New and looking to do my first solar project.

[Fallbackpuppet]

I am completely new to this forum and solar, but I do have a technical background (computer science) and have been a home owner for a long time. So I have done many home electrical repairs and projects. While I am not an expert I do have some experience with home wiring.

I am working on learning so I can put together my first solar project. I want a solar backup primarily for our well pump, but if possible also our freezers when the power goes out. It would also be awesome to have a system I can expand as time goes on to perhaps cover more if not all of the home electric when the power goes out.

I know I will need mounts, cabling, and other various bits and piece right now I am trying to figure out major components.

My first is question am I missing any major components to a home system?

The second question is planning on 48v so if I wire the panels and batteries in series as groups of 4 and then those groups in parallel will that work with this equipment?

Basically 3 groups of 4 batteries 48v 100AH each and then on parallel battery unit at 48v 300AH then 2 groups of 4 solar panels making 48v at 9.8 Amps 780 watts each in serial making 48v with 19.6 amps and 1560 watts.

The parts I am looking at:
12V 100Ah LiFePO4 Battery x12

UL1741 10KW Solar Off Grid Inverter 110/220Vac Low Frequency DC 48V AC Input 240V AC Output 120V/240V Split Phase x1

ECO-WORTHY 6 String PV Combiner Box(Metal Case) & 63A Circuit Breakers for Solar Panels x 1

Echo worthy Dual Axis Solar Tracker System x1

Echo worthy 195W 12V Monocrystalline Solar Panel x8

Am I missing any primary components? Will these work wired as described above? Thank you in advance.

 

[MichaelK]

I'd suggest slowing down first and doing a bit more homework before you start spending money ordering stuff. You can't start deciding how to wire stuff together until you know the specifications of the equipment you are working with.

First off, I'd suggest getting a clamp meter with "inrush current" capability and determining the starting surges for things like your well-pump. First, is the pump 120V or 240VAC? What's the size? Pumps have to push large masses of water above them, and have SIGNIFICANT starting surges. My Grunfos pump needs ~9100 starting watts. I measured that with a Uni-T 216C, which is as accurate as a much more expensive Fluke.

Do an itemized checklist of what you want to power first. I'd personally suggest not buying anything with the Eco-worthy brand. They occupy the low end of the solar market. 12V panels are definately a mistake. You'll get more watts for your dollars with larger high-voltage residential panels, the kind they typically refer to as "grid-tie" panels, running at 30-45V each. Wire them in series to reduce power loss from voltage drop. I would consider 1560W below minimum for powering a 48V system. I'd suggest starting with at least double that.

You might find higher-quality units going with a component system rather than an All-in-One (AiO). Look at quality brands like Midnight, MorningStar, Outback, Schneider, and Victron. They typically make high-quality components, with low-frequency inverters, that have excellent surge capacity. A lot of the more "economical" inverters support starting surges measured in milliseconds. Quality inverters support surges measured in seconds to minutes. That's what you will need to start a well-pump.

48V is a good choice for a home system, but four 12V Li batteries in series to get 48V is not. Traditional lead-acid is a better fit for series connections. If you go with Li batteries, select a 48V battery of larger amperage. Keep the number of parallel battery strings to a minimum.

 

[Fallbackpuppet]

The well pump in 220v 3/4 HP with a starting surge of 3000 w and sustained at 1540 watts. It runs 2.5-3 hours a day on a pressure tank system. The freezers total 426 watts. I get you don't like the brands and you are probably correct about the voltage. I am very cost constrained and have to get the well at minimum done. I appreciate your opinion but you did not answer my questions nor make any attemptto do so. Even if it sucks do the components listed constitue a functional system? Can things be wired as I described?

 

[DIYrich]

My first is question am I missing any major components to a home system?

Panels, inverter, charge controller if not included in Inverter, battery. Those are the main components.

The second question is planning on 48v so if I wire the panels and batteries in series as groups of 4 and then those groups in parallel will that work with this equipment?

Panels and batteries are different. Not necessarily "groups of 4".

Basically 3 groups of 4 batteries 48v 100AH each and then on parallel battery unit at 48v 300AH then 2 groups of 4 solar panels making 48v at 9.8 Amps 780 watts each in serial making 48v with 19.6 amps and 1560 watts.

The parts I am looking at:
12V 100Ah LiFePO4 Battery x12

I would do 16 3.4v prismatic cells with a BMS.

UL1741 10KW Solar Off Grid Inverter 110/220Vac Low Frequency DC 48V AC Input 240V AC Output 120V/240V Split Phase x1

If the inverter is 110/220Vac, then it would output 110/220Vac, not 120V/240V. Seems like you are looking for a component system, not an all-in-one, which is fine. Either 110V/220V split phase, or 120V/240V split phase is fine for USA.

ECO-WORTHY 6 String PV Combiner Box(Metal Case) & 63A Circuit Breakers for Solar Panels x 1

Depends on your panels and mounting. shading? different orientation?

Echo worthy Dual Axis Solar Tracker System x1

Cheaper to add panels, unless you are space constrained.

Echo worthy 195W 12V Monocrystalline Solar Panel x8

Model #, specs. Voltage, VOC, amperage. Max voltage when in string.

Am I missing any primary components? Will these work wired as described above? Thank you in advance.

Charge controller since you specified an inverter, that did not necessarily have a charge controller.
BMS for the Battery
Class T Fuse for Battery Wire
Busbar for battery/inverter connections
Permit from local municipality. Will they require UL9540? If so, go back to Start.
Rapid Shutdown?
Power requirements
Backup power plan
Roof or ground mount
Optimizers?

 

[Fallbackpuppet]

Fortunately there are no permits or other regulations at all since the nearest city limit (only 2200 people so city is pushing it) is 30 miles away.

 

[Mattb4]

Your Ecoworthy 195w panels are rated 21.6Voc and 18Vmp. In order to work out your best setup for them you will need to know your SCC (Solar charge controller often called MPPT or PWM). Say it is 250Voc. The max in a series string would than be 250/21.6 at 90% margin for cold=~10 panels. Adjust as appropriate to the actual SCC.

It is not a good idea to series 12vDC LiFePO4 batteries to get 48Vdc. Buy 48vDC batteries and parallel them for added capacity. The reason is the BMS inside of them and keeping your cells balanced properly.

 

[DIYrich]

Fortunately there are no permits or other regulations at all since the nearest city limit (only 2200 people so city is pushing it) is 30 miles away.

County?

 

[MichaelK]

I appreciate your opinion but you did not answer my questions nor make any attemptto do so. Even if it sucks do the components listed constitue a functional system? Can things be wired as I described?

OK, no, it's not. I didn't answer your question because you are just not ready for that yet. Personally, I don't like dealing with arrogant primadonna's that think they know everything. Go back to what I told you to do and do that first.

Please explain in detail just how you came up with a 3000W starting surge for a 3/4 hp well-pump. Having powered my own pump for years now solely via solar, I don't think your numbers are accurate. Look at this chart.

These numbers match closely the real-world measurements I've made on my own and neighbors well-pumps with a meter as described above. You appear to be off by at least 2 fold. Get the numbers first before you start buying stuff. If you refuse to listen, you only have yourself to blame when what you throw together does not work.

 

[Fallbackpuppet]

Groups of 4 would be 4 12v batteries wired in series to satisfy 48 volts then wire 3 groups of 4 (12 total batteries) in parallel

County?

Nope nor state we'll I guess there is one rule. You have to have a lockout or other system in place to prevent back feeding the grid in a grid outage.

 

[Fallbackpuppet]

OK, no, it's not. I didn't answer your question because you are just not ready for that yet. Personally, I don't like dealing with arrogant primadonna's that think they know everything. Go back to what I told you to do and do that first.

Please explain in detail just how you came up with a 3000W starting surge for a 3/4 hp well-pump. Having powered my own pump for years now solely via solar, I don't think your numbers are accurate. Look at this chart.
View attachment 197486
These numbers match closely the real-world measurements I've made on my own and neighbors well-pumps with a meter as described above. You appear to be off by at least 2 fold. Get the numbers first before you start buying stuff. If you refuse to listen, you only have yourself to blame when what you throw together does not work.

It is what the manufacturer lists

 

[Fallbackpuppet]

County?

Nope nor state we'll I guess there is one rule. You have to have a lockout or other system in place to prevent back feeding the grid in a grid outage.