying. It is a combination of advertising hype in a competitive field, but also seems to be from not having realistic samples and technicians to test the products ahead of time to make sure they work. But with all things mechanical and software, they need regular maintenance. Every time a firmware update is made to fix something, it can break something else. There are so many variations of systems out there it is difficult to test things ahead of time. Add in the DIY nature of systems and you get all kinds of other issues like things wired incorrectly that can throw a wrench into the mix and cause headaches for everyone.
The Midnite Classic is an example of a product that evolved for the better over time from frequent firmware updates , but there were hiccups along the way that eventually got solved. The greatest innovation was the addition of the Whizbang for accurate SOC estimates. But even with that , it took one of the two Aux relays so limited some options that were available before that.

But if you do want to do a more DIY battery option , look at Eel Batteries , I have built three this summer . The newest V6 box is better than the previous V5 that I built. You can get Eve MB31 cells that are 314 ah capacity and incredible performance - the Eel V6 box has the newest v19 JK inverter 200 amp bms . Eel has these imported into USA now - price is around 2000 for case and cells. Much easier to move around when the cells are separate and also can ship regular fedex instead of having to get a 300 pound battery via semi freight truck. There is also Docan and Yixiang that sell cases and cell that are already imported into USA ( or other countries too) .

I wouldn't get too hard on Midnite because the battery and bms market changes so fast these days. If you watch Off Grid Garage on youtube - he has been messing with lithium batteries and bms and testing and critiquing them for many years. Even with manufacturers sending him their newest stuff and his more direct lines of communications to their tech support, he has trouble keeping up with everything and can get frustrated by problems with firmware and communications that don't work as they should.

But I hear you - my first lithium batteries by a chinese company  made a lot of claims and promises and me not being a knowledgeable consumer at the time , bought them. There is a learning curve and that can be a bit pricey. But you could also look at cars or trucks - some models are great and some develop  lots of issues and can cost $$ in the long run.  Life in modern society .

Larry 

I hear ya man, and thanks for listening to the pseudo rant with patience and a measured response. In regards to Midnite Solar as a company, they've more than earned my loyalty for the foreseeable future. I'm not of any other company where the actual EEs and designers take so much time on the phone to patiently explain how things work to a small potatoes dullard such as myself, and it's hard to put a price on that. On the plus side, I've at least got three of these batteries going and and the system up and running, so now i've got to go into the mngp and figure out all the features I've never had before with a much more sophisticated inverter and CC than i've been using the past 14 years. If you don't mind, i might just want to pick your brain at some point regarding building batteries that match my current 4(well...3 as it stands). My older system I kept separate because I was unsure of the longitudinal effects of trying to tie in two older batteries of higher capacity and differing BMSs to the same bus...plus, i'm pretty sure they have severely compromised cells in them, because my average draw is only about 300-400 watts (unless i run a couple higher wattage things like a keurig, electric skillet, air compressor, etc l...but those are very short duration bursts), and yes for a 15kw bank, they will draw down to 50v (my lvc setpoint) over the course of a day and a half with no sun...the math is WAY off. Instead, I just installed a transfer switch and now that system is resigned to standby power when needed. I'm guessing those batteries are not long for this world, but i'll use em till they die I guess.

#28

The Rosie / Re: Rosie - Grid Support

Last post by Groton Vermont - November 05, 2025, 02:36:32 PM

You CAN power your loads and charge the batteries at the same time, done it on many occasions, just you can't have AUTOMATIC generator control, have to do it manually.

Hi Dave, Yes, I understand this. I am refering to having a load sharing between the generator and the inverter. If you had a 2kW generator and suddenly a 4Kw water heater switched on, I think the generator would kick off with an overload. Where as if the inverter could pick up the slack so the generator never exceeds the maximum load. Is that possible? So also, when there is just 200mA Load the generator could still run at full load, the difference going to charge the batteries.
Is this even possible?

Note, even with the "0 Charge" not working, the generator was not charging the batteries but was powering the loads. Does that mean Rosie didn't like the generator so did not allow battery charging but did allow load powering or is there still something else going on?

Thanks all,

Jim

#29

MNPowerFlo5 / Re: DoA PF5?

Last post by ClassicCrazy - November 05, 2025, 12:09:32 PM

I do understand that there is a lot of interest around plug and play aspect of connecting batteries to controller / inverter but often seems troublesome for various reasons some of which you just mentioned.
Larry

My problem is with the way all these systems are advertised honestly. To me, most of this is essentially false advertising, which is why I don't buy chinese designed anything. I never expected that to apply to Midnite Solar branded products, but here we are. I might as well save myself a ton on money if the end result is the same. This has solidified my resolve to forsake any more branded purchases (battery wise) and just go the DIY route...tens of thousands spent between two systems four years apart that were advertised as closed loop new awesome tech and better battery management and all that only to be told twice "sorry bout that...just run them open loop then". Fool me twice, I guess.

yes I totally understand what you are saying. It is a combination of advertising hype in a competitive field, but also seems to be from not having realistic samples and technicians to test the products ahead of time to make sure they work. But with all things mechanical and software, they need regular maintenance. Every time a firmware update is made to fix something, it can break something else. There are so many variations of systems out there it is difficult to test things ahead of time. Add in the DIY nature of systems and you get all kinds of other issues like things wired incorrectly that can throw a wrench into the mix and cause headaches for everyone.
The Midnite Classic is an example of a product that evolved for the better over time from frequent firmware updates , but there were hiccups along the way that eventually got solved. The greatest innovation was the addition of the Whizbang for accurate SOC estimates. But even with that , it took one of the two Aux relays so limited some options that were available before that.

But if you do want to do a more DIY battery option , look at Eel Batteries , I have built three this summer . The newest V6 box is better than the previous V5 that I built. You can get Eve MB31 cells that are 314 ah capacity and incredible performance - the Eel V6 box has the newest v19 JK inverter 200 amp bms . Eel has these imported into USA now - price is around 2000 for case and cells. Much easier to move around when the cells are separate and also can ship regular fedex instead of having to get a 300 pound battery via semi freight truck. There is also Docan and Yixiang that sell cases and cell that are already imported into USA ( or other countries too) .

I wouldn't get too hard on Midnite because the battery and bms market changes so fast these days. If you watch Off Grid Garage on youtube - he has been messing with lithium batteries and bms and testing and critiquing them for many years. Even with manufacturers sending him their newest stuff and his more direct lines of communications to their tech support, he has trouble keeping up with everything and can get frustrated by problems with firmware and communications that don't work as they should.

But I hear you - my first lithium batteries by a chinese company  made a lot of claims and promises and me not being a knowledgeable consumer at the time , bought them. There is a learning curve and that can be a bit pricey. But you could also look at cars or trucks - some models are great and some develop  lots of issues and can cost $$ in the long run.  Life in modern society .

Larry 

#30

MNPowerFlo5 / Re: DoA PF5?

Last post by BlackwaterPark - November 05, 2025, 10:11:13 AM

 
I do understand that there is a lot of interest around plug and play aspect of connecting batteries to controller / inverter but often seems troublesome for various reasons some of which you just mentioned.
Larry

[/quote]

My problem is with the way all these systems are advertised honestly. To me, most of this is essentially false advertising, which is why I don't buy chinese designed anything. I never expected that to apply to Midnite Solar branded products, but here we are. I might as well save myself a ton on money if the end result is the same. This has solidified my resolve to forsake any more branded purchases (battery wise) and just go the DIY route...tens of thousands spent between two systems four years apart that were advertised as closed loop new awesome tech and better battery management and all that only to be told twice "sorry bout that...just run them open loop then". Fool me twice, I guess.