Using 12v panels with a minimum 35w input power station

[sonick45]

Hi Everyone.

I'm still learning about solar so be gentle with me !

I am currently looking at investing in a Portable Power Station and I've looked and reviewed a number recently.

I camp for up to 4/5 days at a time with a young family in tow. ( all girls) As a result there is a growing number of electrical items that I am expected to provide power for. Hairdryers, kettle, TV, phones etc.

We have a huge canvas tent that we stay in and the months in which we have started camping has widened meaning there are some cold nights to contend with.

A diesel heater has been successfully run from a leisure battery for a number of years but its time I brought all the electrical side into one box and made it a whole lot easier to deal with.

I also have 4x 100w 12v solar panels to provide charging power.

Diesel heaters cant use the 12v DC 10A as the draw on start up exceeds this rating and not wanting to use AC power as the inefficiencies of this route put me off.
I have started looking at Portable Power Stations with a 12v DC 30A option instead.

I am now looking at ordering a Bluetti AC200 Max or an AC200P both offering a 30a 12V option so I can run the heater as efficiently as possible and cope with the hairdryers and other electrical items my family turn up with.

My question to you all is this

The AC200P Solar input is 700W OCV 35-150V, 12A Can I use my 12v 100w panels with the AC200P if I run them in series ??
The AC200MAX Solar input is this : 900W Max OCV 10-145V, 15A Or am I better going with the AC200MAX ?


My Panel data :
Renogy 100w 12v panels
OVC - 22.3V
Max Power Voltage (Vmp) = 18.6
Max Power Current (Imp) = 5.38


All panels wired in SERIES:

• Max power output: 400.27W
• Max power voltage (Vmp): 74.4V
• Max power current (Imp): 5.38A

All panels wired in PARALLEL:

• Max power output: 400.27W
• Max power voltage (Vmp): 18.6V
• Max power current (Imp): 21.52A

Thanks for you assistance..

Nick

 

[Andrewr05]

Most power stations will run anything that it considers to be a 12V/24V source at their lower input current limit.
This is done because most cigarette lighter output ports (whether it's in a 12V or 24V system) only have a 10A output maximum and they don't want users of their devices to plug into those ports, draw too much current, and then blow their fuses.

So given the specs of your panels, you would actually want to run them in series.


So with you running them in series and inputting 75V it will pull the maximum wattage possible.

If you ran them all in parallel it would take that 18V and only allow 8.2 amps of input, netting only 200W.

The series will be about 75V and the unit will default to it's 12A input availability, allowing your 75V x 5A input to net you 400W instead.