csp99
New Member
Brand new to this stuff and I've spent I don't know how many hours on reading & videos (Will's are great) going down endless rabbit holes, had an electrician out to poke around and answer a couple questions, and I'm still a little stumped on how best to redesign the setup at our cabin. Maybe someone out there can fill in a couple blanks for me?
System was in place when we bought the property last year. It's a 400w (parallel) 12v system with 4x 6v batteries in series parallel, a 40a MPPT controller, and an 1100w inverter. The last owner did a bunch of wiring; lights and phone chargers and such. (And, my apologies, but I can't for the life of me remember if that is exclusively from the load side of the controller, or if there is something coming directly off the batteries as well...?)
It's all been working well until we added Starlink, now it can't keep up. (Posted a message on that yesterday, thanks to the guys who helped to shed light on exactly why that is.) I guess my main hang-up is how to modify this to get the most power out of the system with the least amount of monkeying around. I'd rather not pull apart the last guys wiring to those lights and chargers, if I can help it. Does that mean staying with 12v batteries?
All I'd really like to be able to power is Starlink (50w) as long as possible, a couple of PoE access points (50w? (25x2)) 24/7, the inverter (50w?) 24/7, and those LED lights and phone chargers occasionally.
I expect to buy new panels and I don't mind getting a new controller if that's required. Would prefer to wait on batteries until next year.
Panels are south facing and shade is not an issue. Space is not a huge concern, either; I have enough for 5 at the moment but I can build something to hold more, if needed.
I thought perhaps a 60a controller with 5x 200w panels in parallel and leaving the batteries as-is, but I'd hate to find out later that I missed an opportunity to do something much better because I didn't ask the question.
System was in place when we bought the property last year. It's a 400w (parallel) 12v system with 4x 6v batteries in series parallel, a 40a MPPT controller, and an 1100w inverter. The last owner did a bunch of wiring; lights and phone chargers and such. (And, my apologies, but I can't for the life of me remember if that is exclusively from the load side of the controller, or if there is something coming directly off the batteries as well...?)
It's all been working well until we added Starlink, now it can't keep up. (Posted a message on that yesterday, thanks to the guys who helped to shed light on exactly why that is.) I guess my main hang-up is how to modify this to get the most power out of the system with the least amount of monkeying around. I'd rather not pull apart the last guys wiring to those lights and chargers, if I can help it. Does that mean staying with 12v batteries?
All I'd really like to be able to power is Starlink (50w) as long as possible, a couple of PoE access points (50w? (25x2)) 24/7, the inverter (50w?) 24/7, and those LED lights and phone chargers occasionally.
I expect to buy new panels and I don't mind getting a new controller if that's required. Would prefer to wait on batteries until next year.
Panels are south facing and shade is not an issue. Space is not a huge concern, either; I have enough for 5 at the moment but I can build something to hold more, if needed.
I thought perhaps a 60a controller with 5x 200w panels in parallel and leaving the batteries as-is, but I'd hate to find out later that I missed an opportunity to do something much better because I didn't ask the question.
