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System · April 2008

I'm new!

Installing a small off grid system at the cottage.

Have purchased 4-110w Mitsubishi PV. and 4 -12v Deka 186ah batteries.

Intend to get a MS2812 Magnum epanel.

Will wire the PVs in series - 48v to keep the wire size down to #8 as it's 45' from the shed where I will mount them on the roof ,to the cottage where the batteries and inverter will be. Is the wire size OK?

Will run to an MX60. The only thing that I will run at 12v is a Shurflo pump.
Where will I pick up the feed for it?

Do I need a disconnect before the MX60 and after as well as a disconnect before and after the inverter.
For grounding should I ground the panels to a rod and also ground the inverter? Do these also have to be connected together - ground.

Will also have a manually started 5500w generator wired in to the inverter.

Do I need a disconnect on the AC distribution panel?

Any comments would be appreciated. I'm mechanically inclined but not electrical - should I be able to install the equipment?

Thanks Simon

mike95490 · April 2008

Re: Gen.info

simon wrote: »

Have purchased 4-110w Mitsubishi PV. and 4 -12v Deka 186ah batteries.

Will wire the PVs in series - 48v to keep the wire size down to #8 as it's 45' from the shed where I will mount them on the roof ,to the cottage where the batteries and inverter will be. Is the wire size OK?

Will run to an MX60. The only thing that I will run at 12v is a Shurflo pump.
Where will I pick up the feed for it?

Will also have a manually started 5500w generator wired in to the inverter.

DON'T wire the generator to the inverter - all the magic smoke will come out of the inverter

I don't know what the voltage is for the PV's you got, can you post the contents of the label or their specs ?

I'll assume you are going to run the batteries in a 48V or a 24V configuration, I'd suggest 24V, to keep the pump happy. 12V becomes a little problematic with paralleling of batteries.

I'd look for a 24V version of that pump.

What are your Loads ? Do you need a Pure sine inverter, or a Mod sine ? Most things with a coil of wire (motors, transformers) want a pure sine wave.

System2 · April 2008

Re: Gen.info

mike90045 wrote: »

DON'T wire the generator to the inverter - all the magic smoke will come out of the inverter

I don't know what the voltage is for the PV's you got, can you post the contents of the label or their specs ?

I'll assume you are going to run the batteries in a 48V or a 24V configuration, I'd suggest 24V, to keep the pump happy. 12V becomes a little problematic with paralleling of batteries.

I'd look for a 24V version of that pump.

What are your Loads ? Do you need a Pure sine inverter, or a Mod sine ? Most things with a coil of wire (motors, transformers) want a pure sine wave.

Probably don't need a pure sine except I looked into a Xantrex DR series and it will not work with arc fault outlets. Maybe all mod sine will not but I don't know.
If the inverter is a 2812 don't I have to wire the batteries in parallel?
What do you mean 12v becomes problematic with paralleling of batteries?
My loads are lights, TV ,VCR and satellite and ceiling fan and microwave.

Thanks

rplarry · April 2008

Re: Gen.info

Simon
I'm not sure why Mike would say not to wire the generator into the inverter. I'm pretty sure that inverter has an AC input, and will charge your battery bank when the generator is connected properly to the AC input of the inverter. I'm sure Mike will chime in and give his reason for the statement.

As far as the batteries are concerned, yes, if your inverter is 12v then you have to have a 12v battery bank and with your batteries that will require a parralel arrangement. When you wire batteries in parrelel you run the risk of one or more of the batteries not getting the same charge as the others. If there is any excess resistance in any of the connections then those batteries will not get as good a charge as the batteries with good connections. Just be sure all your connections are clean and tight.
HTH,
Larry

mike95490 · April 2008

Re: Gen.info

A inverters outputs should not be connected to a AC source. (unless it's a grid tie style)

A inverter/charger can have it's charger feed connected to an appropriate source.

I don't know every model # and it's capabilitys, so if you have an inverter/charger, than yes, you can/should connect the charger portion to the generator.

Sometimes people think they can connect a 2KW inverter output to their 3KW genset, and get 5KW output. All they will get is smoke and ruined gear.

My loads are lights, TV ,VCR and satellite and ceiling fan and microwave.

Those loads will like sine wave inverter power. Mod sine will give lousey video, make the fan motor hum, and the microwave, if it has a transformer [heavy iron core], will die, or kill the inverter. If the microwave has a switching supply [lightweight], it may work ok on mod sine.

I located a couple sketches, 1 bad way, 3 good ways, for the battery wireing. I'd suggest you look at the last one, series-parallel, and using 12V instead of the examples 6V, you would have a nice 24V pack to run a 24V inverter off of. When you chose the DC fuse for the inverter, you will find the 12V inverter may need a 200A fuse, and very heavy wires, and the 24V inverter needs a 100A fuse, and medium heavy wires.

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