What to do ?

dragntoys
dragntoys Registered Users Posts: 6 ✭✭
I have a system I bought in a storage locker and would like to set it up on a 14x60 mobile home .my question is how should i wire my panels .system consist of
2 flexmax 60 mppt charge controllers
2 samlex 600 watt pure sine inverters
24 rolls s6-460agm batteries
2 trimetric tm-2030 system monitors
10 mission solar 325 watt panels
10 mission solar 360 watt panels

And what power am i looking at getting out of this setup?
I was thinking running panels in series 5 panels at a time going into a combiner box then into a flexmax 60 charge controller then upgrading the inverter .my average daily kwh is 95 to 110 I live in charleston sc

Comments

  • Photowhit
    Photowhit Solar Expert Posts: 6,002 ✭✭✭✭✭
    It may have some value as a backup for power outages, but it's really not well designed for home use. It will be important to know what condition the batteries are in,  24 Rolls 460 AGM batteries have some value even if they are dead. They need to be charged and then load tested. They can withstand a long periods without charging, but are best checked and charged every 2-3 months. They may Well be good. @Marc Kurth (I think that's the correct person) Sells AGM batteries and perhaps he can give yo some guidance on how to properly load test these.

    If they are bad they are 123 lbs of recycle and Johnson Control, just built a plant in Florence, S.C. so you may get north of 40 cents a pound to the right recycler or drop them there...lol.

    95-110 KWhs would take roughly (back of envelope) 24 KWh array to offset in a grid tied system. If you wanted to do a off grid system with no changes, You would likely want more than double that. So likely that isn't going to happen. Since you already have the batteries and they turn out to be good, you might be able to do a hybrid system with the batteries. With a Hybride system you sell energy back to the gride, but have the battery bank for outages.

    3 strings of 8 batteries would give you 1200 amp hours at 48 volts, or 1200 x 48= 57,600 watt hour battery bank. You would normally want to keep the system in the top 50%, so roughly 30KWhs of storage, would keep the fridges and freezer going and some minimal cooling and heating. 

    Note the 6850 watts of solar panels, would have a hard time returning more than about 20Kwhs to the battery bank in 4-5 hours of direct sunlight. So it would depend on how and why on the outage as to how much you would want to let the batteries run down.

    I've just done most of this in my head,so rough estimates, but I thought I'd throw it out there. A large hybrid inverter will be pretty costly and should be based on the maximum you will need at any one point in time.
    Home system 4000 watt (Evergreen) array standing, with 2 Midnite Classic Lites,  Midnite E-panel, Magnum MS4024, Prosine 1800(now backup) and Exeltech 1100(former backup...lol), 660 ah 24v Forklift battery(now 10 years old). Off grid for 20 years (if I include 8 months on a bicycle).
    - Assorted other systems, pieces and to many panels in the closet to not do more projects.
  • mcgivor
    mcgivor Solar Expert Posts: 3,854 ✭✭✭✭✭✭
    Would this be an offgrid application?  There is a lot of good equipment but mismatched in terms of controller, PV, inverter and battery capacity, with a daily usage of 95-110kwh the system would need to be rather large with some serious calculations to achieve ballance . Was this equipment bought by you then put in a storage locker, or was it a  locker purchased on auction, if the latter the batteries may have been sitting for some time without charge, not a good thing.
    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.
  • dragntoys
    dragntoys Registered Users Posts: 6 ✭✭
    I bought in a storage locker .i paid 800.00 for all .and was just thinking of maybe running small stuff in trailer to knock the light bill down .lights and what i can .i actually thought about putting a breaker box next to my existing box and taking circuits out of one to put in other to run
  • dragntoys
    dragntoys Registered Users Posts: 6 ✭✭
    I hooked batteries up to trimetric and they are reading 50.7 volts
  • mcgivor
    mcgivor Solar Expert Posts: 3,854 ✭✭✭✭✭✭
    Nice score, worth way more than $800, perhaps  $8000 +, a hybrid system with AC coupling  comes to mind,  just  typing while  thinking.
    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.
  • dragntoys
    dragntoys Registered Users Posts: 6 ✭✭
    I'm stuck on how to wire the pv panels i did 5 panels in parrallel but it was bringing in 209.86 volts so it said high voc on charge controller
  • BB.
    BB. Super Moderators, Administrators Posts: 33,422 admin
    5x panels in series?
    Bill
    Near San Francisco California: 3.5kWatt Grid Tied Solar power system+small backup genset
  • Photowhit
    Photowhit Solar Expert Posts: 6,002 ✭✭✭✭✭
    dragntoys said:
    I'm stuck on how to wire the pv panels i did 5 panels in parrallel but it was bringing in 209.86 volts so it said high voc on charge controller
    Yeah, there isn't a good way to use all the panels. The FM60(&80) have too high a VOC to use in series of 4 or 5, even 3 is too many in many climates, The VOC on the 335s is around 46.1 and the 360 is around 48.1. The VOC is rated at SOC which is 25c or about 77 Fahrenheit. The VOC will rise when cold and even in SC I suspect will be too high in strings of 3.

    Problem is the VMP is really too low to use in strings of 2. Perhaps the reason he set the system aside. It's a known problem with 72 cell panels and many MPPT type charge controllers.

    Home system 4000 watt (Evergreen) array standing, with 2 Midnite Classic Lites,  Midnite E-panel, Magnum MS4024, Prosine 1800(now backup) and Exeltech 1100(former backup...lol), 660 ah 24v Forklift battery(now 10 years old). Off grid for 20 years (if I include 8 months on a bicycle).
    - Assorted other systems, pieces and to many panels in the closet to not do more projects.
  • dragntoys
    dragntoys Registered Users Posts: 6 ✭✭
    So would it benefit me to look for another charge controller .looking for a way to use the panels to cut some off of the electric bill .will not be grid tie.
  • MrM1
    MrM1 Registered Users Posts: 487 ✭✭✭✭
    edited August 2018 #11
    IMHO u could use the midnite solar sizing tool to get an idea of what could work and if a MN classic would be of any benefit.

    http://www.midnitesolar.com/sizingTool/
    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
  • Photowhit
    Photowhit Solar Expert Posts: 6,002 ✭✭✭✭✭
    There are some higher voltage charge controller by schnieder, and I think Morningstar, but they aren't cheap (Nor is the FM60)

    https://www.solar-electric.com/xaxwmp80amp6.html

    Morningstar;

    https://www.solar-electric.com/morningstar-ts-mppt-600v-48-db-tr-solar-charge-controller.html

    Midnite makes one for $550 That would allow you to do strings of 3 panels;

    https://www.solar-electric.com/midnite-solar-classic-200-sl-charge-controller.html


    Home system 4000 watt (Evergreen) array standing, with 2 Midnite Classic Lites,  Midnite E-panel, Magnum MS4024, Prosine 1800(now backup) and Exeltech 1100(former backup...lol), 660 ah 24v Forklift battery(now 10 years old). Off grid for 20 years (if I include 8 months on a bicycle).
    - Assorted other systems, pieces and to many panels in the closet to not do more projects.
  • dragntoys
    dragntoys Registered Users Posts: 6 ✭✭
    Considering i only have 800.00 in all i have it would be worth spending a little so i could use what i have
  • Estragon
    Estragon Registered Users Posts: 4,496 ✭✭✭✭✭
    How cold does it get (ever - record low) where you'll be using them?

    What is the DC input voltage of the inverters?
    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