Set Up Guidance

Hi everyone! Looking for a little help and knowledge from the solar-wiz peeps as I begin the journey into solar. I have a basic set up sketched out. Looking for some guidance on it regarding if there are any changes that should be made. Products are listed and links provided if needed. Any suggestions are welcome.
Thanks in advance from this solar newbie!
Set Up Diagram: http://imgur.com/ohTVOdf
Products
MPPT Tracer Charge Controller https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B008KWPH12/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o03_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
Go Power! 4 Stage Battery Charger https://www.amazon.com/Go-Power-GPC-45-MAX-4-Stage-Converter/dp/B007GN4VKY
1200 Watt Pure Sine Inverter https://www.amazon.com/Power-PWRIX120012S-Inverter-Transfer-Switch/dp/B00TI1D5JK
Eco Solar Cool Refrigerator https://www.ecosolarcool.com/collections/upright-refrigerators/products/solar-refrigerator-12-5-cuft-escr355ge
Trojan T105-RE Batteries http://www.trojanbattery.com/product/t-105-re/
Solar Panels (Monocrystalline) http://www.ecodirect.com/Canadian-Solar-CS6K-295MS-T4-295-Watt-Mono-PERC-p/canadian-solar-cs6k-295ms-t4.htm
Thanks in advance from this solar newbie!
Set Up Diagram: http://imgur.com/ohTVOdf
Products
MPPT Tracer Charge Controller https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B008KWPH12/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o03_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
Go Power! 4 Stage Battery Charger https://www.amazon.com/Go-Power-GPC-45-MAX-4-Stage-Converter/dp/B007GN4VKY
1200 Watt Pure Sine Inverter https://www.amazon.com/Power-PWRIX120012S-Inverter-Transfer-Switch/dp/B00TI1D5JK
Eco Solar Cool Refrigerator https://www.ecosolarcool.com/collections/upright-refrigerators/products/solar-refrigerator-12-5-cuft-escr355ge
Trojan T105-RE Batteries http://www.trojanbattery.com/product/t-105-re/
Solar Panels (Monocrystalline) http://www.ecodirect.com/Canadian-Solar-CS6K-295MS-T4-295-Watt-Mono-PERC-p/canadian-solar-cs6k-295ms-t4.htm
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Comments
Wrong charger, you want a dead simple charger solely for BULK charging, maybe a little absorb, Let the solar finish, not the genset,
4 parallel batteries (are those 200ah 12V batteries ?)
600w of solar, and a fridge, you are in 24v battery bank territory, Most DC fridges have 12/24V wiring, You list no other loads needing 12VDC,
MPPT controllers are rated by output, you need 46A output @ 12V (only 25A at 24V)
You left out any circuit protection, it's still needed for only 12V.
Suggestions:
24V system
series the 2 panels and MPPT to 24V battery bank 25A
Since you only have 25A charging capacity, you are limited to 250ah @ 24V to maintain healthy battery charge rate
Battery bank, suggest 4, 6V 200ah golf cart batteries wired in series for 24V
PV derate Assume only 80% of nameplate power for well aimed panels. your 600w just went to 480W 4 hours harvest and you collect only 1.9Kwh a day, maybe 2Kwh adding some am & pm sun Taht 1.9KWh sets your loads, unless you burn generator fuel to make up the difference
The golf cart batteries are good learning batteries, cheap and sturdy.
|| Midnight Classic 200 | 10, Evergreen 200w in a 160VOC array ||
|| VEC1093 12V Charger | Maha C401 aa/aaa Charger | SureSine | Sunsaver MPPT 15A
solar: http://tinyurl.com/LMR-Solar
gen: http://tinyurl.com/LMR-Lister ,
On such a small system the advantages of MPPT over PWM are negligible, PWM would require 72 cell panels however , as apposed to the 60 cell ones you supplied the link for. For almost the same price a more professional 60A PWM controller with a reputable name, Schneider or Morningstar for example, which can perform equalization, needed with flooded batteries, could be had, check the host's store above. Not trying to change your mind just offering alternatives. One other thing, the difference between mono and poly panels today are almost negligible, in terms of peformamce.
You show the refer hooked up to the load output of the charge controller. This is only for small loads such as lighting. The load output can be set up to operate lighting for a preset amount of time and is triggered by darkness detected by your solar array. Your refer needs to be connected directly to your battery bank
2.1 Kw Suntech 175 mono, Classic 200, Trace SW 4024 ( 15 years old but brand new out of sealed factory box Jan. 2015), Bogart Tri-metric, 700 ah @24 volt AGM battery bank. Plenty of Baja Sea of Cortez sunshine.
A couple of quick notes.
Definitely need a larger charge controller.
Yes the trojan batteries listed are 6 v 225ah I believe. http://www.trojanbattery.com/pdf/datasheets/T105RE_TrojanRE_Data_Sheets.pdf
The solar fridge. Its a new model designed specifically for solar, requires only .55kW/ day supposedly on either 12 or 24V. Crazy. Hence why is hooked directly to the controller as the instructions suggest. See here for specs: https://www.ecosolarcool.com/collections/upright-refrigerators/products/solar-refrigerator-12-5-cuft-escr355ge
That being said, does that change any of the feedback regarding the type of batteries and how they are connected together? Parallel vs. Series. Or going 24v vs 12v?
Again, thanks for all this great feedback! It's very appreciated!
It does look like a very nice fridge.
2.1 Kw Suntech 175 mono, Classic 200, Trace SW 4024 ( 15 years old but brand new out of sealed factory box Jan. 2015), Bogart Tri-metric, 700 ah @24 volt AGM battery bank. Plenty of Baja Sea of Cortez sunshine.
2.1 Kw Suntech 175 mono, Classic 200, Trace SW 4024 ( 15 years old but brand new out of sealed factory box Jan. 2015), Bogart Tri-metric, 700 ah @24 volt AGM battery bank. Plenty of Baja Sea of Cortez sunshine.
good hunting, there are some references to 2017 ratings but not many yet https://www.energystar.gov/productfinder/most-efficient/me-certified-refrigerators
KID #51B 4s 140W to 24V 900Ah C&D AGM
CL#29032 FW 2126/ 2073/ 2133 175A E-Panel WBjr, 3 x 4s 140W to 24V 900Ah C&D AGM
Cotek ST1500W 24V Inverter,OmniCharge 3024,
2 x Cisco WRT54GL i/c DD-WRT Rtr & Bridge, Hughes1100 Sat Modem
Eu3/2/1000i Gens, 1680W & E-Panel/WBjr to come, CL #647 asleep
West Chilcotin, BC, Canada
Controller: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00E7NI9PE/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pC_nS_ttl?_encoding=UTF8&colid=4R4NG9XB4X6A&coliid=I39CX9YYHKWHBO&psc=1
Solar Panel: http://www.ecodirect.com/mobile/Product.aspx?ProductCode=Canadian-Solar-CS6K-295MS-T4
Panel info:
2.1 Kw Suntech 175 mono, Classic 200, Trace SW 4024 ( 15 years old but brand new out of sealed factory box Jan. 2015), Bogart Tri-metric, 700 ah @24 volt AGM battery bank. Plenty of Baja Sea of Cortez sunshine.
the MPPT will ensure you can use all the power those panels produce.
You must have at least 2 in series to charge a 24v battery properly, 36V Vmp is not enough to do the Absorb or Equalize phases... It is not good to run electronic devices at their max. , they fail much faster when over ~ 80% of design specs... Suggest looking for a better CC..
All cheaper controllers have a gotcha...just looking at page 22 of the manual,
http://www.renogy.com/template/files/Manuals/20A-30A-40A-MPPT-Solar-Charge-Controller-Manual.pdf
it shows that the unit will disconnect at 16/32V in 12/24v systems.
You will have to confirm the charging specs for the batteries to make sure they do not have a high Absorb or EQ voltage, above the 16/32V limit...
hth
KID #51B 4s 140W to 24V 900Ah C&D AGM
CL#29032 FW 2126/ 2073/ 2133 175A E-Panel WBjr, 3 x 4s 140W to 24V 900Ah C&D AGM
Cotek ST1500W 24V Inverter,OmniCharge 3024,
2 x Cisco WRT54GL i/c DD-WRT Rtr & Bridge, Hughes1100 Sat Modem
Eu3/2/1000i Gens, 1680W & E-Panel/WBjr to come, CL #647 asleep
West Chilcotin, BC, Canada
The batteries I'm considering are four of the 6V Trojan T105re model wired in series to get the 24V setup.
Battery Specs: http://www.trojanbattery.com/pdf/datasheets/T105RE_TrojanRE_Data_Sheets.pdf
2.1 Kw Suntech 175 mono, Classic 200, Trace SW 4024 ( 15 years old but brand new out of sealed factory box Jan. 2015), Bogart Tri-metric, 700 ah @24 volt AGM battery bank. Plenty of Baja Sea of Cortez sunshine.
2.1 Kw Suntech 175 mono, Classic 200, Trace SW 4024 ( 15 years old but brand new out of sealed factory box Jan. 2015), Bogart Tri-metric, 700 ah @24 volt AGM battery bank. Plenty of Baja Sea of Cortez sunshine.
Let's start with what it is you want to power with those batteries? These will be all the loads needing power..
Also, 225A at C20hr rate so we need ~ 22A from the charger at 24V for a 10% charge rate.
Where are you going to use this system? Location s important to how much sun and other loads there are or are going to be eventually
KID #51B 4s 140W to 24V 900Ah C&D AGM
CL#29032 FW 2126/ 2073/ 2133 175A E-Panel WBjr, 3 x 4s 140W to 24V 900Ah C&D AGM
Cotek ST1500W 24V Inverter,OmniCharge 3024,
2 x Cisco WRT54GL i/c DD-WRT Rtr & Bridge, Hughes1100 Sat Modem
Eu3/2/1000i Gens, 1680W & E-Panel/WBjr to come, CL #647 asleep
West Chilcotin, BC, Canada
-Bill
- Info: https://www.ecosolarcool.com/collections/upright-refrigerators/products/solar-refrigerator-12-5-cuft-escr355ge
Have you sat around for a whole day in the winter and watched shadows that cross where the array will go?
How far is it to where the CC, batteries and inverter will be? (in the cabin?)
How far from the batteries to the fridge?
estimates of daily uses you listed...
Please review
Fridge = 600 Whrs
Lights 60w x 5 avg hrs (more winter, less summer) = 300Whr
fan 60w x 2 hrs = 120whr
charger 5w x 5 hrs = 25whr
charger 12 w x 5 hrs = 60w hr
BT charger 12w x 6 hr = 60 whr
Tbrush 1w x 24 hr = 24 whr
TOTAL 1189Whr or rounded up to 1.2Kwhr
now you can deduct say up to 4 hrs of use for some of these as they will get powered by the sun
so at say 1.0Kwhrs you need 1,000Whr / 4hrs FULL sun = 250w just to replace use , so 2 - 290w panels are needed to cover your use and other losses.
KID #51B 4s 140W to 24V 900Ah C&D AGM
CL#29032 FW 2126/ 2073/ 2133 175A E-Panel WBjr, 3 x 4s 140W to 24V 900Ah C&D AGM
Cotek ST1500W 24V Inverter,OmniCharge 3024,
2 x Cisco WRT54GL i/c DD-WRT Rtr & Bridge, Hughes1100 Sat Modem
Eu3/2/1000i Gens, 1680W & E-Panel/WBjr to come, CL #647 asleep
West Chilcotin, BC, Canada
Over time, loads grow and you will want more panels.
I will repeat the 4 golf cart battery suggestion, cheap and easy to learn with, and you don't break the bank when you kill them, Should last 2 years with the loads you list, maybe longer if you baby them, Unless you set something up wrong and kill them, The price to replace cart batteries vs the larger T105's, or learn on the cart batteries and replace them with T105s
24v x 200ah = 4,800Wh which at 50% DoD, gives you 2.4 usable KWh The T105's are only a little bit larger capacity..
|| Midnight Classic 200 | 10, Evergreen 200w in a 160VOC array ||
|| VEC1093 12V Charger | Maha C401 aa/aaa Charger | SureSine | Sunsaver MPPT 15A
solar: http://tinyurl.com/LMR-Solar
gen: http://tinyurl.com/LMR-Lister ,
I've updated my graphic with the new information based off of the feedback I've gotten all around.
One big note that seemed to be a concern was the fridge being connected straight to the charge controller. And sure enough, after talking with a tech from the company that makes the fridge, that is how they recommend the setup... straight to the controller.
Is the wiring of the solar panels and batteries correct to achieve 24V?
What does everyone think now? What other changes need to be made as I'm sure I still am messing something up here, haha.
Thanks again! @mike95490 @mcgivor @littleharbor2 @westbranch
2.1 Kw Suntech 175 mono, Classic 200, Trace SW 4024 ( 15 years old but brand new out of sealed factory box Jan. 2015), Bogart Tri-metric, 700 ah @24 volt AGM battery bank. Plenty of Baja Sea of Cortez sunshine.
Cheap controllers have load terminals, makes users think they are getting something, Large professional controllers don't have load control
Baloney ! You have to get the accurate starting surge of the fridge, and make sure it is within the Load limit of the controller. Nothing more fun than waking up to find your charge controller blown from too large of a load.
Corrections to the new drawing:
40A fuse at panels, not needed. Better to have a 15A PV breaker in a box next to the output breaker for the controller battery cable.
Every wire with a 40A fuse or breaker, must be 8ga or heavier, The fuse is to protect the wire.
|| Midnight Classic 200 | 10, Evergreen 200w in a 160VOC array ||
|| VEC1093 12V Charger | Maha C401 aa/aaa Charger | SureSine | Sunsaver MPPT 15A
solar: http://tinyurl.com/LMR-Solar
gen: http://tinyurl.com/LMR-Lister ,