solar panels configeration

[thirteen]

I wanted to do this last year but forest fires (2) kept burning .275 ft from my house i was ready to watch my house burn, had my camera, 2 ham sandwiches, one 6 pack of RC cola and my lawn chair sitting on the ridge across the creek and road. 45 fire fighters did there work along with dozens of retardant drops and water. 14,600a burned. I got my tax money back.
Let me try and see if you think of anything else I should try and get?
My plan is to have 12 solar panels
4 sets of panels  3 ea. in series. Three poles.  They are 255 w 24v  ( 37.4 volt) this also give me room for larger voltage I'll get from the panels at times
150 volt breaker for the gathering box at panels
2-O wire (copper $$) then down the mountain, over the creek, under the road
 575 ft to control house (power house) to 150 dcv breaker at comtroler box
My power line loss will be enough for the FM 80 to easily control the voltage and amps
Outback FM 80
to a Magnum Energy Inverter RD 3924
800 ah bank 24 volt or 1200 ah24v  I do not have the batteries yet $$?
diodes for each panel series of 3
The wire will be in 2 in conduit half buried to a disconnect at the base of the mountain before crossing the creek and road
I either put to much info or not enough at times. 13

[gww]

150 volt breaker for the gathering box at panels

Should be more like 4/15 amp fuses, you might want to leave room for expantion.

Something like this.

http://www.solar-electric.com/installation-parts-and-equipment/midnite/pvarco/mnpv6.html

gww

[gww]

diodes for each panel series of 3

Just my opinion but you don't need them and they cause voltage drop.  Your cc isolates the panels from the battery and the panels will be breakered and will have internal diodes. Just adds more loses for an already long run that you are already a bit above 3% losses.  You would really save some money and endup in the same place if you ran direct burial 4/0 aluminum but be careful to buy as long of lenth as posible cause the things you need to buy to make splices could eat up your savings.  The splice fittings are about $14 each.
gww

[gww]

800 ah bank 24 volt or 1200 ah24v  I do not have the batteries yet $$?

I am not promoting and forktruck batteries have their own issues how ever for a price point.

http://gbindustrialbattery.com/Forklift_Battery_Sizes_and_Specifications_Zone15.html

I did buy a 48 volt from them and on the plus side, it keeps the batteries in series with no parelel banks.

The battery you mention would weigh 1000 lbs, though you could get two 12 volt and series them at 500 lbs each.  No core charge and delivered and you don't have to worry about battery interconnects ($$) as it is already done.   I just put this up so you have a price comparason not to sell you a battery.  Lot of times people don't relize what delivery interconnects, bolts and all the little things that cost to put a system together. 

If you go with the direct burial and you run three wire you will have a ground wire that you won't really need but it would be there if that ever changes.  I ran two arays like yours and always felt the two grounds though only 2/0 wire, would still make it easier to expand later with more losses or maby less loses if I ac coupled with high voltage.  It will probly never be used but if it is I won 't have to dig more holes.  I only mention this so you sort of look in the future for posibilities as you build and don't miss opertunities for the future if it really adds no real cost.
Good luck
gww

[OperaHouse]

Series diodes.  At higher voltages I would be inclined to use them.   A good read for you, http://www.egr.unlv.edu/~eebag/Solar%20Cell%20Shading.pdf

 

[Mary B]

Most modern panels have blocking diodes in the junction box and each panel is treated as 2 circuits. I do not see the need for an external diode.

[OperaHouse]

Those are bypass diodes, not blocking.  Bypass are for shading protection when many panels are in series and a MPPT controller is used. Not likely to have any effect in 12 and 24V strings.

In multiple strings in parallel (especially at higher voltages), Current can feed back into shaded strings if no blocking diode is present.

[thirteen]

Thank you for the good information.
Operahouse there are no shaded area where my panels will be except for the mountain tops late afternoon
 I'll read the site information

Mary B all of my panels will be new so they should have internal diodes

GMW I'll check out the prices for aluminum 4-0 direct burial I cannot dig down the mountain side so my wire will need to be in conduit either way. It will be a straight shot down about 425 feet 3 small cliffs to go over and here we throw the 4in rock back for topsoil. My chuckle, the dirt is only 2-3 inches deep at best on the hillside. Digging the pole holes is a nightmare with intertwined shale type rock. I dug one last fall and it took me  a day to get down to 3 ft. I'll move over this spring about 20 ft and will see if it is any better.   I'll have to cover the pipe up as best i can when coming over the cliffs not much of a choice.
I'll read tonight thanks agian for the sites. 13