New Guy

Jorgel · January 2014

Hi everyone
Just joined the forum after a year of browsing and reading all the good info that is posted here. I started designing and installing my system last year I found this site while looking for ideas.
Time to find out how I did and get opinions from the experts here. This is my system, Magnum MS4448PAE inverter, Outback FlexMax 80 controller, 8 Surrettes S530 wire in series for 48 Volts 400 AH. 9 Astronergy panels on a 3 by 3 configuration. I believe I need a few more panels but is a work in progress.. BTW I'm using around 3 kw a day.

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niel · January 2014

Re: New Guy

save the guys the trouble of looking up those pvs and give the vmp, voc, and the imp.

Vic · January 2014

Re: New Guy

Hi Jorgel,

In thinking about the V and I specs of your Astroenergy 245s, are these the specs?

Max Power Voltage (VMPP) 29.92 V
Max Power Current (IMPP) 8.20 A
Open Circuit Voltage (VOC) 37.98 V
Short Circuit Current (ISC) 8.62 A

Thanks, Vic

vtmaps · January 2014

Re: New Guy

Hi Jorgel,

more questions than comments... do you have grid access? Do you have a generator? And most importantly: Does the system meet your needs? (you mention a need/desire for more panels).

only one comment so far... in areas with snow or sleet it is usually advantageous to mount panels in a landscape, rather than portrait, orientation. I do NOT know if that applies to your particular panels.

The reason is that most panels have their internal series strings of cells running the long way in the panel. If you put the panel in portrait orientation, snow and slush slide down the panel, gets caught on the bottom edge of the panel, and blocks a little bit of each string of cells. Each string of cells is only as good as its shadiest cell, so a little slush can wipe out your production.

If you mount the panels in landscape orientation, the hung up slush blocks only one string of cells and the other string(s) in the panel can still produce.

--vtMaps

Surfpath · January 2014

Re: New Guy

Jorgel wrote: »

I believe I need a few more panels but is a work in progress.. BTW I'm using around 3 kw a day.

Well done from where I stand - consumption wise. 3 Kwh a day is really low use for a 'normal' off-grid house. My 2 person house is empty most of the day & evening during the week, I have a medium sized 1.3 Kw/h fridge, no other constant loads, almost all LED lights, & my inverter is on search 50% of the day and I still use ~3.2 Kwh.

How do you manage it? You must have one of them newfangled efficient ice-boxes. 8)

9 of those panels (2200+ watts) and a 400 amp/hr bank should serve you fine for 3 kwh/d. Are you planning larger loads?

westbranch · January 2014

Re: New Guy

only ~200wh difference. Not much, a pump or A/C ? He is in CT and not on a wee island? Internet, sat TV ?

Jorgel · January 2014

Re: New Guy

Vic wrote: »

Hi Jorgel,

In thinking about the V and I specs of your Astroenergy 245s, are these the specs?

Max Power Voltage (VMPP) 29.92 V
Max Power Current (IMPP) 8.20 A
Open Circuit Voltage (VOC) 37.98 V
Short Circuit Current (ISC) 8.62 A

Thanks, Vic

Vic
Those are the correct specs.

Jorgel · January 2014

Re: New Guy

Surfpath wrote: »

Well done from where I stand - consumption wise. 3 Kwh a day is really low use for a 'normal' off-grid house. My 2 person house is empty most of the day & evening during the week, I have a medium sized 1.3 Kw/h fridge, no other constant loads, almost all LED lights, & my inverter is on search 50% of the day and I still use ~3.2 Kwh.

How do you manage it? You must have one of them newfangled efficient ice-boxes. 8)

9 of those panels (2200+ watts) and a 400 amp/hr bank should serve you fine for 3 kwh/d. Are you planning larger loads?

I worked out backwards I bought the house and appliances to fit what I had for panels and batteries from a previous house. Still connected to the grid paying $16.00 a month, waiting to get a generator.

With two people in the house.
My fridge draws only 650 wh/d
Propane tankless water heater 50 wh/d
TV/Internet/Wireless router 750 wh/d
PC 2 Laptops, gave the desktop away was using more AH than the fridge.
All LED bulbs
Wood stove
Gas range 294 wh/d
Ceiling fans
Water pump 380 wh/d
and some other items that make life easy like coffee pot, microwave oven, cell phone chargers. Got rid of the cable box those things are terrible power drainers and we don't miss it at all. Between over the air channels, Netflix, and Amazon Prime we got more choices than we actually watch.

I do have some appliances that are not connected to the solar like the dishwasher and dryer ,that does not get much use, but everything else is connected.
On a normal day the batteries go down to 87 - 85 percent SOC.

westbranch · January 2014

Re: New Guy

What brand/model is that fridge? That is very low consumption...

Jorgel · January 2014

Re: New Guy

vtmaps wrote: »

only one comment so far... in areas with snow or sleet it is usually advantageous to mount panels in a landscape, rather than portrait, orientation. I do NOT know if that applies to your particular panels.

I was worry about that but after a couple snow storms this year I was happy to see on how easy the snow slide off them. They are on a winter angle now I think is 30 deg so that helps a lot.

Jorgel · January 2014

Re: New Guy

westbranch wrote: »

What brand/model is that fridge? That is very low consumption...

Is a Kenmore 6882 18.2 CU. Ft. The Energy Guide label says estimated 385 kWh a year I think that comes out to 980 wh/d, but the Kill-A-Watt readings after a month comes out to 650 wh/d. I'm sure that in a bigger family with kids it be a lot higher than that.

jcheil · January 2014

Re: New Guy

Jorgel wrote: »

Is a Kenmore 6882 18.2 CU. Ft. The Energy Guide label says estimated 385 kWh a year I think that comes out to 980 wh/d, but the Kill-A-Watt readings after a month comes out to 650 wh/d. I'm sure that in a bigger family with kids it be a lot higher than that.

...and your climate. My new fridge was rated at 368kwh per year (1 per day) but I end up actually using more like 1.2 - 1.5 per day; but it is in Central Florida in a non-air conditioned space where the temperature is generally in the upper 80's and sometimes low 90's in the "real summer".

niel · January 2014

Re: New Guy

Jorgel wrote: »

I was worry about that but after a couple snow storms this year I was happy to see on how easy the snow slide off them. They are on a winter angle now I think is 30 deg so that helps a lot.

that's not quite what was meant as pvs have a long side and if it becomes taller than it's width it is considered portrait and when the longest side is horizontal it is landscape and has nothing to do with the tilt angle. it isn't that we don't recommend a slightly steeper tilt for letting snow slide off for as it slides it will bunch up on the lower edge. with portrait at least 1 cell will be shaded for each of the bypassed sections causing all sections to fail to properly produce, but landscape causes only the cells in 1 bypassed section to fail to produce with the remaining allowed to be passed on with their full production.

Jorgel · January 2014

Re: New Guy

niel wrote: »

that's not quite what was meant as pvs have a long side and if it becomes taller than it's width it is considered portrait and when the longest side is horizontal it is landscape and has nothing to do with the tilt angle. it isn't that we don't recommend a slightly steeper tilt for letting snow slide off for as it slides it will bunch up on the lower edge. with portrait at least 1 cell will be shaded for each of the bypassed sections causing all sections to fail to properly produce, but landscape causes only the cells in 1 bypassed section to fail to produce with the remaining allowed to be passed on with their full production.

That is very interesting. Needless to say I didn't know that. If I get the 3 extra panels that I'm planning on the summer I will switch them to landscape since I have to get new mounting brackets any way it will be a good time to do it.

Thanks

New Guy

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