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  • Confused by Victron behavior

    I've run my system for a remote summer cabin for a year now and I've been extremely happy with the performance. Special thanks to forum members here for helping me design it right. I've got all the power we need, rarely dipping below 25v in the batteries (and never below about 24.5v), even when the full family is up and the teenagers are leaving the dang'd fridge open.

    The only thing I don't understand is the amps coming from the panels as displayed in the Victron Connect app. Generally it's saying I'm collecting 110v+ at 1 Amp or less even when there's full mid day sun on the panels. This seems to be significantly lower than it should be. Angle of the panels is set to optimal for July/August.

    Am I missing something in my understanding of the Victron readouts, or is there a potential problem somewhere?

    To help I've attached a schematic of my system. There is 100' AGW6 between the array and the controller.

    Thanks,

    Steve

    Attached Files

  • #2
    Solarsteve

    What is your battery state of charge when you are seeing this? It does not seem right as the p.v. input is at MPP for those panels and if the batteries were at absorb or float the voltage would rise above MPP of the panels. Possibly shading limiting the current through one panel?

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    • #3
      Or possibly a defective cell or interconnect in one panel that is limiting the current (that would also required an open bypass diode for that section.)
      SunnyBoy 3000 US, 18 BP Solar 175B panels.

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      • #4
        Thanks for the responses..

        The batteries are generally sitting at 25V minimum, and durning the day are often at 27V+. Currently, for example, they are at 27.93v +/- and in Float. This is prime sun time for me as I type this now and there is 0% shading going on. Full on, optimal exposure. Today is puffy clouds, so the amount of pure sunlight varies second by second. Currently the panels are registering 110v +/- at 0.5A. There is a 2A draw on the system.

        Thinking about this now, this seems to make sense. The batteries are topped off, there's 4x the voltage coming in than the batteries store and 1/4 the amps being consumed. If I've got this right in my head, that all nets out to pretty much replacing what is being used, but not too much more than that since the batteries started in the Float range.

        Do I have that right?

        So really, the low amps I'm seeing coming in from the panels is function of the collection capacity being far in excess of my usage? Which is a good thing and I don't need to worry about the batteries not getting enough amps during Bulk?

        Thanks!

        Steve

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        • #5
          Try to verify your thoughts by running a higher draw load and watch to see if the voltage and current coincide.
          2.2kw Suntech mono, Classic 200, NEW Trace SW4024

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          • #6
            Clouding and sun positions are not optimal now, but sure enough... increase the load on the system and the Amps being reported by Victron Connect goes up as well, yet the battery voltage remains relatively constant.

            I had thought that the software would show me what's being collected, but it looks like it shows me what's being utilized. That wasn't what I was expecting. Would be nice to know what the particular setup of my panels provides in terms of capacity so I can have some idea how hard I can hit the system during the day and still have power for the night and in the event of bad weather.

            Unless someone else has a different take on this, I think the mystery is solved. Thanks for the help in puzzling this thing out.

            Steve

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