How much panel power can an Epever 30 amp charge controller handle....getting mixed info.

[evilroy]

Have an Epever 30 amp charge controller with 600 watts solar panels but am getting conflicting information from the Epever Data sheet it reads: "Max Solar Input Power 390W (12V)" but further down it says
"Solar Panel Max Input Power 500W -1000-W"
So...which is it?

 

[sunshine_eggo]

SCC amp ratings are for output.

12V * 30A = 360W
24V * 30A = 720W
48V * 30A = 1440W

Given the manuals are rarely well written, they likely mean 390W maximum output at 12V, but you can put a larger array than that on them for over-paneling purposes.

If you stay within the PV Voc Input limit and under 30A of PV current, 600W should be fine. You'll just never get more than 390W out of it.

 

[Any name you wish]

I have the same SCC with a 24V batt and 1500W of panels. It will shut down once you exceed 30A input. If I was doing a 12V battery, total input watt would have to be lower.

 

[Bud Martin]

One important caution is not to exceed Max PVinput Voltage.
From user manual:
(2) Maximum PV array power The MPPT controller has the function of current/power-limiting, that is, during the charging process, when the charging current or power exceeds the rated charging current or power, the controller will automatically limit the charging current or power to the rated charging current or power, which can effectively protect the charging parts of controller, and prevent damages to the controller due to the connection of some over-specification PV modules. The actual operation of PV array is as follows:
Condition 1: Actual charging power of PV array ≤ Rated charging power of controller.
Condition 2: Actual charging current of PV array ≤ Rated charging current of controller.

When the controller operates under “Condition 1”or“Condition 2”, it will carry out the charging as per the actual current or power; at this time, the controller can work at the maximum power point of PV array.

WARNING: When the power of PV is not greater than the rated charging power, but the maximum open-circuit voltage of PV array is more than 50(Tracer**06AN)/96V(Tracer**10AN) (at the lowest environmental temperature), the controller may be damaged.

Condition 3: Actual charging power of PV array＞Rated charging power of controller.
Condition 4: Actual charging current of PV array＞Rated charging current of controller When the controller operates under “Condition 3”or“Condition 4”，it will carry out the charging as per the rated current or power.

According to “Peak Sun Hours diagram”, if the power of PV array exceeds the rated charging power of controller, then the charging time as per the rated power will be prolonged, so that more energy can be obtained for charging the battery. However, in the practical application, the maximum power of PV array shall be not greater than 1.5 x the rated charging power of controller.

 

[perpetual]

 

[evilroy]

So what does the Max PV Array power mean and why is it even there if the Rated Charge Power is what they go by? Eperver sheet showed 500 to 1000W Panel input your sheet shows 580W....any wonder people get confused then the other says 390 ....big difference and all I wanted to know was which was correct?

 

[Any name you wish]

So what does the Max PV Array power mean and why is it even there if the Rated Charge Power is what they go by? Eperver sheet showed 500 to 1000W Panel input your sheet shows 580W....any wonder people get confused then the other says 390 ....big difference and all I wanted to know was which was correct?

Power=Voltage x Current
Current=Power / Voltage
32.5A= 390W/ 12V
32.5A=780W/24V
Max PV array in the manual states:

 

[Supervstech]

When doing math, remember, max watts comes as max voltage peaks. So a 12V charge limit of 30A means, 14.8V max voltage, times 30 amps, or 444W max output. But the PV INPUT can be a wide range, depending on conditions.
Because PV is a variable based on the position and intensity of the sun, and the amount of shading at the array… so 2000W of solar on this controller would only produce 444W max, but it could produce the watts for more of the day.

 

[MisterSandals]

It will shut down once you exceed 30A input.

The SCC pulls amps so this sounds odd if your system is functioning this way. Your array voltage needs to be higher than charging voltage, so the SCC should NEVER pull 30A (unless it was outputting more than 30A not accounting for efficiency loss).

 

[Any name you wish]

The SCC pulls amps so this sounds odd if your system is functioning this way. Your array voltage needs to be higher than charging voltage, so the SCC should NEVER pull 30A (unless it was outputting more than 30A not accounting for efficiency loss).

As I have a 1500W array, once it starts exceeding 30A in, it stops the charging. It tries to restart after 30 seconds, but once the amp input goes above 30A it trips whatever is internal. I upgraded to a 60A SCC, but that died on me so I am back on the original 30A one.

 

[evilroy]

As I have a 1500W array, once it starts exceeding 30A in, it stops the charging. It tries to restart after 30 seconds, but once the amp input goes above 30A it trips whatever is internal. I upgraded to a 60A SCC, but that died on me so I am back on the original 30A one.

Did you give the 60 a fitting burial?

 

[MisterSandals]

As I have a 1500W array, once it starts exceeding 30A in, it stops the charging.

You measured the input current to be over 30A on a 30A charger?
What is the array voltage when this happens?

Lets look at some numbers.
If your array voltage is, for example, 40V and you are seeing over 30A pulled by the SCC... that's 1200W being used.

With a charge voltage of 28V, that would mean your 30A SCC is charging at about 1200W / 28V = 42.8A. Which of course (would/could/should?) be impossible or short-lived exceeding its rating (by any amount).

From my experience, a 30A charger would only ever pull its charging amps rating (30A) at its charging voltage (~28V) which would be 840W).
Which would mean, if same 40V array is used, 840W / 40V = 21A from the array.

 

[Any name you wish]

Did you give the 60 a fitting burial?

Fitting, no. I leave the parts to it strewn about to let the other charge controller know what happens if they cross me.

 

[Any name you wish]

You measured the input current to be over 30A on a 30A charger?
What is the array voltage when this happens?

Lets look at some numbers.
If your array voltage is, for example, 40V and you are seeing over 30A pulled by the SCC... that's 1200W being used.

With a charge voltage of 28V, that would mean your 30A SCC is charging at about 1200W / 28V = 42.8A. Which of course (would/could/should?) be impossible or short-lived exceeding its rating (by any amount).

From my experience, a 30A charger would only ever pull its charging amps rating (30A) at its charging voltage (~28V) which would be 840W).
Which would mean, if same 40V array is used, 840W / 40V = 21A from the array.

Sorry with the breaker I had inline, it was tripping off the battery charging. I was maxing it out, breaker would heat up and trip, and reset.

I am not using the load side of the SCC. My inverter is on the same buss bar as the battery. I disconnected my panels at that time to make it to where I was not exceeding the 30A going out to the battery/load. Input I believe is confusing this discussion. I think I was running 2S3P for a charge voltage of 60V. Impp of the panels are 8.31A. just under 25A. 25A and 60V is 1500W.

Sorry for the confusion. I am charging at 30A max. Not ideal when it did it that one day, so I paneled down to a safer charging rate, then got the 60. Blew up the 60 in early winter, so I switched back to the 30. Will likely split the array with two 30 or a 40. Trying to keep it cheap with the lower budget stuff.

 

[12VoltInstalls]

Given the manuals are rarely well written, they likely mean 390W maximum output at 12V, but you can put a larger array than that on them for over-paneling purposes.

what does the Max PV Array power mean and why is it even there if the Rated Charge Power is what they go by?

The manuals appear to be written in poor English. I ran into the same mind marbles reading my manual.

Confusing the way they worded it.

Never exceed max PV volts.

Don’t worry about the max watts so much other than getting what you need out of the panels or getting the most they can produce.

 

[MisterSandals]

Sorry with the breaker I had inline, it was tripping off the battery charging. I was maxing it out, breaker would heat up and trip, and reset.

What breaker? Is it by chance an inexpensive audio breaker? Sounds suspect if it gets hot before tripping.


What is "tripping off the battery charging"?
Is this breaker between array and SCC where you were expressing 30A input?
Or between SCC and battery/load where you are now saying battery charging?
Sorry, just trying to figure this out.

 

[Any name you wish]

What breaker? Is it by chance an inexpensive audio breaker? Sounds suspect if it gets hot before tripping.
View attachment 81819

What is "tripping off the battery charging"?
Is this breaker between array and SCC where you were expressing 30A input?
Or between SCC and battery/load where you are now saying battery charging?
Sorry, just trying to figure this out.

No. I had one of those and it was tripping earlier than 30. It was 40A I believe as well. I got this one from SanTan solar. Before getting this one, my 60A SCC was installed.

Surface Mount Circuit Breaker | SanTan Solar

store.santansolar.com

It was rated at 80A and tripping at 32A.

I now have this one. It is rated at 80A.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000MMFJWA/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o05_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

These were selected at 80A as I had the 60A SCC during the purchasing of them. I am still using the 80A breaker as I am only on a 30A SCC currently during winter and will change it out once summer starts in better for me. Max so far on input off of the array with 5P 250W panels is 13A going to the battery.

Breaker was between Battery and SCC. Always has been.

I don't have anything on input yet. I am getting some MCB for input shutoff. I work with DIN rails a work and they are neat.

 

[12VoltInstalls]

Blew up the 60 in early winter

Breaker was between Battery and SCC.

breaker would heat up and trip, and reset.

And that resetting may be what killed your SCC. Because it had PV but suddenly it had a spike with nowhere to absorb it.

 

[Any name you wish]

And that resetting may be what killed your SCC. Because it had PV but suddenly it had a spike with nowhere to absorb it.

No. That one failed due to water. I did not have a good enclosure yet and we got some sideways rain in from the least covered side. I have a sealed enclosure now.

 

[sunshine]

So what does the Max PV Array power mean and why is it even there if the Rated Charge Power is what they go by? Eperver sheet showed 500 to 1000W Panel input your sheet shows 580W.

The latest spec sheet does remove some ambiguity

Probably take some time to replace all those earlier confusing spreadsheets.