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  • Please help

    I am trying to get my head around the solar stuff. So I have 4 sunpower panels mounted now and needing help with a grid tie inverter.

    if I have this right if I hook them in Series. I dont see a grid tie inverter that will take 160 volts. so looks like I have to wire them parallel or what grid tie inverter should I use?

    860 watts
    160 volts
    6amp

    parallel

    860 watts
    40 volts
    24 amps

    Thanks for your help!

    Attached Files

  • #2
    There are no grid tie inverters that will work with them in parallel either.
    You have two options, buy more solar modules or go with micro inverters.
    OutBack FP1 w/ CS6P-250P http://bit.ly/1Sg5VNH

    Comment


    • #3
      Can you provide links to what I would need? It would suck if I can't get these to work. As I just got them mounted.

      Comment


      • #4
        Originally posted by slowhemi View Post
        Can you provide links to what I would need? It would suck if I can't get these to work. As I just got them mounted.
        and how did you mount them?

        You can not possibly have a permit without a design and no interconnect agreement either. Go to someplace like wholesalesolar and get a permit pack so yu can get a permit.
        OutBack FP1 w/ CS6P-250P http://bit.ly/1Sg5VNH

        Comment


        • #5
          Permit to mount them? Lol yeah right! Who says I need a permit to mount solar panels? I know lots of people do this on their own everyday! What government agency do you work for? LOL

          Comment


          • #6
            Originally posted by slowhemi View Post
            Permit to mount them? Lol yeah right! Who says I need a permit to mount solar panels? I know lots of people do this on their own everyday! What government agency do you work for? LOL
            Good luck with that!
            OutBack FP1 w/ CS6P-250P http://bit.ly/1Sg5VNH

            Comment


            • #7
              Originally posted by slowhemi View Post
              Permit to mount them? Lol yeah right! Who says I need a permit to mount solar panels? I know lots of people do this on their own everyday! What government agency do you work for? LOL
              Provided you're in the U.S. and If that's a serious question and you're mounting panels on a residence, most every AHJ ( Authority Having Jurisdiction - the Building Code enforcement folks) will have a lot to say about how you do it.

              If you want to interface with your power company, they'll most likely also want to be informed and have you follow some of their own requirements as well.

              Welcome to reality.

              Comment


              • #8
                I have contacted my power company and everything is good to go. Also where I live I don't have Building code enforcement! Thank God. I feel sorry for everyone that has to deal with local governments up their butts!

                so what micro inverter do I need? Or should I just sale these and get a grid tie kit? If I was to sale these how much should I ask for these each?

                Comment


                • #9
                  OK, first, you need to get some basics, I'd suggest Solar Power For Dummies. about $20. That gives you more vocabulary and we can communicate better.

                  String inverters Take high voltage DC from a string of PV panels. 250VDC - 600VDC is their usual input range No Batteries. DC from panels runs in conduit to the Inverter. Mounts on wall near your main electrical panel.
                  About $1,500 for a 3KW model

                  Micro inverters Mount on the backside of PV panels on your roof, and the panel cables plug right into the micro-inverter. Then a special AC cable connects several inverters to your main electrical panel. Enphase IQ6PLUS-72-2-US Micro Inverter 290 Watts 240 Volts AC With MC4 About $250 ea

                  And then you have to have (in 99% of installs) the power company, install a bi-directional Meter. Otherwise, the meter will often show power going into the grid, but ADD's what you generate, to your monthly consumption, cue the phone calls to straighten out that mess.
                  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


                  • #10
                    Thanks Mike! So one of these should work just find on this small system ?

                    Mod note: No, that will not work.
                    Last edited by sdold; 07-01-2018, 02:43 PM.

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                    • #11
                      That will work just fine if you parallel your panels. Here a Facebook group for Sun inverters xxxxxxx

                      Mod Note: Please don't post advertisements for solar equipment.

                      Originally posted by slowhemi View Post
                      Thanks Mike! So one of these should work just find on this small system ?

                      https://www.walmart.com/ip/iMeshbean...&wl13=&veh=sem
                      Last edited by sdold; 02-19-2018, 02:41 PM. Reason: Link restored, I thought Suneagle had intended ot to be removed.

                      Comment


                      • #12
                        Originally posted by slowhemi View Post
                        Thanks Mike! So one of these should work just find on this small system ?

                        https://www.walmart.com/ip/iMeshbean...&wl13=&veh=sem
                        That inverter is neither a true "grid tie" or legal to use in the US as a "grid tie". There is also a good chance it could fail and cause a fire. Please do not use any type of "plug in" inverter because they are dangerous.

                        Comment


                        • #13
                          You may not like the advise, but Mike an Sun Eagle are giving you good information. Just because Walmart sells something doesn't mean its legal in the US. The utility most likely at some point is going to get involved on the metering due to the problem that its highly likely that you have a one way meter that treats local generation like PV as a net purchase from the utility. Most utilities even in rural areas have some basic rules and one of them is they dont want to potentially have a linesman get zapped by power backfeeding into their grid. They dont have control over building inspection so they usually require that the Grid Tie Inverter has a legitimate UL 1741 rating and very soon they may require a 1741 SA inverter. Even if you do happen to have a meter that is truly bidirectional, depending on your power usage, the utility has fraud detection software that looks at your long term use and compares it to weather conditions, if you power usage drops, they will usually have their fraud detection group come visit. If they see PV panels and no valid permit, they usually will pull the meter and leave you a note. I did have a legal permit long ago on my first system which was 660 watts yet solar was so new to the area that the fraud group wasnt talking to the solar permitting group, I got a couple of visits from the fraud squad and my meter changed out until they noted my PV in the account. Luckilly they didnt pull the meter as I had the appropriate labeling in place to give them a clue that it was a legit install.

                          Note the utility isnt liable if you burn your house down as they arent paying to rebuild it, so they really may not care if you go with non code wiring. Fundamentally a grid tied inverter with a plug so it can be plugged into an outlet is a dead giveaway that this inst a 1741 inverter as code requires PV output to tie directly to a dedicated breaker on properly sized panel. Note your insurance company also inst liable if you install illegal gear and the gear causes a loss Just because Walmart sells it does not mean they will pay either and if you try to go after whomever made it you had better speak Chinese and be ready to hire a Chinese lawyer.

                          The cheapest route assuming no local building inspection are microinverters as Mike described and I dont think any company currently makes a small grid tie string inverter. Magnum Energy makes a 500 Watt microinverter that allows two panels to be hooked to onto one microinverter so that gets you down to only needing two. Just make sure you add in the cost for the special interconnect cables and accessories.

                          Comment


                          • #14
                            Sorry the person I was replying to posted an advertisement? My post wasn't meant to advertise any thing. There are some Sun-xxxxG2 Second Generation that have UL1741 I won't post the link that have the Specs. I won one what everyone calls Cheap grid tie. If you look inside all the parts in these inverters no matter manufactures come from china resistor IC's Cap. Sorry again if I was disrespectful to the Forum..

                            Originally posted by mmorris View Post
                            That will work just fine if you parallel your panels. Here a Facebook group for Sun inverters xxxxxxx

                            Mod Note: Please don't post advertisements for solar equipment.

                            Last edited by mmorris; 02-19-2018, 10:05 AM.

                            Comment


                            • #15
                              Originally posted by mmorris View Post
                              Sorry the person I was replying to posted an advertisement? My post wasn't meant to advertise any thing. There are some Sun-xxxxG2 Second Generation that have UL1741 I won't post the link that have the Specs. I won one what everyone calls Cheap grid tie. If you look inside all the parts in these inverters no matter manufactures come from china resistor IC's Cap. Sorry again if I was disrespectful to the Forum..
                              I may have been hasty by deleting the link you posted for those inverters. It looked like a way to get someone interested in purchasing products from a solar equipment manufacturer which IMO is different then an advertisement listing equipment from a box store. So you weren't disrespectful. Maybe I was a little too quick on the trigger to delete the link.

                              As a note. Just about all "plug in" grid tie inverters do not have a UL "listing" even though they claim to meet UL 1741 requirements.

                              There is a difference and a lot of people get fooled into purchasing equipment that they should not use because it is illegal and dangerous.

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