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Built A tiny home, but it has solar issues

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  • #91
    Btw when I post something from my phone it flags it as spam, which seems a bit ridiculous

    any thoughts?

    CE27ACA4-6493-4779-88DC-FE3F55AEE905.png

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    • #92
      Originally posted by The_realTW View Post
      Btw when I post something from my phone it flags it as spam, which seems a bit ridiculous

      Any thoughts?
      it may be the IP address of you mobile peovider. Does it happen when your phone is in wifi mode?

      9 kW solar, 42kWh LFP storage. EV owner since 2012

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      • #93
        Originally posted by Ampster View Post
        it may be the IP address of you mobile peovider. Does it happen when your phone is in wifi mode?

        It could be but I’m back in the USA now so I can’t see why it would be also it only happens only happens when I edit a post the first post goes through but if I misspell something or need to add something that’s when it jams me up

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        • #94
          Originally posted by The_realTW View Post


          It could be but I’m back in the USA now so I can’t see why it would be also it only happens only happens when I edit a post the first post goes through but if I misspell something or need to add something that’s when it jams me up
          I know that any editing triggers the Spam alert. That is because spammers were first posting something simple and then go back to edit it with a link or sales pitch.

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          • #95
            Originally posted by SunEagle View Post

            I know that any editing triggers the Spam alert. That is because spammers were first posting something simple and then go back to edit it with a link or sales pitch.

            ahh so basically get it right the first time, or leave it alone!

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            • #96
              Originally posted by The_realTW View Post


              ahh so basically get it right the first time, or leave it alone!
              Or wait for one of the MOD's to get the post approved. Heck that is part of our job.

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              • #97
                Hey everyone, well this is the post you were all waiting and asking for. Today I went out to the TW and got some photos and specs on the missing pieces you were all querying me about when I was in Mexico. I am on my fourth day of solar btw with no alarms or anything. Obviously I am NOT using the microwave (which is broken anyway) and the AC (Which its still not hot enough for), so that allows a reduced usage. Again the fridge is on 24/7 but otherwise then that just some charging and LED lights usage. Solar can be simple when its not being required to do much with a load.

                Ok so most of this is photos, but some of it will need to be typed.

                The main panel (which you will see in the photos) is a TrinaSolar TSM-320 watt panel, the complete specs sheet (remember I have the 320 watt model) is available at the following link, I reviewed it to the best of my ability and it looks like a decent panel, but I will leave that up to you guys.

                https://static.trinasolar.com/sites/...19_A%20web.pdf

                Regarding the "helper" panel that many believe was out of phase and not matched to the main panel, much still remains a mystery. I can find no brand name or logos anywhere on the panel, only a barcode and a spec label, which will also be in the photos.

                The rest can be ascertained from the photos, which if you guys have any questions, Ill be happy to entertain.

                My thought right now is if I want microwave and/or AC ill need more power, its obvious to me I am at a close to 2 to 1 ratio on usage/recharge cycle (What I mean is I can fully use my stored energy in one day and get it back after two days of sun) but this is also because the power going into the system is less then the battery storage capacity and also I am sure this does not take into the 20% acceptable loss factor.

                I am more then happy to run some tests, dig out my OHM meter, or provide anyone who wishes to help with any readings they require.

                Thanks again.

                BTW I will be ready to start rebuilding this system hopefully with some of the current hardware as well, sometime late May this year. I expect to have a solid plan (hopefully with everyone's help) long before then!

                Keep in mind I will be out of touch with the TW (trailer) between April 14th & May 21st, so any tests or information needed, should be requested by the 12th of April at the latest.

                If anyone identifies that "helper panel" please let me know.

                My thinking is possibly doubling the battery bank and increasing the solar panel array to account for this, should give me enough stored capacity to run everything every day (including some microwave and AC time) or at the very least improve my usage/recharge ratio.

                OK I cannot post any images, Ill try again later, this is seriously counterproductive!

                Last edited by The_realTW; 04-05-2021, 12:54 AM. Reason: Junk Coding, Cannot post images

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                • #98
                  You seem to have a good plan. The AC is the only power I’m not sure will work. TO give you an idea of what to plan for, here’s a video:

                  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=woZH85EiHNY&t=4s

                  An Air conditioner can pull more power than a microwave and would need to be planned. A microwave may pul 155 amps, but only for 2 minutes. To me, that’s an hours worth of normal battery usage in three minutes. Using an AC can be constant. Especially if it’s your typical RV roof AC. In the video, the guy does a special mini-split install to use far less power, but look at the amount of panels he has on the roof.

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                  • #99
                    Originally posted by chrisski View Post
                    You seem to have a good plan. The AC is the only power I’m not sure will work. TO give you an idea of what to plan for, here’s a video:

                    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=woZH85EiHNY&t=4s

                    An Air conditioner can pull more power than a microwave and would need to be planned. A microwave may pul 155 amps, but only for 2 minutes. To me, that’s an hours worth of normal battery usage in three minutes. Using an AC can be constant. Especially if it’s your typical RV roof AC. In the video, the guy does a special mini-split install to use far less power, but look at the amount of panels he has on the roof.
                    Just a clarification , the AC that is installed is not your “typical RV setup” and when I did tests in the install last year it drew between 4-6 amps between “eco” setting and “max cool” settings. The small microwave by comparison drew close to 9 amps on its test.

                    I know there are other issues to discuss , I just wanted that cleared up. I have a new wrinkle I’ll post about shortly.

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                    • Good morning from cold Nebraska everyone, yea it’s still cold here. I have been on solar now for more then ten days. Most days with sun the panels charge up the batteries decently, however on cloudy days my LVC lights and alarms do go off.

                      I noticed I’m getting 9-10 watts from the panel “array” even with full sun, yet I have a 320 watt and a 100 watt up there? Am I missing something, shouldn’t my input into the MPPT be far more even with calculated loss factors?

                      photo attached, I hope lol

                      179EB39D-FC88-4560-BE26-0AA652C407C1.jpeg

                      98E4CE1D-C093-4D62-84B4-28AB214999D6.jpeg

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                      • When I look at your controller, it looks like a PWM controller. A lot of those are marketed with a dishonest "MPPT" label with the loophole it is the MPPT model #, not intended to confuse anyone with a MPPT. Its in the small print, did you see it? I don't know why you're only getting 9 watts off the roof. It could be because the battery indicator (68%) is not accurate and you've actually went from bulk mode to absorption mode to float. In float mode after the battery is charged, it may very well be pushing 9 watts.

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                        • Originally posted by chrisski View Post
                          When I look at your controller, it looks like a PWM controller. A lot of those are marketed with a dishonest "MPPT" label with the loophole it is the MPPT model #, not intended to confuse anyone with a MPPT. Its in the small print, did you see it? I don't know why you're only getting 9 watts off the roof. It could be because the battery indicator (68%) is not accurate and you've actually went from bulk mode to absorption mode to float. In float mode after the battery is charged, it may very well be pushing 9 watts.
                          Hey there, that is both cryptic and helpful!

                          as for the controller not being what it is supposed to be, I’m not sure but I can assure you almost certainly that the batteries are nowhere near charged lol, they NEVER charge

                          as you know I have taken some course and education in solar since I was in Mexico, what would be a good first step in identifying the issue. I have my ohm meter handy. Also could this be the result of the “mystery panel” , what SHOULD be coming off that panel.

                          I’ll start with the batteries in a bit and report back a volt reading and we can go from there. My thoughts is the volts should add up to what is being said on the MPPT SCC, again though I think that readout is “instant” verse cumulative, like when I turn on my on demand pump to flush the toilet and the battery “level” drops 20%

                          lets start to really get hands on, if you guys will guide me I’m confident we can figure the system out and build it better, for now I just want the max it can give!

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                          • Update: located the manual finally at the following link, I went through every setting step by step, found some interesting things, this does appear to be a true MPPT controller, however I’ll let you look it over.

                            I noticed my power generation per a given day is less then my power consumption, which is not all that surprising, but needless to say I’m more curious why my charging current is only 0.78 amps!

                            the mystery continues....

                            https://www.solardepo.com/image/cata...rne_ml4860.pdf

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                            • OK I’m updating this with some new information I went on top of the roof it’s approximately 1715 so the sun is definitely on the panels but probably not at its peak right now I disconnected the baby panel also known as the “helper“ panel 100 W and then just ran the Solar down to the MPPT controller on the main Trina 320 W panel, I saw between 15 and 20 V but again the fluctuation between the nine and 10 A continued I then disconnected the main panel and only hooked up the “helper“ panel I noticed the 9 to 10 amp fluctuation as usual however I did notice the voltage was not as high as the main panel operating somewhere around 13 to 17 V again I don’t know what this proves if anything but so far that’s what I’ve done. My sincere hope is that someone on this form steps and that’s done the stuff before and starts talking to me so we can run some significant tests we have really bad weather moving in here in the next couple days so my window to do so I was running out.

                              One final thing I noticed on the train at 320 W panel there is three solar modules connectors only two of them are being used my guess is it would be for a different voltage shut up that I would use the other panel connector, to clarify what I’m speaking of underneath the panel there are three black boxes one of them has the positive cable going to the NPPT controller the other one has the negative cable I don’t know what the one in the middle is it’s not hooked up to anything with any wires coming from it.

                              that’s most likely all the tests I’ll be able to run today but tomorrow I have one more day of good weather if there’s any certain tests or diagnostics anybody can think of I should run so we can figure out why I’m only getting 9 A and 17 to 20 V off about three 420 watt setup.

                              finally, keep in mind while I know a lot more about Solar than I used to I don’t profess to be a genius I will rely heavily on what you guys can tell me and then I will go ahead and implement what you tell me so we can learn together.

                              Tonight I’m also going to try to upload those photos again of the complete set up explaining each component component individually I didn’t have luck the past couple weeks and it cooked took me approximately an hour and a half to get them all set up only to find out I couldn’t upload them so I will try again tonight one more time from my laptop.

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                              • CFC192F2-D2C9-45AB-92C6-AAFC51E2EA79.jpegSo I guess the panel is not supposed to be giving 9-10 amps, so at least that part is normal, I would like to know how many “watts” it’s giving back, unless watt-volt/amp happens at the panel and in that case volts/amps is all we will see on the MPPT

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