4 KW PV in Alaska

Fullpower
Fullpower Solar Expert Posts: 69 ✭✭
in Off Grid Solar & Battery Systems #1
Battery bank 24 volts:
Deka L16 370AmpHour 6Volt x 4
Rolls S-1590 1200 AmpHour 2Volt x 12
6339621876_2d6239b7f1_b.jpg
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  • Fullpower
    Fullpower Solar Expert Posts: 69 ✭✭
    #2
    Re: 4 KW PV in Alaska

    6338863033_bbe449e21f_b.jpgEast Array, SANYO 220 watt x 8
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  • TnAndy
    TnAndy Solar Expert Posts: 249 ✭✭
    #3
    Re: 4 KW PV in Alaska

    Love Pics !

    How are you dealing with all the different panels as far as connecting them to charge controllers, etc ?

    andy
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  • niel
    niel Solar Expert Posts: 10,300 ✭✭✭✭
    #4
    Re: 4 KW PV in Alaska

    mixing different batteries can lead to problems.
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  • Cariboocoot
    Cariboocoot Banned Posts: 17,615 ✭✭✭
    #5
    Re: 4 KW PV in Alaska
    niel wrote: »
    mixing different batteries can lead to problems.

    Especially if that's 370 Amp hours paralleled with 1200 Amp hours. I hope those are two separate battery banks, otherwise there is no way the charging will by right on either one.
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  • Fullpower
    Fullpower Solar Expert Posts: 69 ✭✭
    #6
    Re: 4 KW PV in Alaska

    6338875475_6d6e872193_b.jpg
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  • Fullpower
    Fullpower Solar Expert Posts: 69 ✭✭
    #7
    Re: 4 KW PV in Alaska

    6338868973_450ba1648d_b.jpg
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  • TheBackRoads
    TheBackRoads Solar Expert Posts: 274 ✭✭
    #8
    Re: 4 KW PV in Alaska

    Awesome pics! Tell us a little more about how its wired?
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  • Fullpower
    Fullpower Solar Expert Posts: 69 ✭✭
    #9
    Re: 4 KW PV in Alaska

    House Array, 2300 watts
    6338863919_0d88461238_b.jpg
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  • Fullpower
    Fullpower Solar Expert Posts: 69 ✭✭
    #10
    4 KW PV in Alaska

    6338866739_769593c2ea_b.jpg
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  • BB.
    BB. Super Moderators, Administrators Posts: 33,613 admin
    #11
    Re: 4 KW PV in Alaska

    If you the lightning in the area and/or interference on radio receivers, take some time and reroute the DC power leads.

    Ideally, they should run in pairs (+/-) and be bundle tied together from point to point (you can even twist them, but for large cables, not very practical to get tight twists).

    What happens is the "loops" become quite good antennas... Both picking up interference (nearby lighting strikes) and transmitting (radio frequency interference).

    Keep cables runs (signal, DC, AC) from running in parallel (coupling of RF noise) and cross the cables at 90 degrees.

    -Bill
    Near San Francisco California: 3.5kWatt Grid Tied Solar power system+small backup genset
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  • Fullpower
    Fullpower Solar Expert Posts: 69 ✭✭
    #12
    Re: 4 KW PV in Alaska

    6339616596_a3cfa39794_b.jpg
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  • Fullpower
    Fullpower Solar Expert Posts: 69 ✭✭
    #13
    Re: 4 KW PV in Alaska

    Bus Bar, hammered copper tube, silver soldered solenoid studs, heavy brass hex nuts
    Zero measurable voltage drop with 200 amp load.
    .
    6339623710_cef94d0072_b.jpg
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  • Fullpower
    Fullpower Solar Expert Posts: 69 ✭✭
    #14
    Re: 4 KW PV in Alaska

    The house array is a motley assortment of 12 volt nominal modules, in series pairs,
    Open Circuit 42 Volts, peak output through one Outback FM-80 is 64 amps, at 29 volts.
    The POLE array, nominally 1760 watts, is wired for open circuit 104 volts, and is wired with 2 gauge welding lead, 65 feet to a second FM-80 mppt controller, which steps voltage down to 29 volts, more on a cold day. Maximum from this array so far was 11 october, peaked at 62 amps.
    Total input from both arrays on that day was 16.5 Kilowatt Hours.
    6339634042_804ec6d321_b.jpg
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  • Fullpower
    Fullpower Solar Expert Posts: 69 ✭✭
    #15
    Re: 4 KW PV in Alaska

    System has been growing in stages. Finally stuck the entire battery bank underground in september.
    You can imagine the happy sound of 2 volt batteries, with 126 AMPS of pure solar charge, at 29.6 volts.
    Two charge controllers, each wired to bus bars with 2 gauge welding lead, warm to the touch.
    Bring on the AMPERES.
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  • niel
    niel Solar Expert Posts: 10,300 ✭✭✭✭
    #16
    Re: 4 KW PV in Alaska

    the pipe acting as a busbar is insufficient and quite possibly a hazard with that kind of current passing through.
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  • john p
    john p Solar Expert Posts: 814 ✭✭✭
    #17
    Re: 4 KW PV in Alaska

    the pipe acting as a bus bar in this case would be adequate, providing the wall thickness is at least 3/32as its less than 1/2 inch between each connection. Im interested about on the right there is a #4 ? black wire going to a little black"fuse" ?relay? but a #12 wire coming from it ??

    I also think it is far from good to be using a mixture of black and red wires .
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  • Fullpower
    Fullpower Solar Expert Posts: 69 ✭✭
    #18
    Re: 4 KW PV in Alaska
    niel wrote: »
    the pipe acting as a busbar is insufficient and quite possibly a hazard with that kind of current passing through.

    With 200 amperes DC load, there was no measurable voltage drop across the busbar,
    the 2/0 battery series jumpers get slightly warm, the 200 Amp fuses get warmer yet,but busbar stays COLD.
    Thank you for your concern with fire hazard.
    You seem to be under-estimating the conductivity of clean copper.
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  • westbranch
    westbranch Solar Expert Posts: 5,183 ✭✭✭✭
    #19
    Re: 4 KW PV in Alaska

    John, I concur re wire colours..

    As well the mixing of cable colour and the shrink wrap could be a bit confusing. Same colour on both would eliminate any possible confusion.
     
    KID #51B  4s 140W to 24V 900Ah C&D AGM
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  • Fullpower
    Fullpower Solar Expert Posts: 69 ✭✭
    #20
    Re: 4 KW PV in Alaska

    Here is the FM-80 charge controlles, showing a combined peak of 132 AMPS charging.
    6339624280_5882442394_b.jpg
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  • mike95490
    mike95490 Solar Expert Posts: 9,583 ✭✭✭✭✭
    #21
    Re: 4 KW PV in Alaska
    Fullpower wrote: »
    House Array, 2300 watts

    Saves on painting ! Are the panels mounted onto Stucco ?? Anchor bolts ? Toggle bolts ??
    Powerfab top of pole PV mount | Listeroid 6/1 w/st5 gen head | XW6048 inverter/chgr | Iota 48V/15A charger | Morningstar 60A MPPT | 48V, 800A NiFe Battery (in series)| 15, Evergreen 205w "12V" PV array on pole | Midnight ePanel | Grundfos 10 SO5-9 with 3 wire Franklin Electric motor (1/2hp 240V 1ph ) on a timer for 3 hr noontime run - Runs off PV ||
    || 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 ,

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  • mike95490
    mike95490 Solar Expert Posts: 9,583 ✭✭✭✭✭
    #22
    Re: 4 KW PV in Alaska

    re: cable crimps. Looks like a single crimp ring, like a drilled out bolt cutter. I thought there were supposed to be several crimps like that per lug, when using that style.
    If your wires are getting warm from the amps, better check the lugs and make sure they are not heating up too. Better yet, reduce the losses and go with a larger wire.
    Powerfab top of pole PV mount | Listeroid 6/1 w/st5 gen head | XW6048 inverter/chgr | Iota 48V/15A charger | Morningstar 60A MPPT | 48V, 800A NiFe Battery (in series)| 15, Evergreen 205w "12V" PV array on pole | Midnight ePanel | Grundfos 10 SO5-9 with 3 wire Franklin Electric motor (1/2hp 240V 1ph ) on a timer for 3 hr noontime run - Runs off PV ||
    || 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 ,

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  • Fullpower
    Fullpower Solar Expert Posts: 69 ✭✭
    #23
    Re: 4 KW PV in Alaska

    All lugs are soldered, after crimping.
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