MidNite Solar Hawke's Bay Solar Charge Controller, 90A & 120A Charge Controller, Pre-Wired or Standalone

MidNite Solar Hawke’s Bay Solar Charge Controller

MidNite Solar’s Hawke’s Bay charge controller prevents battery damage from excessive voltage or over-charging and uses MPPT (Maximum Power Point Tracking) technology to monitor and adjust the solar panel’s voltage and current levels to maximize incoming power regardless of changes in sunlight or weather conditions. 

The Hawke’s Bay comes in two iterations. One charges batteries up to 90A continuous, and the other charges batteries up to 120A continuous. Both versions work with 48V battery banks, charging between 29V and 65V, and are compatible with all batteries commonly used in solar powered systems.

The charge controller’s operating input voltage is between 185V and 585V with a startup voltage of 220V. This means the unit continues using solar power even if changing weather conditions reduce the solar power output.

MidNite has incorporated many options and features with the Hawke’s Bay, including a built-in Option Board, a main communication board, two Auxiliary circuits, CANBUS communication, and connection to the MNBLE UPDATE app through Bluetooth.

The built-in Option Board provides connection points for important safety addons, such as the arc fault / ground fault sensors kit and RSS transmitter kit (currently unavailable). The system also includes LED lights that quickly indicate the status of any connected and enabled sensors. 

The main communication board includes CANBUS communications and the Battery Temperature Sensor connections. The Breaker Trip Circuits also connect here, allowing the breakers to trip remotely if the battery voltage gets too high.

The Hawke's Bay communicates with other MidNite Solar products that utilize MidNite CANBUS circuits, like the MNGP2, a built-in graphics and programming module. Once the first unit is configured, additionally connected CANBUS MidNite Solar units adopt the settings. If a unit is set up under a different system and integrated into the primary system, the startup menu will ask from which system to adopt settings.

The two Auxiliary circuits output 10.5Vdc at 200mA, which is enough to power an external relay on each circuit. There are 21 modes to choose from, though only one can be selected at a time for each Aux circuit. These modes include settings for the SOC%, the vent fan, float, battery discharge, battery temperature, a system generator, and more. 

The MNBLE UPDATE app is available for both Apple and Android devices and is used to install firmware updates through Bluetooth. The app checks for updates and downloads them upon request, applying them to the Hawke's Bay once the smart device is in Bluetooth range.

In addition to these features, the Hawke’s Bay optionally connects to the Whiz Bang Jr and the Hawke’s Bay Breaker Box to provide your solar system with additional precision and security.

The Whiz Bang Jr attaches to the shunt and provides additional monitoring of all current flowing both into and out of the battery, resulting in an accurate SOC% (state of charge). The Hawke’s Bay uses this information to not only maintain battery life, but to optimize it. 

The Hawke’s Bay Prewired includes the optional Hawke’s Bay Breaker Box. The Breaker Box provides additional security for the system by tripping the PV and battery breakers built into the Breaker Box. This protects the charge controller and the battery bank during events involving excess power, such as if batteries exceed 68Vdc, if the PV breaker is on when the battery breaker is turned on, and if firmware updates begin. 

The Breaker Box meets NEC’s safety requirements for overcurrent protection and dc disconnects. It goes above and beyond by adding in a ground bus bar to ground multiple components in the solar system, including extra surge protection devices like the MidNite Solar SPD. 

The prewired version comes pre-assembled onto the Backplate with breakers installed and internal wiring connected, making it ready for installation right out of the box.

Designed and manufactured in Arlington, WA, this American made charge controller will reliably charge a 48V battery bank as part of a solar powered system. Check out the Recommended Accessories listed below. These have been chosen as optimized pairings with the Hawke’s Bay charge controller, though many products are compatible.