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  • #46
    Originally posted by paulcheung View Post
    Here is my goal. I try to use as much solar power as possible to reduce the electricity bill.
    Paul believe me I understand what you are thinking and wanting to do. The problem is you are fooling yourself. Sure you might reduce your electric bill by say $100/month. But it will cost you $1000/month doing so taking it off-grid with batteries. You are not saving money, you are throwing it away. That is what I and others are trying to make you understand. Battery cost alone will be significantly more than you are paying the electric company.

    Run some numbers and you will see what I am talking about. You say you are using Rolls S460 which is a great battery. The way you are using it will last about 1 year, then needs replaced. Baby them with 20% DOD daily and you might get 5 to 7 years. OK a Rolls S460 is a 6 volt 350 AH battery. You are fully discharging them to 100% DOD every day. So the energy they produce is 6 volts x 350 AH = 2100 watt hours each day. Actually a little less each day with such deep discharges but let's ignore that for the model. In 1 year they will have delivered 365 x 2.1 Kwh = 766 Kwh/year and now time to replace them.

    In the USA we can buy a Rolls S460 total delivered cost of $350 USD. In Jamaica much higher and you have to answer that question for your model. That means in just battery cost alone a Kwh cost $350/766 Kwh = $0.46/Kwh. Average USA price for a Kwh is $0.111/Kwh. So here you are looking a a 400% increase in electric prices for just battery cost alone. Now it is time to buy another battery at even higher prices.

    So now stick in your price for a single S460 delivered to your home and set up and determine what the Kwh cost is. The formula is $JMD / 766 = $JMD/Kwh. I guarantee you it is a lot more than the electric company is charging you for the exact same product. Just off the top of my head I am guessing you will pay about 300% more for the battery than we do in the USA of about $1350 USD for a S460 battery or $136,350 JMD. So your numbers would look something like $1,350 USD / 766 = $1.76/Kwh or in Jamaican money $136,350 JMD/ 766 = $178/Kwh. So go get your real numbers and look at the true cost. I think it will be an eye opening experience in reality you are not going to like.
    MSEE, PE

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    • #47
      My system is kind like grid tie system except I have a small bank of batteries. I have read somewhere it said the best bang for the dollar is run the batteries to 50% dod. well you say it should be 20% dod. I have to workout what to be the best for me. The rolls s530 is selling for $43,000 ja dollars each which is about $425 us. and the s460 is about $38,000 ja. that is about us$375. someone I met in the hardware store told me that he get 13 years out of his rolls batteries. he using a tracker system that he is almost cut out the grid.

      I try to see what the panels can give me and I also have a wind turbine 1000watt which they can't get it to work yet.

      My main concern right now is that if I can run the original outback CC with 4 panels in a series and put the new panels 3 in a series and charge the batteries together. each CC have their own array. only the battery bank in common.

      Thanks

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      • #48
        Does not Jamaica have 100% import tax?
        MSEE, PE

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        • #49
          Originally posted by paulcheung View Post
          someone I met in the hardware store told me that he get 13 years out of his rolls batteries.
          Believe what you want Paul. I am a professional engineer that has worked with battery plants for 33 years. Manufactures would like you to believe 15 to 20 year life. Truth is found in the warranty and for your battery is 2/7. 2 years full replacement, after that up to 7 years is prorated. At 100 and 50% DOD throw the warranty out the window. At 20 to 30% DOD with TLC 5 to 7 years.
          MSEE, PE

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          • #50
            The solar system coming to Jamaica is duty free, but I don't know If i import the batteries alone will qualify for solar system and get duty free. car batteries have a lot of duties. The batteries I purchase with the system is 38,000 ja. dollars each that is about us$375 each. I would love to get a bank of the 820amps rolls then It should last me over five years at least.

            The electricity cost in Ja is $48 per kwh. that is about 47.30cents in us.

            Well it go bad already so I try to do the 50% dod not 80%. what is the worse thingcan happen to the outback CC as the total max VOC is 153.20on then series?; I haven't see any incoming voltage went over 135 so maybe Jamaica is too hot to hit the max voc? and the panel doesnot get much morning sun as it is not in a tracker.

            Thanks

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            • #51
              Originally posted by paulcheung View Post
              what is the worse thingcan happen to the outback CC as the total max VOC is 153.20on then series?;
              Delay the system turning on in the morning and system inefficiency. If I remember correctly Outback MPPT FM controllers operate most efficiently at about 20 volts above battery voltage. The lead engineer of the design realized that was not the best approach, left OB and started Midnite Solar from what I hear. Been awhile since I have worked with Outback controllers.

              Good Luck to you.

              SK
              MSEE, PE

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              • #52
                Thank you for your patience with me. The new CC have the floating volt between 78 to 120, some time it incoming with 86 and it jump to 100 in few seconds yet the other one stay above 102 consistancely. you think is the high voltage cause that problem? I will try to disconnect one of the panel in the two 4 series and see if it improve anything.

                Thank you.

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                • #53
                  Let get some basics first.

                  Do you have both CC battery voltages set the same?
                  Do you have the communication cable between bot CC installed so they can talk and load share?
                  MSEE, PE

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                  • #54
                    The two CC have the same voltage setting. The second question I have no Idea of. does this two CC have the port to setup communication? please tell me.

                    Thank you.

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                    • #55
                      Paul it is time to contact Outback, tell them you have two controllers on a common battery.
                      MSEE, PE

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                      • #56
                        Ok I will do that, thank you.

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