In between a rock and a hard spot

[Camp Friday]

Son bought me 6 - 310 watt REC panels for a hunting camp we just built. I bought a MakeSkyBlue 60 A charge controller and 2 Lithtech 12v 100Ah lith batteries
I'm OK with the Panels and batteries it's the charge controller I am not sure of . Controller has Battery recognition 12/24/36/48 . Max PV module input power for 12 volt of 720 watts. PV module open ckt volts dc20v-dc80v. Not quite sure of my circuit configuration with what I currently have ?

 

[acdoctor]

Well you have 1860 watts of panels, charge controller and batteries. What are you going to use them for?
If you want to use as a 12 volt system you will need another charge controller. If you can series the batteries and use 24 volts then you can get most of the use from all the panels. Charge controller probably said 1500 watts @24 volts. So you will be over paneled a little. Not familiar with your charge controller but open circuit of 80 seems low. Is it a MPPT or PWM? That would make a big difference on how to configure the panels. If MPPT wire as many panels in series as you can looking at the OCV of panels and staying 20% under the 80 volts. My guess is 2. So 3 strings of 2 in series. 3 parallel lines to controller input.

 

[rmaddy]

6 310W panels is 1860W. That's an awful lot for 12V. That's 155A of charge current. Basically you can only use 2 of those panels with your charge controller. If you put the batteries in series for 24V then you could use 4, maybe 5 of the panels. If you really want to use all 6 panels with a 12V battery setup then you would need 3 50A charge controllers. Put 2 panels with each charge controller.

 

[WYtreasure]

Welcome Camp Friday,

Does your boy think you need something to do with your time?
So, where is your camp, warm weather or cold? Cold weather can affect charging if the batteries get too chilly.
Really cold temps can create too much voltage for your charge controller.

Have fun

 

[Camp Friday]

Well you have 1860 watts of panels, charge controller and batteries. What are you going to use them for?
If you want to use as a 12 volt system you will need another charge controller. If you can series the batteries and use 24 volts then you can get most of the use from all the panels. Charge controller probably said 1500 watts @24 volts. So you will be over paneled a little. Not familiar with your charge controller but open circuit of 80 seems low. Is it a MPPT or PWM? That would make a big difference on how to configure the panels. If MPPT wire as many panels in series as you can looking at the OCV of panels and staying 20% under the 80 volts. My guess is 2. So 3 strings of 2 in series. 3 parallel lines to controller input.

AC, The controller is a MPPT and looks exactly like the EPever's

 

[Bud Martin]

What is the full spec of the panels?

60AV118 MPPT SOLAR CHARGE CONTROLLER – MakeSkyBlueUSA

makeskyblueusa.com

SCC PV input Voltage:

Input specification
Voc from PV ( Make sure the Voc of PV meeting the requirement as right. Voc is 1.5 or 2 times than battery, then it’s the best efficiency. )	12V system (DC20V~DC80V) 24V system (DC37V~DC105V) 36V system (DC50V~DC160V) 48V system (DC72V~DC160V)

 

[Camp Friday]

Welcome Camp Friday,

Does your boy think you need something to do with your time?
So, where is your camp, warm weather or cold? Cold weather can affect charging if the batteries get too chilly.
Really cold temps can create too much voltage for your charge controller.

Have fun

Yeah he's a hoot . I'm in NE tenn. temps are seasonal but not crazy . Thanks for reply

 

[Camp Friday]

What is the full spec of the panels?

Peak power 310 watts - Rated voltage 37.2 - Rated current 8.34A - Open ckt V 45.5 - Short ckt current 8.88 - Maximum system V 100V - Max series fuse 20A

 

[Bud Martin]

So with that panel spec, it seems best to do 2s3p panels configuration, since it is 3p so you need fuse for each string of the panels.
Notes: It will be for 24V system, not 12V system.

 

[Camp Friday]

What is the full spec of the panels?

60AV118 MPPT SOLAR CHARGE CONTROLLER – MakeSkyBlueUSA

makeskyblueusa.com

SCC PV input Voltage:

Input specification
Voc from PV ( Make sure the Voc of PV meeting the requirement as right. Voc is 1.5 or 2 times than battery, then it’s the best efficiency. )	12V system (DC20V~DC80V) 24V system (DC37V~DC105V) 36V system (DC50V~DC160V) 48V system (DC72V~DC160V)

PK Pwr 310W Rated V 37.2 rated current 8.34 open ckt V 45.5V short ckt current 8.88 max system V 100

 

[rmaddy]

So with that panel spec, it seems best to do 2s3p panels configuration, since it is 3p so you need fuse for each string of the panels.

But you can't put 1860W of panels on a controller that can only handle 720W.

 

[Camp Friday]

Welcome Camp Friday,

Does your boy think you need something to do with your time?
So, where is your camp, warm weather or cold? Cold weather can affect charging if the batteries get too chilly.
Really cold temps can create too much voltage for your charge controller.

Have fun

Thanks

 

[Camp Friday]

But you can't put 1860W of panels on a controller that can only handl

But you can't put 1860W of panels on a controller that can only handle 720W.

Thanks , that is probably the way I'm headed

 

[rmaddy]

Why would you head in a direction that you can't go? Did you read post #3 above?

 

[Camp Friday]

Sorry Guys , In my haste to get some answers I forgot to put down I also have a 12 V 3500 watt VEVOR pure sine inverter, If this makes a difference .

 

[Camp Friday]

Well you have 1860 watts of panels, charge controller and batteries. What are you going to use them for?
If you want to use as a 12 volt system you will need another charge controller. If you can series the batteries and use 24 volts then you can get most of the use from all the panels. Charge controller probably said 1500 watts @24 volts. So you will be over paneled a little. Not familiar with your charge controller but open circuit of 80 seems low. Is it a MPPT or PWM? That would make a big difference on how to configure the panels. If MPPT wire as many panels in series as you can looking at the OCV of panels and staying 20% under the 80 volts. My guess is 2. So 3 strings of 2 in series. 3 parallel lines to controller input.

Thanks AC

 

[Bud Martin]

But you can't put 1860W of panels on a controller that can only handle 720W.

Sorry I did not mention that OP will have to set it up for 24V system. That will be 24V system since 12V setup can only take 80V max PV input, 24V can take up to 105V (according to the spec I post), and it will be over panelling but should be no issue since the charging current is limited to 60A so it draw what it needs from the panels even though the panels can supply 1860W, and in real world it will not get to that high.
But OP already has 12V inverter so, no 24V system then.

 

[Camp Friday]

Why would you head in a direction that you can't go? Did you read post #3 above?

I did. I'm reviewing all the posts and appreciate each one. Thanks

 

[Hedges]

But you can't put 1860W of panels on a controller that can only handle 720W.

And you can't put two panels in series for a 12V system, given SCC specs.

Sorry I did not mention that OP will have to set it up for 24V system. That will be 24V system since 12V setup can only take 80V max PV input, 24V can take up to 105V (according to the spec I post), and it will be over panelling but should be no issue since the charging current is limited to 60A so it draw what it needs from the panels even though the panels can supply 1860W, and in real world it will not get to that high.

That would take care of it
(I would orient some strings different from others, to avoid the waste of overpaneling)

Sorry Guys , In my haste to get some answers I forgot to put down I also have a 12 V 3500 watt VEVOR pure sine inverter, If this makes a difference .

Makes a big difference.
That means you're stuck with 12V, which means you can't put two PV panels in series.

May I suggest you relegate that 12V inverter (which would struggle to do 3500W) to mobile use on your vehicle, and get a 24V or even 48V inverter? or All-in-One?

 

[Camp Friday]

So with that panel spec, it seems best to do 2s3p panels configuration, since it is 3p so you need fuse for each string of the panels.

Thanks,