Buying one piece at a time, what we have thus far (advice always appreciated)

[farmhand]

So what starting building a solar power station 2years has now brought us to this:
(24) HQST 12v 100w panels with a clear southern view in Ohio. 12 Poly & 12 Mono.

(6) strings fed into a 6 string combiner box, reverse diodes, surge, fused.

Then into a 32amp fused Siemens disconnect.

Then a 50' run from the coop building in 3/4pvc using paralleled #12 THHN into the most sturdy outhouse.

Then a 100A 2400w charge controller.

That's where I'm at now. Next will be the batteries. I plan for 4 SOK 100Ah (24v bank).

From the outhouse I have a 100' run with an existing 12/3UF.

I also have a huge 5kVA 120v to 240v step up transformer that can be used to save on a split-phase inverter.
Yes, 15Amps 240v is plenty, my cabin never pulls over 1800watt, I only need the 240v for the mini split.

Yes, it's a poor man's solar, but it's getting there.

 

[chrisski]

You seem to have planned well or this.

A lot of people knock the 100 watt panels, mostly because of the price. I am finding that using 100 watt panels gives you a whole lot more options for SCC configuration. I have 15 X 100 watt panels and 6 X 175 watt panels mixed among 3 SCCs. I am finding i would like to add between 300 - 900 watts more power, bit finding panels that match a 24 volt battery and maxing out an SCC difficult to match with anything bigger than 100 watt panels.

I also have a huge 5kVA 120v to 240v step up transformer that can be used to save on a split-phase inverter.

As a novice to split phase, will this work with your step up transformer? What Ive looked at shows split phase as being 2 X 120 volt legs going into a device that is wired for that. Seems a 240 volt step up transformer would not match US split phase 240 volts.

 

[farmhand]

You seem to have planned well or this.

A lot of people knock the 100 watt panels, mostly because of the price. I am finding that using 100 watt panels gives you a whole lot more options for SCC configuration. I have 15 X 100 watt panels and 6 X 175 watt panels mixed among 3 SCCs. I am finding i would like to add between 300 - 900 watts more power, bit finding panels that match a 24 volt battery and maxing out an SCC difficult to match with anything bigger than 100 watt panels.

As a novice to split phase, will this work with your step up transformer? What Ive looked at shows split phase as being 2 X 120 volt legs going into a device that is wired for that. Seems a 240 volt step up transformer would not match US split phase 240 volts.

Thanks, I went with 12v panels as if the SHTF they can be more widely used in applications.

The transformer was running 15A 240 to 30A 120, but it's reversible. Figured if it saves $$$ needing a split-phase inverter... why not. Then I can use that money towards a better single phase >3600w inverter . Plus it would always insure a balanced draw on the inverter.

 

[farmhand]

chrisski​

You know you may be right. The high-side of the transformer doesn't have a neutral tap. So I could use it 240, but not 240/120....