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diy solar

I think I'm good to go with this? Any thoughts?

Kyradog

New Member
Joined
May 13, 2021
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I was going to connect 2 of my panels for a few hours as a trial tomorrow but now expecting huge rain all day.
I got the idea for this cabinet from the Ecoworthy combiner boxes. I think this should meet my needs and be as safe as can be?
The entire system is 10Ga (ground wires 6/7) with what will probably be a 65' run to the panels.
Final system will be 3x100W panels, each with it's own 10A inline MC4 fuse in series at 66Voc at 5.5A.
The input breaker is 16A and output breaker at 25A two pole.
Type II surge protector at 40kA.
Storing into 200Ah LiFe prismatic cells. Hoping to double my capacity to 400 Ah in near future.

I made an error in buying the 20A Renogy. I wanted to run 4x100W panels and this exceeds it's capacity. I was thinking that it was rated for 20A input up to 100VDC max. Brain fart there. It will only put out 20A and under optimal conditions will limit the 300W input from my array.
I should have spent the extra few dollars and gone with the 30A unit to meet my desired need.

Grateful for any thoughts or anything I'm missing.

20210611_224036[1].jpg
 
It's a surge protector. I'm going to be running almost 70 feet of wire from my panels. That makes for a pretty good antenna to pick up stray current in a storm.

I've had it out running a trial last 2 hours. With 2 panels I'm seeing 34-40 Volts with light cloud moving around and then clearing. It was putting 12.2A into the battery at one point. The pack is now showing 14.0V and the input has dropped to 1.25A
I'm totally jazzed to get my pole mount built now and get all 4 panels permanently installed.
I've decided to return this 20A unit to replace it with their 40A unit. For only a $79 difference I think it's the right move to give me the capacity I may need as I transition from emergency back-up to actually running a circuit or 2 daily in the house.
 
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