Are ther any 3-5kw AIOs that are battery optional like the Growatt 3kw?

[Flunkyboi]

I'm looking to make a 3kw as my first solar project. Will did a video on the Growatt 3k a while back. I really like that battery optional option. What I don't like is the PV voltage window.

The series/parallel arrangement of my array puts the voltage just under it's sensing threshold and above it if I series them.

 

[timselectric]

Batteryless operation isn't as great as it seems.
It's highly unstable, depending on the loads applied and clouds around.

You started in the wrong order of purchasing. You will need to reevaluate your PV array.
PV is the last part of a system. Not the part that you should design around.

 

[Crowz]

Not exactly ideal to run without batteries as mentioned but my tp6048 and my 10kw srne clone both will run without a battery.

The tp6048 will run with nothing but the solar panels as long as the pv array is putting out at least 120volts dc.

Guaranteed to scare the crap out of you if your not expecting it to spring to life with the grid and the batteries disconnected

 

[timselectric]

My Growatts are also capable of batteryless operation.
Which is why I'm able to speak from experience. And not recommend it for most situations.

 

[SeaGal]

Battery-less operation is not ideal, but can work if the inverter is grid-tied - but you haven't mentioned whether you are grid-tied or off-grid?

 

[timselectric]

Battery-less operation is not ideal, but can work if the inverter is grid-tied - but you haven't mentioned whether you are grid-tied or off-grid?

That's a good question, in case the OP doesn't know the differences.
I assumed off-grid, because they are referring to the Growatt 3k (or similar). Which is an off-grid AIO.
But it must be noted that it has a SUB mode that functions like a grid-tied inverter set to zero export. (Not a recommended mode, without an agreement with the utility company)

 

[RCinFLA]

PV panel is an illumination based current source.

Pull more than the available illumination based current and their voltage collapses. This makes them a poor constant voltage based power source. You need a battery to provide a reserve drop-out prevention when a cloud goes by causing panel current to drop off.

It gets close to acceptable operation if you have five times the power out needed for total panel wattage rating. You would be operating with voltage output from PV array close to Voc most of the time.

For this use case, having an MPPT solar controller is fairly irrelevant. Once load pulls more than available sun illumination generated current the PV array voltage drops off dramatically and near instantaneously.

 

[Flunkyboi]

Batteryless operation isn't as great as it seems.
It's highly unstable, depending on the loads applied and clouds around.

You started in the wrong order of purchasing. You will need to reevaluate your PV array.
PV is the last part of a system. Not the part that you should design around.

It is not the last choice when you've aquired 16,000w of PV for a song, knew nothing about "solar", then used a few as a roof on a small construction project. My entry might have been reverse fashion from the official way, but here I am.

 

[Flunkyboi]

Battery-less operation is not ideal, but can work if the inverter is grid-tied - but you haven't mentioned whether you are grid-tied or off-grid?

This first project will not be grid tied. Just a stand alone. I have a small generator, a 2.5kw I bought for emergency power. I want my new 3kw solar plant to serve as a non-mechanical redundancy for that gen.

Any further projects we do will also be stand alone.

 

[timselectric]

16,000w of PV

That's enough to do whatever works with the rest of the equipment you choose.

My entry might have been reverse fashion from the official way, but here I am.

It's not really an official way. It's just the best way to not waste time or money.
But if you got a good deal, you can leave some out, without wasting anything.

 

[watchdoc]

plenty of cheap and small 48v batteries out there. batteryless is too unreliable.