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Sun, Swim, and Solar Panels...Keeping Cool in Los Angeles

WorldwideDave

Solar Enthusiast
Joined
Mar 5, 2024
Messages
1,134
Location
90266
Poolside Savings and Sustainability Project

My goal: Run a motor 8+ hours a day. I have:
  • a total of 300 W in solar panels (PV) in Los Angeles.
  • a 20A solar charge controller (SCC).
  • a 2560 Watt Hour, 12.8V, 200 AH CHINS battery with no bluetooth/visible BMS.
  • a 2000W Renogy Pure Sine Wave inverter connected to chins with 2/0 gauge THHN wire
  • 2 shunts with meters - one between solar panels and the other between SCC and battery.
  • A 1,000 watt A/C motor plugged into the inverter. It is a 1/2 HP single-speed pool pump.
With a 1,000 watt load, and a 2,500 WH battery, I assume that I can run for about 2.5 hours. Does that math check out?

I ran this setup today for the first time. Started at 1:37 PM, Ended at 4:02 PM.
The inverter started beeping, which according to the manual means it was low voltage. My meter was showing between 11.2 and 11.0. I unplugged the pool pump and beeping stopped.

Total run time was 2:35...just over 2.5 hours.

Soon an Intermatic timer for 120v connected directly to the inverter's posts instead of the GFCI outlet. That way I can tell the motor to run only after 11 AM when the sun is on the panels is what I was thinking. Is this a good plan, or should I run the pump at a time sun is NOT on the panels?

My panels don't ever come close to 300 W. Most I've ever gotten was about 130 W. Usually 60 W max during the day.

I believe I may need more battery, and also more panels. More panels = larger solar charge controller.

Of course I want to go to 48v. This is an outdoor setup. Either way, I know I need more and better panels.

To enhance what I have, what should I for panels? If I need more battery, how many watt hours or amp hours should my goal be for JUST this load?


I want to avoid the beeping from Renogy Inverter. I saw Victron has a smart battery monitor. Looks like it cuts off power to a load at a voltage you specify. I think my inverter, with its 2/0 wires (requires just 1 gauge) would be too large for the Victron. Thoughts on this approach?

Thank you all so much for reading!
 
My panels don't ever come close to 300 W. Most I've ever gotten was about 130 W. Usually 60 W max during the day.
That's a bummer.
How the panels connected ? In one string ? What position of the panels: azimuth, inclination ? Any shadow on them ? When ?
Photo of back label or full specs of the panel would be nice to see here.
What exactly a model of it "a 20A solar charge controller (SCC)" ? Its parameters ?
 
2 panels. 200 W + 100 W. Lots of shadows. Not sure that is needed to calculate/check the math.
So for example, if it is a 2560WH battery, and I'm consuming 1000 watts but putting in about 50 watts for 4-5 hours a day, well, you can see the problem.
If however I was getting say 260 W of power with what I have for a battery, I would need 9-10 hours to recharge the battery. So right now, best case, it would take 2 days to recharge the battery, and 2.5 hours to consume everything in it. Check my math please.

Therefore, I believe that if I need 8 hours of run time of the pump, I need more panels and more battery.

I would need 3x the battery, so 7500 WH of battery I believe? Check my math please.

If I require 7500 WH of battery, I think I'd need way more panels if I want to run like this every day. But how many panels and how many watts per panel?

Cannot roof mount. Off grid experimental setup.
 
Poolside Savings and Sustainability Project

My goal: Run a motor 8+ hours a day. I have:
  • a total of 300 W in solar panels (PV) in Los Angeles.
  • a 20A solar charge controller (SCC).
  • a 2560 Watt Hour, 12.8V, 200 AH CHINS battery with no bluetooth/visible BMS.
  • a 2000W Renogy Pure Sine Wave inverter connected to chins with 2/0 gauge THHN wire
  • 2 shunts with meters - one between solar panels and the other between SCC and battery.
  • A 1,000 watt A/C motor plugged into the inverter. It is a 1/2 HP single-speed pool pump.
With a 1,000 watt load, and a 2,500 WH battery, I assume that I can run for about 2.5 hours. Does that math check out?

I ran this setup today for the first time. Started at 1:37 PM, Ended at 4:02 PM.
The inverter started beeping, which according to the manual means it was low voltage. My meter was showing between 11.2 and 11.0. I unplugged the pool pump and beeping stopped.

Total run time was 2:35...just over 2.5 hours.

Soon an Intermatic timer for 120v connected directly to the inverter's posts instead of the GFCI outlet. That way I can tell the motor to run only after 11 AM when the sun is on the panels is what I was thinking. Is this a good plan, or should I run the pump at a time sun is NOT on the panels?

My panels don't ever come close to 300 W. Most I've ever gotten was about 130 W. Usually 60 W max during the day.

I believe I may need more battery, and also more panels. More panels = larger solar charge controller.

Of course I want to go to 48v. This is an outdoor setup. Either way, I know I need more and better panels.

To enhance what I have, what should I for panels? If I need more battery, how many watt hours or amp hours should my goal be for JUST this load?

I want to avoid the beeping from Renogy Inverter. I saw Victron has a smart battery monitor. Looks like it cuts off power to a load at a voltage you specify. I think my inverter, with its 2/0 wires (requires just 1 gauge) would be too large for the Victron. Thoughts on this approach?

Thank you all so much for reading!
Hello, thank you for your question. Well asked.

Please share image of both 200W and 100W solar panel back label. Like this for both panels.1721284213043.png

The connection method of your solar panels might be defeating the goal.

Please more information about the two different solar panels to help assistance 👍☀️
 
Happy to do so - might need a few days...but more importantly, 300W I don't believe will ever be enough paneling for a 1000W load that I need to run twice as long as I have sun. With that in mind, I know I need more panels, and I plan on getting them soon based on what recommendations are made here.
 
That was the 200 watt obliviously. The 100 watt info is attached image, but I can't find original stickers for either of these - in a year, they have dried up and blown off the panel I guess.
 

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I know I have photos of them somewhere, but I have 75,000 images including at least 1,000 from a wedding I was at last month so it would take a long time for me to sort through the images. Maybe sone of you can find specs from the image above with the panel company name. They seem to offer inverters and SCC devices and whole house battery backups at their company page.
 
Thank you! Agree that more solar panels will be needed to run the motor for one day. No suggestions right now for panel.

How much area available for more panels? meter x meters?
 
Accpower? Brand 12/24V SCC. A cheap Renogy $30 knock off. I know it is not big enough for more panels. 20A max
 
I'll summarize it for you @sunshine_eggo - I have a small setup. I need more battery, more panels, better SCC. Load is 1000 watts. Have Renogy 2000 W inverter. Works for 2.5 hours on a 12v 200 AH battery (2580 WH). Nothing broken. need it to run for 8 hours (pool pump). Have room for panels on ground/walls, but not roof. Fewer panels the better.
 
Looking at adding 1-3 more batteries, same specs, at cost of 1200 more dollars, or about 2000 USD all in for all 4 batteries for 10,240 WH.
 
Not a cheap prospect, assuming you want to power purely on solar.

The conservative answer:

Battery: 8kWh min, 10kWh better

Solar: 2kW (assuming properly tilted, unshaded all day, 4-5 peak hours of sun).

MPPT:

2000/14.4V = 140A of charging
2000/57.6V = 35A of charging

It makes a lot of sense to go 48V for savings on the MPPT. That would mean another three Chins for four in series and a new inverter.
 

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