Erm….novice

[Ic8man]

Hi, sorry to bother all, complete novice (reading a lot to try and educate self), question I hope I can get some support with.

Small workshop/ shed.

System that was working-

Two 100w renogy compact panels, wired in parallel to eco worthy 30 charge controller (in line switch/ fuse).

Subsequently wired to two new 50 lifepo ecoworthy batteries wired in parallel with battery monitor and 2000w sine wave inverter (fused) also attached.

All was working fine. Powering a small 12v fridge, drills etc and eco flow battery to bring ‘energy into house’.

Added two more of same panels. Wired as below (sorry if easier way to describe).

+ve from controller to panel 1, -ve to panel 2’s +ve and then panel 2-ve to splitter back to controller.

And then mirrored setup with panel 3+4.

So I think I have two sets of two panels in series, then paralleled to charge controller.

I ‘think’ this then gives me a 24v system with 10a??

When I flick the switch from panels to controller I get 14v ish showing on screen. I noted settings are still in 12v, so changed the controller setting to 24v, which then displayed e01 error message ‘low battery’.

Am I doing something daft?! Should I wire the panels differently, do I even make sense?

Many thanks for any consideration to responding. Much obliged.

Pictures can be added if useful.

Bw

Chris

 

[upnorthandpersonal]

Your solar side can be higher voltage (don't use the terms 12V/24V for panels, they are what the panels say their Vmp is). Your controller shows battery side, which stays 12V since that's what your batteries are.

 

[Ic8man]

Okay cool,

So should what I have described work? Instead of kicking an error message?

Sincerely,

Chris

 

[Ic8man]

https://store-nkm2yhe9h8.mybigcommerce.com/content/files/Specifications/RNG-100D-SS-G3%20Datasheet.pdf

This seems to list all (but can’t find VMP).

 

[Ic8man]

Inverter etc stil works when switch the controller to 24v, shows briefly 28.8v from panels to controller and then kicks E01 error message (but inverter etc still works).

 

[Mattb4]

Hi, sorry to bother all, complete novice (reading a lot to try and educate self), question I hope I can get some support with.

Small workshop/ shed.

System that was working-

Two 100w renogy compact panels, wired in parallel to eco worthy 30 charge controller (in line switch/ fuse).

Subsequently wired to two new 50 lifepo ecoworthy batteries wired in parallel with battery monitor and 2000w sine wave inverter (fused) also attached.

All was working fine. Powering a small 12v fridge, drills etc and eco flow battery to bring ‘energy into house’.

Added two more of same panels. Wired as below (sorry if easier way to describe).

+ve from controller to panel 1, -ve to panel 2’s +ve and then panel 2-ve to splitter back to controller.

And then mirrored setup with panel 3+4.

So I think I have two sets of two panels in series, then paralleled to charge controller.

I ‘think’ this then gives me a 24v system with 10a??

When I flick the switch from panels to controller I get 14v ish showing on screen. I noted settings are still in 12v, so changed the controller setting to 24v, which then displayed e01 error message ‘low battery’.

Am I doing something daft?! Should I wire the panels differently, do I even make sense?

Many thanks for any consideration to responding. Much obliged.

Pictures can be added if useful.

Bw

Chris

First off if you have 2 -12v 50ah batteries wired in parallel you have a 12v 100ah battery. Your inverter is also likely 12v so that makes your system a 12 volt system.

Your panels if you have a 2S2P (2 wired in series connected in parallel with another 2 panels wired in series) the voltage will be 2 times panels Voc. Your amperage will be 2 times panels Imp. You should test voltage with a DMM at the wires going to your SCC (Solar charge controller) to ensure you have the correct voltage. This is likely to be ~42vDC

 

[Ic8man]

Okay thanks,

I think I understand.

So would I be better forsaking the two series into one parellel for this set up, and instead just get connectors to wire all panels in parellel?

Many thanks again.

Chris

 

[Ic8man]

And thanks for super quick replies

 

[Mattb4]

Not necessarily. If your SCC can handle the voltage the lower amperage of a 2S2P arrangement versus the amperage of a 4P setup makes for smaller PV wire hookup. Your SCC should have specifications for max PV voltage.

 

[Ic8man]

Thank you,

Looks like this comes under the max PV voltage.

So I guess leave as is, but leave charge controller as 12v rather than 24v?

Many thanks again, I recognise I have a lot to learn.

Chris

 

[SamDeleted]

https://store-nkm2yhe9h8.mybigcommerce.com/content/files/Specifications/RNG-100D-SS-G3%20Datasheet.pdf

This seems to list all (but can’t find VMP).

 

[upnorthandpersonal]

Keep in mind that that's at 25C, and voltage goes up when the temperature drops, so keep them in parallel. You've also max'ed out your charge controller with those four panels now.

Edit: I just saw you have a PWM controller, so you should put all your panels in parallel, not in series strings.

 

[Ic8man]

Keep in mind that that's at 25C, and voltage goes up when the temperature drops, so keep them in parallel. You've also max'ed out your charge controller with those four panels now.

Keep as is (two series into one parallel) or take back to fully paralell with connectors etc?

Sorry for being daft,
Chris

 

[upnorthandpersonal]

Keep as is (two series into one parallel) or take back to fully paralell with connectors etc?

Fully parallel on all the panels, no series panels.

 

[Ic8man]

Fully parallel on all the panels, no series panels.

Okay,

Will convert to that.

Bw

Chris

 

[SamDeleted]

Keep in mind that that's at 25C, and voltage goes up when the temperature drops, so keep them in parallel. You've also max'ed out your charge controller with those four panels now.

Edit: I just saw you have a PWM controller, so you should put all your panels in parallel, not in series strings.

I was just writing that out as you posted


Chris you want all 4 panels in parallel, no series.

Your panels are too high voltage to go in series with that charge controller (24.3voc X 2s = 48.6v) that's too close to the 50v limit

 

[Ic8man]

Can you advise why? What are pro’s? Just for my learning?

Fully unshaded site if that helps.

Thanks again,

Chris

 

[Ic8man]

I was just writing that out as you posted


Chris you want all 4 panels in parallel, no series.

Your panels are too high voltage to go in series with that charge controller (24.3voc X 2s = 48.6v) that's too close to the 50v limit

Okay cool,

Should I upgrade charge controller? Is there any value for such a ‘small’ system?

Bw

 

[upnorthandpersonal]

Your charge controller can't handle the voltage. Also, because it's PWM, you want the solar panel voltage close to the battery voltage.

 

[upnorthandpersonal]

Should I upgrade charge controller? Is there any value for such a ‘small’ system?

If it works for now, and you don't have plans to upgrade, stick to it. It really depends on what you want to do, but I advise not to buy anything until you do a full power audit, and then pick components suitable for your goals.