Great point! I think this is spot on. A panel that is a few % more efficient is only beneficial if you can fit an equal or greater number of panels in the space. Tetris is a great analogy
Small Footprint Panels Needed, Recommendations?
- Thread starter SDovey
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Great point! I think this is spot on. A panel that is a few % more efficient is only beneficial if you can fit an equal or greater number of panels in the space. Tetris is a great analogy
Thanks for all the help everyone! I have 10 of these panels ( https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B09BQZVNFG/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o03_s00?ie=UTF8&th=1 ) on order with possibly room for 2 more. I will have a port and starboard array, both in parralel running to two ( https://smile.amazon.com/dp/B08CN1QZXF?ref=ppx_yo2_dt_b_product_details&th=1 ) charge controllers. Now to just figure out wiring sizes and mounting hardware.
12VoltInstalls
life passes by too quickly to not live in freedom
Not beatin’ on ya but why Bouge instead of rich or windy for the same size and less moula? Curious. I have my answer but I want your answer
They fit in my area better. The BougeRV are a bit narrower. I can fit four accross where the Rich panels I could have only fit 3.
12VoltInstalls
life passes by too quickly to not live in freedom
Got it.
The split cells are a theoretical advantage is what I thought of
That is a nice touch as well.
NPhil
Freezing in the dark non-enthusiast
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Will we hear back on the actual output of those cells? I'm curious, even though I have the dozen Newpowa panels I mentioned above. I'm counting on mine never exceeding 1040 watts, the limit listed for my Tracer AN 40A, (I have no plans to drive my minivan to the equator). If my dozen panels ever put out 100 watts, or even 90 watts, it would be over the limit, and I would be buying a Tracer AN 50A, I guess.
I looked at the Tracer BN, but went with the AN. It has a lithium battery preset, although it might not be accessible from the front panel (I can't remember, and the panel on mine failed), so there goes that advantage. I use the USB adapter cable and the PC software for tuning it anyway, even before the LCD quit. I have added an MT-50, but I only use it as a monitor, haven't invested the time to learn if it can adjust parameters finely enough to matter, not least because it inexplicably turns off the "load" output when I start pushing buttons, which doesn't work for me because in my test configuration, I have a mobile refrigerator and mobile freezer connected to the load output (that's a bad plan for a permanent installation, IMHO). The (free) PC software is not a marvel of user-friendliness either, but, it has some features which are perhaps worth the time, like a running chart of the last couple of hours of solar and load voltages and currents, or power. I guess all that works with the BN as well as the AN?
Oh. My panels are wired series parallel, with only two in series, so they can't go over the Tracer AN's (lower) limit of 100V.
For my testbed, I'm using:
There should be inline fuses, but I haven't got to that yet. Also I have purchased breakers:
32A Low-voltage Miniature Air Circuit Breaker,Acogedor 250V DC 2P DIN Rail Mount Miniature Circuit Breaker for Solar Panels Grid System, Wind And Solar Hybrid System and Other DC Systems: Amazon.com: Tools & Home Improvement
32A Low-voltage Miniature Air Circuit Breaker,Acogedor 250V DC 2P DIN Rail Mount Miniature Circuit Breaker for Solar Panels Grid System, Wind And Solar Hybrid System and Other DC Systems: Amazon.com: Tools & Home Improvement
smile.amazon.com
and a box for them:
I haven't tested those last two yet.
I won't recommend my wiring scheme for heavy weather, but, it's handy and cheap, and has been working for a while for testing. I just string pairs of panels, then parallel them at the pair of adapters, then back to the controller on the #10 AWG "Solar Extension Cable".
BTW, does anyone know if it's possible to get replacement Tracer AN front panel displays? The swap would be trivial for me, if I could find one. Full disclosure: I haven't asked Epever, only the vendor I purchased from.
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I will try to provide some feedback once I get the system up and running (not sure how soon that will be).
I would recommend reaching out to Epever to see if that would be something they would cover under warranty.
here is what I'm seeing from these panels. These are my two 6 panel arrays (port and starboard).here is what I'm seeing from these panels. These are my two 6 panel arrays (port and starboard).
Calculate W/m^2 using 150W and dimensions 38.8*38.8*1.2inch (98.5*98.5*3 cm):
150 / (.985*.985) = 154.6
I have 200W panels measuring 39in^ which converts to .9906m
200 / (.9906*.9906) = 203.8
The 150W is 50W worse per m^2
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