Will the "Beginner Friendly All-in-One Solar Power System" trickle charge a Tesla? Help!

[12VoltInstalls]

The upside of Lithium is you can draw them down deeply

The upside is they survive days on end of not reaching 100% as well. Maybe more important in use.

 

[houts]

Have you done any of this:

• tested the actual voltage of each panel with a multimeter?
• also tested the voltage at the end of you 90ft lines?

Say you're getting 30-35V for each panel when you test them from the short MC4 leads that come directly of each panel, but then you test at the end of the 90ft lines and you're only getting 23v. In that case, you don't have enough voltage to charge your battery. It's call voltage drop, which can happen if you use too small of cable for too far of a distance. Now maybe you have just enough voltage, but the end result is you're losing a lot of power (wattage) due to voltage drop.

I'm not much familiar with 24v systems so I won't comment any more. But it seems strange to me that the integrated charge controller in your inverter can't accept more than 60v? I mean if you got smaller panels, say some 100W ones that have a Voc of about 21V, then you could put at least two of those in series for a few more voltage points. My pretty basic charge 30A controller can accept up to 100V.

Have you done any of this:

• tested the actual voltage of each panel with a multimeter?
• also tested the voltage at the end of you 90ft lines?

Say you're getting 30-35V for each panel when you test them from the short MC4 leads that come directly of each panel, but then you test at the end of the 90ft lines and you're only getting 23v. In that case, you don't have enough voltage to charge your battery. It's call voltage drop, which can happen if you use too small of cable for too far of a distance. Now maybe you have just enough voltage, but the end result is you're losing a lot of power (wattage) due to voltage drop.

I'm not much familiar with 24v systems so I won't comment any more. But it seems strange to me that the integrated charge controller in your inverter can't accept more than 60v? I mean if you got smaller panels, say some 100W ones that have a Voc of about 21V, then you could put at least two of those in series for a few more voltage points. My pretty basic charge 30A controller can accept up to 100V.

Yes, I have done both tests. No issues.
Maybe my inverter can't handle it? The highest I can go is 25v (from the Watchpower app)

 

[Tomthumb62]

That

Yes, I have done both tests. No issues.
Maybe my inverter can't handle it? The highest I can go is 25v (from the Watchpower app)
View attachment 116472

that circled area is for amps not volts. So it’s set that max charging amps is 25A.

 

[houts]

Still stumped, my solar family. Any help would be appreciated.

I removed my four panels from the 90" wiring and put them in my driveway on a 6-foot MC4. All four panels are in parallel. Still only pulling 390 watts at max. I think it's the inverter. Time to move on up to a better inverter?

Inverter x 1: PIP 2724LV-MR 24V 2.7kW 120V Inverter, 600W
Solar Solar panels x 4 (used): SST-240-60P Brand : Trina Solar Wattage : 240 Watts Voltage : 37.2V ( open current ) wired in parallel
Batteries x 2: Weize 12V 100AH Deep Cycle AGM SLA VRLA Battery
SolarWatch program (runs on my laptop and plugged into inverter via USB)

Youtube Video of Setup

 

[Supervstech]

Still stumped, my solar family. Any help would be appreciated.

I removed my four panels from the 90" wiring and put them in my driveway on a 6-foot MC4. All four panels are in parallel. Still only pulling 390 watts at max. I think it's the inverter. Time to move on up to a better inverter?

Inverter x 1: PIP 2724LV-MR 24V 2.7kW 120V Inverter, 600W
Solar Solar panels x 4 (used): SST-240-60P Brand : Trina Solar Wattage : 240 Watts Voltage : 37.2V ( open current ) wired in parallel
Batteries x 2: Weize 12V 100AH Deep Cycle AGM SLA VRLA Battery
SolarWatch program (runs on my laptop and plugged into inverter via USB)

Youtube Video of Setup

View attachment 117387

View attachment 117388

View attachment 117389

View attachment 117390

Your inverter is 600W, your charge controller is 25A max, that is 350W at 14V.
You need a larger charge controller to exceed 390W

 

[houts]

Your inverter is 600W, your charge controller is 25A max, that is 350W at 14V.
You need a larger charge controller to exceed 390W

Thank you! I've been testing all day and wondering the same thing, but being so far from even a decent novice, I'm concerned.
Looking to stick with a 24v system:
Would this work: 24 Growatt 3kW Stackable Off-Grid Inverter | SPF 3000TL LVM-24P.

 

[Supervstech]

Ignore my previous post, I assumed 12V… 25A at 29V is 725W, so, perhaps the voltage isn’t high enough?
Parallel limits the voltage the panels can send to the controller.
Try doubling up the panels with half in series, before you parallel.

 

[houts]

Ignore my previous post, I assumed 12V… 25A at 29V is 725W, so, perhaps the voltage isn’t high enough?
Parallel limits the voltage the panels can send to the controller.
Try doubling up the panels with half in series, before you parallel.

Would it be set-up like this? (minus the bottom 4 panels of course)

 

[Supervstech]

Would it be set-up like this? (minus the bottom 4 panels of course)

View attachment 117410

Looks good.

 

[12VoltInstalls]

Solar Solar panels x 4 (used):

Try doubling up the panels with half in series, before you parallel.

Would it be set-up like this? (minus the bottom 4 panels of course)

View attachment 117410

The way that diagram is isn’t two in series then those two parallel as you were instructed. That is four in series. That might exceed the max open circuit voltage of your SCC- I didn’t look to see.
This is 2S2P:
A weird-ish diagram but wiring is correct for the panels 2S2P

 

[houts]

The way that diagram is isn’t two in series then those two parallel as you were instructed. That is four in series. That might exceed the max open circuit voltage of your SCC- I didn’t look to see.
This is 2S2P:View attachment 117474
A weird-ish diagram but wiring is correct for the panels 2S2P

I did as above:
It exceeded my max of 60v and gave me an error.
Mind you, my panels are 37.2V ( open current ).

But to be sure I have it correctly connected, am I to connect both of the "-" (from the 1st and 3rd panel) and both "+" (from 2nd and 4th panel) with a solar branch?



Here are the specs for my inverter:

 

[BlueMarblePA]

So...I'm thinking once I figure out what I need and purchase the products, I'll come back here and do a tutorial of 'how to set-up a solar panel all-in-one the wrong way'-with the possibility of a video. Hmmmm...who knows.

For now, I found these Solar Panels for sale via Facebook Marketplace.
Would these work for the Solar Inverters above?

View attachment 94141

I just bought LG 280 watt panels for $85 each

 

[Doggydogworld]

I did as above:
It exceeded my max of 60v and gave me an error.
Mind you, my panels are 37.2V ( open current ).

Yeah, reading the thread I was thinking "NO, don't do that!!!". Glad you got an error instead of smoking your inverter.

Don't connect those panels in series in any way to that inverter. I'd literally put a sticker next to the inverter's PV input connectors that says "NO PANELS IN SERIES". It's too easy to start experimenting with stuff and forget.

First experiment I'd do: Connect one panel in the driveway with the short wire run and record Watts. Also compare Volts and Amps at the panel vs. the SolarWatch readings. Repeat for each panel individually.

If each panel is 90-100W and Volts at the panel are near the Vmp rating then that's just what those panels will produce with today's sunshine. If one panel is way out of line it may be pulling the other three down. If each panel individually is ~200W and near Vmp you may have a connector/combiner problem.

Next step might be to test two panels in parallel. It depends on what you learn in step one.

 

[12VoltInstalls]

Glad you got an error instead of smoking your inverter.

Holy cow. I’d find something else fast other than a 60V limit! That obviously is not the MPPSolar I thought it was.

 

[houts]

Holy cow. I’d find something else fast other than a 60V limit! That obviously is not the MPPSolar I thought it was.

Do you have any recommendations for a 24v Inverter all-in-one (like I have now) that can do more than 60v? and can do 120/240?
The 120/240 ability is nice so I can charge heavier loads.

 

[Supervstech]

Do you have any recommendations for a 24v Inverter all-in-one (like I have now) that can do more than 60v? and can do 120/240?
The 120/240 ability is nice so I can charge heavier loads.

Personally, I would keep your all in one as just an inverter, and add a quality 60A charge controller with at minimum a 150V max.

 

[Supervstech]

The issue is, the panels you have are not suitable to charging a 24vbank with that inverter controller.
All in parallel, they won't produce 29V to get the minimum charge, and in series at all they go over the max voltage limit...

So, either you need a seperate charge controller that can work or a different all in one, or different panels.

 

[houts]

Thanks again, I appreciate the honesty.

Would the charge controller be for my current inverter so I can use my panels in series?


Let's say I go with a different inverter. I'm assuming this would be a 48v all-in-one, correct?
Also, if so, I would need two more 12 v 100ah batteries to get 48v, right?

Lastly, do you have any suggestions for a 48v inverter?

 

[Supervstech]

Thanks again, I appreciate the honesty.

Would the charge controller be for my current inverter so I can use my panels in series?


Let's say I go with a different inverter. I'm assuming this would be a 48v all-in-one, correct?
Also, if so, I would need two more 12 v 100ah batteries to get 48v, right?

Lastly, do you have any suggestions for a 48v inverter?

A new charge controller is to charge the battery bank with the panels in series so you can get full wattage from them. The inverter can remain as it is if it works for your loads.

 

[houts]

A new charge controller is to charge the battery bank. The inverter can remain as it is if it works for your loads.

Ah, I see. Yep-oops. Sorry.

So would a 48v inverter work?