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diy solar

Pre-wired from Alt E

Bluedog225

Texas
Joined
Nov 18, 2019
Messages
2,829
Good morning,

I’m getting close to ordering this pre-wired system from Alt E. The plan is to mount panels when the weather cools and install the electrical and air conditioning to be functional by next May.

I’d appreciate any advice on this approach. In particular, any critical input welcome. This is a big purchase.

Here’s my setup and thinking:

I believe I’ve heard generally positive feedback regarding Alt E as a seller. Open to alternatives.

Off grid cabin/tiny home. No well pump. No large surge loads. Any large tools will be run off the 9000 watt generator.

I currently have four SOK 48 volt 100 amp rack batteries and 60 or so 300 watt panels that I can mount and configure as needed. No space limitations. East, west, and south (main) arrays.

My energy needs are roughly 2000 watt continuous in the hot, hot summer for air conditioning and misc. Energy needs for the other 8 months of the year will be substantially less. Cabin framed and dried in but no insulation or electrical appliances yet. Energy audit is an estimate.

To recharge the batteries from empty, I’m thinking I’ll need about 400 amps at 48 volts to get 20,000 watts.

The Midnite 200 can charge at 65 amps. During the hot, sunny part of the year, I estimate 4.5 hours * 65 amps=292 amps.

If I go this route, I will add another midnite after I get they system up and running. Or ask Alt E to pre-wire two units. Derating everything for real world operation will still give me adequate charging.

[Edit-deleted section about pass through energy. No applicable here. I keep getting this wrong.]

As needed, I can add more solar, more server rack batteries, and more midnite controllers to give me longer battery run time. I do not expect I will need the full inverter capacity.

There are cheaper all in one options. I am looking for a long-term reliable Tier 1 solution. With particular emphasis on fire safety.

If ambitious, I can later try to add some micro-inverters to roof mounted panels as this inverter supports frequency shifting.

This inverter provides 120 volt and 240 volt to support household loads and high SEER mini splits. And it allows generator support.

Any thoughts much appreciated.

Thanks!





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I've heard of some unreliability with Schneider

follow up

....sounds like Schneider is making things right
 
Thanks. I see people having issues with Magnum all over the place. Now Schneider.

Maybe I have to go Victron. I really want something to give trouble free service over long term.
 
and there's the catch22... at least they're working to make things right, which says a lot about the company. I think I just read Signature Solar is now partnering with Schneider. might not be a bad option for you considering they're "local"-ish. Alte is definitely legit.
 
Hello, nothing at all wrong with buying a prewired system in my opinion. I'll offer some random thoughts.

Every manufacturer has warts, particularly now a days. Don't even get me started on SMA.

Victron is solid gear. However if you go with Victron its imperative you buy from a great reseller as they will be your ONLY source for support. Other than a pretty active forum Victron offers no direct factory support to it's end users.

My energy needs are roughly 2000 watt continuous in the hot, hot summer for air conditioning and misc. Energy needs for the other 8 months of the year will be substantially less. Cabin framed and dried in but no insulation or electrical appliances yet. Energy audit is an estimate.

2kW x 24 hrs = 48 kWH of daily usage. You have 20.5 kWh's of DC storage and by the time you run it through an inverter you'll be down to ~18kWh's of AC energy. Storage is going to be your limiting factor of daily energy usage.

To recharge the batteries from empty, I’m thinking I’ll need about 400 amps at 48 volts to get 20,000 watts
Amp and watts are instantaneous power measurements.

Amp hours and watthours are energy measurements.

400 amp hours is what you need to fill the batteries back up. 20,000 watt hours/6 sun hours (summer) = 3,333 watt or 3.3 kW.

EG: 100 amps x 4 hrs = 400 amp hours

The Midnite 200 can charge at 65 amps. During the hot, sunny part of the year, I estimate 4.5 hours * 65 amps=292 amps.
Why not the Midnite 150? Roughly speaking the 200 is never going to charge at more than ~3kW but the 150 will do ~4kW. If you want to use all of 18kW of your solar you're going to need more charge controllers. It might be more cost effective for you to chose another charge controller initially.

Those were some random thoughts. Sounds like a fun project! Glad you're getting to do it.
 
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Great input. Thanks! And sorry I was lazy/dumb with my units.

I’m still trying to figure out my panel set up know that I learned that the lower the voltage, the better efficiency of the MPPT (I think I have that right).
 
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Thanks. I see people having issues with Magnum all over the place. Now Schneider.

Maybe I have to go Victron. I really want something to give trouble free service over long term.
Don’t get me wrong I love the shit out of my Magnum. Very easy to program and operate. Tech support was fine. It just pisses me off that the one feature That drew me to buy one broke on day two. I liked the ability to charge off a 120v 2000w inverter generator. Got it all hooked up and tested it and worked fine. Next time i go to use it dead! Everything else works fine. got a 5 year warranty but can’t get it fixed because it’s going to be so inconvenient being without electricity for weeks it’s not worth it to me. I just use an Eg4 charger when I need to.
 
My SW 4048 has been running 24/7/365 without issue.

You can save a crap ton of money if you DIY the wiring yourself.

Your system, your choice though.
 
One of the main advantages to the pre-wired unit is that they are tested for functionality at the factory. This eliminates the possibility of getting a bad unit or making a costly mistake on the wiring. Of course, you still have to hook up pv and battery cables but that's pretty straightforward.
 
Agreed. The fair comparison is these tier 1 components pre-wired versus diy wired. For me with about a 20% premium to to avoid mistakes and get the components pre tested. I haven’t crunched numbers yet. Still trying this in for size.
 
Victron is solid gear. However if you go with Victron its imperative you buy from a great reseller as they will be your ONLY source for support. Other than a pretty active forum Victron offers no direct factory support to it's end users.
I agree that you should find a really awesome Victron distributor and stick to them. It's totally true they'll be your only official resource to ask questions outside community resources.

Personally, I broke an inverter while installing it, and I actually ran into some shipping issues with one of the amazon Victron distributors. Basically Victron sent that vendor the replacement immediately, but then it disappeared at the vendor warehouse, and they didn't have another to send me. As soon as I sent an additional support ticket in about the delay on my replacement (I was pretty patient and waited a few weeks), I had Victron corp. executive level attention and a new inverter was sent directly to me very very quickly.

As far as day to day support, totally true, you need a good Victron distributor for system designs, questions, troubleshooting. But I have to say that Victron corp did come through for me in a worst case scenario. And I never gave the amazon distributor a chance to become a trusted advisor, who knows they may have actually had enough training. The service rep was excellent on communications skills and was responsive but I just wasn't seeking that kind of advice at the time so that wasn't tested at this specific distributor. They're all supposed to have enough training to provide some support, even the amazon shops.
 
Don’t get me wrong I love the shit out of my Magnum. Very easy to program and operate. Tech support was fine. It just pisses me off that the one feature That drew me to buy one broke on day two. I liked the ability to charge off a 120v 2000w inverter generator. Got it all hooked up and tested it and worked fine. Next time i go to use it dead! Everything else works fine. got a 5 year warranty but can’t get it fixed because it’s going to be so inconvenient being without electricity for weeks it’s not worth it to me. I just use an Eg4 charger when I need to.
Get a $360 reliable wzrelb to generate your power for a few weeks then sell it? That's what my backup inverter is if I need to do an RMA etc.

But I don't use split phase!

EDIT: I don't actually understand this comment, every tier1 inverter charger can charge from an eu2200 and always has. You just set the amps limit on them.
 
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The Midnite 200 can charge at 65 amps. During the hot, sunny part of the year, I estimate 4.5 hours * 65 amps=292 amps.

I thought the Classic 200 did about 80 amps and the Classic 150 did 96 amps. I bought the Classic 200 by accident in 2015, and then put 4 panels in a string so that it was kinda useful to have a 200V controller, because there's no combiner box etc on that install.

I'm ready to replace Midnite Classics and Outback FM80s with Victron, but I would never say anything bad about the former two except that they don't provide external monitoring how I want them to. And I have no hands on with the Victron MPPTs yet, only the other gear.

I love the integrated shunt tracking in the midnite classic, they have a data sender that goes on a shunt called whizbangjr.
 
Good morning,

I’m getting close to ordering this pre-wired system from Alt E. The plan is to mount panels when the weather cools and install the electrical and air conditioning to be functional by next May.

I’d appreciate any advice on this approach. In particular, any critical input welcome. This is a big purchase.

Here’s my setup and thinking:

I believe I’ve heard generally positive feedback regarding Alt E as a seller. Open to alternatives.

Off grid cabin/tiny home. No well pump. No large surge loads. Any large tools will be run off the 9000 watt generator.

I currently have four SOK 48 volt 100 amp rack batteries and 60 or so 300 watt panels that I can mount and configure as needed. No space limitations. East, west, and south (main) arrays.

My energy needs are roughly 2000 watt continuous in the hot, hot summer for air conditioning and misc. Energy needs for the other 8 months of the year will be substantially less. Cabin framed and dried in but no insulation or electrical appliances yet. Energy audit is an estimate.

To recharge the batteries from empty, I’m thinking I’ll need about 400 amps at 48 volts to get 20,000 watts.

The Midnite 200 can charge at 65 amps. During the hot, sunny part of the year, I estimate 4.5 hours * 65 amps=292 amps.

If I go this route, I will add another midnite after I get they system up and running. Or ask Alt E to pre-wire two units. Derating everything for real world operation will still give me adequate charging.

[Edit-deleted section about pass through energy. No applicable here. I keep getting this wrong.]

As needed, I can add more solar, more server rack batteries, and more midnite controllers to give me longer battery run time. I do not expect I will need the full inverter capacity.

There are cheaper all in one options. I am looking for a long-term reliable Tier 1 solution. With particular emphasis on fire safety.

If ambitious, I can later try to add some micro-inverters to roof mounted panels as this inverter supports frequency shifting.

This inverter provides 120 volt and 240 volt to support household loads and high SEER mini splits. And it allows generator support.

Any thoughts much appreciated.

Thanks!





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I've had a very similar pre-wired setup (the only difference is 24v) in continuous off-grid use for four years. It has performed flawlessly. My brother who lives on the same 40-acre property has Magnum components and his inverter crapped out at the two-year mark.
Everything is a gamble these days. I do believe the components you're looking at are quality and should serve you well, based only on my experience with the same equipment.
 
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Get a $360 reliable wzrelb to generate your power for a few weeks then sell it? That's what my backup inverter is if I need to do an RMA etc.

But I don't use split phase!

EDIT: I don't actually understand this comment, every tier1 inverter charger can charge from an eu2200 and always has. You just set the amps limit on them.
Someone else told me to do the same thing but bup a 230v and use a solar edge split phase transformer to get my neutral.

Also I didn’t know at the time more companies did at the time. I was going by what the neighbors use.
 
Agreed. The fair comparison is these tier 1 components pre-wired versus diy wired. For me with about a 20% premium to to avoid mistakes and get the components pre tested. I haven’t crunched numbers yet. Still trying this in for size.
I purchased my setup as a pre wired and assembled setup. All I had to to was hang the 170lb unit on the wall wire the batteries and PV and done! They labeled everything for me. I was charged $600.00 for the service From AWS. After looking at it I could have done it myself but was in a hurry as winter was setting in fast and I wanted to move into the house. Kinda hard to heat an RV in zero degree weather.
 
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