Serial connections for three panels?

softdown
softdown Solar Expert Posts: 3,996 ✭✭✭✭
in Off Grid Solar & Battery Systems #1
The yield will be ~ 120 volts. CC is 150 volts. 
Believe it or not, I have not found either basic combiner box or 3 into 1 Y branch connectors that are conducive to this adventure. Little help appreciated. 
First Bank:16 180 watt Grape Solar with  FM80 controller and 3648 Inverter....Fullriver 8D AGM solar batteries. Second Bank/MacGyver Special: 10 165(?) watt BP Solar with Renogy MPPT 40A controller/ and Xantrex C-35 PWM controller/ and Morningstar PWM controller...Cotek 24V PSW inverter....forklift and diesel locomotive batteries
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  • littleharbor2
    littleharbor2 Solar Expert Posts: 2,155 ✭✭✭✭✭
    #2
    You should be able to find the three into oneWhy connectors on eBay

    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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  • mike_s
    mike_s Registered Users Posts: 165 ✭✭✭
    edited August 20 #3
    ??? If connecting them in series, what use is there for a "combiner box or 3 into 1 Y branch connector?" They just get daisy chained.
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  • softdown
    softdown Solar Expert Posts: 3,996 ✭✭✭✭
    #4
    littleharbor2 said:
    You should be able to find the three into oneWhy connectors on eBay
    3 into 1 is easy to find but they are wired for parallel connections. 
    Tried to use a 2 into 1 with 1 input used on the normal output. .89 volts got through using two panels. As if there was a diode in the Y connector. 

    Couple weeks ago I tried the same thing and ~ 42 volts was reduced to ~ 38 volts. That was both strange and unacceptable. The Y connectors are, no doubt, from different manufacturers. 

    Right now it seems I have to remove some MC4 connectors and replace a couple males with females and females with males. 
    First Bank:16 180 watt Grape Solar with  FM80 controller and 3648 Inverter....Fullriver 8D AGM solar batteries. Second Bank/MacGyver Special: 10 165(?) watt BP Solar with Renogy MPPT 40A controller/ and Xantrex C-35 PWM controller/ and Morningstar PWM controller...Cotek 24V PSW inverter....forklift and diesel locomotive batteries
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  • littleharbor2
    littleharbor2 Solar Expert Posts: 2,155 ✭✭✭✭✭
    #5
    softdown said:
    littleharbor2 said:
    You should be able to find the three into oneWhy connectors on eBay
    3 into 1 is easy to find but they are wired for parallel connections. 
    Tried to use a 2 into 1 with 1 input used on the normal output. .89 volts got through using two panels. As if there was a diode in the Y connector. 

    Couple weeks ago I tried the same thing and ~ 42 volts was reduced to ~ 38 volts. That was both strange and unacceptable. The Y connectors are, no doubt, from different manufacturers. 

    Right now it seems I have to remove some MC4 connectors and replace a couple males with females and females with males. 
    Which makes no sense, your mc4 connectors are either reverse polarity or not, I think you're confused on what you're trying to do i just mentioned where you could find three into one parallel connectors. Honestly it sounds like connecting Polarities backwards and getting that's super low voltage get a digital multimeter and make sure all the male positive outputs have male, positive MC4 connectors same for the female, negative.

    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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  • softdown
    softdown Solar Expert Posts: 3,996 ✭✭✭✭
    edited August 20 #6
    It has been surprising. What good does parallel connectors do when serial connections are needed? 

    The combiner boxes are usually used to parallel connections that were serial connections when entering the combiner box. 

    If someone has actually done serial connections with three panels that would be of interest. Or a vid of someone who did it. 

    EDIT: Appears I found a vid. Back to the roof. 
    First Bank:16 180 watt Grape Solar with  FM80 controller and 3648 Inverter....Fullriver 8D AGM solar batteries. Second Bank/MacGyver Special: 10 165(?) watt BP Solar with Renogy MPPT 40A controller/ and Xantrex C-35 PWM controller/ and Morningstar PWM controller...Cotek 24V PSW inverter....forklift and diesel locomotive batteries
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  • softdown
    softdown Solar Expert Posts: 3,996 ✭✭✭✭
    #7
    Done. Easy with instruction. I should have figured it out. 
    First Bank:16 180 watt Grape Solar with  FM80 controller and 3648 Inverter....Fullriver 8D AGM solar batteries. Second Bank/MacGyver Special: 10 165(?) watt BP Solar with Renogy MPPT 40A controller/ and Xantrex C-35 PWM controller/ and Morningstar PWM controller...Cotek 24V PSW inverter....forklift and diesel locomotive batteries
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