January 2025. Amazon has really good prices on Victron components right now.

[Brucey]

Well I will need 10 in the long run realistically. I'm powering two houses and a crypto mining farm

The two I have now should be enough until I get some other things done. Its all catch up work constantly. I up the charge capability so I need to up the panels to run it. Then I need to up the battery bank size to store it then its back to charge controllers.

The crypto stuff just needs the panels, charge controllers and inverters increased since I very seldom add batteries to it. Its a power failure protection feature and not a runtime feature.

Never ends and to be honest I really don't want it to end. It gives me something to do and at my age I need something I can actually do to keep life interesting

Heck I've been out in the workshop most of the night building battery monitor boxes for my cars and mowers.

Its interesting we both have same capacity of batteries with 20kWh connected right now.

I ventured into the heavy overpanelling side of things (40 370W panels on a 450/100, 10s2p per tracker) to investigate low ambient light winter production. Around 10W per panel.

Soon with the 250/100 and the two 150/35s back in action plus hb 90 I'll have 360A of scc available for 18kW of panels so basically just about even on the paneling. I want to see big numbers even if it's just for a moment between passing clouds lol. Need to add the 5kWh of redodo 12v 100ah in series and the rept280ah 14kWh diy to the bank so my charge rate stays low.

 

[Brucey]

Oh I forgot to ask, with the mc4 versions are you bringing the three parallel strings back to the scc or combining beforehand? I guess with 30A limit per mc4 you may need to use at least two of them?

 

[Crowz]

Oh I forgot to ask, with the mc4 versions are you bringing the three parallel strings back to the scc or combining beforehand? I guess with 30A limit per mc4 you may need to use at least two of them?

Yep I will have to spread them across since its limited per port. I still prefer the mc4 connection since I'm not a fan of screw down cable connections. Wish it had lugs.

 

[Crowz]

Its interesting we both have same capacity of batteries with 20kWh connected right now.

I ventured into the heavy overpanelling side of things (40 370W panels on a 450/100, 10s2p per tracker) to investigate low ambient light winter production. Around 10W per panel.

Soon with the 250/100 and the two 150/35s back in action plus hb 90 I'll have 360A of scc available for 18kW of panels so basically just about even on the paneling. I want to see big numbers even if it's just for a moment between passing clouds lol. Need to add the 5kWh of redodo 12v 100ah in series and the rept280ah 14kWh diy to the bank so my charge rate stays low.

I can't get all of my solar stuff in my signature.

I have more than 20kWh of batteries its just that I only have 20kWh on the main house

I want to build a separate brick building beside the workshop to hold the batteries before increasing the size for the main house. The workshop is physically attached to the main house so anything going wrong in it would put the house at risk.

 

[Brucey]

I can't get all of my solar stuff in my signature.

I have more than 20kWh of batteries its just that I only have 20kWh on the main house

I want to build a separate brick building beside the workshop to hold the batteries before increasing the size for the main house. The workshop is physically attached to the main house so anything going wrong in it would put the house at risk.

Yes I think ultimately a powershed to hold the batteries and gear is inevitable. Then I can just run a 50A extension cord and connect to house via "generator inlet" hookup.

 

[wpns]

I always seem to use:

Victron Energy

The professional choice for independent electric power.

www.amazon.com

When I had a problem Amazon referred me to Victron, who looped in https://top-powersports.com/ who then sent me a new MPPT.
I've continued to order from the Amazon store above, but haven't had any more hardware problems or support needs.

I was honestly pleasantly surprised at how well the support process worked given the number of potential issues with random Amazon sellers, but these guys are apparently official, legit, and supportive.

Even though I selected the same device from the same VictronEnergy store, the last MPPT I got from Amazon was from a different seller (https://www.amazon.com/sp?ie=UTF8&seller=AMVRK92LFYKXB) and has a Bay Marine Supply support sticker on it with their email. So who knows what Amazon's doing now?

Bay Marine Supply seems pretty legit, their use of their initials (BMS) for preconfigured systems gives me a bit of cognitive dissonance, but that's me. They seem to carry all the manufacturers and parts we're used to here.

 

[Brucey]

Even though I selected the same device from the same VictronEnergy store, the last MPPT I got from Amazon was from a different seller (https://www.amazon.com/sp?ie=UTF8&seller=AMVRK92LFYKXB) and has a Bay Marine Supply support sticker on it with their email. So who knows what Amazon's doing now?

Bay Marine Supply seems pretty legit, their use of their initials (BMS) for preconfigured systems gives me a bit of cognitive dissonance, but that's me. They seem to carry all the manufacturers and parts we're used to here.

Yes bay marine is an authorised victron dealer. When buying something victron related on Amazon,click on the "other sellers" link and expand the list then you can sort out legit dealers vers abc123 etc. Otherwise you can get just a random or sponsored seller.

 

[wpns]

Yes bay marine is an authorised victron dealer. When buying something victron related on Amazon,click on the "other sellers" link and expand the list then you can sort out legit dealers vers abc123 etc. Otherwise you can get just a random or sponsored seller.

Yeh, I get that, and I have no problem with the seller being Bay Marine Supply, and the support links all lead back to Victron, who probably knows where to refer me for support, my issue is that when I'm looking at the device, and the seller is "The Victron Energy Store", and I click on "Add To Cart" it's not till I check out that I see who it's actually sold by. Hmm, I guess it shows on the main page under the "Add To Cart" button as well.

Hmm, looks like I've purchased from three different sellers by using the same "Victron Energy Store", but since all the support links lead back through Victron, I guess I'm good.

 

[Rexracer]

Ah, gotcha. I'd put in an appropriate XT60 or Anderson 50a quick connect with a battery switch in between. I'd also add an applicable fuse inline from the battery to the Orion. Probably don't need to go crazy, an inline 30-35a ATC fuse is probably just fine, as a safety.

You'll probably want a fuse before the battery as well. Put together some kind of shell for the battery with some handles to get it in and out? And the input/output that you connect, with the fuse and perhaps main switch inside, and the quick connect for the charger flips inside, and then there's a spot to open the top, flip it out, put the top back down?

I have the battery in a plastic 50 cal ammo box. Volt/amp meter,( hall sensor) fused, anderson sb175 for main hookup. Seems I'm always rethinking something.

 

[JJJJ]

Personally I have no problem buying things like bus bars and other components via Amazon. No moving parts, very slim chance of failure.

My first Multiplus was through Northern Arizona Sun and Solar and they have been excellent. My Multiplus II via Current Connected and they are excellent as well.

Getting replacements via Amazon can be a roll of the dice. They did refund money for something that went past their famous 30 day window once they understood what happened. A laptop we recently purchased has a 90 day return window. Personally I like the 10 YEAR coverage Current Connected offers. It is a personal choice and saving money is a good thing. Again on a personal level I don't mind spending a bit more pocket change if it gives me piece of mind down the road. Again, an individual choice.