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Post by rabird on Feb 8, 2017 7:15:20 GMT -8
Yes, you can have multiple charge sources at the same time. For instance, with solar on the roof, your alternator (charge line) and solar can both be charging Plugged into 'shore power', your converter/charger and roof solar and side plug in solar can all be charging.
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Post by rabird on Feb 5, 2017 13:29:36 GMT -8
120v fridges don't 'run' all the time, an inverter that auto shuts off might be a good choice.
I won't run an inverter unless something is spinning, maybe if I had a enough capacity that would change. Buit pier and bridge with a Kal Mule idling using a 1000w inverter.
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Post by rabird on Feb 5, 2017 13:24:11 GMT -8
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Post by rabird on Feb 4, 2017 17:17:01 GMT -8
could ya be more specific which controller you are concerned with?
Load control can be timed on after dusk when the panels voltage reaches the night time threshold, then a 10 minute delay before the load ( a night light etc) would be turned on if using the load terminals. Normally the load would last some time or be OFF when the sun starts to shine and the panel voltage exceeds the day time threshold.
It is very common to not use the load terminals at all and hook up 'stuff' to the battery. I use the load terminals on a PWM controller to turn on landscape lights for 3 hrs once the panel voltage has dropped to 5v, ie dusk!
Do you want to time control a load at night? If so you use T1 and T2 and hook the load to the load terminal, if not, hook your load to the battery and disregard the load terminals.
Setting the load to OFF has nothing to do with battery charging, in fact its a way to turn on lights at dusk and off at dawn or some time after dusk and some time before dawn.
T1 of 3 hrs means the load terminals will be on (12v) for 3 hrs after dusk. T2 of 3 hrs means the load terminals will be on (12v) for 3 hrs before dawn,
The controller assumes a 'nighttime' length until it learns how long 'night' is.
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Post by rabird on Jan 30, 2017 5:05:32 GMT -8
PWM CC can only handle '12v' panels. Your MPPT can handle 100V input.
As far as planning, I base that on daily usage and average irradance for you location/time of year.
You batteries need to fully charged from time to time for long life. Your controller is supposed to get them to 14.8v and hold that for 2 hrs on a regular basis. Letting them stay discharged allows the sulfate to harden and possible never be reversed, this causes a loss of capacity.
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Post by rabird on Jan 29, 2017 17:23:21 GMT -8
I have one of these coming in a few days www.homedepot.com/p/Grape-Solar-40-Amp-PWM-Solar-Charge-Controller-with-Bluetooth-GS-PWM-40BT/207100856what I like about it is bluetooth via an app from them to be able to monitor the battery and change charge profile voltages. hook up additional cc just like you have, they both will charge at the same time, having them both set (if programable) to the same voltage set pts will be a plus. 460 ah, charge @ 10-20% of capacity, thats 46-90A charger! maxed out, NO, you are near a min of 5% charge rate.
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Post by rabird on Jan 28, 2017 10:09:54 GMT -8
Its common to apply 125% (or 80% to the controller rating) to the max current of a panel (Isc).
In extreme cold and with certain light conditions the panel makes more power than is rated watts.
A 100 watt panel ought to have an Isc of say 6.3A (they differ)
6.3A * 1.25 = 7.875A 40A / 7.875A = 5 panels
They do make controllers that can be over powered, the concept is most of the time the panels will never make full power and when they do those controllers have the ability to limit power, so ya over load them on purpose for winter and cloudy days!
The options are limitless!
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Post by rabird on Jan 28, 2017 9:22:59 GMT -8
"MC4" connectors is an option, they are somewhat difficult to unplug. www.renogy.com/products/components/wiring-cables-connectors/Anderson Power pole, etc The panels should come with a pos and neg wire with MC4 connectors already on it For MPPT you could connect the panels in series and then buy a length of cable with MC4 on each end. You cut the length of cable in half, plug into the panels and wire into the controller.
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Post by rabird on Jan 28, 2017 4:32:49 GMT -8
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Post by rabird on Jan 26, 2017 12:18:00 GMT -8
230ah battery @ 11.9v is 60% discharged? 230 *.6 = 140 amp-hrs need to be replaced. Wouldn't four 230aH 6V batteries be configured in a series parallel configuration, making it a 460Ah bank rather than a 230Ah one? Thereby roughly doubling your 2 day estimate to fall into the range that I mentioned? yes, I missed 4 6v and assumed 2.
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Post by rabird on Jan 26, 2017 4:48:05 GMT -8
each panel is about 6A. 6A * 4 panels = 24A 24A * 4hrs = 100 ah (tilted directly to the sun) 230ah battery @ 11.9v is 60% discharged? 230 *.6 = 140 amp-hrs need to be replaced. 2 days This calculator can be used to determine how many hrs of sun for a location/time of yr/tilt angle. www.solarelectricityhandbook.com/solar-irradiance.htmluse facing directly south, and then pick a tilt. a flat or horizontal panel locally yields 2.6 in Jan and 6.2 in June!
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Post by rabird on Jan 24, 2017 17:38:07 GMT -8
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Post by rabird on Jan 19, 2017 17:31:34 GMT -8
you don't keep it on dim!
once a button is pushed it goes to bright and the back light is on
'The LCD has two different brightness levels. After any button is pressed the display will be in high brightness and backlight. To save power, the backlight automatically turns off after 30 seconds.'
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Post by rabird on Jan 19, 2017 14:23:29 GMT -8
No, the LCD has bright and dim. Where or where did you find some different?
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Post by rabird on Jan 19, 2017 7:42:16 GMT -8
The LCD has bright and dim, the back light is on when the LCD is bright and off when dim.
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