Looking for Solar Advice

[gizmotron]

I see that Renogy has a sale going for the next few days regarding this: New 400 Watt 12 Volt Solar Premium Kit. I was wondering after seeing a video on this kit installation that the guy added a fifth panel to the other already 4 panels running in series. The charge controller states that it can handle 520 watts at (12v) or 1040 at (24v) settings. (auto detected) 

Is there a condition where each 100 watt panel in that kit produces more than they claim it can? I plan on putting a tilt-able array configuration on my van build. So I can get maximum tilt angle if I want to make those adjustments. I want to include a fifth panel, in series, in the array. This charge controller is a RENOGY - ROVER LI 40A MPPT CHARGE CONTROLLER. It looks like it will max out this unit with a fifth panel.

I won't need to add more panels. No more space anyway. If I ever do I will get a small self contained power supply unit like one of those recommended in one or two of Bob's videos. Is this dangerous or not recommended?

 

[Tom_M]

This will put the open circuit voltage over the 100 volt limit of the charge controller.

 

[gizmotron]

Oh, Renogy 100 watt 12 volt monocrystalline solar panel -- "Open-Circuit Voltage (Voc): 22.3V" 

Thanks, 

I wonder if I can cut in a switch to use the fifth panel on cloudy days?

 

[gizmotron]

How about two panels in parallel + two more in parallel, both run in series with a fifth panel run in series.

So it would be 22.3 + 22.3 + 22.3 on Open-Circuit volts and still be around 20 to 25 amps.

Any problems with that configuration?

 

[gizmotron]

Nope, an odd number of panels is not recommended either. Need to figure out how to get 6 panels up there and my pop up roof for the shower / bathroom & Maxxfan. I could do it with three ladder racks in the rain gutters. I'm 66" wide from gutter to gutter. The panels are 42+" long and 19+" wide. So I could go 4 panels horizontal and two vertical down or along the hall of the van. Real easy if I wanted them flat. I could also do it sort of like Bod did with his last van where he stuck one out the back a little cantilevered. The last panel would likely stick out about 8 inches or so. But then I would have 6 panels tilted into the sun and no ladder racks.

I might try to set the back panel on permanent tilt behind the pop up section. That would prevent it from cantilevering.

That's an idea. So I've seen video on hooking up 6 panels in series and parallel.

That the solution. I'll build to add the two extra panels when I get more batteries. I'll just set the rails for the panels now.

I think I have it figured out.

end of thread....

 

[Calaverasgrande]

Thinking about jumping on this sale myself.
It seems you either go big with Victron and other top teir brands, or go with Renogy, who seem sto get knocked for poor customer service. But I haven't heard anything bad about their products other than 'rebadged'. Which could be said of a lot of things these days. Washers, dryers, SSDs etc.

 

[gizmotron]

I can force 6 of their 100 watt panels through their 40 amp charger in this kit if I run them as three pairs of parallel in series and stay under their 100 volt top threshold. They make a 60 amp charger that I could trade up to in the future as I will be starting out with four panels but building tilting mounts for 6. For me it's all about space and rigid panels. I just found a way to get a second 200ah AGM battery so I will have that battery system for a while before moving up to Lithium Liposuction 4 xxxx or whatever those are called. These panels are only 20 inches wide. My tilt mount will allow for them to be very close together on their sides. I want to just push one spot with a brace and have all five panels go up. It's designed like a parallelogram on both sides of the five panel array. The 6th panel is fixed at an angle behind the bathroom popup.

I ordered mine around noon today, out here in the west, and it has already shipped for free. That's pretty cool. I also ordered a hole saw kit to poke holes in my blackwater tank from Amazon this last week and I got shipped 100 coat hangers. So that was a first for me. The ground shipping that they shipped this stuff for free was worth $50 at least considering the size and weight. It's a pretty good deal if it arrives without any damage. This carrier is very good. I've shipped lots of stuff with them and it all got there fine.

 

[RvNaut]

Load Prowse's site and watch all his videos on off grid solar systems.
https://www.youtube.com/c/WillProwse/videos

Why even bother with 100wt panels when there are 2-3-400wt panels out there for not much more money. You only have so much room in the roof, and if you are in a van ( down by the river) shaded 100panels will be hard pressed to serve you, where as a 400wt panel would still be giving some juice. .

If you are starting from scratch, consider a 24volt system with higher rated panels.


Why *force* 6 100wt panels when two 400wt panels would do more for less??

 

[Cammalu]

Santan solar has 250 watt panels for $50. Work great.

 

[gizmotron]

Why even bother with 100wt panels when there are 2-3-400wt panels out there for not much more money. You only have so much room in the roof, and if you are in a van ( down by the river) shaded 100panels will be hard pressed to serve you, where as a 400wt panel would still be giving some juice. .

I'm building in stages. First off with 4  x 100 watt panels. I just wanted to design the mounts for 6 if I could force it to work. I will always park in the sun. I'm using shade control to shade everywhere but the top of the van. And it is insolated real well in the design. I have a nice compact portable swamp cooler so all those places up north in the west can be utilized that are far from the cool weather at the coast. I'm designing for where I will go. Six panels makes for a lot of shade on top.  Nobody is perfect.

 

[gizmotron]

Santan solar has 250 watt panels for $50. Work great.

Wow. I don't know what to say. I want to put on my own Spandex Suit and Cape.  I wonder if they are from a fake Chinese website with a fake tracking carrier? Yep, I got faked out. I went for one of those $89 Honda 2200i generators. I just got my refund back from paypal. Oh, it was way too good to be true. I was a sucker.  Oh well, make the book thick.

 

[abnorm]

^ SANTAN Solar is a real business in Gilbert AZ....a second location to open in Georgia....He sells USED and New panels

The used panels are from huge solar farms that are replacing entire installations.......They test and resell at about $.20 a watt

.................At that price point you don't Ship......pick-up in person in Arizona

Santan supports the Nomad community through donations of equipment to HOWA

 

[jacqueg]

Wow. I don't know what to say. I want to put on my own Spandex Suit and Cape.  I wonder if they are from a fake Chinese website with a fake tracking carrier? Yep, I got faked out. I went for one of those $89 Honda 2200i generators. I just got my refund back from paypal. Oh, it was way too good to be true. I was a sucker.  Oh well, make the book thick.

Nope. Great guys. Worth it to wait until you can be in the area to pick them up.

 

[Cammalu]

They had 100 watt renogy panels for $50 bucks also. I don’t know if they still do.

I dunno why you said they might be a fake company, etc if you read my post. I said they work great. I have them.

The big solar farms change out all panels about every seven years. It was explained to me that a few percentages lost, say 5%, isn’t much to us but when you own a solar farm a 5% loss can be huge. That’s why they change them at that point.

They also told me that a 100 watt panel doesn’t mean it will get 100 watts. Under the most optimal conditions, no pollution, overcast, aimed directly at the sun is where that 100 watt rating comes from. Solar panels are tested with a light gun thingy I believe. Anyway the Santan panels are good if you can go get them. Dunno what it would be to ship however.

 

[gizmotron]

That's good news about SANTAN Solar. 5% effectiveness loss is not that bad.

Anyway I made my commitment and dropped the hammer on my purchases.

I got the Renogy bundle with 4 100 watt panels, a 40 amp charger, a blue tooth sender, a bunch of wiring harness stuff, and a bunch of fuse connectors. It's the Premium Kit at around $700. After checking out warehouse aluminum angle stock prices I decided to get 4 sets of tilt brackets at $34 each. I guess I'll have to do each panel one by one when I go on tilt... They have everything and all the drilling is already done. I just purchased a 200 ah LiFePo4 battery for the setup. I will have to watch below freezing temps. I will install an external BMS for low temps. Just in case. So all that is left is an inverter.

So except for a DC fuse box for all my components in the van, water pump, fan, fridge, all that is left is the inverter. I ran a test on my music equipment and it looks like it blasts away on just 30 amps @ AC / 120 volt. All I will run on it is a few USB phone charges and my electric shaver. Oh yes, my morning coffee pot. I don't plan on a hot plate. I can use a portable propane gas burner if stuck in the rain. The water pump, fridge, and fan are all 12v DC.

I'm considering a 1,000 pure sine wave inverter built by Leesky for around $146. It comes with a wall mounted remote controller.

Can anyone see a reason for getting a 2,000 watt inverter? I can't see running my Skill wormdrive power saw from this solar array. That thing runs around 1200 watts and probably a lot more when you dig in ripping plywood. I might do some volunteer carpentry down in Quartzite when I'm there. Someday I will get a real Honda 2200i generator. That will run the saw. It's good for charging the batteries in spot moments too. And it will run my 1,300 watt NinjaFoodi pressure cooker / air fryer. That thing makes world class Buffalo Chicken Wings.

 

[gizmotron]

This one:

 

[gizmotron]

Woops, that's 30 watts at 120v AC for the music equipment. Hah, 30 amps, that would blow things up, like eardrums.

 

[Calaverasgrande]

I was going to say. Not long ago I had my entire home studio with 2 mixers, 2 sets of speakers, 6 keyboards, a Mac Pro and a bunch of other stuff running off a household 20 amp circuit with room to breathe. 30 amps of 120 would be a decent sized PA system!

 

[gizmotron]

OK, that was fast. I just got my 4 panel kit. Had to use a dolly.

 

[gizmotron]

Another solar question please?

I now have a 4 panel 400 watt charging system with a 200ah lipo4 lithium battery rated to discharge at the 200ah rate with it's BMS. I want to run my NinjaFoodi pressure cooker / air fryer while the sun shines and the panels are tilted at an optimum angle. The dang thing pulls around 1,300 watts at 120v AC. I need it to run it for 90 minutes for a batch of Chicago Style Italian Beef roast for sandwiches. That's the worst possible scenario. Chicken Wings only takes 30 minutes. I can make authentic pork carnitas in about 40 minutes.

I know that it would drain the system at night. But what happens while the thing is charging? Does the drain on the battery end up less in the daytime? Is there a chart that shows solar system use while charging somewhere?

Thanks