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Overpanel a EcoFlow Delta Pro?

J

JSR

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I just watched Will's video review of the Bluetti AC200Max. I was looking at that system and while I do like it, the EcoFlow Delta Pro was much lower W/$ with the initial discount. Will overpanel'd his AC200Max considerably. I was initially planning to run about 3x 370W panels in series for 1100W PV input. The EcoFlow Delta Pro limits are 150V and 1200W. I was trying to stay within both.
However, seeing how Will overpanel'd his AC200Max, now I'm thinking I can do a 2S2P or 3S2P for 1480W or 2200W, respectively, to help account for cloudy days, etc. I assume the built-in MPPT would limit current (EcoFlow Delta Pro spec says 12A) to maintain the 1200W limit.

Anyone see any issues with this?

Thanks!
 
JSR said:
I just watched Will's video review of the Bluetti AC200Max. I was looking at that system and while I do like it, the EcoFlow Delta Pro was much lower W/$ with the initial discount. Will overpanel'd his AC200Max considerably. I was initially planning to run about 3x 370W panels in series for 1100W PV input. The EcoFlow Delta Pro limits are 150V and 1200W. I was trying to stay within both.
However, seeing how Will overpanel'd his AC200Max, now I'm thinking I can do a 2S2P or 3S2P for 1480W or 2200W, respectively, to help account for cloudy days, etc. I assume the built-in MPPT would limit current (EcoFlow Delta Pro spec says 12A) to maintain the 1200W limit.

Anyone see any issues with this?

Thanks!
Click to expand...
I don't have experience with EcoFlow, but as long as you don't exceed the stated input voltage limit most (all?) MPPT solar charge controllers limit the current output and just don't use the excess power .
JSR said:
to help account for cloudy days, etc.
Click to expand...
Over-paneling helps in many ways:
* More production on Cloudy Days
* Power production ramps up earlier in the day and keeps going till later in the day.
* You usually don't get Standard Test Conditions power rating from the panels anyway so over-paneling will make up the difference.
 
Awesome. Thanks FilterGuy! Now I just have to decide if I want 4x panels for ~1480W or 6x panels for ~2200W.

Also, what was the protection device I need to add when I have strings of panels in parallel?
 
JSR said:
Also, what was the protection device I need to add when I have strings of panels in parallel?
Click to expand...
diysolarforum.com

Fusing & Wire Sizing guidelines for solar panels

To get the paper, click on the orange'' button at the top of the screen. This resource is intended to help the user understand when they need to add Over Current Protection Devices (OCPDs - Fuses or Breakers) to the solar panel array and what...
diysolarforum.com diysolarforum.com
 
Thanks again FilterGuy! Since I'll be doing 2S2P or 3S2P, it doesn't seem like I need to deal with an OCPD.

Question on wire sizing...the panels have Isc of ~10A, so that's 15.6A per string, or 31.2A total. Since the SCC limits the current to 12A, do I still need to size the output wire to handle 31.2A?

I'm not sure what gauge cable the EcoFlow Delta Pro includes (I doubt it's 10ga).
 
JSR said:
Since the SCC limits the current to 12A,
Click to expand...
What do the specs say is 12A? Are they saying "charging amps"? That is the current coming *out* of the SCC, not going in.

JSR said:
do I still need to size the output wire to handle 31.2A?
Click to expand...
To follow the NEC recommendations, yes. Technically, it is over 30A so it should be *larger* than 10AWG.

You should plan on putting a disconnect between the panels and the SCC. Some people will use breakers as disconnects. If you do use breakers, make sure they are at least 40A breakers.
 
Unless you use a combiner box and a breaker for each string. 40a would be for the home run to the SCC.
 
FilterGuy:
The spec says
"Solar charging 1200W Max, 11-150V, 13A"

Does that mean 13A coming out of SCC to charge the batteries? I read that as max input current into SCC from panels.


740GLE:
What do you mean by home run?


I can buy a one of those disconnects with a handle or fuse/bar that pulls out that are used for ACs, or do I need an actual fuse/breaker box?

Thanks!
 
JSR said:
FilterGuy:
The spec says
"Solar charging 1200W Max, 11-150V, 13A"

Does that mean 13A coming out of SCC to charge the batteries? I read that as max input current into SCC from panels.
Click to expand...
Hmmmmm.... I looked up the manual and you are correct. It says 13A on the input. What I can't tell from the manual is if is self limiting or does it expect you to limit it. As long as the voltage stays below it's limit most SCCs just don't take any more power than they can handle. However, Ecoflow may be different. Sorry I can't be more help. Hopefully someone else on the forum can give you a more definitive answer. (Have you reached out to Ecoflow?).


JSR said:
What do you mean by home run?
Click to expand...
If you have panels in parallel, the point where they are tied together in a combiner box or with y connectors to the charge controller is the Home Run.

JSR said:
I can buy a one of those disconnects with a handle or fuse/bar that pulls out that are used for ACs, or do I need an actual fuse/breaker box?
Click to expand...
If you go by NEC, it needs to disconnect both legs. Furthermore, you definitly want something that is DC rated for the current and voltage you will have. (DC is much more prone to arcing so something that works for AC may not work for DC even if it's voltage rating is higher.
 
I found some DC Disconnects on Amazon for solar. 2-pole single throw, some are 4-pole single throw. They're rated between 600-1000VDC and 32A. Not sure if that's sufficient.
I also found some inline MC4 30A fuses. Are those needed if I have the Disconnect? I assume per code, the fuses aren't a substitute for the DC Disconnect.

I emailed EcoFlow and am waiting for them to respond on the 13A question. They did say in their last response that I'm OK with overpaneling (I mentioned up to 3S2P producing 2200W) if I keep the voltage below 150V.
 
JSR said:
also found some inline MC4 30A fuses. Are those needed if I have the Disconnect? I assume per code, the fuses aren't a substitute for the DC Disconnect.
Click to expand...
As long as you don't do more than 2 in parallel and your wire is properly sized, you don't need the fuses and no.... fuses are not a substitute for the Disconnect.... However, you can use 2-gang breakers for a disconnect.
 
JSR said:
Would a breaker like this work? Can I just mount it in a some sort of enclosure and mount the enclosure on the wall?

Click to expand...
That is AC circuit breaker, not DC circuit breaker.
'Model: DZ47-63; Number of levels: bipolar;For AC 50 Hz or 60 Hz； rated current: 40A; rated voltage: 400V.'

Example of DC circuit breaker.
 
So did you end up purchasing? I am thinking about getting one myself but am trying to find more opinions on it. I did see they have added a 10 year warranty to the product.
 
Yup I did! It won't ship until November. They upgraded the solar charging from 1200W to 1600W, which is great. And the 10yr warranty is awesome. The $/Wh couldn't be beat in a ready to go setup (been following the Bluetti AC300 also, but that's considerably more $/Wh). It was similar $/Wh to if I bought my own all-in-one SCC/Inverter + batteries (premade, not making my own pack), but I don't quite have all the space nor desire to wire the DIY setup. The DIY route is definitely more upgradable, but this offers great simplicity and compactness (packaging).
I may in the future wire up a separate breaker box that I'd reroute my most used circuits to and just have a few circuits grid tied.
 
Yeah, I am super close to buying one myself. Do you know if you can add on your own separate batteries or does it have to be the Eco flow packs? And can you hook any solar panels up to it or does it have to be there's as well? I am in the same boat. I don't have time nor the space to do a DIY and I really want it right now to power a deep freezer, possibly full time for a few months.
 
You must use their expansion battery packs (I bought the Delta Pro + Delta Pro Battery so I have 7.2 kWh). Hopefully they'll continue to make newer packs backwards compatible for more future capacity upgrades.
You can use any solar panels you want as long as you don't exceed 150V PV input.
I'm deciding if I should chance it with 440W panels where Voc is 49.5V at 25C (and thus 3 in series will be over 150V at lower temps), or stick with ~370W panels that are around 45V Voc so at the lower temps my area sees (down to mid/high 30Fs around 4-7am) it'll still be under 150V. I'll likely play it safe. Only considering the 440W panels (pretty much any 400W+ panels is about 49.5V Voc) because Will uses them and only calculates their STC Voltage (though his SCC can likely handle more so there's overhead), but I never hear them talk about the Voc when temps drop for him. Most of the times, my temps are well above 50F, but there's times in winter where it gets cold (but no sun out yet really).
My entire house right now runs off 50A, which at 120V is 6kW. Most of that is the AC. So 3.6kW 120V output should run most of my house. I'm planning to run virtually my entire kitchen and my freezer, along with all the PCs in the house.
 
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