Upgrading my setup

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couchsachraga
couchsachraga Solar Expert Posts: 84 ✭✭
in Solar Beginners Corner #1
Thank you all for your help last year - past 9-10 months have worked out very well (I've yet to fry the batteries... or go below 60%). We're using the place more now, and I am finally upgrading (panels that I'd assumed were 100 watt were 30... so I have 180 watts (when new... and these panels are over 30 years old), not 600). Very likely going with some SolarWorld panels, they are either 245 or 265 watts each, so I'll need to upgrade my controller to an MPPT one - right now I'm leaning towards the Midnite Classics as they seem to be what folks are recommending? I'll also upgrade my battery bank (right now I have 2 Trojan 1275's (150AH)... I'll add two more... yes, I know, it's best to have them all age the same...I still consider these my "beginner" batteries..).

I'm running a 12v system at the cabin, with a small inverter (SureSine) just for a little bit of 110 when needed (on demand hot water heater mostly).

The goal of the upgrade is to have a quicker charge on the batteries (the battery bank is rather oversized for the panels... thankfully it's not constant usage), and more power (we're contemplating adding a chest refrigerator like one of these: http://sundanzer.com/solar-power-refrigerators/chest-style/ ).

I'm also adding solar hot water to the set up, as I got a good deal on a not so perfect tank / coil setup.

Any words of wisdom or thoughts on my setup?

Also doing grid-tie at our house now, but that is through a certified installer as we're in NY State, and needed to get the NYSERDA grants. Between those, the state / federal tax credits, drop in panel price, and how net metering works here it looks like solar is starting to make financial sense as well as environmental!
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  • vtmaps
    vtmaps Solar Expert Posts: 3,741 ✭✭✭✭
    #2
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    Re: Upgrading my setup
    couchsachraga wrote: »
    I'm running a 12v system at the cabin, with a small inverter (SureSine) just for a little bit of 110 when needed (on demand hot water heater mostly).

    huh?!? what am I missing? I had no idea that a 12 volt system with a 300 watt inverter could power an on demand hot water heater. --vtMaps
    4 X 235watt Samsung, Midnite ePanel, Outback VFX3524 FM60 & mate, 4 Interstate L16, trimetric, Honda eu2000i
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  • BB.
    BB. Super Moderators, Administrators Posts: 33,457 admin
    #3
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    Re: Upgrading my setup

    Just powering the electronics/controller of an LPG demand heater?

    -Bill
    Near San Francisco California: 3.5kWatt Grid Tied Solar power system+small backup genset
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  • couchsachraga
    couchsachraga Solar Expert Posts: 84 ✭✭
    #4
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    Re: Upgrading my setup

    Correct - I looked all over for a 12v ignition LPG on demand hot water heater, and couldn't find any by a "reliable" brand. I know there is the Bosch flow-ignition hot water heater, but locally we've had terrible luck with Bosch on demand units. I ended up with a Rheem and am very happy with it... other than it needs 110 not 12v!
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  • niel
    niel Solar Expert Posts: 10,300 ✭✭✭✭
    #5
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    Re: Upgrading my setup

    you are still using relatively new batteries as they are less than a year old and you have not indicated abusing the old ones so go for it. just make sure you have enough in pv to supply enough in batteries to supply the contemplated loads.

    btw you can run the 2 separate pv systems through their own controllers to the batteries and although the classic is a great controller are you going to need that much capability in your expansion?
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  • couchsachraga
    couchsachraga Solar Expert Posts: 84 ✭✭
    #6
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    Re: Upgrading my setup

    Niel,

    I input the panel info in to the Midnite site and the 200 Classic is what kicked out as recommended. At this time 1kw of panel is more than I need, but I do want to leave some room for expansion (this is a part-time camp / barn I may be at for 2-4 days at a stretch. The two 1275's I have now are able to keep us going if we watch useage carefully (limit amount of pump useage (showers), etc...). The bigger problem, as was exposed last year when I finally got things set up, is the SolarEx SX100 s I have are not 100 watts each... they were 30 watts each when new. So right now I have about have the charging capacity I should (at best), with 180w of panel (when they were new 30 years ago...) going in to 300AH of battery....

    If you have a different charge controller for a 1-2kw system you'd recommend I'm all ears!

    Thanks!
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  • niel
    niel Solar Expert Posts: 10,300 ✭✭✭✭
    #7
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    Re: Upgrading my setup

    a classic is fine to get. good stuff from midnite. you can expand on the pvs quite a bit going with a classic.
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