Inverter and cc ?

offgrid me
offgrid me Solar Expert Posts: 119 ✭✭
in Off Grid Solar & Battery Systems #1
I have been pulling my hair out trying to figure out which inverter/charger to get. I have a daily usage of about 5000wh. My max draw at any time will be about 3000w. I am getting a 435ah @48v battery. I know I need higher surge capacity for my well pump so I was looking at either the magnum 440o watt or the xantrex 4500w sine wave inverter chargers. I have a large generator so I need it to support 240v on the ac charger in. I know the magnum is cheaper but what are the trade offs. I dont need endless parameters to set just want something that works well. What do you all suggest
I also cant decide which cc. I have been looking at the outback 80amp because it should be large enough to take what my array can supply without clipping. But now it looks like xantrex is coming out with an 80 high volt that would allow me to connect all my panels in series so I wouldnt need a combiner box and could use higher gauge wire for my 100 foot run to my garage with less losses. I need to pull the trigger soon because I am moving to my new off grid house Aug 1.
Any thoughts on the available options would be greatly appreciated
Thanks Ned
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Comments

  • waynefromnscanada
    waynefromnscanada Solar Expert Posts: 3,009 ✭✭✭✭
    #2
    Re: Inverter and cc ?

    Just a thought - - consider two inverters. A small pure sine for lights and other small loads needing power 24/7, and then a much bigger one dedicated to the big heavy loads, set to only come on when needed. Reason? Big inverters generally suck back a lot of power just to keep running, even with no load. Small ones generally do not.
    And except for mention of a water pump, we have no idea what your loads are, how often they will run, or the type and size of water pump, so kind of difficult to answer your inverter sizing question.
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  • Dave Angelini
    Dave Angelini Solar Expert Posts: 6,891 ✭✭✭✭✭✭
    #3
    Re: Inverter and cc ?

    XW 6048, XW-80-600, and an XW SCP. I wish there was something else just as good or better! At 100 feet I might also consider 2 XW-60 CC's.
    "we go where power lines don't" Sierra Nevada mountain area
       htps://offgridsolar1.com/
    E-mail offgridsolar@sti.net

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  • offgrid me
    offgrid me Solar Expert Posts: 119 ✭✭
    #4
    Re: Inverter and cc ?
    Dave Sparks wrote: »
    XW 6048, XW-80-600, and an XW SCP. I wish there was something else just as good or better! At 100 feet I might also consider 2 XW-60 CC's.
    Just a question when will the xw 80 600 be released and around how much will it cost?
    I know its not. official but just a guess would be helpful
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  • Dave Angelini
    Dave Angelini Solar Expert Posts: 6,891 ✭✭✭✭✭✭
    #5
    Re: Inverter and cc ?

    It is officially for sale. Our host here may be able to order them.
    "we go where power lines don't" Sierra Nevada mountain area
       htps://offgridsolar1.com/
    E-mail offgridsolar@sti.net

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  • Les Nagy
    Les Nagy Solar Expert Posts: 121 ✭✭
    #6
    Re: Inverter and cc ?

    I cannot ay which make is better as I have limited experience, but I have had good experience with my Xantrex XW4548 and my Xantrex MPPT60-150. You don't say what panels you have or will be using so I cannot say that one controller will be better than another for your use.

    An XW4548 will use about 30 watts and will provide 4500 watts with no problems, and double that for 10 seconds. More than enough capacity to handle what you want. 30 watts idle draw might be high in some people's eyes, but the added complexity of having multiple systems to connect to and manage outweigh any advantage it might give you in idle current draw. If you have people in the same house who don't understand that this plug is only for these items and not for those, then having anything other than simple and normal is asking for problems. It requires 240VAC for the generator btw.

    The MPPT-60-150 does what it is supposed to and I have not had to worry about anything since day one.

    Having one system that talks the same language to each other and is consistent in setup and control can make your life very much easier, whether you choose Xantrex or not. There seems to be little reason to not choose Xantrex IMHO, but that is just me.

    A 100ft run of wire is going to be expensive either way, so unless the new CC from Xantrex is less expensive than two MPPT-60-150s, it may make more sense to use a proven system than using the newest on the block. If you are able to run only two MPPT-60-150s with your panels, this also gives you some redundancy should one CC fail, or you want to take one half of your panels offline for maintenance and such. But is the new CC makes sense with price, then simpler is usually better.
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  • andyrud
    andyrud Solar Expert Posts: 70 ✭✭
    #7
    Re: Inverter and cc ?

    Check out the Midnite Solar charge Controllers! I installed one a few months ago and I can't believe how much more power I get out of my panels.

    Andy
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  • Solar Guppy
    Solar Guppy Solar Expert Posts: 1,989 ✭✭✭
    #8
    Re: Inverter and cc ?
    andyrud wrote: »
    Check out the Midnite Solar charge Controllers! I installed one a few months ago and I can't believe how much more power I get out of my panels.

    Andy

    Its good to hear your happy with the new controller, what was the controller that was replaced that caused "how much more power" ?

    I ask as on paper, Midnite, Xantrex, Outback and MorningStar controllers are within a percent or two of each other for performance.
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  • andyrud
    andyrud Solar Expert Posts: 70 ✭✭
    #9
    Re: Inverter and cc ?

    I had a PWM 60 amp controller and the Midnite Solar is a MPPT controller. My system is in Northern California and we have been getting cloudy day after cloudy day for months. The new controller has shown much more harvested amp hours per day than the other controller would have in similar circumstances. Very happy so far! As an aside, the MidNite Solar Controller can handle over 90 amps( I don't have that much ). I don't think the other ones handle that much, do they?


    Andy
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  • boB
    boB Solar Expert Posts: 1,032 ✭✭✭✭
    #10
    Re: Inverter and cc ?
    Solar Guppy wrote: »
    Its good to hear your happy with the new controller, what was the controller that was replaced that caused "how much more power" ?

    I ask as on paper, Midnite, Xantrex, Outback and MorningStar controllers are within a percent or two of each other for performance.

    Yes, they're all fairly close. Too close to make THAT much difference, although in this case, the majority of difference is by going from PWM to MPPT.

    The Classic does have very good tracking though. As you very well know, the tracking efficiency is pretty darn important.

    Having great hardware efficiency with crummy tracking ~could~ be as bad as a PWM CC by itself. Let's hope that all MPPT CCs give you SOME gain over a PWM though.

    boB
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  • halfcrazy
    halfcrazy Solar Expert Posts: 720 ✭✭✭
    #11
    Re: Inverter and cc ?

    Well I have had very good luck with the Magnum inverters and 100 ft is no biggy on the array I am biased so I would suggest a Classic charge controller from MidNite :) besides being right down the road I can always stop by and help you with it :)
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