MPPT Charge controllers and Panel Connections

[Simo]

Looking at connecting 48 (310 watt) solar panels to a 48 volt battery bank and looking for some advise on best options for charge controllers within reason.
Also best options for connecting panels eg how many panels in series etc for best use of controller voltage range etc.

Panel specs are

Vmpp 38.47
Impp 8.06
Voc 45.47
Isc 8.67


Any advise would be greatly appreciated.....

[ButchDeal]

to help you, we would need to know you local weather extremes (particularly cold) and the pv modules temperature coefficient.

[Simo]

See attached for specs.
Location is Perth , WESTERN AUSTRALIA

[Mike90250]

Magnum PT-100 is a monster of a controller, Midnight Classic, Morningstar MPPT series and the Schneider 600V-80A controller are also strong contenders.

[Sunking]

Looking at connecting 48 (310 watt) solar panels to a 48 volt battery bank and looking for some advise on best options for charge controllers within reason...

You are talking 3 expensive charge controllers.

[Simo]

Having a bit of trouble trying to figure out the best string combination and number of controllers required?

[Mike90250]

That's about 15Kw of PV. ( 14880w ). Into 48V, that would be 310 amps. [ those numbers are a bit odd, 48V 48panels 310watt panels, 310A)
That will need at least 3 of the big PT-100 controllers, running near 100% capacity. That's also going to need a giant 48V bank, a couple fork lift batteries.
You have to peruse each mfg's web site, and play with the string sizer to determine what your system design will be. You CANNOT just buy stuff and lash it together.
PT-100 180Vmax 100A (3ea)
Schneider 600V 80A (4ea)
Morningstar 600V 60A (6ea)
Morningstar 150V 60A (6ea)
Midnighgt Classic 150V 70A (5ea)
Which ones network easier ?

[MichaelK!]

Nobody seems to be asking the big questions here, like "What are you trying to accomplish?" What is the goal here? Are you planning on running a single household, a vacation cabin, a rural farmstead, or a vacation resort? Do you actually have forty-eight 310 watt panels, or is this just some "back of the envelope" calculation? As Mike says, almost 15kwatts of solar panels would be part of a massive system, which would need the correspondingly massive battery system and a massive electronics array.

Are you going to have all the panels pointed north, or will they be divided between north, east, and west. That will in part determine what your maximum amperage will be. Assuming all the panels are pointed north, and they're at optimum angle, you'll need a battery bank that can absorb 250-300 amps of current. Those batteries do exist, Trojan IND33s for example, but they cost >1000$US and weigh 125kg each. And you'd need 24 of them for a 48V system. So, where are these numbers coming from? What do you need to power that needs that kind of capacity?

[Mike90250]

Nobody seems to be asking the big questions here, like "What are you trying to accomplish?" What is the goal here? Are you planning on running a single household, a vacation cabin, a rural farmstead, or a vacation resort?...

Always been pointless in the past

[SunEagle]

Always been pointless in the past

Well 15kw should handle a coffee pot and microwave.

[Sunking]

Nobody seems to be asking the big questions here, like "What are you trying to accomplish?"

We gave up asking fools that question years ago. As Mike said it is pointless. 15 Kw panel system requires a new 9000 pound $29,000 battery every 5 years. Who cares?

[Simo]

Looking at running a rural homestead on standalone solar.
15kw panels
2 x 8kva inverters
24 x 2v 1500ah OPzV batteries.

[littleharbor]

Is this equipment list based on estimated loads, which will dictate your battery bank capacity, which will dictate your charging requirements, based on local conditions, taking your worst insolation month and temprature extremes into consideration.. Generator? You will need one. Are the inverters listed based on max surge needs?

The list provided just sounds a bit simplified without actual model numbers. The only model number you have given is for gel telecom batteries which aren't well suited to daily cycle applications and aggressive charging. Looks like you intend on investing a pretty good chunk of change into this project. For a system this size you really need to have the system designed by someone who is well versed at designing a well balanced system on this scale.

[Sunking]

Looking at running a rural homestead on standalone solar.
15kw panels
2 x 8kva inverters
24 x 2v 1500ah OPzV batteries.

Hope you can afford replacing those batteries every year or two. They are not deep cycle batteries.

As for me I am out of this thread. You cannot help a fool and no point in trying.

[SunEagle]

Wow. My guess is that system cost at least $75k and those batteries will be a money pit for years to come. I guess the OP can justify that type of expense to live off grid but if it was my money I would find another way to get power to my home.