Off-grid with Outback

grandmaoffgrid
grandmaoffgrid Registered Users Posts: 15 ✭✭
in Off Grid Solar & Battery Systems #1
Anyone with expertise in off-grid system, using Outback? Started 2.5 years ago and have never gotten my system perfected. It is great 8 months of the year, and things quickly go downhill Nov - March. Gone through a generator and 32 gel batteries. Two new lithium batteries seem unable to hold a charge.  Yes, winter is more challenging in general.  It also brings out the flaws in the system.  Seeking a consultant.
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  • BB.
    BB. Super Moderators, Administrators Posts: 33,613 admin
    #2
    Can you tell us (roughly) where you are located... From your IP address, perhaps down around San Diego California?

    -Bill
    Near San Francisco California: 3.5kWatt Grid Tied Solar power system+small backup genset
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  • grandmaoffgrid
    grandmaoffgrid Registered Users Posts: 15 ✭✭
    #3
    Yes. Ramona
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  • BB.
    BB. Super Moderators, Administrators Posts: 33,613 admin
    #4
    We have one consultant in California (just me making a suggestion--I know him from his posts here. From his signature line:

    Dave Angelini
    "we go where power lines don't" Sierra Mountains near Mariposa/Yosemite CA
     http://members.sti.net/offgridsolar/
    E-mail offgridsolar@sti.net

    Otherwise, do you want to tell us a bit about your system (wattage of solar array, battery bank voltage and AH, AC inverter size, your daily power needs, etc.)?

    In general, you should be in a region with lots of sun year round (inland a bit from San Diego--Not much marine layer/overcast weather?) ... And the first thing to look at is the size of the solar array. Solar panels are historically "cheap" at this time, and adding more panels can help a lot--Especially if the system works fine in Summer but has difficulties in winter.

    -Bill
    Near San Francisco California: 3.5kWatt Grid Tied Solar power system+small backup genset
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  • grandmaoffgrid
    grandmaoffgrid Registered Users Posts: 15 ✭✭
    #5
    Thanks Bill.  Let me see if I can upload images.   True - not a lot of marine layer here.
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  • grandmaoffgrid
    grandmaoffgrid Registered Users Posts: 15 ✭✭
    #6

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  • grandmaoffgrid
    grandmaoffgrid Registered Users Posts: 15 ✭✭
    #7
    No longer hooked up.  They are not working.
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  • grandmaoffgrid
    grandmaoffgrid Registered Users Posts: 15 ✭✭
    #8
    No longer hooked up - 
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  • grandmaoffgrid
    grandmaoffgrid Registered Users Posts: 15 ✭✭
    #9
    Outback system
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  • grandmaoffgrid
    grandmaoffgrid Registered Users Posts: 15 ✭✭
    #10
    Lithium  batteries are hooked up , but dead.
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  • grandmaoffgrid
    grandmaoffgrid Registered Users Posts: 15 ✭✭
    #11

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  • grandmaoffgrid
    grandmaoffgrid Registered Users Posts: 15 ✭✭
    #12
    Have 30 of these, facing south (this photo), and west.
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  • grandmaoffgrid
    grandmaoffgrid Registered Users Posts: 15 ✭✭
    #13
    Last image.  Thanks.
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  • Photowhit
    Photowhit Solar Expert Posts: 6,006 ✭✭✭✭✭
    #14
    So...
    Lets build a system to meet your needs!
    grandmaoffgrid said:
    .  

    There is really NO information here! (Okay it appears there is 50 yards between the array and the charge controller)

    It says 7 Kw as the home as a "uses" is this the max momentary usage? Kw is a momentary value expressed over time (1 hour). We use a cumulative value of kWhs Kilowatt hours to express usage over time. If your home uses 7 Kws each hour then over a 24 hour period it would use 7kwx24hrs=168 kWhs.

    Once we know how much energy you use each day we can work on building a system to meet your needs.

    Also 'batteries' and 'panels' are not units of capacity. You have a lithium battery in your phone, it's smaller than the lithium batteries you recently bought for your home.

    Panels can be tiny, with small capacities, less than a watt like yard lights, or upwards of 500 watts. 

    We would like to know the capacity of the new lithium batteries and the wattage and orientation of the 30 solar panels. Only 12 were shown in pictures, hopefully some on the east and west facing roofs? Also the wiring of the solar panels number in series and strings in parallel?

    All existing equipment, charge controllers, inverters.
    Wiring are the inverters stacked, 

    I'll address other things in another reply.
    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.
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  • Photowhit
    Photowhit Solar Expert Posts: 6,006 ✭✭✭✭✭
    #15
    Lithium Batteries installed 2 days ago and now "dead" are likely not receiving any charging. Perhaps the battery management system (BMS) has saved you there! When installed settings should have been changed in your charge controllers and inverter/chargers before they went on line.

    Assuming a 48 volt system voltage, 4 strings of 8 Gel batteries would be hard to keep power draw and distribution even. These appear to be pretty robust batteries. Poor settings could destroy them, but you may find some still good. Batteries don't like to be left at a low SOC, so you might figure out some way for charging them a bit even off the generator. 

    With a generator incorporated into a system, the settings should have the generator kicking on early enough that the batteries never went below 60-50% SOC (state of charge). You likely perceived them as dead because of a single failure and the other batteries running low trying to boost that string back up. If they have been removed from the system, you might detach the strings and measure the voltage after you do that and again in 3-4 hours. If you notice 1 string lower after 3-4 hours mark that string to search for a bad cell.
    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.
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  • Photowhit
    Photowhit Solar Expert Posts: 6,006 ✭✭✭✭✭
    #16
    @Dave Angelini would be a great resource, but I'd bet he will want those numbers I have suggested. Your Outback system may log your home usage which would be very valuable in figuring out/rebuilding your system!  It pretty much impossible to build a system without knowing what it will be powering.
    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.
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  • grandmaoffgrid
    grandmaoffgrid Registered Users Posts: 15 ✭✭
    #17
    Found someone who can help.  Thanks all for your feedback.  
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