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  • New system setup opinion request

    So the system I'm am setting up currently consists of 8 190w 36.6v 5.2amp solar panels wired in parallel in two runs of 4 connected into positive and negative bus bars

    2 170amp hour 12v AGM batteries in parallel connecting through a 60amp 190v CC and eventually connecting to a 1600w/3200w 12v-240v inverter.

    I'm thinking I will need a 50a circuit breaker between panels and CC but will I need another breaker/fuse between CC and batteries?

    I also have a 12v 6 slot blade fusebox to wire some 12v conveniences such as lights, charging phones and small water pump.

    I have yet to work out grounding but trying to research how to do it now. Thinking continuous wire attached to all panels run to a grounding rod and that's about as far as I have got lol. Any input advice or suggestions on wiring is appreciated and anything I may have forgotten? Thanks in advance have uploaded pics of my equipment
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  • #2
    > So the system I'm am setting up currently consists of 8 190w 36.6v 5.2amp solar panels
    > wired in parallel in two runs of 4 connected into positive and negative bus bars

    Huh ?
    The convention is phrased as 4s2p which is read as 4 panels in series, then paralleled with another 4s
    That would make an array of about 145V @ 10.4A

    So I see a red flag at the voltage of 145, which will be quickly exceeded on a cool morning and you get 160V which will fry most charge controllers. You claim to have a 190V input controller, which should survive that voltage.
    What is the Voc and the Vmp of your panels?

    Between panels and controller, you need a 7A breaker (exact amp is speced on the back of your panel as max Fuse) on each string . This is so you can turn one string OFF and compare string A to string B when it comes time to troubleshoot.
    Then you need a 60A breaker between the controller and batteries. The MPPT controller downconverts your panel voltage, into amps to the battery and loads.

    And you need to go to your controller manual and see what the max watts you can have going into it is. Your array could supply 125A into a 12V battery, so you are well over twice the rating of the charge controller. I think you are outside the valid operation range of the controller, but new stuff is coming out all the time.
    Powerfab top of pole PV mount (2) | Listeroid 6/1 w/st5 gen head | XW6048 inverter/chgr | Iota 48V/15A charger | Morningstar 60A MPPT | 48V, 800A NiFe Battery (in series)| 15, Evergreen 205w "12V" PV array on pole | Midnight ePanel | Grundfos 10 SO5-9 with 3 wire Franklin Electric motor (1/2hp 240V 1ph ) on a timer for 3 hr noontime run - Runs off PV ||
    || Midnight Classic 200 | 10, Evergreen 200w in a 160VOC array ||
    || VEC1093 12V Charger | Maha C401 aa/aaa Charger | SureSine | Sunsaver MPPT 15A

    solar: http://tinyurl.com/LMR-Solar
    gen: http://tinyurl.com/LMR-Lister

    Comment


    • #3
      Mike I read it as all panels parallel and that is the only way they could be used with that controller. I think from memory you dont have a lot of data to use? so here is some more info on the gear Chriss has.

      Chrissrox has panels that are 44V VOC and the specs for the reg are max input V of 80V for 12V system so they can only be parallel.

      Also the maximum wattage at 12V for that controller is 720w so need to be careful there.

      Chriss I would also be aware that even though it is listed as an MPPT controller it may not be.

      Comment


      • #4
        From research I have done in the past, that control charger is a knock off of an earlier model of another brand. You might want to check out Makeskyblue control chargers. They work well and cost is about the same. It is an MPPT charger. I would try to get away from your 12 volt output. Series the batteries and if possible get four of them for a 48 volt bank. It will help the batteries survive longer, Your wiring wont be so much of a problem either. If you have not purchased the components yet, it is worth a little bit more studying the advantages going a different route. The panels will work just fine if wired 2 series and four parallel to match the rest.

        Comment


        • #5
          Thanks for the input so far. Bala was correct My panels are all in parallel just originally had them in 2 strings of 4 due to having 2 smaller charge controllers but they didn't work(cheap crap once batteries were charged tried to register as a 24v system and quickly started to smoke) so upgrading controller. Have been suggested the mppt pictured but will look into makeskyblue controllers now.

          In relation to a 48v system well the idea is to grow as I'm sure these batteries and panels are not enough (are they ever enough haha) however to start with I just want to get it working.

          So now my panels will be inputting say 45 amps at 44v with that in mind I take the 45amps X 1.25(for voltage and amp fluctuations) = 56.25 so 60 amp circuit breaker between panels and cc and 60amp breaker between cc and batteries sound about right?

          Comment


          • #6
            If you are putting that many panels in parallel, you really need to get an "official" combiner box with the right size breakers (label on the back of the panels says the right size, likely about 8 amps) I linked to the Midnight 6 channel combiner.
            But now with the expense of the larger combiner box, lots of heavy gauge wire (I guess #8 or #6), do your math and see if wiring in series and using a real MPPT controller will save you $ and only need heavy wire from controller to batteries.
            Powerfab top of pole PV mount (2) | Listeroid 6/1 w/st5 gen head | XW6048 inverter/chgr | Iota 48V/15A charger | Morningstar 60A MPPT | 48V, 800A NiFe Battery (in series)| 15, Evergreen 205w "12V" PV array on pole | Midnight ePanel | Grundfos 10 SO5-9 with 3 wire Franklin Electric motor (1/2hp 240V 1ph ) on a timer for 3 hr noontime run - Runs off PV ||
            || Midnight Classic 200 | 10, Evergreen 200w in a 160VOC array ||
            || VEC1093 12V Charger | Maha C401 aa/aaa Charger | SureSine | Sunsaver MPPT 15A

            solar: http://tinyurl.com/LMR-Solar
            gen: http://tinyurl.com/LMR-Lister

            Comment


            • #7
              Originally posted by chrisrox88 View Post
              So the system I'm am setting up currently consists of 8 190w 36.6v 5.2amp solar panels wired in parallel in two runs of 4 connected into positive and negative bus bars

              2 170amp hour 12v AGM batteries in parallel connecting through a 60amp 190v CC and eventually connecting to a 1600w/3200w 12v-240v inverter.

              I'm thinking I will need a 50a circuit breaker between panels and CC but will I need another breaker/fuse between CC and batteries?

              I also have a 12v 6 slot blade fusebox to wire some 12v conveniences such as lights, charging phones and small water pump.

              I have yet to work out grounding but trying to research how to do it now. Thinking continuous wire attached to all panels run to a grounding rod and that's about as far as I have got lol. Any input advice or suggestions on wiring is appreciated and anything I may have forgotten? Thanks in advance have uploaded pics of my equipment
              Here's a great article about grounding in off-grid solar panel system. https://www.sunwize.com/tech-notes/g...solar-systems/

              Comment

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