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Newbie mistakes on first solar install

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Drawing power directly off the series connected batteries is a mistake unless you are drawing identical loads off each battery. Even similar fans doesn't guarantee similar loads as the operating conditions of the fans may vary.

If you MUST do it then take the power off across the full bank (12/24/36/48v - whatever your bank voltage is) and the put 1/2/3/4 fans in series - or just cough up a few pennies for a 12v DC transformer.  

You could pray that your HA will cope with the imbalance, but if you get it wrong it could cost you a new HA and a new battery bank - and a new 12v DC transformer because you are unlikely to make the same mistake twice!

ok

7 hours ago, pilotfish said:

mistake

ok, issue settled. what we have here is a certainty - using a 12v transformer for the fans vs an uncertainty. the 1st costing around zar200 and the second anything up to zar20k. so its a no-brainer really :)

have a great week guys!

God bless

g

35 minutes ago, SilverNodashi said:

I use a small "DC Buck booster" to draw power from the 45V (54V) battery bank and convert it to 12V, works quite well. 

Best option in my opinion, but high voltage buck converters tend to not be cheap. Eg your common as weed LM2596-based converters top out at 40V and even the 2596HV can only manage 55V which is not high enough for a 48V bank. Then again, compared to a new battery, even the expensive ones are cheap :-)

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