Need a Solar Inverter Charger for my 24v system.

[solarpr]

Hi there,

I just moved to Puerto Rico and I'm building a solar setup to reduce my electricity bill on my rented house.

So far my system consist of the following:
- (5) 260w Solar World Mono Panels
- (8) 6v 208Ahr Interstate Golf Batteries
- (2) 20a Chineese MPPT Charge Controllers (good ones)
- (2) 24v Cotek 120v 1500w/3000w Pure Sine Wave Inverters
- (1) 24v Cotek 220v 1500w/3000w Pure Sine Wave Inverter

I have been only running my fridge, tv's, computers, modem, router, floor fans etc etc. with (1) 120v inverter. I bough a 220v inverter to run my 18,000btu Inverter Air Conditioner during the day, on LOW mode it consumes around 1500-1700w for about 4-6min (way over my inverter specs) and then goes down to 300-350w once it cools the room. It has a QUIET mode that only allows the compressor to consume around 300-350w as soon I turn on the unti, but it takes longer to cool the room.

Even though my Cotek (samlex) inverters are new and work great and the MPPT chargers do their jobt, I would like to simplify my system and get more power on the inverter.
I'm looking for a Solar Inverter Charger around 3000w-4000w that the priority will be the solar and battery and once those are not suitable then switches to AC and also charges my batteries.

What do you guys recommend?

[paulcheung]

The Magnum MS4024PAE is a good 110/220 volt pure shine wave Inverter/Charger. That will fit your needs.

[paulcheung]

Actually if your Charge controller can charge 40 volts battery bank, you should just get the Magnum MS4448PAE 48 volts inverter and forget the 24 volts system since you already has 8 batteries already.

[paulcheung]

Correction 48 volts battery bank

[solarpr]

Actually if your Charge controller can charge 40 volts battery bank, you should just get the Magnum MS4448PAE 48 volts inverter and forget the 24 volts system since you already has 8 batteries already.

I'm out of luck on the MPPT charger, they work on 12/24v, they work great but they don't go up to 48v and they only do 20amp each, I need an unit that can do everything.

Magna sine looks perfect but a little expensive, I have a budget of around $1500.
I was looking at the Mean Well TN-3000-124A for less than $1000 , its a 3000w inverter but it only accepts 30amp solar in

[solarpr]

So after a few weeks of testing and a few changes later, I found some issues that needs fixing, the idea of my system is to save some $ in electricity (I pay $0.21 kwh here in PR) and have back up power a big UPS for things that I use more. I have been running my Fridge, TV, Wifi router, Modem, CCTV, External hardrive, laptop, etc. with this system 24hr.

So far I have been using only (2) panels for charging my battery bank , the other (3) are been used with a Sun-g600 grid tie inverter to put some watts back into my grid.

This is what my system consumes

11pm - 7am = 180w/hr (fridge, wifi router, modem, cctv, ext.hardrive)
7am - 11pm = 260w/hr (fridge, wifi router, modem, cctv. ext.hardrive, TV, laptop)

Changes
Fridge
My fridge is a dual door with icemaker dispenser, it only consumes 122watts 90% of the time, it will defrost daily once or twice for 2-3 minutes and it will consume around 600w while doing that. Not sure if this fridge is inverter type, because I can only hear compressor once or twice a day and only when the door is open for long periods of time.

It's very power hungry when it dispenses ice or when the door is open "lights", has like 6 bulbs in total. (I will change them to LED soon)
Dispensing ice consumes = 500-600 watts because the motor dispensing/crushing ice
Opening the door consumes = 430 watts because of the lights one side only, I'm guessing it has (3) 100w bulbs. top/middle/bottom

With kids and all the opening and closing and ice dispense between 6pm-11pm, sometimes my battery bank is at 55% in the morning and I don't like that. When kids are not home the battery bank is around 70-75% in the morning.

At the moment the fridge is back into my utility grid to reduce the stress on the battery bank, I added a desktop to my battery bank instead.

Tropical Storm backup = I experienced 2 tropical storms last month, and thank God for this system, my father has a 7KW with a SMA grid tie inverter but he lost electricity, and had no power at all for 3 days. Me in the other hand, had TV, fridge, internet, 3 fans, Apple TV etc. with my small solar system.

Right now I need to change my MPPT battery charger because I found out that the system is not charging 100% because the solar panels are not providing enough voltage to charge my 24v system. My SolarWorld Mono panels are 28-31v once connected to my MPPT charger will drop to 27-28v, I can't reach the 30v I need to proper charge them. The MPPT charger works excellent on 12v with this panels, but not on 24v unless I change the solar panels for some 42v. My current MPPT charger only accepts up to 50v so putting my solarworld panels in series won't work either.

I have been testing a MPP Solar hybrid inverter/charger non MPPT for a few days and works excellent, but now I want the 120v version with MPPT, that will simplify my system and give me all that I want.

Tracking = I plan to install a 1 axis tracking system to improve my solar production.

This is my system so far, I few things will change soon.

IMG_4998.JPG IMG_5026.JPG IMG_4964.JPG

[ButchDeal]

This is my system so far, I few things will change soon.

[ATTACH]7765[/ATTACH] [ATTACH]7766[/ATTACH] [ATTACH]7767[/ATTACH]

I hope one of them is to get those batteries in a battery box that is vented to outside. Any over charging produces Hydrogen and oxygen gas (very flammable) so you don't want it to be near (or under) your electric components and inverters.

[solarpr]

I hope one of them is to get those batteries in a battery box that is vented to outside. Any over charging produces Hydrogen and oxygen gas (very flammable) so you don't want it to be near (or under) your electric components and inverters.

Oh yeah, I have a big open window 4' x 6' close by the batteries and a 14 watts fan (not shown) that blows air to the batteries and points out the window. Not the best setup, I ordered more battery cables, I'm just waiting for them to arrive so I can move the batteries and put a vented cover on them. I don't want my electronics close to the batteries either, it will corrode them for sure.

Here is a better view
FullSizeRender.jpg

[SunEagle]

So after a few weeks of testing and a few changes later, I found some issues that needs fixing, the idea of my system is to save some $ in electricity (I pay $0.21 kwh here in PR) and have back up power a big UPS for things that I use more. I have been running my Fridge, TV, Wifi router, Modem, CCTV, External hardrive, laptop, etc. with this system 24hr.

So far I have been using only (2) panels for charging my battery bank , the other (3) are been used with a Sun-g600 grid tie inverter to put some watts back into my grid.

This is what my system consumes

11pm - 7am = 180w/hr (fridge, wifi router, modem, cctv, ext.hardrive)
7am - 11pm = 260w/hr (fridge, wifi router, modem, cctv. ext.hardrive, TV, laptop)

Changes
Fridge
My fridge is a dual door with icemaker dispenser, it only consumes 122watts 90% of the time, it will defrost daily once or twice for 2-3 minutes and it will consume around 600w while doing that. Not sure if this fridge is inverter type, because I can only hear compressor once or twice a day and only when the door is open for long periods of time.

It's very power hungry when it dispenses ice or when the door is open "lights", has like 6 bulbs in total. (I will change them to LED soon)
Dispensing ice consumes = 500-600 watts because the motor dispensing/crushing ice
Opening the door consumes = 430 watts because of the lights one side only, I'm guessing it has (3) 100w bulbs. top/middle/bottom

With kids and all the opening and closing and ice dispense between 6pm-11pm, sometimes my battery bank is at 55% in the morning and I don't like that. When kids are not home the battery bank is around 70-75% in the morning.

At the moment the fridge is back into my utility grid to reduce the stress on the battery bank, I added a desktop to my battery bank instead.

Tropical Storm backup = I experienced 2 tropical storms last month, and thank God for this system, my father has a 7KW with a SMA grid tie inverter but he lost electricity, and had no power at all for 3 days. Me in the other hand, had TV, fridge, internet, 3 fans, Apple TV etc. with my small solar system.

Right now I need to change my MPPT battery charger because I found out that the system is not charging 100% because the solar panels are not providing enough voltage to charge my 24v system. My SolarWorld Mono panels are 28-31v once connected to my MPPT charger will drop to 27-28v, I can't reach the 30v I need to proper charge them. The MPPT charger works excellent on 12v with this panels, but not on 24v unless I change the solar panels for some 42v. My current MPPT charger only accepts up to 50v so putting my solarworld panels in series won't work either.

I have been testing a MPP Solar hybrid inverter/charger non MPPT for a few days and works excellent, but now I want the 120v version with MPPT, that will simplify my system and give me all that I want.

Tracking = I plan to install a 1 axis tracking system to improve my solar production.

This is my system so far, I few things will change soon.

[ATTACH]7765[/ATTACH] [ATTACH]7766[/ATTACH] [ATTACH]7767[/ATTACH]

Instead of a tracking system maybe just increase the angle of those panels so you get more useable sunlight hitting them at 90 degrees.

[solarpr]

Instead of a tracking system maybe just increase the angle of those panels so you get more useable sunlight hitting them at 90 degrees.

The panels are laying flat because I'm waiting on some custom bearings for the axis tracker assembly, everything has been designed I'm just waiting on parts. My area calls for a 15-20 degree angle to get the most in average but I'm making my tracker adjustable from 0 to 20 degree angle. Something like this. Right now I'm getting 6-7.5kwh generation per day with the solar panels laying flat with this 1.3kw solar system. I plan to get more of it with the tracker. I'm renting this house right now so I can't go crazy buying solar panels

[SunEagle]

The panels are laying flat because I'm waiting on some custom bearings for the axis tracker assembly, everything has been designed I'm just waiting on parts. My area calls for a 15-20 degree angle to get the most in average but I'm making my tracker adjustable from 0 to 20 degree angle. Something like this. Right now I'm getting 6-7.5kwh generation per day with the solar panels laying flat with this 1.3kw solar system. I plan to get more of it with the tracker. I'm renting this house right now so I can't go crazy buying solar panels

My concern is that with that tree to the South and building to the West shadows will eliminate just about all the extra you may capture by changing the panels position.

You might find the best solution is finding the direction that gets the most unobstructed sunlight. Which in your case may be East.

[solarpr]

My concern is that with that tree to the South and building to the West shadows will eliminate just about all the extra you may capture by changing the panels position.

You might find the best solution is finding the direction that gets the most unobstructed sunlight. Which in your case may be East.

I did some study before designing the tracker. The palm on the south produces a shade about 5ft away from the first panel, in the summer is like 10ft away. The house on the west, starts producing shade on my panels around 5:40pm, but at that time it wont matter much because sunset here is around that time. Once the tracker is setup the panels will be a little higher too, so I might clear that house shade a little more. Looking at the angle I took the picture, everything looks to close.

Im also installing a cooling mist system for underneath the panels, it will spray a mist of water depending on temperature, I did a little test and I gain 20-30w per panel once I mist them. I will use filtered rain water with a DC pump.