More Solar Power Setup Pictures
By RCpilot, Section Diaries Posted on Wed Sep 12, 2007 at 04:17:00 AM MST
I finally took some pictures of my Battery, Charge Control & Inverter setup

I took some pictures today to send to my brother in OK and thought I would post them as well. Making small progress every day, yesterday was the bus bar repair and connection to the inverter to make use of it's battery charger. First three are my battery setup, It's a GNB 24 volt 750 AH that I wired for 12 volts to be able to connect the inverter that I selected. I finally began using the inverter to charge the battery and ran an Equalize run on it today and was getting almost 100 amps at the start. The hydrometer is almost to the Green line by only .25 or so. The battery seems to be coming up fine, I plan this weekend to connect the inverter to some loads and begin testing the battery to see how much capacity I can get out of it. Today, I turned off the inverter charger and allowed the two Solar Panels take over and they actually kept the battery at 13.6 volts all day long without losing any ground. I need to look at the tracking mount as I don't think it's parallel with the sun exactly and the panels were only putting out about 7 amps. I still think I should get around 9 amps. During panel building, One panel shorted was getting 4.5 amps and one was getting 5.5 amps, I ended up with a weak cell in the lower one I would imagine but it's sealed now. The two panels are in series, shouldn't the MMPT controller be able to still deliver the full power? I know normally the lowest current panel will hold the larger current panels back in series. but shouldn't it deal with that? Maybe I should try paralleling them? Just wondering, I may try that as well if I have good testing sun this weekend. Today was awesome blue clear skies and I had to be stuck inside working. The next two are of my inverter mounting and a couple of fuse boxes. I eventually plan to Label everything for the "Visual" thing.

More Solar Power Setup Pictures | 13 comments (13 topical)

Re: More Solar Power Setup Pictures (3.00 / 0) (#1) by TomW on Tue Sep 11, 2007 at 11:37:30 PM MST

RC; Nice looking setup. Looks very clean and professional. Cheers. TomW The Truth is the Truth, even if no one believes it; and a lie is a lie even if everyone believes it

Re: More Solar Power Setup Pictures (3.00 / 0) (#2) by RCpilot on Wed Sep 12, 2007 at 07:12:05 AM MST

Thanks Tom, It will look a lot better when I get it done. Right now I just have the inverter rigged to an extension cord to make use of the charger. As some probably can see I make use of everything and whatever is on hand. Pray every day! [ Parent ]

Re: More Solar Power Setup Pictures (3.00 / 0) (#3) by coldspot on Fri Sep 14, 2007 at 07:13:41 PM MST

RCpilot- "Nice looking setup. Looks very clean and professional." I agree but, Looks like battery set-up is right below this very clean looking system.  I've read that the battery gases would be bad for the electronics and plan on keeping mine in a special area away from my electronics. (Wooden battery box for now,will be moved into chest freezer very soon as the nights are getting colder).  Now I'm going to have to paint that old freezer so it looks a bit better!  LOL! :)

Re: More Solar Power Setup Pictures (3.00 / 0) (#4) by RCpilot on Fri Sep 14, 2007 at 11:34:11 PM MST

All comments are appreciated. My plans are to build a wooden box top for the battery with an air space and using a small 12v computer fan, vent it to the outside of the shed. Just not enough hours in the day to do all the little stuff. I read the Xantrex manual thoroughly and having it ingest Battery gases is a bad thing and actually gases in the shed at all will be bad. I have been leaving the door open for now. Just trying to get everything working. Pray every day! [ Parent ]

Re: More Solar Power Setup Pictures (3.00 / 0) (#5) by RCpilot on Thu Oct 04, 2007 at 07:55:25 PM MST

Here is a shot of my nearly final setup. I love to make things look good besides being functional! The only other thing I need to do is build the forklift battery vent. It's on the list of things to do, been cutting trees in the back of my property for almost 3 weeks now, time permitting, to get more evening sun. I was getting shade on the panels around 3PM and now, am almost making it to 6PM from what I have cut out. I will then move to the front yard to cut three more trees that are killing my morning sun. Then it will be back to building the other two panels. I have started saving up for four commercial panels and am planning on some around 170 watts or so. Found a website selling Evergreen panels that have blemishes for $2.94 a Watt. I can afford those and don't care if they have a few scratches or dents in the frame. As long as they make electricity, I'm good. Until next time... Pray every day!

Re: More Solar Power Setup Pictures (3.00 / 0) (#6) by RP on Thu Oct 04, 2007 at 09:41:21 PM MST

Looks good.  What's on the sheet hanging on the wall? [ Parent ]

Re: More Solar Power Setup Pictures (3.00 / 0) (#7) by RCpilot on Thu Oct 04, 2007 at 10:04:01 PM MST

Thanks, RP, I think I have come a long way since starting this entire project in July, I think. It's my temperature compensated specific gravity chart. I need to laminate it and stick it to the wall with something other than electrical tape and I would imagine after I get used to reading SG I won't even need the chart. Pray every day! [ Parent ]

Re: More Solar Power Setup Pictures (3.00 / 0) (#8) by snowcrow on Wed Nov 21, 2007 at 07:39:50 PM MST

Nice system RCpilot!!  As for question about the MPPT controller delivering full power with the panels connected in series, I have to say NO!!   If there is a weak cell in one of the panels, it will limit the current output of both panels if connected in series. Seeing as you are running a 12 volt system, it would be better to connect the panels in parallel to get the current you are looking to achieve.   It can't hurt to give it a shot!! Blessing, Snow Crow

Re: More Solar Power Setup Pictures (3.00 / 0) (#9) by RCpilot on Wed Nov 21, 2007 at 11:17:24 PM MST

Thanks Snow Crow, It looks better even now, check my battery vent pics. I have tried the two panels in parallel and get much less current for some reason. The only thing I still need to try is connecting the panels directly to the battery to see if the controller is not delivering all the current to the batteries. This would only be a test, knowing without a diode the battery would backfeed when the sun went down. Kelly Pray every day! [ Parent ]

Re: More Solar Power Setup Pictures (3.00 / 0) (#10) by snowcrow on Thu Nov 22, 2007 at 05:33:49 AM MST

Hey Kelly, if you are not using blocking diodes on each panel, and relying on the MPPT to isolate the panels from the batteries, that could causing the problem you are seeing when the panels are in parallel.   The panels in parallel most be isolated from each other as well.  Some of the power will go to the weaker panel, thus it never reaches the controller. This is a bigger problem with non-tracking panels without blocking diodes.  When some panels become shaded, the current from non-shaded panel will go to those that are shaded!!  This causes a much bigger drop in output than if all panels were isolated from one another.   I would put diodes on each panel, if you haven't done so already, and try it again in parallel. Blessings, Snow Crow [ Parent ]

Re: More Solar Power Setup Pictures (3.00 / 0) (#11) by TomW on Thu Nov 22, 2007 at 08:21:16 AM MST

RC; knowing without a diode the battery would backfeed when the sun went down. I keep seeing this repeated and I have to say I think it is a non issue. I have run mine both ways and I only isolate them now to keep possibly high turbine voltage away from them. When I was just solar I never noticed any losses out at night, despite reading this often repeated information. I mean, PV arrays are strings of semiconductors and semiconductors all have junctions that are polarized. Kind of why protect a diode with a diode? Just tossing that out for consideration. Most should just follow manufacturers instructions. By now I have forgotten what Siemans paperwork said. Cheers. TomW The Truth is the Truth, even if no one believes it; and a lie is a lie even if everyone believes it [ Parent ]

Re: More Solar Power Setup Pictures (3.00 / 0) (#12) by DamonHD on Thu Nov 22, 2007 at 12:52:22 PM MST

Hi TomW, My understanding is that under some conditions enough back current can be driven though solar cells to cause heating problems and even damage as they are effectively fairly leaky diodes.  I'm assuming that in this practice this can only happen for very different strings of cells (eg different nominal voltages or different types/manufacturers) or if some are shaded and some are in full sunlight. I have put Schottky blocking diodes on the two panels in my tiny system (20W monoc 21Voc and 62W thin 15Voc) since they are so different.  They also get shade at different times. Rgds Damon http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/8376286.stm [ Parent ]

Re: More Solar Power Setup Pictures (3.00 / 0) (#13) by TomW on Thu Nov 22, 2007 at 01:11:50 PM MST

Damon; My solar is all matched 75 watt Siemans panels [4] so that may be why it was not an issue. I am confident when it comes to testing different options and I would not advise anyone follow my lead unless they are clued in on electronics, etc. As I said in that reply most should just follow mfg. recommendations. Cheers. TomW The Truth is the Truth, even if no one believes it; and a lie is a lie even if everyone believes it [ Parent ]

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