Victron 100/50 smart vs Growatt 3000

[Arne999]

I have 8 400W panels (2 in pararell, 4 pairs)


Since the Growatt did not manage to handle this "over paneling" I bought a Victron 20V 100/50 Mppt battery charger.

Three days of operation and the result is a bit surprising...

Victron generates ~ 20% more each day. The panels are of course identical and has identical exposure of sun (I have tried to switch just to be 100% sure). The only difference is in the late afternoon when the "victron panels" get shaded before the growatt.

I have also observed the instant values several times and the reported value (and power measured) are always higher from the victron.

Is this really how it should be? Mppt tracker sounds to me like a quite simple algorithm

 

[sunshine_eggo]

I have 8 400W panels (2 in pararell, 4 pairs)

This implies 4S2P, which would likely be about 200Voc

I'm assuming you mean 2S4P.

You are likely dangerously close to exceeding the 100voc limit, but you're likely under the 60A PV input current limit.

Since the Growatt did not manage to handle this "over paneling" I bought a Victron 20V 100/50 Mppt battery charger.

Why did it not handle the over paneling?

Three days of operation and the result is a bit surprising...

Victron generates ~ 20% more each day. The panels are of course identical and has identical exposure of sun (I have tried to switch just to be 100% sure). The only difference is in the late afternoon when the "victron panels" get shaded before the growatt.

I have also observed the instant values several times and the reported value (and power measured) are always higher from the victron.

Is this really how it should be? Mppt tracker sounds to me like a quite simple algorithm

I suspect this is more about configuration than respective performance.

Can you give some more system specs?

 

[Arne999]

I have two panels in series, 80V open voltage
I have 8 panels in total so 4 pairs

When I connected everything (3.2kW installed power) to the Growatt it turned off from time to time when sunny so i guess it was due to the over paneling. Dont know this for sure but that was the suggestion on this forum.

The configuration is now identical between the growatt and the victron. Now I have 1.6kW in installed power per converter. Identical exposure of sun (exept for the last hour). I have also tried to swith the panels between the converter and the victron outperforms on a sunny day.
On a Ccoud day they seam to be similar.

 

[Northernchateau]

I have two panels in series, 80V open voltage
I have 8 panels in total so 4 pairs

When I connected everything (3.2kW installed power) to the Growatt it turned off from time to time when sunny so i guess it was due to the over paneling. Dont know this for sure but that was the suggestion on this forum.

The configuration is now identical between the growatt and the victron. Now I have 1.6kW in installed power per converter. Identical exposure of sun (exept for the last hour). I have also tried to swith the panels between the converter and the victron outperforms on a sunny day.
On a Ccoud day they seam to be similar.

I have a Growatt 3000 24v and it is only rated for 2000 watts.
8 x 400 = 3200 watts that's 60% over paneled..
I have seen members over panel 20-30% but 60% I think will cause problems.
Now if you have a Growatt 3000 48v unit it handles 4500 watts.

 

[Arne999]

Ok but im not over paneling anymore... I have 1.6kW on the growatt and 1.6 on the victron. The question was if it expected that the growatt is so bad compared to a victron?

 

[Northernchateau]

Ok but im not over paneling anymore... I have 1.6kW on the growatt and 1.6 on the victron. The question was if it expected that the growatt is so bad compared to a victron?

I was trying to explain why the Growatt did not like over paneling.
As far as the 2 units, you did not say what each is connected to.

 

[MiSh]

So, if I understand, you did a comparison test and found the Victron 100/50 CC performs 20% better than the all-in-one Growatt inverter CC? I would assume the Victron has better components and as you also stated, charging algorithm, than what's in the Growatt at that price point. Just a quick search shows the Growatt 3000 at $700 and the Victron 100/50 CC at $325. The Victron CC alone is almost half the price of the Growatt inverter. Victron makes an excellent product.

 

[Arne999]

yes apparently they do. But I did not think that the algorithm was the difference. its "just software" and how hard can it be to find the MPPT?

The converters are connceted to the same battery so and identical panels with identical wiering etc.