December 12, 20169 yr Author yes, they are 6 strings. All cables are same length. It ran my house for around 15hours without sun drawing constant 700w. System would switch back to grid at 49v. I don't need as many batteries anymore as I got the smart grid inverter.
December 12, 20169 yr 6 hours ago, JDP said: Only the first strings of batteries are working. You need a bus bar and all the cables should be the same length. Just a tip on wiring those bats up. Not really. The negative cable goes across to the other end of the bank, so the total length is the same for each string.
December 12, 20169 yr Author Quick question.. I have 9x 235W panels in series. I have 3x 260W panels sitting in my garage. Would it be ok to add them to the 235w string? The voltages are the same, just the Watts that are a bit higher.. Can't seem to find more 235W panels locally.
December 13, 20169 yr 16 hours ago, Johann1982 said: yup, I measured them all to the mm. Some strings will still work harder than others connected that way. You need busbars and equal lengths of cable between each sting and each busbar.
December 13, 20169 yr Author 4 minutes ago, superdiy said: Some strings will still work harder than others connected that way. You need busbars and equal lengths of cable between each sting and each busbar. I hear you. All cables are equal lengths, will add busbars when I get a chance.
December 13, 20169 yr 14 hours ago, Johann1982 said: Quick question.. I have 9x 235W panels in series. I have 3x 260W panels sitting in my garage. Would it be ok to add them to the 235w string? The voltages are the same, just the Watts that are a bit higher.. Can't seem to find more 235W panels locally. It can be done but it is not recommended, first check the current rating of the panels. Connecting panels in series that are not the same, the lower current rated panel will drag the performance of the system down. So if the rated current of the 235w panel is 8A and the 260w is 8.5A, the whole string will only supply 8A,
December 13, 20169 yr Lets assume you have no problems with the open circuit voltage being too high: 12 * 235 = 2820Wp (because the 260W panels will behave like 235W panels) 9 * 260 = 2340Wp So you will only see a 500W improvement. IF you put the 3 panels on their own controller (if you could... if the inverter had 2 mppts) you'll get an additional 235*3 ~= 700W. So the penalty for doing it this way is 200W. Feels acceptable considering the alternative. BUT (and this is actually way more important), with that many panels in series, consider the open circuit voltage. For a 72-cell module (which I suspect those are) you're talking around 45V open circuit on each module, times 12... so you'd be around 540V. The spec sheet of your inverter says the max is 450V (ie you are at the limit already with 9 panels). So no... do not do it. You will be sad... and right before Christmas too.
December 13, 20169 yr Author @plonkster More like 37.7VOC which should be ok. 452V in total. Max input is 500V, MPPT Range is 450V. The moment I get 380V open circuit if I test with multimeter. Will obviously be higher on cold days. I have an extra inverter incase I bork this one.
December 13, 20169 yr 1 hour ago, Johann1982 said: @plonkster More like 37.7VOC which should be ok. 452V in total. Max input is 500V, MPPT Range is 450V. The moment I get 380V open circuit if I test with multimeter. Will obviously be higher on cold days. I have an extra inverter incase I bork this one. Just check the cold temp (ie 0 degree celcius) VOC of the panels in a series string and see if you still fall in the safe zone of the inverter.
December 13, 20169 yr Author I have over volted on my Axpert before, it just bypasses the solar if that happens. I had 4x 260W in series to see what would happen. Let's hope Vision will have that same safety feature. I enjoy testing solar hardware to the max.
December 13, 20169 yr Author On 12/8/2016 at 4:29 PM, Groenkaroo said: I also got my Vision inverter today. Johann you must make sure to upload enough pics because this is going to be my first solar installation and I can do with any help I can get. Hi Groen, het jy al jou Vision inverter ge-installeer? Sover is ek baie gelukkig met myne.
December 13, 20169 yr 4 hours ago, Johann1982 said: Hi Groen, het jy al jou Vision inverter ge-installeer? Sover is ek baie gelukkig met myne. Ek het vanaand myne aan die brand geslinger. Sy rook het darem nie uitgekom nie. My installasie is nog nie klaar nie, ek moet nog twee van die drie PV stringe koppel, maar more behoort ek my eerste son energie op te wek. Die inverter is eintlik maar net 'n toetslopie. Ek beplan om net die boorgatpomp en 2 aircons op hom te koppel. Die drie items behoort hom heeldag besig te hou. Volgende jaar beplan ek om 'n groter inverter met 'n battery bank vir die huis te installeer.
December 13, 20169 yr Ek het ten minste twee skroewedraaiers al gevind in trunking en op die plafon... :-)
December 14, 20169 yr Author 9 hours ago, Groenkaroo said: Dis hoe dit nou lyk Baie netjies! Gebruik jy thin film?
December 14, 20169 yr Nee, ek het vroeer in die jaar 'n baie goeie prys op 170 W Eging Monochrystaline panele gekry en toe sommer 6 kw se panele gekoop. Die statium loop het twee stringe van 11 panele - 1870 W per string. Die son staan vandag stil in die Karoo en toe ek netnou gaan kyk het, het die panele 3230 W geproduseer. Die panele is so bietjie vuil en moet nog gewas word.
December 14, 20169 yr Author Baie jaloers, geen wolke in Karoo is 'n solar droom. Jy moet foto's opsit sodra jy kans kry. Die aircons loop seker mooi vandag.
December 14, 20169 yr Author So my inverter works great, I am just having some trouble programming the thing so that it doesn't draw my batteries past 49V. I have set it as follows: 00:00 Gen Prio 01:00 Gen Prio 02:00 Gen Prio 03:00 AC Charge off 04:00 AC Charge off 05:00 AC Charge off 06:00 AC Charge off 07:00 AC Charge off 08:00 Sav Prio 09:00 Sav Prio 10:00 Sav Prio 11:00 Sav Prio 12:00 Sav Prio 13:00 Sav Prio 14:00 Sav Prio 15:00 Sav Prio 16:00 Gen Prio 17:00 Gen Prio 18:00 Gen Prio 19:00 Gen Prio 20:00 Gen Prio 21:00 Gen Prio 22:00 Gen Prio 23:00 Gen Prio Sorry bout the multiple posts, my pc went haywire.
December 14, 20169 yr Author So my inverter works great, I am just having some trouble programming the thing so that it doesn't draw my batteries past 49V. I have set it as follows: 00:00 Gen Prio 01:00 Gen Prio 00:00 Gen Prio 00:00 Gen Prio 00:00 Gen Prio00:00 Gen Prio
January 11, 20179 yr Hi Johann, rather than to trust the inv to manage your batteries, why not install a Victron battery monitor? Are you looking to run completely off-grid, or just lower your electric bill? If this unit is indeed similar to the Infini unit, you should be able to program it to use solar+batt during the day and only mains during the night. P.S. Like the 235W PV's. Where did you get them, as I have been looking for ages. I would love another string of 9
January 11, 20179 yr On 12/2/2016 at 2:52 PM, Johann1982 said: ...As far as I can tell yes. When the load exceeds 9kw (Surge Rating) for too long it will switch to bypass. I will know after next week if it indeed will work like that. Hi Johann, Were you maybe able to confirm whether this bypass function was working as initially expected? This inverter seems to be a good option to address my requirements but my load occasionally exceed 3 kW and I don't want to split the DB with everything that goes with it. Thanks
January 12, 20179 yr Author Hi Langeraat I can confirm that I have pushed around 5.5kw through the inverter without any issues. I have not managed to get it to switch to bypass yet. I have only removed the oven from my inverter, all the rest is going through it.
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