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Good points - thanks. This one is 5V 20A, so unsuitable for a variety of reasons (it just happen to be within reach). Having a voltage doubler is a complication I don't need for this project.

Thanks for your replies. One approach I've used elsewhere is not to tap into the "big" system, but simply add a dedicated (say 30W) panel and 24-12V DC-DC to spin a fan when ever there is light. I've installed this style in my workshop to stop is baking in summer (it would often get to 60C in...

Looking for an easy solution to power a (say 120mm muffin) fan at a remote site. Currently the setup is 100V from PV's that only feed a pump controller, so no batteries, no low voltage. Obvious solutions start with a DC fan, but I've never seen one Next is DC-DC converter with a suitable input...

edit: you were already doing what I suggested

Thanks - that would be difficult to setup here as 220V 3ph doesn't exist (we use 415V 3ph), so pumps are not available.

@kommando , apart from an academic interest, design vs manufacturing issue, I don't really care - it should not have failed. @gfjardim , what pumps do you use? and what inverters? Obviously I need something better than what I have.

update. The pump comes with a 2 year warranty and as it was 25 months, the best I could do was a bit of a discount on a new controller. The new controller worked for about a week before it too failed. "it must be the motor" I was then told. "Test the windings" Windings tested perfect. "Must...

This was discussed recently https://diysolarforum.com/threads/147-volts-dc-will-not-pass-thru-breaker-yes-breaker-is-on.72644/page-3#post-958803 A hostile environment certainly makes a grease attractive, but you need to know your rubber before you select your grease. A Dialectic Grease would be...

Following their own test procedures, it's the FETs that are blown. The two big electrolytics are across the supply, so don't work hard at all. I picked up the fresh FETs tonight, so I'll have them installed in the original controller early next week.

That's a good price - wish I could get them for that price.

Thanks for the reply. Normally these pumps ship with a 2m power cable, but I got this one built with full length cable so there was no need for underwater splices and sourcing waterproof cable - naturally, delivery was a bit slower, but it wins on several other fronts. Yep - it's an impeller...

I put in a bore a couple of years ago with a chinese bore pump (nominally 72V, 750W, 5m3/h) It worked well for two years and then the controller failed. The pump is 3ph which is generated from the (DC only) controller which has a few user configurable parameters, but is mostly locked down. The...

I think the only real purpose of having two serial ports is to simplifying the cabling (RS485 allows multiple devices to be daisy-chained on a single serial cable). Making a daisy-chain cable require some skill and the correct tools to make, where as two sockets allows the use of 'standard'...

I believe that is the key to the design - the less parts the installer has to juggle while trying not to fall off a roof, the better the chance the connector is assembled complete and correctly (it also removes the temptation to use a shell after loosing the gland).

Same with sex toys - never use silicon lube on silicon rubber. black o-rings are likely to be a nitrile rubber, while orange are probably a fluro-elasomer Vaseline will destroy latex, but is ok on silicone. You need to know your "rubber" before you pick your lube.

Try buying better connectors. If you need to pull every connector apart to get it on the cable, you are doing something wrong.

+1 MC4's are designed expressly so you don't have to disassemble them

try this https://www.epever.com/upload/file/2107/EPEVER-Datasheet_Tracer-BN.pdf Charge Controller or the new (beta) Solar Guardian should both work. (SG is a bit half baked at this stage, but looks promising) For firmware, you need to contact support directly and ask...

Ah - ok. I don't need hugely accurate readings - mostly just to keep an eye on the multiple systems to make sure they are working correctly. I use a combination of Wifi, UTP and fibre to allow my regs to be interrogated simultaneously over a wide area (and from anywhere with internet) Both the...

Thanks. Can't see BT working for me with multiple (and spread out) regs.

How do you do comms with the Victron regs? I've got all my epever's networked (one of the reasons for choosing them)

I'm using 12xx and 22xx regs. I'm assuming the two versions reported are: Hardware / Firmware respectively?

Now I know what to look for, yes, I'm seeing it - but. This plot is from this mornings sunrise. The PV voltage comes up to the battery voltage and is "clamped" there. These panels are oriented true north, so even at this time of year, it take 30min before the panels are usefully illuminated. The...

Mixing a random assortment of panels has it's trade offs too. I know of one MPPT with USB, but it does seem a common tell. A used 175W panel is a ~$20 purchase - not a big deal. In what way is a 175W panel "not consistent" with three other 175W panels?:unsure: I think you are arguing against...

Yes - poor, but not negligible. I assume anyone putting together an array with such a spread of panels is on a tight budget and probably wants every Watt they can get. first - that's not how I'd do it. I found a house about to be demolished and did a deal where I stripped 12x 270W panels from...

Quite! I like the arrangements above, but I'd aim for 80V as it gives better performance in low light. Higher voltage also let you run much cheaper cable to regulator. "Quality fuses" are rated to operate up to their rated capacity. Yes a margin is good, but a fuse operating below it's rated...

Under what circumstances would a 15A fuse blow while "protecting" a 100W panel? [making an assumption your 100W panel is 21Voc, that's about 5A] So I repeat the question: When will a 5A panel blow a 15A fuse? Fuses are one of the simplest electronic components, but still poorly understood. A...

It's not the accounting that is of interest - it's the potential for transients to exceed the limits of the SCC when a battery is disconnected. Effectively, a large enough capacitor will look to the SCC like a battery is still connected. The nature of a capacitor is that it will resist a change...

Your panels - clearly!

While I agree, it doesn't really apply here. The higher the capacitance, the greater the ability to smooth transients. Too low and it doesn't really do anything Too high just costs more, but doesn't really work any better. Neither too large or too small should result in catastrophic failure...

If it goes bad, I'll post pics! It's been six months with many connects/disconnects and the SCC's all seem happy. The wild glitches are gone and you can barely see a transient on the graphs. From what I'm seeing, I wouldn't go lower than 10000uF and my preference would be for double that.

The above two systems are still behaving well, so I added a cap to the third system where the battery is routinely disconnected. This time I used a 10000uF 25V and works just almost as well as the other two. Watching the Batt. Voltage graphs, there is a little oscillation when the battery is...

Great! Just making sure you were aware of ways it might not behave as you want. I'm thinking you want some sort of indicator to flag that one of the breakers has tripped.

Just wondering what your intention is with the two 125A breakers? 3kW @ 24V = 125A So, you should be able to pull full load from the inverter with one battery disconnected - but do you want to? With your board out of sight (in a box) and the system apparently working perfectly, you could have...

No. Panels in SERIES - the voltage ADDS, but the current remains the same. (the power ADDs) Panels in PARALLEL- the current ADDS, but the voltage remains the same. (the power ADDs) Nothing multiplies (ever). The 75-15 will provide a max 15A charge current