Do i need more solar panels?

[focuslinks]

Not sure why your inverter is such a closely guarded secret. The specs tell nothing of the charge profile (how high it charges, whether there are multiple charge stages, termination current…).

I don't really understand what you mean, is there a way i can get those info you mention above

 

[focuslinks]

Not sure why your inverter is such a closely guarded secret. The specs tell nothing of the charge profile (how high it charges, whether there are multiple charge stages, termination current…).

Please check the attachment below maybe is what you are talking about,

 

[MisterSandals]

Please check the attachment below maybe is what you are talking about,

Re-evaluating what the manual pages are showing.

 

[rodrick]

did you design the system or did someone sell this design to you

 

[rodrick]

There it is... on the 3rd page the graph on the bottom shows that it STARTS charging with 90V from the array and ramps up to max at 170V. Your array, with just 2 panels is probably barely getting it to start charging. Your pics show 88V and 89V input so this is your problem.
You need to get your volts up by having more panels in series with that inverter.

looking At page 2 it says max voc is 80 are we steering him wrong?

 

[MisterSandals]

looking At page 2 it says max voc is 80 are we steering him wrong?

Holy crap, you are right. Thanks.
I will delete post and try to figure out that graph... (ah, thats AC power. my sideways reading skills aren't very good apparently).

 

[12VoltInstalls]

What about the maximum pv array power which is 1000watts

You usually can “overpanel” by quite a bit.
The charge output if conditions are excellent will be the max amps that the SCC can input to the batteries.

 

[focuslinks]

did you design the system or did someone sell this design to you

i bought the system

 

[focuslinks]

looking At page 2 it says max voc is 80 are we steering him wrong?

The inverter has 2 versions: PWM and MPPT, pwm max VoC is 80v while the MPPT is 102v which is mine

 

[MisterSandals]

while the MPPT is 102v which is mine

But the MPPT range is only up to 80V. Your array is producing 88V and 89V in 2 of your pics. I have no idea what your mystery SCC does when outside MPPT range. As I mentioned earlier, you can put your panels in parallel (or just try 1 panel to get the voltage in the MPPT range for a test) to see if that gets your MPPT operating properly (closer to the rated 600W of your array).

 

[focuslinks]

You usually can “overpanel” by quite a bit.
The charge output if conditions are excellent will be the max amps that the SCC can input to the batteries.

In the inverter manual its was recommended 2 parallel and 2 series, max VoC 102volts and 1000watt 40A

 

[focuslinks]

But the MPPT range is only up to 80V.

MAX VoC is 102v MPPT 40A

 

[MisterSandals]

In the inverter manual its was recommended 2 parallel and 2 series, max VoC 102volts

I don't see how the manual can recommend 2S2P array without knowing the voltage of your panels. The panels you have must have a Voc around 49V and a Vmp around 44V.

With an array of 98Voc (my guess because its a secret), it would only take a temperature drop of a few degrees below 25C to exceed the 102Voc limit and let the magic smoke out.

With a Vmp of 2 in series of 88V, that is outside the MPPT (optimized range). Not sure how much a mystery MPPT reduces output when outside the MPPT range.

MPPT 40A

This is the charging amps. The MPPT pulls current so will only pull what it can use.

 

[focuslinks]

I don't see how the manual can recommend 2S2P array without knowing the voltage of your panels. The panels you have must have a Voc around 49V and a Vmp around 44V.

With an array of 98Voc (my guess because its a secret), it would only take a temperature drop of a few degrees below 25C to exceed the 102Voc limit and let the magic smoke out.

With a Vmp of 2 in series of 88V, that is outside the MPPT (optimized range). Not sure how much a mystery MPPT reduces output when outside the MPPT range.


This is the charging amps. The MPPT pulls current so will only pull what it can use.

Please help with this

 

[focuslinks]

Your array is producing 88V and 89V

This is watts not volts,

62.7V


89watts

 

[MisterSandals]

Please help with this

Ok, the panels specs are in an early post, i did not see them before. Let me do some math.

Okay those panels are very similar to the example. So 2 in series as you have yours are perfect.

I have no idea why your array is not producing. Do you have a digital meter to test each panel for volts and amps when in the sun?
This is the basic thing to check to see if your panels are working ok.

 

[Pi Curio]

@focuslinks

In regards to solar, @MisterSandals gave a very good recommendation for 4x 300W solar in 2S2P configuration for your MPPT SCC.

As you've previously said, you did not fully charge the new batteries nor balanced them out before connecting the two batteries in series. This is critical.

As far I can see, your PV is working, your MPPT is working but you only get low charging, and your Inverter is trying to work but reports low voltage under load.

For the lack of a better explanation for this occurrence, and this was previously mentioned by others, it seems that everything points out to first and foremost an issue on the battery side and last but not least, as suggested you probably should consider a bigger size cable instead of 4AWG(do you know the insulation rating of the 4AWG cable you've used for this build?)



Best,
D.

 

[focuslinks]

@focuslinks

In regards to solar, @MisterSandals gave a very good recommendation for 4x 300W solar in 2S2P configuration for your MPPT SCC.

As you've previously said, you did not fully charge the new batteries nor balanced them out before connecting the two batteries in series. This is critical.

As far I can see, your PV is working, your MPPT is working but you only get low charging, and your Inverter is trying to work but reports low voltage under load.

For the lack of a better explanation for this occurrence, and this was previously mentioned by others, it seems that everything points out to first and foremost an issue on the battery side and last but not least, as suggested you probably should consider a bigger size cable instead of 4AWG(do you know the insulation rating of the 4AWG cable you've used for this build?)

I suggest the following;

Stop whatever you are doing with that system at this moment, take a step back, and take a moment.

Start shutting down your system,

-Disconnect the load(if you have any devices running),
-Disconnect the solar(PV) via the Isolator switch,
-Shut the inverter down, and probably disconnect it from the grid if possible.
-Disconnect the battery from the system via the battery isolator switch.

Now onto the battery;
-Disconnect the batteries from the system by removing the cables that connect the battery bank to the system and then the cables that connect the two batteries together.
-Leave the two batteries to rest for about 30min ish
-Measure the voltage

At this point, you could let us know do the two batteries' have matching voltages?

Start charging each battery individually till both are fully charged.

After some time at rest, measure the voltages. What you are looking for is to have both batteries' voltages as close to one another as possible.

So you could then, and only then, connect them in parallel for a few hours so the two would balance themself out some more.

Feel free to update us at this point.

If all goes well, your batteries should be good to go for connecting in series for 24V storage.


Wire everything back together again and try to power some load(device). If it works, so will the charging from solar.

At some point, you might want to take a closer look into the manual for the inverter settings, etc so you know for certain how it all works, and how it's configured in the software.

If I've missed something, I'm sure others will chime in.


Hope it helps.

Best,
D.

Thanks so very much, i will follow the instructions, and update you later

 

[Pi Curio]

Thanks so very much, i will follow the instructions, and update you later

Remember, your two batteries have to have matching, exactly the same voltages before connecting in parallel.

As a precaution, wear eye protection and gloves, and use insulated tools when working with batteries, cables, power sources, etc. Safety first.

Best,
D.

 

[Pi Curio]

@focuslinks

Any progress with your batteries?

Did you by any chance measure the individual battery voltages?

Best,
D.