diy solar

diy solar

My First Attempt

WendyDarling

New Member
Joined
Sep 28, 2020
Messages
7
So my purchasing plan includes a Zerodis 80a MPPT controller (asked a customer question to find out if it has a temp regulator, not sure if it comes standard in MPPTs, can anyone tell me?), next a 2000 watt Sug inverter, one Weize 12v 100ah deep cycle lead battery, one Hqst 100 watt monocrystalline solar panel, a 12v battery charger. Have I covered the bases of necessary major components? Do I need a circuit breaker if I’m not adding a fuse box? What do I need to hook up the solar panel to the MPPT controller? The panel comes with an MC4 connector but don’t understand how that connects to the charge controller? Do I need anything else along the way of tools or wires or such? Thanks in advance for all advice.
 
The system I am describing above is for an emergency power loss in my small apartment to power low wattage fundamentals such as a 500w cooktop, 350w mini heater, 50w fan, and 10w lights primarily. I plan to expand on batteries and solar panels over time.
 
Don't buy anything until you do a little math first. A 100W solar panel charging a 12V battery is only about 8A. Are you planning on adding many more solar panels, and that's why you are looking at an 80A charge controller? I hope so, because you need to realize how little energy you can make with a 100W solar panel. Since you mention a heater, I am assuming winter, so depending where you are, you may make about 200Wh of energy in a day in the dead of winter. A 350W heater uses 350Wh an hour. So you can run it for about 1/2 hour a day with 1 panel. The 500W cooktop uses 500Wh in an hour, so you've got about 20 minutes cooking instead of heat, can't run both for long.
 
Hi Solar Queen,
Yes, I plan on adding additional batteries and panels before I seriously use the system. My main question is do I have the necessary components for a system that can be expanded? Do Mppt controllers come standard with temperature sensors/regulators? How do I connect an MC4 to the inverter, will I need additional wire and tools? Do I need a circuit breaker and/or some way to ground this portable solar system? Can the system solar charge and discharge simultaneously?
 
Hi Solar Queen,
Yes, I plan on adding additional batteries and panels before I seriously use the system. My main question is do I have the necessary components for a system that can be expanded? Do Mppt controllers come standard with temperature sensors/regulators? How do I connect an MC4 to the inverter, will I need additional wire and tools? Do I need a circuit breaker and/or some way to ground this portable solar system? Can the system solar charge and discharge simultaneously?
To go from the MC4 to the charge controller, you get an MC4 extension cable twice as long as you need to go, and cut it into 2. That'll give you positive and negative cable with MC4 on one end, and bare wire on the other to connect to the controller. You should have a breaker between the charge controller and the battery, and one between the inverter and the battery. Not all MPPT charge controllers have a temperature sensor. With it being portable, it is probably not practical to ground it. It can charge and discharge at the same time. As for if it is the right parts, it really depends on your ultimate goal, how big you are planning on expanding. I probably wouldn't start with only 100W, at least look at 150W if you are staying with 12V panels.
 
Yay, thanks for the answers, SolarQueen. Everything's noted. Cost is a huge factor now and so is expediency since there is so much civil unrest here in the states. How important is a heat regulator in a charge controller? Are there different gauge wires for the MC4 extension cable that I might use so I don’t lose any efficiency or are the extensions standard? Can you suggest any USA based sites/companies that sell reasonably priced larger watt panels that can usually deliver stateside in under two weeks? If monocrystalline are more efficient than poly, I’d rather stick with them and not the flexible kind either. I’d like to have enough battery wh to power a few simultaneously but intermittently running appliances and enough incoming power to still recharge batteries while discharging a load. Two 150watt or 200watt panels might be adequate for a relatively small load of 350w until I figure out how to add a 400watt wind turbine, maybe? Are there any good DIY wind power sites too? Thanks.
 
It is unlikely that you are in a good wind speed location for a turbine on a tower to generate power.
Search other threads on here about how little wind will produce at low wind speeds.
Please read this before you waste your time and money.

350 watts is not a small load.
3 hours will 100% drain a 12V 100Ah 1280 watt hour LFP battery as you lose about 15% to inverter efficiency.

How long are your MC4 cables?
10 AWG is a low loss cable for your panels especially if you are going to extend the distance in the future.

Buy the best deal on panels and dont worry about poly vs mono.
 
Yay, thanks for the answers, SolarQueen. Everything's noted. Cost is a huge factor now and so is expediency since there is so much civil unrest here in the states. How important is a heat regulator in a charge controller? Are there different gauge wires for the MC4 extension cable that I might use so I don’t lose any efficiency or are the extensions standard? Can you suggest any USA based sites/companies that sell reasonably priced larger watt panels that can usually deliver stateside in under two weeks? If monocrystalline are more efficient than poly, I’d rather stick with them and not the flexible kind either. I’d like to have enough battery wh to power a few simultaneously but intermittently running appliances and enough incoming power to still recharge batteries while discharging a load. Two 150watt or 200watt panels might be adequate for a relatively small load of 350w until I figure out how to add a 400watt wind turbine, maybe? Are there any good DIY wind power sites too? Thanks.
What state are you in? We have warehouses in MA and Northern CA, both with plenty of stock of mono panels up to 420W. There are other online stores with stock too. But the problem is shipping the big panels costs at least $250 for 1 or many, because of minimum shipping charges from the trucks, so if you can find a place local for pickup, it's much more affordable. Another problem you'll run into with starting with a big panel is you don't want to charge your lead acid battery too fast, it'll damage it. If you are getting only one 100Ah battery, you shouldn't go much higher than a 150W panel, it is well balanced for that size battery. You can charge a lithium battery much faster, but they cost more than lead, but can be a better price in the long run. 10 gauge is pretty standard for MC4 cables.

Don't believe that you will get 400W from a turbine. You need to have patio furniture knocking over speeds of wind to get that. Small turbines are good for helping top off solar a little bit, they are generally not going to provide the amount of energy you are looking for. We also sell wind turbines, so I'm not knocking them, they have their place, but you have to set your expectations correctly.
 
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