Help with Sungold power off grid system

[gtiso]

Hello everyone
I am using a Sungold power system off grid for my hunting camp
sg48100m x7 batteries
sph10048p x1 inverter
370 watt solar panels x22

I am having trouble getting a full charge on my batteries with this setup
After a full day of sunshine they are not reaching full charge and the batteries are dying in the middle of the night
What can I do?
More batteries?
More solar panels?
To add more solar panels I would need an additional inverter
What’s the best direction to go from here

 

[E. Cho]

Any particular reason that you do not mention the system loads during the day and overnight? Eg: Your loads draw more than your charging and storage capacity? Otherwise is it just guesswork without data and measurements?

 

[42OhmsPA]

Open loop or closed loop with the batteries?

How are the panels wired? What's the VOC?

Post all of your settings, compare them to these.

My current settings.
01 - SBU
02 - 60.0
03 - UPS
04 - 49.2
05 - 50.8
06 - SNU (grid breaker is off so OSO)
07 - 180
08 - USER
09 - 55.6
10 - 90
11 - 54.8
12 - 45.2
13 - 15
14 - 49.6
15 - 42.4
16 - dIS
17 - 21 irrelevant, 16 disabled.
22 - dIS
23 - 27 - ENA
28 - 5
30 - Id: 4 (changed this when SA was having connection issues)
32 - SLA
33 - WOW
34 - dIS
35 - 50.4
37 - 54
38 - 120
40 - 45 - not used 00:00:00
46 - dIS
47 - 52 - not used 00:00:00
53 - dIS
54 - 55 time and date
57 - 4
63 - dIS
68 - 180

 

[Jim_in_Sav]

just a hunch, but do you have the inverter set up correctly? sounds like it's not putting enough juice into the batteries.

 

[gtiso]

just a hunch, but do you have the inverter set up correctly? sounds like it's not putting enough juice into the batteries.

According to Sungold my parameters are set correctly
I will post them this evening

 

[gtiso]

Open loop or closed loop with the batteries?

How are the panels wired? What's the VOC?

Post all of your settings, compare them to these.

Panels are wired in series 2 strings pv1 and pv2 11 panels in each string
Voltage in good sunlight is around 390v
Voc of each string is 440v
I am not sure what open or closed loop is for the batteries
I have them going to a bus bar

 

[42OhmsPA]

I am not sure what open or closed loop is for the batteries

Closed loop means they are communicating with the inverter, open means no communication.

I have them going to a bus bar

That's good.

 

[gtiso]

Closed loop means they are communicating with the inverter, open means no communication.

That's good.

They are communicating with the inverter

 

[42OhmsPA]

They are communicating with the inverter

Can't help much with closed loop since I've never uses it or seen a need to.
My settings above are open loop and never gave me any issues, you could disconnect the communication cable and try them.

We really need more info to give better help. What are your average loads a day? How are the panels aimed and angled?

 

[Solar Guppy]

What is the aH capacity in total of your batteries?

Napkin math says you would have ~30 kWh of production from the solar assuming you have clear conditions and angled perpendicular to the sun, if your batteries are larger than that, it would never get a full charge and your likely having 24x7 loads that exceed production from solar.

This is usually just a math issue, energy in must be greater than loads and the batteries are large enough to distribute over 24hr the energy received

 

[gtiso]

Can't help much with closed loop since I've never uses it or seen a need to.
My settings above are open loop and never gave me any issues, you could disconnect the communication cable and try them.

We really need more info to give better help. What are your average loads a day? How are the panels aimed and angled?

This is where solar gets kinda confusing for me
Let’s just assume that I would like the ability to run at max load all of the time what am I missing to do so
As far as efficiency of my existing panels due to placement it is what it is
I can’t really move them they are in /oriented in the space I have available
That being said
What is the best move
I can double check the parameters to see if there is a chance I can change a setting that will help
I can’t add more solar panels which should help charge the battery bank
Or I can add more batteries
What should I expect from my existing system?
How long should my battery bank last at max load starting from full charge

 

[Mattb4]

This is where solar gets kinda confusing for me
Let’s just assume that I would like the ability to run at max load all of the time what am I missing to do so
As far as efficiency of my existing panels due to placement it is what it is
I can’t really move them they are in /oriented in the space I have available
That being said
What is the best move
I can double check the parameters to see if there is a chance I can change a setting that will help
I can’t add more solar panels which should help charge the battery bank
Or I can add more batteries
What should I expect from my existing system?
How long should my battery bank last at max load starting from full charge

An Off grid PV/bat setup must carry the load if it is to be successful. Loads drives supply needs. This means that if your load is less than the incoming PV (supply) than any extra will go towards charging the battery. If loads are greater than incoming PV the battery (storage) must pick up any slack. If your battery is fully charged and loads are low that is all the PV will develop. Panels do not push power, loads draw it.

You might have a lot of batteries but unless your supply is sufficient to recharge them and carry loads your batteries end up discharged.

So when you were asked, "what are your loads?", this is the crucial question to know the answer to.

ETA: Battery capacity listed as so many amp-hours can be changed to watt-hours by multiplying the battery voltage. Your load in watts running for time becomes watt-hours. Example a 20W light bulb run for 30 minutes will consume 10Wh.

 

[SplitUniverse]

If at the end of the day your batteries aren't full then you need more panels.
In the unlikely situation where your setting prevent the inverter from realizing the full potential of the solar array I would go over the settings and also try to observe the inverter data on power generated, it should be close to rated power on a really sunny day (depending on orientation and exposure). Again, that is not very likely.
The settings that are most likely to limit the power generated by the panels are related to battery charging and if the batteries are communicating (usually) the only adjustable setting is the MAX charge rate. Check on it.

 

[42OhmsPA]

What was said above...

What is the peak output you've seen from your arrays?
Would you happen to have Solar Assistant so you can post some graphs?
Without knowing details I can't offer any better advice. Photos of everything would also help others review and spot potential OFI's

Battery bank size / 10kW x efficiency losses = estimated run time.

 

[CaliSunHarvester]

After a full day of sunshine they are not reaching full charge

Sounds like you need to double your panels.

 

[CaliSunHarvester]

To add more solar panels I would need an additional inverter

I don't think so.

You have only 7kW of panels. That sgp unit can handle more. I have 13W of panels attached to the exact same unit.

You need to parallel your 2 existing strings into one of the MPPTs and then add another 20 panels to the other.