Time to upgrade

[ruddycrazy]

G'day Guy's,
                     Well it is close to 20 years we have been off the grid and with winter coming on and the cost of fuel going thru the roof I may be onto a lets say a good deal to get 15off 415 watt PV panels for around 4K which is the city price for PV. I have tried for a couple of years now but as soon as I say I'm off grid well the quote trebles.

This came from replying to a FB add where I got a PM off a guy where engrish wasn't a native language, so all this sounded like a scam so I asked for a quote in writing and got one where I reckon either this was a good scam or it could even be legit. So for a laugh sent a reply on FB and got a answer a bit later here's the number of my manager. So I finally checked and yes this company is legit as stopping at the address listed did show a company name.

So now I have just asked for the solar panels only and here is the quandary 15 415 solar panels is about 6.6Kw and around 200 amps on a good sunny day can be expected.

I am a fan of the Outback MTTP's and have a FM 60 on the old kaneka's where the best I see is 30 amps.  So with that if I bought a smaller MTTP and FM 80's that should be enough to handle the input or is there a better cost solution as the cost of will be near the cost of the solar..

So with large solar array what do you guy's do as I reckon I need a hand here. As I have told she who knows best an electric car will do for local trips but we need the solar to charge it.

Trying local mobs they just see the dollar signs so it will be nice to see what others do.

Cheers Bryan

[mab]

If your main inverter will accept backfeeding from a grid tie inverter that would be a cheap way of connecting as gtis are usually quite cheap 2nd hand, but you do need to have a means of disconnection  or diversion when the battery is full.

If the panels have a mpp voltage that's close to float volts of the battery (60cell panels) then you can use cheap PWM or on/off regulators - although that would require cabling from the panels to the battery that could handle 200A.

I can't help on mppt controllers as I've not had much experience with them.

[bigrockcandymountain]

I think the fm80 outback is probably still the best value.  Looks like about $700 Canadian retail. 

Outback has a newer 100a mppt with built in arc fault for the new wiring codes.  Its big money though.  Retail  $1650

The midnite classic 150 will output 96a.  Also pretty big money unless you can find a used one.  They can be linked together so they all agree when to go to float etc.  Maybe outback can too.  I have 2 classics and really like them.  Retail lists at $1200 cad

Morningstar tristar has mppt models too.  They are about the highest $ per amp output, but don't have cooling fans so totally sealed and no moving parts.

There are cheap asian models, but i can't say anything good about them. 

That will be one heck of a system when you add all that solar. 

[kitestrings]

We've had both.  Our original PV controller is an Outback MX60.  Can't say anything bad about it.  It's been reliable.  I do like our MS Classic's though.  A lot more features, and support that is second to none.  Best, ~ks

[Bossrox]

Look at growatt chargers. I've got 6 going on to 7. I get the 120 ampers over at signature solar for $369 + shipping. I've fried 4 victrons so far & these growatts beat the snot out of 'em @ half the price.

[bigrockcandymountain]

Wow, that is a good price on charge controllers.  I might give one a go if I add solar on the shop.  I just did a quick look at them.  120a is pretty overkill, since I'll only add about 3kw though.  I guess we will see.

When it comes right down to it, I usually shell out a bit extra and get a good name charge controller.  I wrecked quite a few batteries with cheap ones and decided that it was a bad place to save money. 

How does that charge algorithm seem on these Growatt? 

I've never dealt with Victron.  They have always seemed a bit overpriced to me, but most reviews are fairly positive. 

[JW]

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Admin 

[Bossrox]

This is privately owned website. Our funding does not relate to ADS. No ads on FL.

Admin

Was this aimed at my post? If so, I wasn't adverting, just recommending what I'm having good service with. Is That not allowed here?

[JW]

I was asking about this myself. Thru the maintaince of the site we have to be redundant at times. Its one of those things that don't matter, but we have to bring it up from time to time.

[Mary B]

This is privately owned website. Our funding does not relate to ADS. No ads on FL.

Admin

Was this aimed at my post? If so, I wasn't adverting, just recommending what I'm having good service with. Is That not allowed here?

When a brand new user starts putting out equipment recommendations it can look like a spammer... getting the mod staffs attention fast!

[JW]

The issue is the database for FL its huge and organized.

In the past  we saw individuals go all out on constructing a windmill. And it worked.

At this point we are so economic with our need for electricity, all that's needed is a battery bank and invertor, really.

To keep a batt bank up is not a big deal. now forgive me for this, I have 500amp Snapon battery charger I run that for 30 minutes and ever very thing goes in to equilibrium.

If your going to run a fridge thats advanced.   

[JW]

 I always keep a fully charged large car battery on hand. I use that to run a 12volt 1000watt inverter. I can get my communications system running without grid power. Cable satellite whatever.

Ive got this 6kw diesel genset, I cringed and went ok... plugged it in. I thought the thing was going to shoot sparks, but it had good harmony, and everything came up just fine.

JW

[XeonPony]

This is privately owned website. Our funding does not relate to ADS. No ads on FL.

Admin

Was this aimed at my post? If so, I wasn't adverting, just recommending what I'm having good service with. Is That not allowed here?

I'd like to know more about the grow watts, I've heard of them

but perhaps that'd be a user diary thread or such. as I only used Morning star my self but been trying to get more people power independent and more options are good thing.

[ruddycrazy]

G'Day Guy's,
                    Well got 1.9Kw on the roof and working for a week and not once had to run the genset. Checked the sg of our 600AH forklift battery that has been powering our house for 12 years now and just like my shed array with the 6 off 190 watt panels I found at work while clearing up the mess after the floods. I just used that old BP charge controller that came with the house solar when we bought the farm in '03 and it just came back to life so thats a simple solution for the shed and it just works.

                 Got all the gear to put that 1.5Kw array this weekend and with my son coming down will make it easier.

Now as this has taken so long I did have a go at building 2 off 150 volt 45 amp MPPT I got from the backshed guy's only to find I let the magic smoke out of both of them. So to get this array going I went with a 100/50 Victron MPPT and today got a 100/30 one for the Kaneka panels so I can use my FM60 for the 1.9Kw and the 100/50 for the 1.5Kw .

Got 5 years warranty on those Victrons and eh for the price it's a cheap solution. Now the guy at the 12 volt shop today said my 1.9Kw array could output 118 amps and I did ask him what app is that on , I told him as I have 2 in series and 5 strings with each panel only having a 5 amp short circuit current the max is about 60 amps. I did notice while using the Victron app this week 1.4Kw was the max with the output current around 40-45 amps. The Victron is nice and hot and RTFM does say they like too and I just found a reason for those big heatsinks I have off old grid tie inverters to add a bit more cooling.

I do need to find a FM60 manual as yes I did forget the password number so I can change it off the old sonnenshein batteries and match the numbers on all 3 MPPT's so when the battery is fully charged it's regulated and for watering the battery go back to a 20 litre cube to make easier for the girls to do.

Gotta say working night shift in a chocolate factory the last 6 months is a different lifestyle where the months go buy and weekends are just not the same but when to comes to our 20 year upgrade it's still under 4K and in a few months it will be August thats when a new battery is planned and the only battery I will ever buy new will be a 48 volt 1000AH battery which is what the big electric forklift use.


Regards Bryan

[bigrockcandymountain]

I've just started trying some of the smaller victron mppt units too.  Mostly for stuff i sell.  I hope it works for you, because i just bought 3. 

It's good to hear you are making upgrades and not spending much money.  That's my kind of project. 

I'm pretty sure i have a fm60 manual downloaded.  I can check if you like.  Send a pm and i can maybe email it of find a link where to find it. 

Google says password is 141 and the manual is on their website.  You've probably found that already, but I'm sitting killing time so what the heck.

[ruddycrazy]

Well from 5 days of working this 100/50 has put out 26Kwh and the over night low voltage has gone from 22.9/ 23 it has risen to 24.8 and higher as each day goes past. This weekend was planned to put put the 1.5Kw as my son and the rugrats were coming down has morphed into planB where my eldest daughter and her boyfriend are coming around to help out.

Now I did try to get in to reprogramming the FM60 but those soft input keys will not respond so I can just leave it alone as it's programmed for dry cell batteries and the cutoff is 28.8 volts, so basically the 1.9Kw array can do the bulk and when getting close to float the 1.5Kw array can do it's job to top off the charge. This FM60 has been going since about '07 when the MPPT failed on our first install so I really do wonder if I wake it up with 60 amps output will it wake up or say my time is done.

Topped up the battery today and after 4 litres found 10 of the cells were filled the back 2 on the negative side took close to 2 litres  and one of my old SG testers now serve as a single cell funnel. Like with my shed array by putting 6 found 1.9Kw panels on transformed the battery and I am seeing the same thing here so my claim off living off the grid for 20 years plus on a 24 volt 600AH battery stands firm and the genset is a thing of the past.

There is a good reason why I'm going to stay at 24 volts as I did wire my 4Kw motor conversion to that voltage and soon it's going to be in the air so I do think I'll be heating a heap of hot water but I do want the location to be out the back of the farm and gotta pay the council debts first before asking.

Well August is my birthday and 60 it is so that new tractor will get to dig that big hole where it take 2 concrete trucks just to make the base for this 4Kw motor conversion which won't have a tail as a disk brake will do the job.

Eh making free power hasn't been so much fun for 20 years so this is the new upgrade.

Regards Bryan