FlexMax 80 Charge controller and AC dump load

pyintheye · February 2015

Hi to All
Hoping this first post gets to where it is supposed to be.
I have enjoyed the forum info on shared problems and unique systems.
So I'm into my 3rd upgrade in 4 years or there abouts, just long enough to cook my first set of batteries and over complicate my life in the spirit of independence.
System reference: 48 volts - 8 US 2200 232AH Batteries -2011 vintage
2 Pole mounted arrays: 2 Sharp 240 watt and 1 Conergy 260 watt= Array #1, and 9 Conergy 260 watt in 3 strings= Array #2
1 FlexMax 60 - Array #1
1 FlexMax 80 - Array #2
1 Magnum MS 4448 PAE Inverter + BTS
1 Nano Hydro NH 600 Water turbine - constant supply @ +2amps (as much as a 1" line will gravity flow @ 68lb)
1 MidNite E-Panel - MNE 175STM 240 with added, Outback 2 pole GFDI, 3 MidNite AC/DC 300 SPD, 2 Outback 80 amp PNL breakers, Magnum BMK.
1 MidNite 6 Breaker Combiner Box - 100 amp double pole(was the old Main) for the FM80, 63 amp for the FM60, 20 amp for the turbine.
8 Trojan 6V 430 AH (will be adding)
1 Hyundai 6500 watt Gen Set - Feeding 240 volts @ 30amps
1 Water tank, 240 volts, 3000 watt elements (being installed as a system dump load and preheat for the propane water heater)(plumbed to circulate)

Any suggestions on :
2 manuals showing the GFDI , both different sides of the CC.
Tips for correct size and type SSR to activate from the FM80 AUX function for the AC dump load.
Whether clamps are required on all wires individually entering the panel or can you use the largest, back of E-panel knockouts, to bundle and run wires through with a rubber grommet. (trying for a cleaner install and short of knockouts and room)
Choice of new batteries.
System balance.
Anything I may be missing, besides grey matter, to put this together.

Vic · February 2015

pyintheye wrote: »

...

1 MidNite 6 Breaker Combiner Box - 100 amp double pole(was the old Main) for the FM80, 63 amp for the FM60, 20 amp for the turbine ...

Hi Pyin..,

Just to get things rolling. Am curious about the old main double pole breaker that you referred to, is this the one? :

http://www.solar-electric.com/instal...omn150vdc.html

Or is that breaker from an AC panel ... OR, just what is it? Thanks, Vic

gww1 · February 2015

pyin

First welcome, Second, you would do better to do all the sytem stuff in your signature so that you would never have to type it again and every question that you ask, people could refer to it. Look at mine. I am not going to try and answer all you questions at this time but will try and help a bit.
1. unless you don't have very many loads at all, you might be a bit better with a smaller heating element. I use 2000 watt and in winter it is good but in summer I wish it was 1500 watts cause my solar panel instataineous power output is lower due to the heat.

2. Unless you have a really long run from the cc to the ssr it only needs a really small sence wire as you only need about 4 volts to activate the ssr. I got a crydon 25 amp 600 volt ssr of of ebay for about 12 bucks. My understanding is you need to be careful of ebay, so buying a reconized brand name like crydon is a good ideal. The will be listed along the lines of "control side is 3volts to 30 volts to activate and the other side will say 600 volts 25 amps or so.

3. you want to get alot bigger then you need. My 2000 watt elements at 240 volts is only 8 amps when on. I got a 25 amp ssr, It is bare minimum and 35 amp would be much better.

4. This is absolutly imparitive. You need to put a really big heat sink on the back of the ssr. I salvaged an aluminum one out of an old tv.

I don;t have any more typing in me right now but will try to help more later.

Good luck
gww

BB. · February 2015

If you have "a lot" of excess energy to burn in the summer/warm seasons--A Heat Pump type water heater may be interesting (cold/dry air is the "waste product"). About 2-3x more efficient than resistance type electric heaters.

A few have argued that Heat Pump is better than the "low tech" solar thermal panels (and the plumbing/circ. pump/freezing/anti-freeze issues).

GeoSpring Hybrid-Electric Heat-Pump Hot Water Heater
Residential | Nyle Water Heating

Neither may be for you--Just some out of the box thinking.

-Bill

pyintheye · February 2015

Vic wrote: »

Hi Pyin..,

Just to get things rolling. Am curious about the old main double pole breaker that you referred to, is this the one? :

http://www.solar-electric.com/instal...omn150vdc.html

Or is that breaker from an AC panel ... OR, just what is it? Thanks, Vic

Yes this is the one I refer to. It was being used as the main before this refit.

pyintheye · February 2015

gww1 wrote: »

pyin

First welcome, Second, you would do better to do all the sytem stuff in your signature so that you would never have to type it again and every question that you ask, people could refer to it. Look at mine. I am not going to try and answer all you questions at this time but will try and help a bit.
1. unless you don't have very many loads at all, you might be a bit better with a smaller heating element. I use 2000 watt and in winter it is good but in summer I wish it was 1500 watts cause my solar panel instataineous power output is lower due to the heat.

2. Unless you have a really long run from the cc to the ssr it only needs a really small sence wire as you only need about 4 volts to activate the ssr. I got a crydon 25 amp 600 volt ssr of of ebay for about 12 bucks. My understanding is you need to be careful of ebay, so buying a reconized brand name like crydon is a good ideal. The will be listed along the lines of "control side is 3volts to 30 volts to activate and the other side will say 600 volts 25 amps or so.

3. you want to get alot bigger then you need. My 2000 watt elements at 240 volts is only 8 amps when on. I got a 25 amp ssr, It is bare minimum and 35 amp would be much better.

4. This is absolutly imparitive. You need to put a really big heat sink on the back of the ssr. I salvaged an aluminum one out of an old tv.

I don;t have any more typing in me right now but will try to help more later.

Good luck
gww

Haven't figured out how to find the signature stuff yet.
7 people, 4 under 12, all wearing clothes.
Tank wattage seemed right size for balance and I can change out elements on the cheap if need be.
HEAT SINK check!

Is your 2000 watt heating 1 or 2 tanks?

pyintheye · February 2015

BB. wrote: »

If you have "a lot" of excess energy to burn in the summer/warm seasons--A Heat Pump type water heater may be interesting (cold/dry air is the "waste product"). About 2-3x more efficient than resistance type electric heaters.

A few have argued that Heat Pump is better than the "low tech" solar thermal panels (and the plumbing/circ. pump/freezing/anti-freeze issues).

GeoSpring Hybrid-Electric Heat-Pump Hot Water Heater
Residential | Nyle Water Heating

Neither may be for you--Just some out of the box thinking.

-Bill

Yah this is going to be just like finding out the MidNite CC has a built in GFDI, AFTER, I have the Flex Max and GFDI in hand. So goes the water tank.
Great info I never did see, and pretty power smart to boot.
Our gravity spring water is always cold and will suck the propane all year long. I am hoping to get to 0 propane for the summer at least. Dryer off that is.
Thanks to the reply, say , what do you know about signatures on here?

BB. · February 2015

Go to your user name/settings upper right of forum.

Then click on accounts. Scroll 2/3rd way down. Turn on signature, then edit signature.

Or click on this link to edit your account.

http://forum.solar-electric.com/settings/account

If I got this right on my phone.

-Bill

gww1 · February 2015

pyin

wrote: »

Is your 2000 watt heating 1 or 2 tanks?

Sorry for the delay. My water heater is a pre water heater set up prior to my propane hat water heater. I have no where near cut out my use of propane but I am sure it helps even if it just sits there and comes to room temp naturally. I am not sure you could use what you need as I use mine. with your children and your goal of zero propane, something like what bill mentioned may be better. I installed mine as a way to use what I would normaly be loseing anyway due to the solar production being cut back when the batteries were getting near charged. You seem to be wanting hot water. I believe if you got a geo thurmal type heater, your settings would need to be very much differrent then mine as you would have to be all the way on or all the way off to run it. With a pure resistant heating element you get much less effiency then a heat pump but it can be run at half power or quarter power and not hurt anything. Here is a thread that goes into more of what I am doing. I am using a fm80 though.

http://www.fieldlines.com/index.php/...tml#msg1014136

I hope this helps
gww

pyintheye · February 2015

gww1 wrote: »

pyin

Sorry for the delay. My water heater is a pre water heater set up prior to my propane hat water heater. I have no where near cut out my use of propane but I am sure it helps even if it just sits there and comes to room temp naturally. I am not sure you could use what you need as I use mine. with your children and your goal of zero propane, something like what bill mentioned may be better. I installed mine as a way to use what I would normaly be loseing anyway due to the solar production being cut back when the batteries were getting near charged. You seem to be wanting hot water. I believe if you got a geo thurmal type heater, your settings would need to be very much differrent then mine as you would have to be all the way on or all the way off to run it. With a pure resistant heating element you get much less effiency then a heat pump but it can be run at half power or quarter power and not hurt anything. Here is a thread that goes into more of what I am doing. I am using a fm80 though.

http://www.fieldlines.com/index.php/...tml#msg1014136

I hope this helps
gww

Wow. Thanks for that. Been reading now for a cuppla hrs and the set up you have is sounding like what I am going for. Our spring water is very cold so any temp rise is a bonus. Being successful with most of this wilderness living stuff it is how well you can align your activities in concert with the weather. Seems most of us are doing pretty well with this. Necessity drives creativity and from what I read the manufacturers are having a time keeping up to what we can throw at them. The collective sharing of information so we can all be better off is what really impresses me, aside from the concoctions people come up with, which are awesome.
Thank again TT

Vic · February 2015

Hi pyin..,

Thanks for the confirmation on the MNEPV breaker that you are using with FM80. That is a very good breaker, with a high current interrupt capability.

Cannot add any clarity regarding the rest of your system. Good Luck, and have fun with the developing system. Vic

gww1 · February 2015

pyin

What bill mentioned (the geo) will give more hot water for less power used. What I mentioned is, to not lose the power you make after the battery starts to be charged. I bought a used hot water heater that had a clean out to remove lime. I paid $40 for it and then bought smaller wattage elements for it.
I care about the battery being charge first and hot water second. I do get the benifit of the water just sitting there and warming to room temp before going to the propane one even if it is cloudy. That has to save a small bit of propane. I went with 50 gal.
I hope this has helped and good luck.
gww

FlexMax 80 Charge controller and AC dump load

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