Arrowshot
New Member
- Joined
- Dec 28, 2021
- Messages
- 16
Greeting and salutations. Not a newbie to this but not the best at figuring out requirements for an off-grid solar system in northern Alabama (above Birmingham). I am there a few days every other week. I’ve written below what I have and then what I think would meet my requirements but would really appreciate comments/suggestions that would ensure it meets my needs. Thanks in advance. Hope I provided enough info.
Current System
Current System
- (Four – only two being used for now) Renogy 100-Watt 12 Volt, High-Efficiency Monocrystalline panels (set at correct tilt and orientation for my area)
- EP Tracer 3215RN solar controller (30a and 12v/390-watt max PV input power)
- (Three) Sun X-Tender PVX-1040T sealed AGM deep cycle battery, 12V, 120Ah each (all are several years old now but appear to still be cycling)
- Volfvert 4000W Pure Sine Wave Power Inverter DC 12V to AC 110V 120V
- LED lights (works with current inverter). Usually use a small battery powered lamp and don’t run LEDs.
- TV (LED about 32 inches) (works with current inverter, have run for several hours under existing set up)
- Small shop vacuum (works with current inverter)
- 120v small fridge/freezer (600-watt startup and 130 running. Will only use when I am there which is a few days every other week..)
- Coffee maker (maybe, might just use propane stove to boil water)
- Small microwave (700-watt startup)
- 6-gallon electric water heater (1300-watt heater element/120v plug in. This unit pulls .75 amps with 1.2 max 115 ac meaning max draw is roughly 138 watts.) and water pump (1300-watt heater element/120v plug in) Wattage = Amps x Volts. Thus, Wattage = 115 volts x .75 amps, Watts = 86.25.
- (Six more) Renogy 100-Watt panels
- (One) 80 Amp MPPT Solar Charge Controller 48V 36V 24V 12V Auto, 80A Solar Panel Regulator Max Input Power 1100W-4500W
- (Four) NPP NPG12-200Ah AGM Rechargeable Gel Deep Cycle 12V 200 Ah batteries.
- Attempting to run the microwave off the inverter but it runs a few seconds then shuts down. Shop vacuum, TV and LED lights work fine.
- How do I determine how effective my current batteries are and is there a way to utilize the current batteries and controller with any new equipment?
- How large a wire do I want to run from my controller to my batteries?