Different Panels and watts, same controllers? System big enough for portable cooler?

Collapse
X
Collapse
 
  • Page of 1
  • Time
  • Show
Clear All
new posts
Previous template Next
  • msndave
    Junior Member
    • Apr 2014
    • 2
    #1

    Different Panels and watts, same controllers? System big enough for portable cooler?

    [[edit: nevermind the cooler question - somebody was able to answer at another forum - however, still wondering: I just want to buy a 30w panel and charge controller and then hook them up to my current battery bank? -- specs below -- I don't want to buy anything else -- very simple -- Thanks!]]

    Thanks for your help. I’ve been reading other posts, but I have a pretty low tech, low wattage question. Can I combine two different panels with two different watts by using two of the same charge controllers to the same battery bank? I already have the Kyocera and batteries; I can add an Instapark 30 and an extra controller for not much money. Also, the Kyocera has been discontinued.

    Here are the details of what my system would look like:
    (x1) Kyocera KC 40 Panel -- 43 watts – 17.4 volts – 2.48 amps
    (x1) Instapark 30W Panel – 30 watts – 17.5 volts – 1.68 amps
    (x2) SunGuard/Morningstar 4.5 amp Charge Controllers – I use Morningstar chargers because I heard they are better for sealed batteries?
    (x3) UB 12350 Sealed Lead Acid Battery 35 Ah (total of 105 Ah) – I got these batteries because they were offered with free shipping to rural Alaska – anything larger is very, very expensive to get here. Also, these sealed batteries can be legally shipped via USPS flat rate boxes for around ten bucks.
    (x1) Wagan 400 watt Power Inverter (works but loud fan runs all the time)

    As a side, my current setup is for lights, laptop for movies, etc for a rec cabin in the woods. We only use the cabin in the summer and we get around 13 – 15 hours of sun per day depending on the month. The KC40 is working well but we’d like to add some capacity for a portable beverage cooler to store some meat/cheese. Would this system be big enough for a cooler that draws 4 amps at 48 watts? Thanks again for your advice. – Dave
    Tags: None
    • Mike90250
      Moderator
      • May 2009
      • 16020
      #2
      The specs on the two panels you list, indicate that it would be reasonable to parallel them, and expect
      a single charge controller to harvest about 60 watts

      You are close to the limit of the charge controller, I don't know what this PWM model will do, if you get a cool breeze and the power spikes to 4.65A

      To see if your system has an extra 4 amps, think about it. You are only harvesting about 4.2 amps, and that for only about 3 hours a day (even in Alaska, when the sun is up in the summer, you still have a lot of daylight with little harvestable power.) If you had cloudless days, you could run the cooler ONLY for about 4 hours per day. Sorry.


      Originally posted by msndave
      [[edit: nevermind the cooler question - somebody was able to answer at another forum - however, still wondering: I just want to buy a 30w panel and charge controller and then hook them up to my current battery bank? -- specs below -- I don't want to buy anything else -- very simple -- Thanks!]]

      Thanks for your help. I’ve been reading other posts, but I have a pretty low tech, low wattage question. Can I combine two different panels with two different watts by using two of the same charge controllers to the same battery bank? I already have the Kyocera and batteries; I can add an Instapark 30 and an extra controller for not much money. Also, the Kyocera has been discontinued.

      Here are the details of what my system would look like:
      (x1) Kyocera KC 40 Panel -- 43 watts – 17.4 volts – 2.48 amps
      (x1) Instapark 30W Panel – 30 watts – 17.5 volts – 1.68 amps
      (x2) SunGuard/Morningstar 4.5 amp Charge Controllers – I use Morningstar chargers because I heard they are better for sealed batteries?
      (x3) UB 12350 Sealed Lead Acid Battery 35 Ah (total of 105 Ah) – I got these batteries because they were offered with free shipping to rural Alaska – anything larger is very, very expensive to get here. Also, these sealed batteries can be legally shipped via USPS flat rate boxes for around ten bucks.
      (x1) Wagan 400 watt Power Inverter (works but loud fan runs all the time)

      As a side, my current setup is for lights, laptop for movies, etc for a rec cabin in the woods. We only use the cabin in the summer and we get around 13 – 15 hours of sun per day depending on the month. The KC40 is working well but we’d like to add some capacity for a portable beverage cooler to store some meat/cheese. Would this system be big enough for a cooler that draws 4 amps at 48 watts? Thanks again for your advice. – Dave
      Powerfab top of pole PV mount (2) | 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

        Comment

        • Sunking
          Solar Fanatic
          • Feb 2010
          • 23301
          #3
          OK first thing is even though in Alaska you have extremely long days is mostly irrelevant because the sun goes around you rather than East to West in the southern sky. This greatly reduces Sun Hour harvest. You did not metion what part of Alaska but using Anchorage as a reference solar is only usable from March to September. In March you get around 2.2 Sun Hours, peaks in at 4.9 Sun Hours, and ends in late September with 1 Sun Hour. Even with 2-axis tracking does not improve things much because of the low angles.

          So if we use a very unrealistic June numbers of 4.9 Sun Hours with a 60 watt panel and PWM controller at best you could generate up to 150 watt hours per day. So here are the problems:

          1. At 150 wh/day can only support a 60 AH battery and you have 105 AH
          2. You cooler burns 48 watts x 24 hours = 1150 watt hours per day. At best you can only generate 150 watt hours per day. Just to run the cooler in June would take 350 watt panel, 30 amp MPPT charge controller, and a 12 volt 480 AH battery. You are no where remotely close to those numbers. In July when solar insolation drops to 4.1 sun hours will take more panel wattage and larger controller. By end of September there is no panel wattage that would work and you would be dark until March. But hey after September you do not need a cooler anymore in Alaska.
          MSEE, PE

            Comment

            • paulcheung
              Solar Fanatic
              • Jul 2013
              • 965
              #4
              Don't think he need any cooler at all except July month.

              Cheers

                Comment

                • Bucho
                  Solar Fanatic
                  • Dec 2013
                  • 167
                  #5
                  Originally posted by Sunking
                  You cooler burns 48 watts x 24 hours = 1150 watt hours per day.
                  Does the cooler actually run full out 24 hours per day?

                    Comment

                    Previous template Next
                    Working...