Charge Controller/Inverter all in one MPPT benefits of paralleling 2 or more together ?

[Elysium]

Hi guys , ive searched around and found some answers . but i was looking for pros and cons of wiring up 2 of the same charge controller/inverters together or leaving them standalone with their own arrays.

Ideally id have both going to the same battery bank.

TIA

 

[Mattb4]

SCC's must have their own arrays. They can feed a common battery. AIO's need to be matched for stacked or parallel operation. You can not just wire up any odd collection of them to the same AC output. However you can use more than one from the same battery bank to feed their own circuits.

I run 2-3kW Powmr AIO's with their own arrays to a common battery. They each serve a portion of my homes circuits. There is an additional array (3 total) to the battery bank with another individual SCC. The plusses of this for me was it built up overtime and allowed greater loads to be served. The negatives is it is not as compact as a purpose designed one setup.

 

[Elysium]

Thanks Mattb4 for replying , so theres no real benifit in parralleling the AIO ?

space isnt a issue for me , oodles of space.

 

[Mattb4]

Thanks Mattb4 for replying , so theres no real benifit in parralleling the AIO ?

space isnt a issue for me , oodles of space.

Sure there is many benefits in paralleling AIO's. You double the output. Just understand the difference between stacking for split phase or 3 phase and paralleling.

 

[Elysium]

Sure there is many benefits in paralleling AIO's. You double the output. Just understand the difference between stacking for split phase or 3 phase and paralleling.

Can you give me a laymen's/pleb explanation it's all pretty new to me.

Say I have 2 8kw AIO and both have same amount of panels on each unit. I then have each output from each aio running to its own circuit board. What way does paralleling the two aios together give me more output?

When would going to 3 phase be worth it.

I have 17kw of panels to put up in total.... All off-grid.

TIA

 

[Mattb4]

So if you have 2 solar arrays feeding 2-8kW AIO's SCC's (Solar charge controllers likely with MPPT). They can be wired to one battery bank. The outputs of them if combined in parallel (they must be able to be paralleled) would give you 16kW single phase output to a distribution panel. The AC voltage stays the same in parallel just like it does in batteries but the capacity adds. Or if you stack them the AC output will give you 2 phases (L1 and L2 hots) (split phase ) set 180 degrees apart for double the voltage. 3 phase the outputs are 120 degrees apart. (L1, L2, L3 hots).

Say you need to power a distribution panel that feeds loads that need only 120vAC* or 1 hot leg with 16kW capacity. Thus the higher capacity of 2 AIO's in parallel might be a choice. However if you have a mix of loads that are 120vAC and 240vAC. A stacked arrangement of the 2- AIOs will give you two hot legs of 8kW.

Going to 3 phase is worth it if you run 3 phase equipment.

* If you live in a country that has 230vAC single phase standard you would likely never stack for split phase.

 

[Elysium]

So if you have 2 solar arrays feeding 2-8kW AIO's SCC's (Solar charge controllers likely with MPPT). They can be wired to one battery bank. The outputs of them if combined in parallel (they must be able to be paralleled) would give you 16kW single phase output to a distribution panel. The AC voltage stays the same in parallel just like it does in batteries but the capacity adds. Or if you stack them the AC output will give you 2 phases (L1 and L2 hots) (split phase ) set 180 degrees apart for double the voltage. 3 phase the outputs are 120 degrees apart. (L1, L2, L3 hots).

Say you need to power a distribution panel that feeds loads that need only 120vAC* or 1 hot leg with 16kW capacity. Thus the higher capacity of 2 AIO's in parallel might be a choice. However if you have a mix of loads that are 120vAC and 240vAC. A stacked arrangement of the 2- AIOs will give you two hot legs of 8kW.

Going to 3 phase is worth it if you run 3 phase equipment.

* If you live in a country that has 230vAC single phase standard you would likely never stack for split phase.

Thanks heaps , ok that makes sense now. We are on 230/240 here in Australia.