Hi everyone!
Even though my system is installed and working for many months, I've only started living off-grid full-time for about 2 weeks, so now I'm making the real tests!
I have 6 panels, 2 parallel groups of 3 panels each (in series). Each panel is 320W, with a max current of around 8 amps.
I have wired each group with 4mm wire (which is more than enough for 8amps), up to the 20A fuse, which then connects to the inverter/controller with a thicker wire.
Yesterday there was a very cloudy day and the batteries took a beating, and today there was a very sunny day. So since early morning the panels were outputting their max (but still far from the rated max).
After a few hours constantly with full sun, I started to feel a burnt smell and a few minutes later the inverter beeped signaling no power coming in from the panels.
First thing I checked was the 20A fuse box. I have one 20A fuse for Negative and one 20A fuse for positive. The negative fuse was blown, but not only that, the incoming wires from the panels were very dark and the plastic of the fuse box was even melted! These seems to suggest a significant overheat... which I don't understand why it could happen since everything was sized appropriately... (or at least I hope...)
I attach a photo of the fuse box.
any ideas on what could be the problem here? I'm going to get 4 fuses instead of 2, and connect each wire to its own fuse... even though the 2 groups together should not exceed 16amps as per the specifications of the panels...
Even though my system is installed and working for many months, I've only started living off-grid full-time for about 2 weeks, so now I'm making the real tests!
I have 6 panels, 2 parallel groups of 3 panels each (in series). Each panel is 320W, with a max current of around 8 amps.
I have wired each group with 4mm wire (which is more than enough for 8amps), up to the 20A fuse, which then connects to the inverter/controller with a thicker wire.
Yesterday there was a very cloudy day and the batteries took a beating, and today there was a very sunny day. So since early morning the panels were outputting their max (but still far from the rated max).
After a few hours constantly with full sun, I started to feel a burnt smell and a few minutes later the inverter beeped signaling no power coming in from the panels.
First thing I checked was the 20A fuse box. I have one 20A fuse for Negative and one 20A fuse for positive. The negative fuse was blown, but not only that, the incoming wires from the panels were very dark and the plastic of the fuse box was even melted! These seems to suggest a significant overheat... which I don't understand why it could happen since everything was sized appropriately... (or at least I hope...)
I attach a photo of the fuse box.
any ideas on what could be the problem here? I'm going to get 4 fuses instead of 2, and connect each wire to its own fuse... even though the 2 groups together should not exceed 16amps as per the specifications of the panels...
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