Charging battery’s I figured I could charg

2

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  • littleharbor2
    littleharbor2 Solar Expert Posts: 2,113 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited July 2018 #32
    The picture of the roof jacks I found online. 

    This picture I, too,pulled off the internet because I don't have any photos of any roof jobs on my own. If I were doing this job I would have done a closed cut style valley like the roof on the right, roofing through the valley with the material from the smaller roof section, (if one was smaller), then bring the shingles of the larger section to the valley in a clean cut. 

     

    2.1 Kw Suntech 175 mono, Classic 200, Trace SW 4024 ( 15 years old  but brand new out of sealed factory box Jan. 2015), Bogart Tri-metric,  460 Ah. 24 volt LiFePo4 battery bank. Plenty of Baja Sea of Cortez sunshine.

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  • mcgivor
    mcgivor Solar Expert Posts: 3,854 ✭✭✭✭✭✭
    #33
    So how's about the battery situation, or are we meandering into a roofing forum... joking of course  :D
    1500W, 6× Schutten 250W Poly panels , Schneider MPPT 60 150 CC, Schneider SW 2524 inverter, 400Ah LFP 24V nominal battery with Battery Bodyguard BMS 
    Second system 1890W  3 × 300W No name brand poly, 3×330 Sunsolar Poly panels, Morningstar TS 60 PWM controller, no name 2000W inverter 400Ah LFP 24V nominal battery with Daly BMS, used for water pumping and day time air conditioning.  
    5Kw Yanmar clone single cylinder air cooled diesel generator for rare emergency charging and welding.
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  • littleharbor2
    littleharbor2 Solar Expert Posts: 2,113 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited July 2018 #34
    mcgivor said:
    So how's about the battery situation, or are we meandering into a roofing forum?


    It appears that way. :o  

    2.1 Kw Suntech 175 mono, Classic 200, Trace SW 4024 ( 15 years old  but brand new out of sealed factory box Jan. 2015), Bogart Tri-metric,  460 Ah. 24 volt LiFePo4 battery bank. Plenty of Baja Sea of Cortez sunshine.

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  • MrM1
    MrM1 Registered Users Posts: 487 ✭✭✭✭
    #35
    If you over panel like u are suggesting I think the biggest problem u will have most days is not "will my batteries get charged", but rather, "what can I do with all this excess energy potential" that is not being generated from the array because it is not needed for charging or loads
    REC TwinPeak 2 285W 3S-3P 2.6kW-STC / 1.9kW-NMOT Array / MN Solar Classic 150 / 2017 Conext SW 4024 Inverter latest firmware / OB PSX-240 Autotransfomer for load balancing / Trojan L16H-AC 435Ah bank 4S connected to Inverter with 7' of 4/0 cable / 24 volt system / Grid-Assist or Backup Solar Generator System Powering 3200Whs Daily / System went Online Oct 2017 / System, Pics and Discussion
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  • wellbuilt
    wellbuilt Solar Expert Posts: 763 ✭✭✭✭
    #36
    I’m not sure about the battery’s I left the house Monday AM and have not gotten back up there yet . 
     Heading up there  tomorrow morning I have to assume things  have been taking care of themselves , 
     I will post a up date  tomorrow 

    LH. Back in the day taking pictures of our work was a pain , now every one has a camera in there pocket .
     I have guys snapping pics all day long . 
     
    Out back  flex power one  with out back 3648 inverter fm80 charge controler  flex net  mate 16 gc215 battery’s 4425 Watts solar .
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  • littleharbor2
    littleharbor2 Solar Expert Posts: 2,113 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited July 2018 #37
    If you can get them off their damn phones long enough to take a pic. :p

    2.1 Kw Suntech 175 mono, Classic 200, Trace SW 4024 ( 15 years old  but brand new out of sealed factory box Jan. 2015), Bogart Tri-metric,  460 Ah. 24 volt LiFePo4 battery bank. Plenty of Baja Sea of Cortez sunshine.

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  • wellbuilt
    wellbuilt Solar Expert Posts: 763 ✭✭✭✭
    #38
    Mr M1  I’m not really worried about most days .
     Im worried mostly  about December  , nov and January are bright compared to December , then 
     there are the days of snow . And the weeks of below -0 . 
       I do seem to get sun for a few hours every day or so .


    Out back  flex power one  with out back 3648 inverter fm80 charge controler  flex net  mate 16 gc215 battery’s 4425 Watts solar .
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  • mcgivor
    mcgivor Solar Expert Posts: 3,854 ✭✭✭✭✭✭
    #39
    wellbuilt said:
    Mr M1  I’m not really worried about most days .
     Im worried mostly  about December  , nov and January are bright compared to December , then 
     there are the days of snow . And the weeks of below -0 . 
       I do seem to get sun for a few hours every day or so .


    Good thinking, worry about the potential deficit before being concerned with potential credits, that can be done once a baseline is established.
    1500W, 6× Schutten 250W Poly panels , Schneider MPPT 60 150 CC, Schneider SW 2524 inverter, 400Ah LFP 24V nominal battery with Battery Bodyguard BMS 
    Second system 1890W  3 × 300W No name brand poly, 3×330 Sunsolar Poly panels, Morningstar TS 60 PWM controller, no name 2000W inverter 400Ah LFP 24V nominal battery with Daly BMS, used for water pumping and day time air conditioning.  
    5Kw Yanmar clone single cylinder air cooled diesel generator for rare emergency charging and welding.
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  • westbranch
    westbranch Solar Expert Posts: 5,183 ✭✭✭✭
    #40
    Based on my experiences so far, if you can make it now,, Bulk- Absorb and into Float, with,say 1000W STC (Name Plate value) you will need at least 50% more in the dead of winter, all  of Dec and  2+ weeks into January just to get through ABSORB...because of the lesser # of hours and the weakest strength sunlight for the whole year and the worst weather...hth
     
    KID #51B  4s 140W to 24V 900Ah C&D AGM
    CL#29032 FW 2126/ 2073/ 2133 175A E-Panel WBjr, 3 x 4s 140W to 24V 900Ah C&D AGM 
    Cotek ST1500W 24V Inverter,OmniCharge 3024,
    2 x Cisco WRT54GL i/c DD-WRT Rtr & Bridge,
    Eu3/2/1000i Gens, 1680W & E-Panel/WBjr to come, CL #647 asleep
    West Chilcotin, BC, Canada
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  • MrM1
    MrM1 Registered Users Posts: 487 ✭✭✭✭
    #41
    I'm not knocking u for the idea. I over paneled my set up for its location too. But I did find myself looking for ways to utilize more of the power available from the array on sunny days. Ended up wiring a hot water heater diversion load
    REC TwinPeak 2 285W 3S-3P 2.6kW-STC / 1.9kW-NMOT Array / MN Solar Classic 150 / 2017 Conext SW 4024 Inverter latest firmware / OB PSX-240 Autotransfomer for load balancing / Trojan L16H-AC 435Ah bank 4S connected to Inverter with 7' of 4/0 cable / 24 volt system / Grid-Assist or Backup Solar Generator System Powering 3200Whs Daily / System went Online Oct 2017 / System, Pics and Discussion
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  • wellbuilt
    wellbuilt Solar Expert Posts: 763 ✭✭✭✭
    #42
    Ya I hate the cell phone , for a few years I would lock the phones up on the job and the boys could text on break and lunch .  
     Then I figured they would have to man up and control them selves . 
     I would look on the phone bill at the end of the month and just charge them for the time .
      How about smoking  I hate smoking  back in the day you could smoke all you want as long as you where cutting wood and nailing .
     Now there is a hole reason to walk to there cars smoking to check there phone and shoot off a text .
    Out back  flex power one  with out back 3648 inverter fm80 charge controler  flex net  mate 16 gc215 battery’s 4425 Watts solar .
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  • wellbuilt
    wellbuilt Solar Expert Posts: 763 ✭✭✭✭
    #43
    Every thing was ok with the battery’s 1 was at 100% charge for 3.7 days so it took about 2 days to bring the charge up 21%  I think that’s ok for now . 
     Sun is only hitting my panels 6 hrs a day now . 
     
     Funny thing is my mate graft bar stoped working , the solar power is  shown on a little graph with a KW reading 
     the power usage is also shown with a graph and a killawatt reading but the graph doesn’t work ? 
     I’m not sure if it ever worked ? 
     Any thoughts ? 
     
    Out back  flex power one  with out back 3648 inverter fm80 charge controler  flex net  mate 16 gc215 battery’s 4425 Watts solar .
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  • wellbuilt
    wellbuilt Solar Expert Posts: 763 ✭✭✭✭
    #44
    I’m trying to charge with my genarator now and I’m getting a fault 

     it reads  generator frequency to low 
     I’m around 115 to 120 volts 54.7 to 55:2 hz  ant thoughts 
    Out back  flex power one  with out back 3648 inverter fm80 charge controler  flex net  mate 16 gc215 battery’s 4425 Watts solar .
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  • BB.
    BB. Super Moderators, Administrators Posts: 33,642 admin
    #45
    Some gensets need a simple load (a couple of 100 watt filament lamps or an electric heater) to stabilize voltage and frequency. Then apply the frequency/voltage sensitive loads (like an inverter-charger).

    Otherwise, getting your nominal frequency closer to 60 Hz by adjusting the genset would be a good idea.

    Some inverter-chargers have a frequency range setting... Perhaps you can adjust lower? (that will, I am guessing, also let the 55 Hz AC output from the genset go to your AC loads too--May or may not be an issue).

    -Bill
    Near San Francisco California: 3.5kWatt Grid Tied Solar power system+small backup genset
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  • wellbuilt
    wellbuilt Solar Expert Posts: 763 ✭✭✭✭
    #46
    Thank B.B.  I was thinking 55  was the magic number ?  Brain over load . 
     I hate rainy days 🙁
    Out back  flex power one  with out back 3648 inverter fm80 charge controler  flex net  mate 16 gc215 battery’s 4425 Watts solar .
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  • Estragon
    Estragon Registered Users Posts: 4,496 ✭✭✭✭✭
    #47
    You might also want to check and maybe increase the inverter connect delay setting to let the genny warm up a bit. IIRC mine default to 30secs and I upped to 1 minute.
    Off-grid.  
    Main daytime system ~4kw panels into 2xMNClassic150 370ah 48v bank 2xOutback 3548 inverter 120v + 240v autotransformer
    Night system ~1kw panels into 1xMNClassic150 700ah 12v bank morningstar 300w inverter
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  • BB.
    BB. Super Moderators, Administrators Posts: 33,642 admin
    #48
    It all depends... A mechanically govern genset is probably 60Hz +/- 5 Hz for frequency stability. Getting down towards 50 Hz, 60 Hz rated transformers and induction motors will start having problems (overheating, etc. if operated near rated power/VA).

    -Bill
    Near San Francisco California: 3.5kWatt Grid Tied Solar power system+small backup genset
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  • westbranch
    westbranch Solar Expert Posts: 5,183 ✭✭✭✭
    #49
    I had to increase the run speed  a bit based on the Kill A Watt meter, the voltage went up a tad but the saws etc like it better with the  correct Frequency

     
    KID #51B  4s 140W to 24V 900Ah C&D AGM
    CL#29032 FW 2126/ 2073/ 2133 175A E-Panel WBjr, 3 x 4s 140W to 24V 900Ah C&D AGM 
    Cotek ST1500W 24V Inverter,OmniCharge 3024,
    2 x Cisco WRT54GL i/c DD-WRT Rtr & Bridge,
    Eu3/2/1000i Gens, 1680W & E-Panel/WBjr to come, CL #647 asleep
    West Chilcotin, BC, Canada
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  • mcgivor
    mcgivor Solar Expert Posts: 3,854 ✭✭✭✭✭✭
    #50
    There are many intricities involved with building an off grid system, relying on information provided by technology is not the sane as  knowledge, as stated in post#3 don't attempt use a system before it is complete, generally I'm not in the habit of peeling my potatoes twice, but if you must, check the settings for frequency qualification and adjust accordingly.
    1500W, 6× Schutten 250W Poly panels , Schneider MPPT 60 150 CC, Schneider SW 2524 inverter, 400Ah LFP 24V nominal battery with Battery Bodyguard BMS 
    Second system 1890W  3 × 300W No name brand poly, 3×330 Sunsolar Poly panels, Morningstar TS 60 PWM controller, no name 2000W inverter 400Ah LFP 24V nominal battery with Daly BMS, used for water pumping and day time air conditioning.  
    5Kw Yanmar clone single cylinder air cooled diesel generator for rare emergency charging and welding.
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  • wellbuilt
    wellbuilt Solar Expert Posts: 763 ✭✭✭✭
    #51
    Ok I Tickle the generator a little and I’m charging , that’s the good news .
     The bad news is it seams like the mate is Systematically shutting down starting with the graph ? 
     Things with the mate seam to be going out of wack ? 
     I’m still working with it . 
     But a lot of the buttons don’t seam to work  and the screens seem to contradict themselves ? Thoughts 
    Out back  flex power one  with out back 3648 inverter fm80 charge controler  flex net  mate 16 gc215 battery’s 4425 Watts solar .
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  • BB.
    BB. Super Moderators, Administrators Posts: 33,642 admin
    #52
    Shut down all power to your system. Let sit for 5 minutes. Then turn on DC battery power first, then power up rest of system (solar array power, genset power, etc.)... My first guess.

    If there is a "system restart" command (reset to system defaults)--I would try that too... There are times when a "wrong value" is written to the setup storage and the software uses it--And goes "nuts" with the invalid data....

    -Bill
    Near San Francisco California: 3.5kWatt Grid Tied Solar power system+small backup genset
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  • wellbuilt
    wellbuilt Solar Expert Posts: 763 ✭✭✭✭
    #53
    Oooooooo I hate computers 
    Out back  flex power one  with out back 3648 inverter fm80 charge controler  flex net  mate 16 gc215 battery’s 4425 Watts solar .
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  • wellbuilt
    wellbuilt Solar Expert Posts: 763 ✭✭✭✭
    #54
    The graph should show power going out at the screw point  just like the solar graph is showing power coming in ? 
      Things started looking funny when this graph died .
    Out back  flex power one  with out back 3648 inverter fm80 charge controler  flex net  mate 16 gc215 battery’s 4425 Watts solar .
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  • wellbuilt
    wellbuilt Solar Expert Posts: 763 ✭✭✭✭
    #55

    Out back  flex power one  with out back 3648 inverter fm80 charge controler  flex net  mate 16 gc215 battery’s 4425 Watts solar .
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  • wellbuilt
    wellbuilt Solar Expert Posts: 763 ✭✭✭✭
    #56
    Yes I have read post #3 and under stand what you Guy are telling me . 
    Im not really using the system I’m just testing as I go , looking at the parts an  pieces I have limited time to work here now , and I’ve been figuring thing out Buying parts at home and on line . 
     It looks like I will have time in a few weeks and will get the panels up . 
      I just want to float the battery’s and use the genarator pass thru for lites and radio 
     I’m still running power tools off the genarator .
    Out back  flex power one  with out back 3648 inverter fm80 charge controler  flex net  mate 16 gc215 battery’s 4425 Watts solar .
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  • wellbuilt
    wellbuilt Solar Expert Posts: 763 ✭✭✭✭
    #57
    Hi all new question ,
     I have 2 banks of 8 gc215 battery’s . 
     I need a 175 ap fuse for the battery  terminals 
     do I put a 175 amp fuse on each battery or say a 85 amp fuse one on each battery or combine the battery bank then add I 175 amp fuse ? 
      Thank in advance for the help .  John 
    Out back  flex power one  with out back 3648 inverter fm80 charge controler  flex net  mate 16 gc215 battery’s 4425 Watts solar .
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  • Estragon
    Estragon Registered Users Posts: 4,496 ✭✭✭✭✭
    #58
    I'd put a 175 on the combined bank.
    Off-grid.  
    Main daytime system ~4kw panels into 2xMNClassic150 370ah 48v bank 2xOutback 3548 inverter 120v + 240v autotransformer
    Night system ~1kw panels into 1xMNClassic150 700ah 12v bank morningstar 300w inverter
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  • mcgivor
    mcgivor Solar Expert Posts: 3,854 ✭✭✭✭✭✭
    #59
    Personally I would ask the question what size the conductors are before recomending an over current device, after all that is the purpose of such a device, fuse or circuit breaker, to protect the conductors not the devices fed, although it can protect devices, that is not the primary purpose.
    1500W, 6× Schutten 250W Poly panels , Schneider MPPT 60 150 CC, Schneider SW 2524 inverter, 400Ah LFP 24V nominal battery with Battery Bodyguard BMS 
    Second system 1890W  3 × 300W No name brand poly, 3×330 Sunsolar Poly panels, Morningstar TS 60 PWM controller, no name 2000W inverter 400Ah LFP 24V nominal battery with Daly BMS, used for water pumping and day time air conditioning.  
    5Kw Yanmar clone single cylinder air cooled diesel generator for rare emergency charging and welding.
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  • Estragon
    Estragon Registered Users Posts: 4,496 ✭✭✭✭✭
    #60
    @mcgivor - good point. I assumed John had already worked out the correct OCD size for wiring and devices ("I need a 175a fuse..."), but that assumption may be incorrect.
    Off-grid.  
    Main daytime system ~4kw panels into 2xMNClassic150 370ah 48v bank 2xOutback 3548 inverter 120v + 240v autotransformer
    Night system ~1kw panels into 1xMNClassic150 700ah 12v bank morningstar 300w inverter
    · Share on Twitter
  • wellbuilt
    wellbuilt Solar Expert Posts: 763 ✭✭✭✭
    #61
    I have a 3600 watt inverter with 02g wire size of my thumb ? 
     I’m not sure where the 175 amp fuse came from . 
     Maybe the breaker on the inverter is 175 amp or I read it some where . 
     Could I run both battery banks with 02g wire to this fuse @ 175 amps then run to the inverter 
     
    Out back  flex power one  with out back 3648 inverter fm80 charge controler  flex net  mate 16 gc215 battery’s 4425 Watts solar .
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