Solar Pergola Design Check / Feasibility

[Banjoman]

All,

Good morning. Wanted to do a sanity check on a potential solar pergola project I am looking into and getting close to pulling the trigger on. Looking at installing a Chiko 4 car solar carport as basically my pergola with an EG4 18kPV and an indoor rated power pro 14.3kwh battery for now. Panels I have selected are the Hyperion
HY-DH108P8 390-410W(B). (Link to full specifications: https://signaturesolar.com/product_images/HY-DH108P8 390-410W-202110 (short cable) (2) (2).pdf)

I'd like to know on rough back of paper math with 48 of these panels and an absolute minimum temperature of -10F what the EG4 18kPV can take on max # of panels per MPPT input without clipping. Is there a string array calculator out there I could use or do I need to break out the old TI-83 plus lol

 

[blrmaker]

I am planning on my 3rd array to be a similar arrangement with the same panels and inverters. I am planning on 10 panels in a single string for each inverter. Looking forward to your build pictures and others replies.

 

[BentleyJ]

Temp coefficient is -0.304%/deg C. and Voc is 37.32 at 25C.
So Voc increases to 42.8V at -10F (-23C)
A series string of13 panels is 556.4 Voc at -10C. but 12 divides into 48 quite nicely.
The 18kpv has 3 MPPT inputs and MPPT #1 has 2 connections and is rated for up to 25A. (31Asc)
Each of MPPT input #2 & #3 have 1 connection and are rated for up to 15A. (19Asc)

With 48 panels you would make 4 series strings of 12 panels. Connect 2 strings to MPPT #1 and 1 each to MPPT #2 & #3.
Since Imp (NMOT) =10.67A per string, current on MPPT #1 is just under 22A and on MPPT #2 & #3 its 10.67A.
On a rare day with absolutely perfect conditions or with some cloud lensing effects the available current could exceed the max usable and a bit of clipping may occur but in all cases the maximum short circuit rating of the MPPT inputs would never be exceeded.

 

[HarryN]

yes, on line there are solar panel Voc calculators.

Just type into your browser search engine.

 

[Banjoman]

Has anyone else done a solar pergola with another existing kit that's out there? Just curious if there's anything as cost effective as the Chiko system that I am overlooking. Prefer to be a metal structure as carpenter bees are really bad where I am at. Just want a comparison seems like Chiko is the only game in town for a reasonable price so far