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Inside unit to outside solar panel distance question

NHaworth

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Nov 22, 2021
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Recently purchased Bluetti ac200max, 2 b230's, 3 pv200 solar panels. These are inside the house back up units, panels need to be 70ft away for optimul exposure. Called Bluetti and they said 70ft of even 8guage cables wouldn't work at all, max distance is 20ft. I'm retired, bad back, I can't be moving 150lbs of units outside everytime I need to charge with solar, sounds rediculious. Yes, I'm new to solar so don't busy my chops please ?. Would really appreciate some advice about this and what to do. I live on social security so funds are limited. Happy to find this quarum.
NH.
 
Recently purchased Bluetti ac200max, 2 b230's, 3 pv200 solar panels. These are inside the house back up units, panels need to be 70ft away for optimul exposure. Called Bluetti and they said 70ft of even 8guage cables wouldn't work at all, max distance is 20ft. I'm retired, bad back, I can't be moving 150lbs of units outside everytime I need to charge with solar, sounds rediculious. Yes, I'm new to solar so don't busy my chops please ?. Would really appreciate some advice about this and what to do. I live on social security so funds are limited. Happy to find this quarum.
NH.

First, speaking with Bluetti is like speaking with someone who speaks a different language.

Because they do. :p

It's likely they don't even understand your question, OR they lack the expertise to answer it competently.

The documentation is sparse on those panels. If you can connect the 3 in SERIES to the unit, and I believe you can as both the panels and the AC200MAX indicate it's possible, you should be good.

Actually, just found it...

This page: https://www.bluettipower.com/products/bluetti-ac200p-solar-generator-3-200w-solar-panel

Shows this:

1637648344763.png

Those are in series. That's a 200P, but hopefully, it's the same. The portions that can be 70' are the wires between 6 and 8 and betwen 7 and 8.

That's 60V and 10A coming in from the panels assuming 12awg wire:


3.71% voltage drop, which equates to a 3.71% power loss. In most cases, 3% is considered the max you want to go, but I'd personally save the $ on thicker wire and accept 3.71% loss.
 
Wow, fast response, thanks so much. Other web stuff says it's ok too. Yes, you're right, the guy at Bluetti tech dept sounded like he was incompetent for sure. I'll give it a shot at 70ft and see what happens. I can go shorter but sun exposure time would be shortened a little.
Again, thanks!
 
I don't know what the loss per ft is with dc but on my system I run multiples of 3 in a string of 300 watt panels using #10 stranded. Each panel string is no more than 9 amps & #10 is good up to 30 amps & I have many runs around 50ft with no issues. I could likely get by ok with #12 but I don't like to scrimp.
 
Wow, fast response, thanks so much. Other web stuff says it's ok too. Yes, you're right, the guy at Bluetti tech dept sounded like he was incompetent for sure. I'll give it a shot at 70ft and see what happens. I can go shorter but sun exposure time would be shortened a little.
Again, thanks!
did that work out for you ?
 
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