Question on DC mini split and inverter

[Hernandezdave]

I currently have the below at home

6000xp paired with a 280AH 48v EG4 wall mount battery.
Eg4 24k mini split with 7 Aptos 440 solar panels connected directly.

I Ordered a eg4 12k mini split and 10 Aptos 440w solar panels.

My question is, should I just send all the power from the solar panels into the inverter and let the inverter handle giving power to the mini splits? Or, send 7 panels of power to the 24k and 4 panels of power to the 12k and then supplement ac power from inverter with the 6 panels?

Sorry for all the questions but hope someone can help.

Thank you in advance.

 

[740GLE]

How’s the original 24k set up working? Wasting a lot of PV generation?

 

[Hernandezdave]

The 24k uses everything it gets as it is hot in south texas. In does turn off when it gets really cloudy. I just didn’t know if I should run the panels directly to them using DC and run AC with the inverter on those cloudy days to supplement and then use battery overnight.

 

[bwpsg42]

I have the same A/C setup as you except I have 16 485 q-cell panels here in S. FL., plus a dual head mitsubishi mini. I run my panels to a 6000XP as two strings of 8, one getting a bit of late afternoon shade while the other gets no shade. All of the AC units are connected to a load panel that is fed by the inverter. The load panel also feeds a transfer switch for some household critical circuits. For me, it is rare that I have all of the A/C units running at the same time so I felt that this arrangement gave me the most flexibility.

 

[Hernandezdave]

Understood and thank you everyone for your input. I think I will feed the both ACs Dc current from the panels and whatever panels I have left, feed the ACs with AC power through the 6000xp.

 

[Ruff]

I have the 12,000 BTU EG4 unit powered by the grid and I have plugged 4 Hyundai 395 watt panels in series directly to it. The panels are not in the best location I and I will move them once other projects are completed, but they are producing power.

My experience shows that the unit consumes on average 6 Kwh a day and on the really hot days up to 10 Kwh. Of that .4Kwh of that comes from my poorly placed panels. After that, it is all grid.

Overall, I am happy with this as it was an experiment for the tiny house we live in as the main home gets built. It was my first "large scale" solar project and has allowed me to expand on my knowledge of assembling a solar power system and add more solar projects to the property.

Not that it relates to this topic, but I would not install one of these direct solar Mini Splits again. The inverter generates so much RFI that using my ham radio on HF frequencies during the day is problematic. Next time, I will run the panels to a All in One unit, and wire them to the house AC wiring.

Hope this helped.

Jeff

 

[Hernandezdave]

This is my array on the 24k unit right now. Should 3100 watts of panels produce more power than this?

 

[dopeassjackson]

I mean the benefit of a direct from solar mini split is no CC or inverter needed. I would use it as intended and let the solar system take up the slack the mini split pannels cant.

I believe you have less loss with a DC mini split as no inverters or CC. I was seeing 11% loss to MPPT alone.

 

[DIYrich]

My question is, should I just send all the power from the solar panels into the inverter and let the inverter handle giving power to the mini splits? Or, send 7 panels of power to the 24k and 4 panels of power to the 12k and then supplement ac power from inverter with the 6 panels?

I don't think the mini split can export excess power to the grid. So, my vote is wire the panels into the inverter. When the mini split is off, the power can be used for something else.