Morningstar prostar and sunsaver, working together?

oil pan 4
oil pan 4 Solar Expert Posts: 767 ✭✭✭✭
edited November 2015 in Caravan, Recreational Vehicle, and Marine Power Systems #1

This is for my remote power rig. http://ecorenovator.org/forum/solar-power/4544-home-made-solar-inverter-generator-hybrid.html

I would like to use the 15 amp sunsaver MPPT controller to handle pretty much all the solar battery charging and the DC loads, since the sunsaver shuts off the DC loads at a higher voltage than the morning star, thus saving the battery. It is pretty easy to reach the limit of a 15 amp charger controller so I was going to keep the 30 amp prostar I have already installed.

The sunsaver takes a max of 75vdc, so that means I can plug in to 24 or 36 volt panels and put all that power to use on my 12v system. I can run 24 volt solar panels on the prostar but since its PWM, the panel would only be about 30% efficient.

I still want to keep the 30 amp PWM prostar as a backup charger controller in case anything unfortunate happens to the sunsaver and for additional solar panels that I might tie into (working on that now) . Also the 30 amp prostar has done a great job handling my high powered battery charger I built and attached to my remote power rig. The high power battery charger takes 240VAC and turn it into 21.5VDC mimicking the output of a "12 volt solar panel". That 21.5VDC is then wired to the "solar panel" input of the 30 amp prostar.

Here are the possible operating scenarios:

For normal operations the plan is to just run one or two 80 watt solar panels through the sunsaver to charge the battery and run the 900w kisae power inverter for small intermittent power demands during the day. Normally I will only be using the sunsaver.

Abnormal operations would be something to the effect of running the sunsaver on its two 80 watt panels, while running say 100 to 150 watts of solar or more to the prostar then occasionally firing up the generator to power something big and running up to 25 amps of battery charger power through the solar inputs on the prostar. To both charge the battery while providing inverter power. I know not to over load the Prostar with too many amps.

 So I would like to use both charge controllers working together sometimes, if possible.

Solar hybrid gasoline generator, 7kw gas, 180 watts of solar, Morningstar 15 amp MPPT, group 31 AGM, 900 watt kisae inverter.

Solar roof top GMC suburban, a normal 3/4 ton suburban with 180 watts of panels on the roof and 10 amp genasun MPPT, 2000w samlex pure sine wave inverter, 12v gast and ARB air compressors.

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  • oil pan 4
    oil pan 4 Solar Expert Posts: 767 ✭✭✭✭
    #2
    Well the 15 amp Morningstar MPPT was starting to collect dust so I installed it along with my Morningstar PWM. The seem to be getting along just find together.

    Solar hybrid gasoline generator, 7kw gas, 180 watts of solar, Morningstar 15 amp MPPT, group 31 AGM, 900 watt kisae inverter.

    Solar roof top GMC suburban, a normal 3/4 ton suburban with 180 watts of panels on the roof and 10 amp genasun MPPT, 2000w samlex pure sine wave inverter, 12v gast and ARB air compressors.

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  • oil pan 4
    oil pan 4 Solar Expert Posts: 767 ✭✭✭✭
    #3

    Word of warning, I was reading some Morningstar tech data and they advise against doing what I am doing, where I run a battery charger through their PWM controller.

    But this battery charger is unlike anything on the market, specifically designed to mimic solar panel output voltage and voltage drop under load with increased current draw.

    Solar hybrid gasoline generator, 7kw gas, 180 watts of solar, Morningstar 15 amp MPPT, group 31 AGM, 900 watt kisae inverter.

    Solar roof top GMC suburban, a normal 3/4 ton suburban with 180 watts of panels on the roof and 10 amp genasun MPPT, 2000w samlex pure sine wave inverter, 12v gast and ARB air compressors.

    · Share on Twitter

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