diy solar

diy solar

Help me configure my panels

You had it right the first time. As I said, with 2S2P it's 2 times the voltage and 2 times the amperage of one panel.

1 panel is 30V, 9A
2 in series (2S) is 60V, 9A
2 more in series (2S) is also 60V, 9A
Put those two strings in parallel (2S2P) and it's 60V, 18A.
Thanks for helping me and clarifying the numbers. My brain is swirling right now
Not trying to confuse the issue but what if I had 2 in series 60V and 9A and added the other 2 in parallel 30 volts and 18 amps would I have 60V and 27A?
 
So you want to take 2 panels and put then together in series with each other. Then you want to take 2 more panels and put them in parallel with each other. And then you want to combine these two pairs together in some way? No, you can't do that. Why would you want to? What are you trying to accomplish?

Things that you put together in parallel should ideally be the same voltage. Things you that you put in series should ideally be the same amperage.

Please keep in mind that the panel array voltage and amperage are irrelevant to the amount of charge voltage and current that goes to the battery. The whole job of an MPPT SCC is to take whatever power is coming in from the panels and convert into the needed voltage and corresponding amperage for the battery.

Putting 4 panels in 2S2P is the only way you can put your panels on your current SCC.
 
Right now I have 6 panels 2 sets of 3 panels each in series 90V/9Ax2
these 2 sets are parallel so I am getting 90 volts with 18 amps which works in using 10awg to the controller 100 feet away
So what I an trying to accomplish is getting the maximum using existing 10 awg wires and panels
150/60 Renogy CC
Is this 3s2p?
 
That's your original question and my answer in post #7 still applies. Your 6 panels on that one SCC is pointless since that one SCC can only work with about 800W and you have 1500W on it.

You never answered one of my earlier questions so I'll ask again. With your existing setup, if your battery is down to say 80% SOC and/or you have a 60A or more load on your system, what results is your SCC showing? Your SCC should be maxing out at providing 60A to your system under those conditions.
 
That's your original question and my answer in post #7 still applies. Your 6 panels on that one SCC is pointless since that one SCC can only work with about 800W and you have 1500W on it.

You never answered one of my earlier questions so I'll ask again. With your existing setup, if your battery is down to say 80% SOC and/or you have a 60A or more load on your system, what results is your SCC showing? Your SCC should be maxing out at providing 60A to your system under those conditions.
The max I have seen my CC produce is 22A
The most load I have put on it so far are 3 refrigerators at the same time which are rated in total at approx 20A
I have yet to see it produce 60A
 
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You won't get more than you need. So if you only have a 20A load then your SCC will only provide 20A. If you want to max out the 60A SCC you need a 60A load or your battery needs to be low enough to need lots of charge current.
 
You won't get more than you need. So if you only have a 20A load then your SCC will only provide 20A. If you want to max out the 60A SCC you need a 60A load or your battery needs to be low enough to need lots of charge current.
Tomorrow in the sunshine I will try to max out the load as well as run the batteries down tonight and see what happens
 
A battery question
I have a lead acid bank
If I aquire lifepo4 batteries can I set them up as a separate bank but connect my inverter to both banks:
 
Here is the result at 7;45AM after discharging to 78%
So you doubled the charge amps. That was simple. All you had to do was give it a reason to provide more current.

Now you still have too many solar panels on your existing SCC. You could remove 2 of your 6 panels and get the exact same result under the same conditions. You could remove 3 of your 6 and get nearly the same result.
 
So you doubled the charge amps. That was simple. All you had to do was give it a reason to provide more current.

Now you still have too many solar panels on your existing SCC. You could remove 2 of your 6 panels and get the exact same result under the same conditions. You could remove 3 of your 6 and get nearly the same result.
Should I disconnect them so they can't do any harm?
 
They are not really doing any harm. They are simply going unused. Taking a few off will demonstrate that. The only reason to leave all 6 panels on your current SCC is that it will help in poor weather and low light conditions. But from what you've stated, your loads are low so you don't really need as much solar as you have. As I stated earlier, you need a 2nd SCC to take full advantage of your existing solar panels. But you don't seem to actually need the amount of solar that you have so there's no point unless your loads increase in the future.
 
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