Why I do not recommend the Midnite Array Combiner (MNPV3)

bill von novak · June 2017

Vic said:

Thanks for doing the legwork on this, Vic. (Add me to the list of happy Midnite customers - their products are great, and their tech support is outstanding.)

Lumisol · June 2017

LOL this is typical of a company that doesn't really care about the products, just the money.

As Yoda would say, "The arrogance is strong in this one".

1. Then it needs to be vastly improved to accept all of the current types of mc4 connectors, including the best on the market, and also to be better designed to sit properly without bowing the metal case when installed. That's just cheap crap.
2. Yes, I noticed they are too large for the MC4 connectors made by better companies, and the inner knockouts are too small. There should be a third option to fit the better quality connectors as some customers have higher standards than midnite evidently does. (I am one of them)
3.The connector is the best available and has double waterproof seals in it. It is made by Renogy to a higher standard than the crap used in the pre-wired box you sell. I do not want cheap fuses, I want and use a circuit breaker that is a better choice than a fuse for my purposes as it allows it to also act as a disconnect point. I also used better wire than the pre-wired box on the advice of forum members who were kind enough to answer that question for me, according to the consensus, the wires you use are not up to par.
(

westbranch Posts: 4,718Solar Expert ✭✭✭✭

May 7 #2

Short answer, use the largest wire that you can fit in the CB that matches the final number of PV runs you will use for the Combiner to CC. Larger is never a problem but if you undersize ( @ minimum) you may have to replace it in the future...but do not oversize your B's... stick to the makers recommendation of amp rating.
The lugs will accept anything from 14 to 6 awg.
The manufacturers use 10Ga stranded AFAIK for almost all PV to combiner for a reason (safety) and you want to go smaller to 14 and 12?
I have nothing in my combiners smaller than 10ga solid, after that I use 8 ga stranded..

hth

KID #51B 4s 140W to 24V 900Ah C&D AGM
CL#29032 FW 2126/ 2073/ 2133 175A E-Panel WBjr, 3 x 4s 140W to 24V 900Ah C&D AGM
Cotek ST1500W 24V Inverter,OmniCharge 3024,
2 x Cisco WRT54GL i/c DD-WRT Rtr & Bridge, Hughes1100 Sat Modem
Eu3/2/1000i Gens, 1680W & E-Panel/WBjr to come, CL #647 asleep
West Chilcotin, BC, Canada)
4. It is NOT weird for me to go beyond what is necessary when I fabricate an item, it is weird to think that it is not up to me to decide the level of quality I desire though.
5. You got a complaint this time, buddy, and you say it is fine. LOL nice try.
6. The rivets DO protrude below the feet, did you not see the pictures?? lol wow, just total incompetence.
7. I was a customer. The knockouts were not placed where I wanted them, Therefore the knockouts are not placed where all your customers want them. This is a simple exercise in logic and one you failed at evidently. Perhaps you should sell to only professionals that have a lower standard of quality than I apparently do then and not sell to any one that has the ability to do things themselves as they will generally know how to do it better. Most of the members of this forum are do-it-yourselfers and I doubt they appreciate your condescending attitude to anyone that is not a professional installer, many are probably overqualified to stoop to such a job, frankly as it would be a huge demotion from their current position.
8. The product is crap, and in your mind that is fine. According to this logic, it is fine to sell crap. LOL I disagree wholeheartedly.
9. I seriously doubt there is any legal way you could stop me, so it's nice that you give me permission to do what the law already allows me to do.
10. I am one of the people that is familiar with your products now, and also with your holier than thou attitude and frankly it makes me sick that things like this are allowed to stand.

PS I reversed the charges on the card I used to pay with because the item was not fit for my intended purpose. I was going to just take the loss and let you keep the money as a lesson to never trust your company again, but after this show of arrogance, I changed my mind. You can pick up the box from the trash heap where it belongs.
I will also be spending a bit more time spreading the word by leaving a review on any site that sells the junk you claim is 'fine'. Thanks for the inspiration, I was going to just let it die, but I keep thinking about your words and the words of a founder of our great nation that said that all tyranny requires to gain a foothold is for good men to do nothing, so I will do something.
Good riddance.

bill von novak · June 2017

Lumisol said:

LOL this is typical of a company that doesn't really care about the products, just the money. . . .

As Yoda would say, "The arrogance is strong in this one". . . .Thanks for the inspiration, I was going to just let it die, but I keep thinking about your words and the words of a founder of our great nation that said that all tyranny requires to gain a foothold is for good men to do nothing, so I will do something.
Good riddance.

Otter from Animal House:

"Ladies and gentlemen, I'll be brief. The issue here is not whether we broke a few rules, or took a few liberties with our female party guests - we did. [winks.] But you can't hold a whole fraternity responsible for the behavior of a few, sick twisted individuals. For if you do, then shouldn't we blame the whole fraternity system? And if the whole fraternity system is guilty, then isn't this an indictment of our educational institutions in general? I put it to you, Greg - isn't this an indictment of our entire American society? Well, you can do whatever you want to us, but we're not going to sit here and listen to you badmouth the United States of America. Gentlemen!" [they exit singing the Star Spangled Banner]

Photowhit · June 2017

Lumisol said:
2. Yes, I noticed they are too large for the MC4 connectors made by better companies, and the inner knockouts are too small. There should be a third option to fit the better quality connectors as some customers have higher standards than midnite evidently does. (I am one of them)

Guess you missed the point in total...
Robin stated that these are made by "Multi Contact" (or Stäubli), You know the people who designed and them...
...So you used a 'compatible' brand... Way to go!

"Most of the members of this forum are do-it-yourselfers and I doubt they appreciate your condescending attitude..."
Personally, I found it refreshing!

Lumisol · June 2017

bill von novak said:

Lumisol said:

LOL this is typical of a company that doesn't really care about the products, just the money. . . .

As Yoda would say, "The arrogance is strong in this one". . . .Thanks for the inspiration, I was going to just let it die, but I keep thinking about your words and the words of a founder of our great nation that said that all tyranny requires to gain a foothold is for good men to do nothing, so I will do something.
Good riddance.

Otter from Animal House:

"Ladies and gentlemen, I'll be brief. The issue here is not whether we broke a few rules, or took a few liberties with our female party guests - we did. [winks.] But you can't hold a whole fraternity responsible for the behavior of a few, sick twisted individuals. For if you do, then shouldn't we blame the whole fraternity system? And if the whole fraternity system is guilty, then isn't this an indictment of our educational institutions in general? I put it to you, Greg - isn't this an indictment of our entire American society? Well, you can do whatever you want to us, but we're not going to sit here and listen to you badmouth the United States of America. Gentlemen!" [they exit singing the Star Spangled Banner]

I agree, they definitely broke a few rules when they built this and a few more with their idea of customer service.

Horsefly · June 2017

Lumisol said:

bill von novak said:

Lumisol said:

LOL this is typical of a company that doesn't really care about the products, just the money. . . .

As Yoda would say, "The arrogance is strong in this one". . . .Thanks for the inspiration, I was going to just let it die, but I keep thinking about your words and the words of a founder of our great nation that said that all tyranny requires to gain a foothold is for good men to do nothing, so I will do something.
Good riddance.

Otter from Animal House:

"Ladies and gentlemen, I'll be brief. The issue here is not whether we broke a few rules, or took a few liberties with our female party guests - we did. [winks.] But you can't hold a whole fraternity responsible for the behavior of a few, sick twisted individuals. For if you do, then shouldn't we blame the whole fraternity system? And if the whole fraternity system is guilty, then isn't this an indictment of our educational institutions in general? I put it to you, Greg - isn't this an indictment of our entire American society? Well, you can do whatever you want to us, but we're not going to sit here and listen to you badmouth the United States of America. Gentlemen!" [they exit singing the Star Spangled Banner]

I agree, they definitely broke a few rules when they built this and a few more with their idea of customer service.

Either you don't get the joke, or you don't get the point, or you are still trolling. Since you are too good to be here, is there somewhere else you could go?

Lumisol · June 2017

Evidently we are all not good enough for Midnite being just lowly do it yourselfers. lolPhotowhit said:

Lumisol said:
2. Yes, I noticed they are too large for the MC4 connectors made by better companies, and the inner knockouts are too small. There should be a third option to fit the better quality connectors as some customers have higher standards than midnite evidently does. (I am one of them)
Guess you missed the point in total...
Robin stated that these are made by "Multi Contact" (or Stäubli), You know the people who designed and them...
...So you used a 'compatible' brand... Way to go!

"Most of the members of this forum are do-it-yourselfers and I doubt they appreciate your condescending attitude..."
Personally, I found it refreshing!

The ones I used are also multi contact and multi seal and are rated for extreme weather conditions and dusty environments. Up on the mountain we have a LOT of high winds and very heavy rains in the monsoon season and the rain can often go nearly straight sideways, I wanted the best connectors being made and got them. I have no complaints about the quality of them and they far surpass the rest of the combiner set up I had before making my own. My new system is virtually bulletproof and total over designed to last my lifetime plus a couple more. LOL
I find it odd that you like being stereotyped as a ham handed blunderer because you do things yourself. I am very proud of the quality of work I do for my family and have no regrets about demanding the best I can get.

To each his own.

mmaritz · June 2017

mmaritz said:

I'm sure Midnightsolar would have been happy to take back the product for a refund if you were not happy (within a reasonable timeframe).

@Lumisol - You still fail to answer the question of why you didn't return the product - instead you bash everyone else!

In all this your valid points are lost in the all rhetoric and negativity!

BB. · June 2017

I think this issue has been pretty much fully aired.

I am closing this thread now.

-Bill "moderator" B.

Why I do not recommend the Midnite Array Combiner (MNPV3)

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