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Mixing renogy into a rich solar array

Smiley2020

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Sep 7, 2020
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Hi all, right now I’m using a bluetti AC 200 hooked up to 8 100 watt rich solar panels 2s/4p. i regularly see 500 watt charging levels but i want closer to the 700 watt max so i impulsively purchased a couple more 100 watt black renogy panels because they were all out the rich solar black.

Looking at the specs of the renogy they are mismatched on voc and amps . i’m not sure what to do or what can be done to get max output. this seems like a situation where i want to shoot closer to being less wrong.

we get blaring sun at this location here in hawaii though during the winter we get mostly cloudy after 1 or 2 pm.

have at it
 

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Your real problem is your array configuration. More on that below.

Proposed panels are not great in series or parallel, but they're not terrible either.

In series, the 4.93A panels will force the 5.38A to work at 4.93. That's an 8.4% penalty.

In parallel, there's an 8.4% difference as well (makes sense because they're both 100W, and it's a voltage/current trade-off).

So, you can series or parallel them as you like. Since you're already over-paneling to try and get max power, it really doesn't matter if you're losing the


BUT


With 2S4P, you're crazy lucky to get 500W. IIRC, the PV input limit is 12A, so with 4 in parallel, you're pushing >20A, but it's going to clip off anything above 12A. At 40Vmp and 12A, you shouldn't see more than 480W, but it's probably optimizing a little bit by raising the voltage above Vmp.

Simply re-wring your existing array to 4S2P would likely get you to the 700W max.

Due to the input current limit, more parallel panels won't help.

5S2P would likely be the best option. Just mix the panels on ONE string.

With 1000W of panels properly configured, who cares about 8.4% loss on one string.
 
Due to the input current limit, more parallel panels won't help.

5S2P would likely be the best option. Just mix the panels on ONE string.

With 1000W of panels properly configured, who cares about 8.4% loss on one string.
Thank you, thank you, i knew it was possible to get more power with less panels, my brain was stuck on keeping it to an even number and also not diminishing the ac200 max watt input. next time i’m fiddling up on the roof i’ll change it to 5s2p with just the rich solar panels.
 
i hooked it up as 5s and 2p on one string, mostly cloudy now,seems to be charging faster with less watts. Tweaking it to power a small dehumidifier on an interval timer to run during daylight and early morning.
 

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okay, i broke the 500 watt record with the 5s3p in morning sun.

The renogy panels will now be used to charge a new 1228kwh lifepo4 generator.
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