Designing 6kW solar solution to charge 180V battery bank of 15 of 12V batt. in series

[Haviseed]

Hello All,
I need another opinion on how to build up a 6kW solar array to charge 15 of 12V 150Ah battery bank and determing appropriate solar charge controller needed. I have been considered using180V 50A pwm solar controller from a chinese firm to charge the batteries but I know there are smart people here who can help me out.

[SunEagle]

Hello All,
I need another opinion on how to build up a 6kW solar array to charge 15 of 12V 150Ah battery bank and determing appropriate solar charge controller needed. I have been considered using180V 50A pwm solar controller from a chinese firm to charge the batteries but I know there are smart people here who can help me out.

Hello and welcome to Solar Panel Talk

I am unaware of any solar battery charger for a 180v battery system. But I do know that using a PWM charge controller will reduce your available panel wattage by at least 67% so it is better to use a MPPT type charger.

Also if you are still thinking about using those 12volt batteries maybe use 8 with two parallel sets of 4 wired in series to make 48volt 300Ah system. Going with a third 48volt set wired in parallel will increase the chances of destroying those batteries.

[OceanArcher]

Parallel battery options

OK - why would adding a third set of batteries into that configuration increase the possibility of failure as dramatically as you seem to suggest?

[SunEagle]

OK - why would adding a third set of batteries into that configuration increase the possibility of failure as dramatically as you seem to suggest?

Battery systems should be designed to charge and discharge each "unit" equally. A series wired system has a single "path" for the current to flow which does that.

When you wire batteries in parallel it creates multiple "paths" with different resistances. The higher number of "paths" the greater chance of those resistances to be much different. Even a couple of ohms resistance will change the amount of current being sent (or retrieved) from each battery. That tends to overcharge some batteries or under utilized them when discharged.

Like a cart of apples, once one starts to "turn" the rest of the bunch are affected. A single battery in a large paralleled set can quickly bring down the life of the others.

[Haviseed]

Hello and welcome to Solar Panel Talk

I am unaware of any solar battery charger for a 180v battery system. But I do know that using a PWM charge controller will reduce your available panel wattage by at least 67% so it is better to use a MPPT type charger.

Also if you are still thinking about using those 12volt batteries maybe use 8 with two parallel sets of 4 wired in series to make 48volt 300Ah system. Going with a third 48volt set wired in parallel will increase the chances of destroying those batteries.

Thank SunEagle.
The off-grid inverter is Sukam 15kVA DSP Colossal with input DC of 180v. Hence the battery has to makeup a total of 180V.
Mathematically, @12volts for each then a total of 15 12V battery would be required. Another, I know that I can get 3 of 60v mppt controllers and divide the batteries into a 5 per controller. But, my concern is equalization of the batteries. I still would need another opinion. I wish to thank SunEagle for the contribution

[SunEagle]

Thank SunEagle.
The off-grid inverter is Sukam 15kVA DSP Colossal with input DC of 180v. Hence the battery has to makeup a total of 180V.
Mathematically, @12volts for each then a total of 15 12V battery would be required. Another, I know that I can get 3 of 60v mppt controllers and divide the batteries into a 5 per controller. But, my concern is equalization of the batteries. I still would need another opinion. I wish to thank SunEagle for the contribution

I stand corrected. Did not know about those Sukam Colossal inverter/charger systems.

I did see that the one rated for 180volt was the single phase unit at 10kva. The 15kva is a three phase unit requiring a higher input voltage,

[Sunking]

Hello All,
I need another opinion on how to build up a 6kW solar array to charge 15 of 12V 150Ah battery bank and determing appropriate solar charge controller needed. I have been considered using180V 50A pwm solar controller from a chinese firm to charge the batteries but I know there are smart people here who can help me out.

Two issues.

1.Last thing you want is PWM.

2. You will have to design and build the controller as none exist. 120 volt battery is as large are they make them and you would need two Midnite Solar Classic 250 VKS controllers with 3000 watt input to each one.

Otherwise you are dead in the water for now in the USA. There are some Euro and Australian market manufactures that might have something for higher voltage batteries.

[Haviseed]

How to charge 180volts battery bank using mppt solar charge controller (s)

I stand corrected. Did not know about those Sukam Colossal inverter/charger systems.

I did see that the one rated for 180volt was the single phase unit at 10kva. The 15kva is a three phase unit requiring a higher input voltage,

Apologies for the wrong inverter info.
Yeah, 10kva Sukam 180v input voltage comprising of 15 (12V batteries) inverter system.
The main challenge is how to charge the batteries using MPPT solar charge controller. I got a quote for a 180v mppt controller from China but I am not sure if the product can match the 180v battery bank and still deliver the MPPT edge without me being conned by the seller. @ SunKing.... Thanks for your contribution its worth considering, kindly share detail of the setup using 2 of midnite 250ks for my system and the cost of the mppt controllers. Thanks

[SunEagle]

Apologies for the wrong inverter info.
Yeah, 10kva Sukam 180v input voltage comprising of 15 (12V batteries) inverter system.
The main challenge is how to charge the batteries using MPPT solar charge controller. I got a quote for a 180v mppt controller from China but I am not sure if the product can match the 180v battery bank and still deliver the MPPT edge without me being conned by the seller. @ SunKing.... Thanks for your contribution its worth considering, kindly share detail of the setup using 2 of midnite 250ks for my system and the cost of the mppt controllers. Thanks

The problem you are going to have is finding a solar battery charger that has an output > 200vdc. The highest I have seen go up to 100vdc for a 72volt battery system. Maybe Sukam can recommend something to charge a 180v battery system.