Nightguest
New Member
I'm asking this one as I have no clue whether this is ok, or if it is a bad idea.
I've got the Victron MPPT RS 450/100 and am currently using just 1 string - this string works perfectly fine.
I also have 2 more Solar Panels lying around that due to space constraints, I could not fit in the same place as the others. Looking around, the only space I have is in a rather different location, and while it does get good sunlight, it also gets shaded in the mid-afternoon, so I don't really want to connect it to the main string as it will hurt my power generation. due to this, I wanted to connect them to the second MPPT input.
Herein lies my issue.
To the best of my knowledge, this MPPT has a start-up voltage of 120V, and then an operating range of 80-450. I was told, however, that the latest firmware update changed the lower end of the operating voltage to 60V (or 65V). However, these 2 panels in series would make up about 70V tops, so I'll need about 60V extra.
Since I've got a 12V battery not doing much right now, my question is:
I've got the Victron MPPT RS 450/100 and am currently using just 1 string - this string works perfectly fine.
I also have 2 more Solar Panels lying around that due to space constraints, I could not fit in the same place as the others. Looking around, the only space I have is in a rather different location, and while it does get good sunlight, it also gets shaded in the mid-afternoon, so I don't really want to connect it to the main string as it will hurt my power generation. due to this, I wanted to connect them to the second MPPT input.
Herein lies my issue.
To the best of my knowledge, this MPPT has a start-up voltage of 120V, and then an operating range of 80-450. I was told, however, that the latest firmware update changed the lower end of the operating voltage to 60V (or 65V). However, these 2 panels in series would make up about 70V tops, so I'll need about 60V extra.
Since I've got a 12V battery not doing much right now, my question is:
- Can I attach a buck-boost converter (something like this) to the battery and then connect that in series to my solar string to temporarily increase the total voltage going into the MPPT to 120V, and then, once the MPPT has started up, turn off the 12V battery and leave the Solar panels to do their stuff?
- Is there any danger in frying the MPPT or damaging it by doing this (beyond just my own risk and making sure I don't short anything etc)?
