10 hours ago, Nexuss said:

we really need to see your pv string data... if you are paralleling 5 panels x2 on one mppt you will be for sure maxing out the amps and it would explain the graph being flat at the top. What you want is 10 panels on one mppt in one series string ,or 5 panels per mppt both in series.

Hi, i have looked everywhere on the app and also online. I can't find that string data. Maybe I can private message you the log in details and you look for yourself on your computer? 

5 hours ago, YellowTapemeasure said:

We need the exact model number for the panels so that we can pull the correct spec sheet, otherwise it's all guesswork.

I will get on the roof when I am back from work to see if I can see the model number for the panels. 

9 hours ago, Scorp007 said:

So far we have not found any reason for the sudden drop in PV 12h00 to 14h00.

I am not sure if its possible but maybe the mppt is overheating and then the inverter switches it off ? *Edit ,just checked out the PV data and it seems to be like expected , the mppt is pinned at 12,8 amps most of the day. 

Edited February 14, 20224 yr by Nexuss

8 hours ago, Nexuss said:

I am not sure if its possible but maybe the mppt is overheating and then the inverter switches it off ? *Edit ,just checked out the PV data and it seems to be like expected , the mppt is pinned at 12,8 amps most of the day. 

Great feedback.  So what we now now is the Sunsynk doesn't throttle when the max is exceeded and also does not switch off although 60W is lose to zero.

This then the info needed that the 2 parallel strings must be broken and each string of 5 to go to a MPPT?

8 hours ago, Nexuss said:

I am not sure if its possible but maybe the mppt is overheating and then the inverter switches it off ? *Edit ,just checked out the PV data and it seems to be like expected , the mppt is pinned at 12,8 amps most of the day. 

Great feedback.  So what we now now is the Sunsynk doesn't throttle when the max is exceeded and also does not switch off although 60W is lose to zero.

This then the info needed that the 2 parallel strings must be broken and each string of 5 to go to a MPPT?

5 minutes ago, Scorp007 said:

Great feedback.  So what we now now is the Sunsynk doesn't throttle when the max is exceeded and also does not switch off although 60W is lose to zero.

This then the info needed that the 2 parallel strings must be broken and each string of 5 to go to a MPPT?

I recommended him to go with 10 panels on one string to get into the 340-425v production range which would be much more efficient than the 170-200v he is getting with 5 panels on a string.

1 hour ago, Nexuss said:

I recommended him to go with 10 panels on one string to get into the 340-425v production range which would be much more efficient than the 170-200v he is getting with 5 panels on a string.

As far as I am aware, the full load voltage of the Sunsynk's MPPT is 240-425V. Where did 340V come from?

46 minutes ago, YellowTapemeasure said:

As far as I am aware, the full load voltage of the Sunsynk's MPPT is 240-425V. Where did 340V come from?

Check out the graph i posted , the voltage range for his last week or so was 170-200V for 5 panels , so with 10 of them he would be operating around double that which is 340-400V

12 hours ago, Adriaanvt said:

I will get on the roof when I am back from work to see if I can see the model number for the panels. 

Great, it would also help to know your location (for temperature info) as well as panel tilt and azimuth.

8 hours ago, Nexuss said:

I recommended him to go with 10 panels on one string to get into the 340-425v production range which would be much more efficient than the 170-200v he is getting with 5 panels on a string.

The 10series would be the sweet spot. Also quite a distance away from the max PV input volts for working well early and late in the day

Edited February 14, 20224 yr by Scorp007

1 hour ago, YellowTapemeasure said:

Great, it would also help to know your location (for temperature info) as well as panel tilt and azimuth.

Im in Kempton Park, my roof angle is 30° and the panels is pointing NW 335°. I couldn't find the specs on the panels, its to close to the tiles for me to see under. 

2 hours ago, Adriaanvt said:

Im in Kempton Park, my roof angle is 30° and the panels is pointing NW 335°. I couldn't find the specs on the panels, its to close to the tiles for me to see under. 

Thank you for that.

Unfortunately if you don't have specs for the solar panels, it will all be guesswork (which probably got you into this situation in the first place). I am sorry that you had to scratch about on the roof, but you ought to have this information stored in a safe place.

Don't you have it on an invoice, warranty sheet or even the product leaflet from the supplier?

The reason why I am asking this question is because I bought my own system from The Powerforumstore, and every single item, down to the last nut and bolt, had a specification sheet, which was provided to me electronically, before I even made the purchase decision (and I changed my mind a few times about a few things). Surely your supplier / retailer would have provided you with this information, or at least kept it on file if you had a query, or a warranty claim? Panels are typically guaranteed for 25 years, how would you claim if you didn't have at least a spec sheet, and a corresponding invoice?

 

6 hours ago, YellowTapemeasure said:

Thank you for that.

Unfortunately if you don't have specs for the solar panels, it will all be guesswork (which probably got you into this situation in the first place). I am sorry that you had to scratch about on the roof, but you ought to have this information stored in a safe place.

Don't you have it on an invoice, warranty sheet or even the product leaflet from the supplier?

The reason why I am asking this question is because I bought my own system from The Powerforumstore, and every single item, down to the last nut and bolt, had a specification sheet, which was provided to me electronically, before I even made the purchase decision (and I changed my mind a few times about a few things). Surely your supplier / retailer would have provided you with this information, or at least kept it on file if you had a query, or a warranty claim? Panels are typically guaranteed for 25 years, how would you claim if you didn't have at least a spec sheet, and a corresponding invoice?

 

Good morning. I had the system installed by a installer who I bought a complete system from. On the invoice it only shows Canadian 410 watt panels. What he left with me was only the old inverter booklet as well as the battery booklet. 

I will contact him and ask if he can give the specs for the panels. If he still has it. I am however still waiting him to quote on replacing the inverter that was hit by lightning with a new one. 

Some installers seems to only be interested in the "big" jobs. 

The exact model of the panels does not really matter as 410W panels will not be more than 50VOC. The specs for Canadian 410w panels i found on the internet match up with what other users posted here. 

3 hours ago, Adriaanvt said:

Good morning. I had the system installed by a installer who I bought a complete system from. On the invoice it only shows Canadian 410 watt panels. What he left with me was only the old inverter booklet as well as the battery booklet. 

I will contact him and ask if he can give the specs for the panels. If he still has it. I am however still waiting him to quote on replacing the inverter that was hit by lightning with a new one. 

Some installers seems to only be interested in the "big" jobs. 

That's a pity. The problem is that there are many, many Canadian Solar panel ranges that fit that spec, at least 5 or 6, and then each range is further delineated (poly, mono, Hi Power, 144 cell, 132 cell etc). They all have different characteristics, Vmp, Imp, VoC, Isc, and different temperature coefficients. Take a look and see for yourself.   

It's best to use the correct datasheet.

Edited February 15, 20224 yr by YellowTapemeasure

@Adriaanvt,

I don't read anything about "Balancing" in the Sunsynk installation manual, but according to a link on mybroadband.co.za (sorry, link did not copy successful), but here is the text :

 "With the Sunsynk you will need to balance the two MPPTs as per Keith Gough (Sunsynk CEO and chief techie). To achieve an optimal arrangement with only six panels is going to be very difficult, if not impossible. You ideally want a higher voltage on your strings to kickstart the MPPTs as early as possible in the mornings, and stop as late as possible in the evenings, so closest to 400V as possible. The Sunsynk's MPPT range is 125-425V, so it will only start producing power when the panels are giving at least 125V. You did not give the exact specs of the CS panels that you selected, so its difficult to say, but looking at some other CS panels, they appear to produce around 48.8V open circuit, but only 40.9V under full load (load drops the voltage). 3 in series on each MPPT will therefore initially produce 146.7V, but as soon as the inverter "combs" the load across to draw from solar, the voltage will drop to 122.7V, and cause the solar load to be "combed" back. So the MPPT will probably flap up and down, and the inverter too."

A long story, but I agree that both mppt's should be balanced for best performance. So I would split 10 over 2 mppt vs, and add a few more panel per string when budget allows, to get the voltage in the 300 - 350 V range. 

Hope this helps the OP. 

Hi Adriaan. 

The best would be to restring the panels. 

Im not a fan of having 10 in series. So I would do 5 in series and wire that into each MPPT. 

Another issue are those Y combiners are not the best in terms of dealing with its rated current. 

 

27 minutes ago, Sidewinder said:

@Adriaanvt,

I don't read anything about "Balancing" in the Sunsynk installation manual, but according to a link on mybroadband.co.za (sorry, link did not copy successful), but here is the text :

 "With the Sunsynk you will need to balance the two MPPTs as per Keith Gough (Sunsynk CEO and chief techie). To achieve an optimal arrangement with only six panels is going to be very difficult, if not impossible. You ideally want a higher voltage on your strings to kickstart the MPPTs as early as possible in the mornings, and stop as late as possible in the evenings, so closest to 400V as possible. The Sunsynk's MPPT range is 125-425V, so it will only start producing power when the panels are giving at least 125V. You did not give the exact specs of the CS panels that you selected, so its difficult to say, but looking at some other CS panels, they appear to produce around 48.8V open circuit, but only 40.9V under full load (load drops the voltage). 3 in series on each MPPT will therefore initially produce 146.7V, but as soon as the inverter "combs" the load across to draw from solar, the voltage will drop to 122.7V, and cause the solar load to be "combed" back. So the MPPT will probably flap up and down, and the inverter too."

A long story, but I agree that both mppt's should be balanced for best performance. So I would split 10 over 2 mppt vs, and add a few more panel per string when budget allows, to get the voltage in the 300 - 350 V range. 

Hope this helps the OP. 

It would be a nice test to compare the production from 5 on each mppt vs 10 on one mppt,as with only 5 on a string you are only operating around 200 volts which is pretty far away from the ideal range of 370V~

I know someone who runs 8  540W panels on one string with great performance. I suspect that if he was running 4 per mppt that production would suffer quite a bit.

Edited February 15, 20224 yr by Nexuss

5 hours ago, Nexuss said:

It would be a nice test to compare the production from 5 on each mppt vs 10 on one mppt,as with only 5 on a string you are only operating around 200 volts which is pretty far away from the ideal range of 370V~

I know someone who runs 8  540W panels on one string with great performance. I suspect that if he was running 4 per mppt that production would suffer quite a bit.

What about the 370V being ideal and the drop to 200V only worth 2%. Why I mention it my MPPT only lists a range of 50-450V. When I started with 2 panels at Voc just over 60V I found the efficiency of the system the same that I have now while running @ 200V.

I would also try each set of 5 to a MPPT as indicated in a previous post.  Once a few days results are known one can merely series the 2 sets at the inverter via the existing MC4 connectors and re-connect the negative on the 1st MPPT input and see if the 10 in series perform better.

The current 5 in series already prudes power before 06h00 which is remarkable

We sometimes break our neck to be 100% correct with a very small gain not really worth the effort.

Edited February 15, 20224 yr by Scorp007

Good afternoon Guys

i am looking for a bit of advice .

I have just had a 5kw inverter sunsynk installed and have subsequently purchased 10 jam72s20-455/mr ja panels 

rated max power  455

open circuit voltage 49.85

max power voltage 41.82

short circuit current 11.41

maximum power current 10.88

module efficency 20.5

my question now is how would i string these to my inverter .

using 2 mmpt 

1 x 6

1 x 4 

or

1 x 5

1 x 5

using 1 mmpt 

1 x 9 ?

looking at the mppt would 1 x 10 be ok ?

i am totally lost and would like some advice please .

thanks  

@trevortjg 5 Series per MPPT, is my suggestion...

great thanks for the advice 

much appreciated 

 

10 on 1 mppt would be too much so try balance 5/5 on each. with those panels you should be able to get 8 per string (16 in total)

55 minutes ago, mzezman said:

10 on 1 mppt would be too much so try balance 5/5 on each. with those panels you should be able to get 8 per string (16 in total)

Can confirm 8 works nicely. Highest voltages i see are just below 380 so 9 can also work .