Morningstar MPPT-45 Annoyance

Wanderman
Wanderman Solar Expert Posts: 180 ✭✭✭
in Solar Beginners Corner #1
Hey All,

As many of you know I have put together an MPPT based 450Watt system mounted on my Low profile 23'8" Motorhome. This weekend I was going to update the firmware and work with the MSView and MSLoad software supplied by Morningstar.

I have several old laptops that have serial interfaces and figured it would be a piece of cake.

Nope.

Windows 95? will not install.

Windows 98? Will not install.

Windows XP...OK finally installed, but my only XP or Win7 Laptop are 100 miles away and are used as desktop replacements in the office.

This software (Especially since it requires a COM port) [yes, I know I can use a USB to serial adapter! ;)] is pretty rudimentary. It should work under the older OS'es.

OK rant over. Just annoyed I cannot tweak the system this weekend.

I am getting pretty respectable numbers from the system. I have the MPPT controller charging to 14.7 (I'd like 14.8 as per Trojan's manuals) and I am harvesting much more than I need in a shady, tree overrun location. I haven't even taken the plastic coverings off the panels yet!

More as I progress.

Rick
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Comments

  • Wanderman
    Wanderman Solar Expert Posts: 180 ✭✭✭
    #2
    Re: Morningstar MPPT-45 Annoyance

    Oh, just noticed this on the MSView support web page:


    System Requirements

    Intel 386 or higher (or equivalent)
    Windows 95/98/2000/XP/Vista/Win 7
    8mb ram
    RS-232 serial port (or USB to Serial adapter)
    RS-232 serial cable


    Hmmm......

    Rick
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  • mike95490
    mike95490 Solar Expert Posts: 9,583 ✭✭✭✭✭
    #3
    Re: Morningstar MPPT-45 Annoyance

    I had no trouble updating mine last year, with an old XP laptop and a USB-Serial adapter. I could not get the mod bus adapter to work at all.
    and each update took a long time as I recall.
    Powerfab top of pole PV mount | Listeroid 6/1 w/st5 gen head | XW6048 inverter/chgr | Iota 48V/15A charger | Morningstar 60A MPPT | 48V, 800A NiFe Battery (in series)| 15, Evergreen 205w "12V" PV array on pole | Midnight ePanel | Grundfos 10 SO5-9 with 3 wire Franklin Electric motor (1/2hp 240V 1ph ) on a timer for 3 hr noontime run - Runs off PV ||
    || Midnight Classic 200 | 10, Evergreen 200w in a 160VOC array ||
    || VEC1093 12V Charger | Maha C401 aa/aaa Charger | SureSine | Sunsaver MPPT 15A

    solar: http://tinyurl.com/LMR-Solar
    gen: http://tinyurl.com/LMR-Lister ,

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  • Wanderman
    Wanderman Solar Expert Posts: 180 ✭✭✭
    #4
    Re: Morningstar MPPT-45 Annoyance

    Mike,
    I KNOW it will work with an XP laptop. I just don't have one handy only a win95 one and a win98 one that have serial ports.

    Besides Morningstar says thos OS'es are supported....

    Rick
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  • mike95490
    mike95490 Solar Expert Posts: 9,583 ✭✭✭✭✭
    #5
    Re: Morningstar MPPT-45 Annoyance

    It could also be that the laptop hardware is not compliant. There was a lot of that going around, and also, sometimes, the internals are burned out from a dud device, or the proper drivers are not loaded. But the os should not matter, if the ports are working right.
    Hadly anything works with alll Win95/98/2000/XP/Vista/Win 7. But if the hardware is not right, no OS will make it better.
    Powerfab top of pole PV mount | Listeroid 6/1 w/st5 gen head | XW6048 inverter/chgr | Iota 48V/15A charger | Morningstar 60A MPPT | 48V, 800A NiFe Battery (in series)| 15, Evergreen 205w "12V" PV array on pole | Midnight ePanel | Grundfos 10 SO5-9 with 3 wire Franklin Electric motor (1/2hp 240V 1ph ) on a timer for 3 hr noontime run - Runs off PV ||
    || Midnight Classic 200 | 10, Evergreen 200w in a 160VOC array ||
    || VEC1093 12V Charger | Maha C401 aa/aaa Charger | SureSine | Sunsaver MPPT 15A

    solar: http://tinyurl.com/LMR-Solar
    gen: http://tinyurl.com/LMR-Lister ,

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  • Wanderman
    Wanderman Solar Expert Posts: 180 ✭✭✭
    #6
    Re: Morningstar MPPT-45 Annoyance

    Nope. NOT hardware related. This is simply a failure with the setup.exe not allowing the software to install based on the OS check.

    Real PITA.

    Rick
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  • Wanderman
    Wanderman Solar Expert Posts: 180 ✭✭✭
    #7
    Re: Morningstar MPPT-45 Annoyance

    OK... after conferring with Morningstar..it's a compile problem on their end. They sent me several older versions, 1 of which works fine on Win95 and 98.

    They also are advising there software folks to recompile to regain older OS support.

    If anyone needs this version, let me know.

    Rick
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