Solar Suitcase Converted From Parallel To Series(?)

[martran56]

Interested if anyone has successfully converted their Solar Suitcase from (factory) wired in parallel to series in order to increase the voltage?
I'm trying to charge a solar generator which requires a minimum of 35V. Currently the 200W solar suitcase provides a mere 21.2 Voc as it's factory wired in parallel.
I don't wish to make the change permanently however, as I would like to use it for charging my batteries as well. Interested in someone offering their successful wiring diagram (with parts required) for this changeover. Thanks

 

[Forbisher]

Interested if anyone has successfully converted their Solar Suitcase from (factory) wired in parallel to series in order to increase the voltage?
I'm trying to charge a solar generator which requires a minimum of 35V. Currently the 200W solar suitcase provides a mere 21.2 Voc as it's factory wired in parallel.
I don't wish to make the change permanently however, as I would like to use it for charging my batteries as well. Interested in someone offering their successful wiring diagram (with parts required) for this changeover. Thanks

Which brand solar suitcase do you have?
Are you sure it is wired in Parallel?
One 200w suitcase user on here found out that the 2 100w panels are wired in series and are weird half voltage panels.

 

[martran56]

I have the Renogy 200W with the Voyager MPPT controller. I measured the outgoing DC voltage and it is in fact 21.2 volts, therefore no mistake on the parallel wiring.

 

[chrisski]

If you're doing this, it would probably void the warranty.

I had to do some work on the cabling on my lion energy 100 watt portable solar panels, and it is joined by a cable about as thick as a 10 AWG or 8 AWG wire, but it is actually a two pair wire with each wire being 14 AWG. That may be what you can expect if you have a single cable running between both panels.

I did not like the 14 AWG wire with 6 amps, and looked how these 14 AWG wires were connected at the diodes and they were soldered in.

All I can really recommend is pop the diode box cover off and see how the cable is connected and then see if its easier to swap the entire wiring, or cut it so you can swap between parallel and series. If it has a built in charge controller, makes this harder.

Honestly though, might be easier to just get a cheap craigslist panel.

 

[Forbisher]

I have the Renogy 200W with the Voyager MPPT controller. I measured the outgoing DC voltage and it is in fact 21.2 volts, therefore no mistake on the parallel wiring.

The 21V means nothing.
Look at the wiring as it is Series.
The 100w panels used in Renogy suitcases are about 9Vmp instead of 18Vmp
They are not standard 18Vmp 21Voc 100w panels as proven by a recent forum thread about this when someone tried to replace these half panels with a standard 100w Renogy panel.

 

[martran56]

The 21V means nothing.
Look at the wiring as it is Series.
The 100w panels used in Renogy suitcases are about 9Vmp instead of 18Vmp
They are not standard 18Vmp 21Voc 100w panels as proven by a recent forum thread about this when someone tried to replace these half panels with a standard 100w Renogy panel.

Wired in Parallel. Confirmed as per the junction box in the rear. Pos.-Pos and Neg.-Neg.

 

[Forbisher]

Wired in Parallel. Confirmed as per the junction box in the rear. Pos.-Pos and Neg.-Neg.

Ok then how do the 2 wires to the SCC come off that and the junction boxes?

 

[Forbisher]

I have the Renogy 200W with the Voyager MPPT controller. I measured the outgoing DC voltage and it is in fact 21.2 volts, therefore no mistake on the parallel wiring.

Here is another Renogy suitcase saga.

Swapped out suitcase panel, copied wiring = solar overvoltage error?

Hi there! I have a very simple Renogy 200w (2-panel/100w ea) Eclipse suitcase set-up that I pull out to charge the house batteries in my van as needed. One of the100w panels got smashed, so I ordered a new 100w Eclipse panel and figured I'd just document how everything was wired and swap it...

diysolarforum.com

 

[martran56]

Ok then how do the 2 wires to the SCC come off that and the junction boxes?

 

[gjenkins]

Hello martran56, did you ever resolve this? I suspect we are in the same boat. Bluetti AC200P and want a 200Watt portable solar panel. The 35V input requirement is the hurdle.

 

[chrisski]

I looked at making my own portable solar panels, and the cost came out to close to, or even more than the companies that sell them pre-built. I'd simply buy any two panels I want, then put them in series or parallel, however I wanted. These is what I was going to use for my parts list:

-Rivet and Rivet Gun Used this to attach most of the panels
-Butterfly latches Holds the Panels Shut
-Chest Handle To carry them
-3/8" Square aluminum rod For the legs.
-Hinges to open and close the panels
-Friction lid support Allows legs to be angled

My huge sticking point was specifically what to use to support the legs. I was really stuck with what I'd use for an adjustable friction latch. I even opened a thread for this on a couple of forums, and I could not be directed to a specific part. It's one of the things you know the manufacturer either knows the name for it, or has them special made, but you're looking at it, you know you need that part, but you've reached the end of the internet looking for it and its not there. I think the word is some kind of friction lid support, but so far haven't found something I want to spend my money on to see if it works. I've got part numbers for the rest, just not sure of the that last part.

If I could find that specific part, this would be easy to make, its just that the price would be close to what the places like Lion Energy and Renogy sell they're panels for. I can find these for around $200.

The last thing I'd wonder about, and would depend on the type of panel you bought, whether or not there's room folded up for the MC-4 connectors, and if, not, I'd snip those and use some sort of Anderson plug.

 

[gjenkins]

chrisski, am coming to the same conclusion. I am tiring of DIY for everything, but the there is enough ambiguity from Renogy on their suitcase, that I have doubts you can rewire them.

 

[chrisski]

FWIW, when I finally opened the back of the lid on my Lion Energy Suitcase panels, it had a diode and a red wire and blue wire soldered on. If I were to rewire it, I would simply remove and replace the wiring with a solder gun. I was not looking necessarily at going to 24 volts, but replacing the 14 gauge wire that was on there, which I never did.

This is inside my junction box on my portable panels.




My suitcase panels do not have a controller either, like some others do.

If I do a 24 volt upgrade, even though it violates the warranty, I'll rewire the panels. My suitcase panels would be useless to me unless they can power the system. For now though, my 12 volt system works much better than what I expected, so I won't consider a 24 volt upgrade until my batteries die, and that could be 9 more years.

I really thing the panels, at least in my Lion Energy, are just solar panels put together. Whether they're strung in parallel, or series, they don't care. Lion's Energy told me that violates the warranty if I do that.

With me making the suitcase panels, a 24 volt upgrade would add on between 400 and 600 watts more of panels, that would hopefyully be close enough matched to the Lion Energy they can be sent through the same charge controller.

 

[gjenkins]

A DC to DC Boost Converter might work. Boost the 17~20 Volts from the suitcase up to 35~40 Volts for the AC200P.

 

[gjenkins]

Wired in Parallel. Confirmed as per the junction box in the rear. Pos.-Pos and Neg.-Neg.

I contact Renogy, here istheir reply:

"Thank you for contacting Renogy. If you will connect the 2 RNG-KIT-STCS200MB-NC in series, it will only give you 24V."

 

[Merl Priester]

I looked at making my own portable solar panels, and the cost came out to close to, or even more than the companies that sell them pre-built. I'd simply buy any two panels I want, then put them in series or parallel, however I wanted. These is what I was going to use for my parts list:

-Rivet and Rivet Gun Used this to attach most of the panels
-Butterfly latches Holds the Panels Shut
-Chest Handle To carry them
-3/8" Square aluminum rod For the legs.
-Hinges to open and close the panels
-Friction lid support Allows legs to be angled

My huge sticking point was specifically what to use to support the legs. I was really stuck with what I'd use for an adjustable friction latch. I even opened a thread for this on a couple of forums, and I could not be directed to a specific part. It's one of the things you know the manufacturer either knows the name for it, or has them special made, but you're looking at it, you know you need that part, but you've reached the end of the internet looking for it and its not there. I think the word is some kind of friction lid support, but so far haven't found something I want to spend my money on to see if it works. I've got part numbers for the rest, just not sure of the that last part.

If I could find that specific part, this would be easy to make, its just that the price would be close to what the places like Lion Energy and Renogy sell they're panels for. I can find these for around $200.

The last thing I'd wonder about, and would depend on the type of panel you bought, whether or not there's room folded up for the MC-4 connectors, and if, not, I'd snip those and use some sort of Anderson plug.

You could leave the panels alone and use one of these

Amazon.com: AITRIP 2PCS DC 400W 15A Step-up Boost Converter Constant Current Power Supply LED Driver 8.5-50V to 10-60V Voltage Charger Step Up Module for Electric Equipment and Digital Products : Electronics

Amazon.com: AITRIP 2PCS DC 400W 15A Step-up Boost Converter Constant Current Power Supply LED Driver 8.5-50V to 10-60V Voltage Charger Step Up Module for Electric Equipment and Digital Products : Electronics

www.amazon.com

 

[chrisski]

You could leave the panels alone and use one of these

Amazon.com: AITRIP 2PCS DC 400W 15A Step-up Boost Converter Constant Current Power Supply LED Driver 8.5-50V to 10-60V Voltage Charger Step Up Module for Electric Equipment and Digital Products : Electronics

Amazon.com: AITRIP 2PCS DC 400W 15A Step-up Boost Converter Constant Current Power Supply LED Driver 8.5-50V to 10-60V Voltage Charger Step Up Module for Electric Equipment and Digital Products : Electronics

www.amazon.com

Most manuals I have read about SCCs say that between the SCC and PV panels, there should be nothing except fuses. I think the intention for that is to not put buck converter there and not put an alternator. There are some SCCs that are rated for alternators, but not mine. I’ve never seen any SCC rated for a buck converter.

I tend to stick to documentation.

What I did do for a different project, was add a buck converter like you mentioned to boost an 18 volt panel up to 24 votlts to run a USB-C and USB QC 3.0 socket. There was no battery or SCC for that, just panel —> Buck COnverter —> USB Charger. Works fine and is easy to move around with the sun for my 100 watt panel when I’m outside.