jarred125
New Member
- Joined
- Jul 16, 2021
- Messages
- 123
Good day everyone, my first post here after doing as much lurking and reading as I can.
Recently I decided to finally make my jump into solar and I have 20 panels on the way from Santan Solar. These are Canadian Solar C3SW-445MB-AG bifacial panels. The basic specs are:
VoC: 48.9V
Vmp: 40.9V
Imp: 10.89A up to 14.16A @ 30% gain from the underside
I have been looking at the Fronius Primo 8.2-1 inverter (I would love to have battery backup now but with current usage it is a pipe dream .. I am working to fix this). Basic inverter specs:
Operating range: 80V-600V (max input is 600V)
MPP voltage: 270-480V
Max usable current: 18A / 18A (2 MPPT)
Max usable total current: 36A
My question comes with sizing the strings for this inverter (or any other inverter for that matter). Clearly I cannot just tie all 20 panels together in series and connect as that would greatly violate the voltage input of this inverter. Running them in parallel would mean a low voltage but high current and would then require larger conductors, etc (if I am thinking correctly). So creating multiple strings to keep the voltage lower is key, but what about keeping amps lower? The 18A max usable current confuses me a little on this and other devices.
I am thinking I would have two strings of 10 panels each for a voltage of 489V each with a max potential Imp of 14.16A if I achieved 30% gain from the under side of the panels. Those run into a combiner box would be an output of 489V with potentially almost 30A.
How would you go about configuring this? I greatly appreciate any ideas you are willing to share.
Recently I decided to finally make my jump into solar and I have 20 panels on the way from Santan Solar. These are Canadian Solar C3SW-445MB-AG bifacial panels. The basic specs are:
VoC: 48.9V
Vmp: 40.9V
Imp: 10.89A up to 14.16A @ 30% gain from the underside
I have been looking at the Fronius Primo 8.2-1 inverter (I would love to have battery backup now but with current usage it is a pipe dream .. I am working to fix this). Basic inverter specs:
Operating range: 80V-600V (max input is 600V)
MPP voltage: 270-480V
Max usable current: 18A / 18A (2 MPPT)
Max usable total current: 36A
My question comes with sizing the strings for this inverter (or any other inverter for that matter). Clearly I cannot just tie all 20 panels together in series and connect as that would greatly violate the voltage input of this inverter. Running them in parallel would mean a low voltage but high current and would then require larger conductors, etc (if I am thinking correctly). So creating multiple strings to keep the voltage lower is key, but what about keeping amps lower? The 18A max usable current confuses me a little on this and other devices.
I am thinking I would have two strings of 10 panels each for a voltage of 489V each with a max potential Imp of 14.16A if I achieved 30% gain from the under side of the panels. Those run into a combiner box would be an output of 489V with potentially almost 30A.
How would you go about configuring this? I greatly appreciate any ideas you are willing to share.