500 vdc where should I put it?

[MarkisC]

I just got my system setup and it is putting out a steady 500v DC. I am very pleased! But now that it`s working I have one problem. How do I use it?
If you guys could help me figure out what kinda gear I need to step it down and inverter it to 120v AC 60hz that would be a huge help!
As of right now I don`t know the exact amps. I will be testing it soon to fing out.

Thanks!

[PoorSap]

You need some idea of what power level you are expecting.

If you are expecting a few hundred watts, you might do better with more panels in parallel, aiming for 14VDC so you could use an automotive inverter and battery charging system.

[Bruce]

rewire the panels for a more common 12 or 24 volts DC. I suspect you just have 1000 of them all in series, at perhaps 0.5 volts each. 500 volts is just too high to work with, and is dangerous, and also prone to arcing and flashover.

assuming you do have 1000, then break them down into series strings of perhaps 24 each, which will give you 12 volts, then you make 40 series strings and put all the strings in parallel, which gives you 40 times the current.

Depending on your power level, which you do not mention, you can wire them for 12, or 24, or 48 volts DC.

Now you need a charge controller, and a set of batteries to match the charge controller output.

Then an inverter to convert the 12 VDC (or 24 or 48) to 120 VAC

[MarkisC]

Thanks for the quick replies!
After thinking alot about the setup today, splitting them up seems to be a wiser move. My first idea was to minimize line and inverter loss. So running everything into one panel and one inverter seemed like a good idea.
I'll keep thinking on it.

Just to make it clear:
5 x 100v DC Panels
62 aH peak

Thanks

[garybeck]

Thanks for the quick replies!
After thinking alot about the setup today, splitting them up seems to be a wiser move. My first idea was to minimize line and inverter loss. So running everything into one panel and one inverter seemed like a good idea.
I'll keep thinking on it.

Just to make it clear:
5 x 100v DC Panels
62 aH peak

Thanks

Uh, solar panels put out amps, not aH (amp hours). So double check your numbers.
If each panel is 100 volts, there's not much you can do with that power. You can't charge 12V batteries, unless you buy one of those fancy charge controllers for ~$600.
You could feed it into the grid... you need a grid intertie inverter for that.

but before I do anyting else, I would double check your numbers. If you really have 500 volts and 62 amps, that is 31kW, a HUGE array. that is enough to power a few homes!

[Mike90250]

100V panels are designed for Grid Tie arrays, using $3,000 inverters. Many 12V charge controllers will not accept that kind of voltage.

Can you tell us any more about the panels, and their normal intended use?

[MarineLiner]

Had been thinking of 240v DC

My first idea was to minimize line and inverter loss. So running everything into one panel and one inverter seemed like a good idea.
I'll keep thinking on it.

Right, i had been posting about the same minimizing loss.
But, at only 240v which closer to the appliances 220v AC in my place.
Here is the post that i mean:
Could we make 240v Solar Electric System?

http://solarpaneltalk.com/showthread.php?t=540

[newenergy]

If you are going to be grid-tied, you need a grid-tied inverter. They will accept a range of DC input voltages and you string your solar modules based on that. 500v is in the range for some of them. For others it will be a little too high.

When you say your modules are 100v, do you maybe mean they are 100 watts?