Test run with a small system first?

[gotbeans]

This part needs to be lit up:

but it is not, only this is:


so it isn't getting any solar power

I assume if you cycle through you'll also see the "INPUT PV", why does your INPUTBATT have voltage though?
I'd read the manual for your device should have all the possibilities there, mine must be a little different. inputbatt only has amps or wattage

 

[SSC00]

Have one load on it so far. This wire is clearly not to code. sort of bothers me. not sure what to do about it. I suspect that all the other loads will be similar because there isn't enough space above where that one wire is. there is another wire hidden by the drywall above.

 

[SSC00]

This part needs to be lit up:
View attachment 205871
but it is not, only this is:
View attachment 205870

so it isn't getting any solar power

I assume if you cycle through you'll also see the "INPUT PV", why does your INPUTBATT have voltage though?
I'd read the manual for your device should have all the possibilities there, mine must be a little different. inputbatt only has amps or wattage

yeah, im trying to figure out why its not lit up. I don't think I wired anything incorrectly. I double checked the solar connectors too. It may even be the solar breaker for all I know.

 

[gotbeans]

yeah, im trying to figure out why its not lit up. I don't think I wired anything incorrectly. I double checked the solar connectors too. It may even be the solar breaker for all I know.

turn it off and hook a multimeter to the solar input lines?
it should be immediate if you have zero voltage or not

I am new in the thread haven't read much of the posts, looking through them
I don't see a full pic of the inverter, but somewhere you prob have some bare PV lines you can probe

 

[SSC00]

turn it off and hook a multimeter to the solar input lines?
it should be immediate if you have zero voltage or not

I am new in the thread haven't read much of the posts, looking through them
I don't see a full pic of the inverter, but somewhere you prob have some bare PV lines you can probe

I only see like 9volts DC or something. I have no idea whats going on

on the bare lines that is

 

[SSC00]

I think i did the string properly too.

 

[gotbeans]

I see a heavy bare copper wire that appears to connect to the neutral bus (If it loops up and over under the mess of wires at top) which would make it the NG panel for your home. That bare wire should lead outside your home to the ground rod. Fairly typical electrical panel though it would be better to have a Main Breaker since there is no way to kill it locally for doing work. Is there a Main disconnect out at your pole or anywhere?

Likely you will need a local electrician to explain your options.

ETA: What are those reddish pink small squares on the corner edges of the solar panels? You do not want anything blocking or shading the fronts of the panels.

yea looks like it goes into it

Doesn't seem like there is a main breaker anywhere. Unless its tucked away in the meter box that I have never tried to open.

You got a separate shut off? lot of old homes around here have them
main on/off and it just feeds the breaker box, sometimes it's outside.

 

[gotbeans]

I only see like 9volts DC or something. I have no idea whats going on

on the bare lines that is

hopefully the panels you got are working
are they the 235 watt ones on the other page? You have them all in series?
Can you video the wiring of your array?
that'd be 222 VOC on the string so not bad I assume your charge input is capable, a lot of different ones got posted

 

[SSC00]

View attachment 205878
yea looks like it goes into it

You got a separate shut off? lot of old homes around here have them
main on/off and it just feeds the breaker box, sometimes it's outside.

I have no idea if there is a separate shut off outside of the house. I could check on this little box thing under my power meter

 

[gotbeans]

I've seen a ton of different ones around, but it's good to know where it is at least especially if you own the place

It can be a blade switch or regular breaker switch or separate breaker box etc

Some pics of random ones, but could be something similar

 

[FPD218]

Two Golden rules in solar.....

1) Your system is never big enough
2) Always plan your design for expansion.

 

[Mattb4]

Ok. cool.




This is the display on my system. its not clear if the solar is inputting anything from it. maybe I should get a clamp and see whats happening, but im not sure why its not displaying here.

According to the display you have only battery voltage present and it is operating the inverter. Double check your setup for PV voltage. Also are you intending to not have AC input?

 

[gotbeans]

According to the display you have only battery voltage present and it is operating the inverter. Double check your setup for PV voltage. Also are you intending to not have AC input?

he has only 9V coming in from solar array so something is wrong

 

[SSC00]

hopefully the panels you got are working
are they the 235 watt ones on the other page? You have them all in series?
Can you video the wiring of your array?
that'd be 222 VOC on the string so not bad I assume your charge input is capable, a lot of different ones got posted

The ones installed are not the shuco ones or whatever that initial image is. They are trina panels

8.82 MB folder on MEGA

mega.nz

 

[SSC00]

According to the display you have only battery voltage present and it is operating the inverter. Double check your setup for PV voltage. Also are you intending to not have AC input?

I will put AC input at some other point. I am in the process of troubleshooting the panels now

 

[gotbeans]

I'd unplug all your panels and put multimeter on each one individually to test what their voltage is. This is generally the first step when you get new panels

 

[SSC00]

I'd unplug all your panels and put multimeter on each one individually to test what their voltage is. This is generally the first step when you get new panels

ok. should I see 30 volts or something?

 

[gotbeans]

yea if it's sunny out probably 30-37 volts


if you see less the panel is broken in one of many ways that it can be.
If you see like 20-30 or 10-20 it's probably some bypass diode that is active

 

[SSC00]

yea if it's sunny out probably 30-37 volts


if you see less the panel is broken in one of many ways that it can be.
If you see like 20-30 or 10-20 it's probably some bypass diode that is active

I am seeing things all over the place. I am having trouble figuring out how I should measure the voltage or amps because it seems like i can't get a good connection on inside. either that or ALL of the panels are bunk somehow

 

[SSC00]

This is my multimeter. not sure which setting I should use.