My Solar Power Setup - Part 4 Upgraded System

[eliden]

ur setup helped me so much, thank you!

[iownslaves]

This is the best video out there!

[WORRO01]

Thumbs up video!!

[skippy3840]

@Jthetinman I used 6 volts to get more amp hours from the entire bank. You could easily use 12 volt batteries and get almost the same capacity, but the 6 volts charge a little deeper and run for longer.

[seanm1973]

Nicely done.  do you really need that many batteries? I guess you have larger panels now, but if I have let's day a 60W panel and then a 30W, would I need more than 1 or two batteries? Is there a benefit to more batteries?

[neillyle]

FYI....you can NOT enlarge a battery bank by adding new batteries to it. A Batteries' voltage response changes with age. A new addition will be the easiest path of resistance for charging, thus causing the older batteries to become lazy and hard sulphate the plates, making the old batteries even harder to charge. This is a sure way to develop bad cells.

[skippy3840]

@neillyle I understand that. However the batteries that I added were manufactured within a few months of each other, not years, making my entire battery bank essentially the same age. I December, my bank will be 3 years old and performs perfectly.

[skippy3840]

@tuxinduluth I am in Central Florida, so snow is not a concern, heat is. I would think that if you mount the panels on an angle facing the sun, when they heat up the snow will melt and run off them. I am in the process of adding more panels to run daytime stuff now.

[1kzrider]

Hey Skippy what all are you running off your system? And did you upgrade the inverter to pure sine wave? I have the chicago 2000/4000 and a 400/800 but, when I run inverters the fans run to much are you noticing this also? BTW love the setup You have many many batts. Do you really need them all or just giving yourself a buffer?

[skippy3840]

@1kzrider Right now I am running a ton of lights and a 19" flat screen TV. I did wire another room so now I have half of my house off the grid if I want. Yeah, the fans suck on these inverters, my inverter had three fans and the bearings on two of them have gone out already and made the fans scream. I actually had to take the inverter apart and remove two of the fans. For what I run, the batteries are just the right amount, need more power for daytime operations though.

[1kzrider]

@skippy3840 I found a way to make these inverters to be thermal so the fans are not running but, only when needed and since you have already taken yours apart once you should be more understanding of the components. I want to do this to mine so it uses less power. How many watts is your setup now? I am at 590 before loss in inverters and such. Pushing most all through a 250 watt GTI. I need a killowatt meter to see what I am actually getting out of it.

[skippy3840]

@1kzrider Cool, I would love to know how to bypass the fans. I will most likely replace the inverter soon anyway. I am only pushing about 500 watts right now from ther 1200 watt inverter so I am not even close to maxing it out.

[jt55551]

Love the video. I have the same controller you have.During the day the SOC gets up to 100% but at night it will get down around 70%(when I'm not using the system). Is this normal?

[skippy3840]

@jt55551 Mine fluctuates like that also, just the nature of batteries I guess.

[laidofftomass]

Nice system

[dracos78]

sweet thanks I have everything I need except the batteries , just recieved my solar panels in the mail a couple of days ago - went with skyblue charge controller w/ mppt - trimetric 20/20 - 3000 watt inverter. Have you ever pondered with purchasing a grid tie inverter ? and can they be wired in as the dump load from a charge controller after the batteries have reached a full charge ? Thanks - your videos are great

[dracos78]

did you cut the cables coming from the new panels into your combiner box ?

[skippy3840]

@dracos78 Yes. I also sent the wires from the panel that I built into my combiner box, so I now have three panels connected in parallel and sending 9.5 amps and about 130 watts through the combiner. I also upgraded to #10 AWG stranded wire from the combiner directly to the charge controller and it works alot better.

[hippyraverocker]

Nice setup.

You need to use thicker wiring from your panels to the charge controller and then to the battery.

My setup uses 8-Awg cabling which is good for about 70a @ 12v.

check my video out.

[skippy3840]

@hippyraverocker Since I made this video, I changed the wire from the panels to the charge controller to #10 AWG stranded wire.  It works much better. #10 is the thickest wire that would fit in the terminals of my charge controller.

[hooptejoe]

you need to change the solid core wire on the DC side to thicker stranded wire and you will get more amps. DC voltage doesnt travel well on solid core wire. nice little setup though.

[crossbowox]

i just posted my solar video,check it out.

[michael970]

great little system its amazing what we can learn from youtube.

[robertocarbajal08]

would like to ask you a question what kind of cables from the solar panel using the solar pole regulator tks for posting the video helped me in my project

[minicoppergpiscool]

Mrbuki77

Where the batteries you got able to be charged to the full capacity and the only broblem was the way the looked.

[crossbowox]

nice set up,i had simillar system like yours,3 -80watt pv. 1200 sine wave inverter&charge controller, batteries.cost nearly 2k. i used a FUSEBOX to connect every equipments to my battery bank. yes its hobby for me to kill time,but safety first. i will post my system soon.

[mrbuki77]

I found out that you should call your local battery dealer direct. In my case Interstate Batteries. And ask to buy "Blems" or blemished batteries. They are new, but have minor cosmetic blemishes to the exterior. I got 2 6v deep cycle 225ah batteries for $94.00. This is less than the price of one batt. Just a piece of advise I got that was well worth it's weight in gold. Later, from sunny FL

[Lanny615]

For me, saving money is only a plus, i am more interested in solar as a hobby so power failures dont affect me as much. But in a year or two i want to be off grid.

[skippy3840]

Saving money is a plus, but I agree with you. It is kind of a hobby for me also, and it is kind of cool having the independence that comes with making my own power. I am continuing to grow this system and should be fairly energy independent in a year or two also. Thanks.

[cabbaze]

ive got 280w pv and 400w air-x (still to go up) 144amp/hr of sla batteries ,plasmatronics pl20 controller and 1200watt true sinewave inverter .skippy3840 i didnt see any fuses????

[7501234]

DO you think you actually save money on electricity..

I wanted to use grid tie equipment but I think I will have problems with my light company, so I might try run all outside lights, and maybe other small stuff...

I have 400watts of panels at moment and only 6 batteries that are 42 amps each, have them wired up to 24 volts...

I will see if sames have those batteries like you for cheap,

[skippy3840]

When I run it consistently I see about a 15% drop in my total power bill.

[7501234]

SO if I run 1000 watts in solar panels I should see a big difference in bill....I don't know how much power you use, but if you notice 15% drop that is cool....

I was told 200 watts would save me maybe $5 a month from some guy, calculating at 800 watts a day from solar power...

Thanks for your answer and video

[skippy3840]

I would think that if you ran 1000 watts you would see a large difference. You could also selectively power different devices that are large power users also, like the refridge or a/c unit and make more of an impact. Remember, I really only use mine for lighting and a small TV.

[7501234]

Thanks, I have at the moment 20-10 watt panels and 15-20 watt panels, total of 500 watts...I wanted to buy all 100 watt panels but if I am gonna loose lots of money selling these at cheap prices might as well just build with these..

Thanks for your help...I am going to sams tommorow to look at batteries

[7501234]

The frame I built for my panels used the same angle iron, to bad home depot had it at $15 for 8 feet, I spent over $50 to tie in my 24 10watt panels for a total of 240 watts, I get around 200 watts out of them most of the day, I may peak up 20-30 more watts but mostly stay at 200 watts

[skippy3840]

That is the only problem with angle, it is a little expensive. I tried wood first, but it didn't work too well.

[7501234]

The angle iron I used first was from a bed frame, I broke 3 craftsman bits, wore out 2 more new craftsman bits, hard metal and only 1.5x1.5 by 1/8 thickness...

We have a metal discount store a few block away I will see them later and see what they say

thanks

[7501234]

Price are those batteries, did you get them new or used....I have 6 42ah batteries, slowly growing my bank, some my batts read 13.6 volts other 12.6 so I will try to disufurtize them

[skippy3840]

The batteries are about $70 each at Sams Club. I got them new, just going on 2 years of service right now and they are working great.

[edcastrovalley]

Very nice system! I'm thinking of getting an mppt charge controller as well. I just haven't decided on which one. I know they cost a little more than the regular ones. Please let us know what you find. Thanks

[twotonetom98]

I am building a system and yours looks GREAT !! so what size watt is your inverter and also would your charge controlor be able to adjust itself to run a 24volt panel ??

[skippy3840]

Thanks. That is a 1,200w inverter. I really only use about 3-400 watts at a time so it never overloads and the wires never overheat. The charge controller will handle 16 amps coming in, but mine is a 12v only. There are lots of 24v accessories out there if thats the voltage that you are using.

[MSGDREWRY]

Think I saw one of those MPPT things on craigslist - fayetteville, NC might be what you are looking for

[packagewarren]

thanks for the answer.  will do as you say.

[pieater53]

i ordered 72 6x6 solar cells, .05 volt, 8 amp 4.14 watt. i am going to put 36 cells per panel. i am hooking cells in series, so that should give me a 18 volt, 8amp panel with 144 watts? should give me 288 watts 16 amp. system with both panels. plan on hooking to 8 6 volt batteries. what do you think skipppy, does that sound workable. i get confused about the amps, if you add the amps up its would be 288 per panel, but since its wired in series i only get 8, is that right?

[skippy3840]

That is correct, when you wire in series the voltage is additive and the amperage stays the same. Two panels like you are going to build will charge alot of batteries and run alot of stuff. Post a pic when you get don, maybe some instructions on how you are making them also.

[pieater53]

will do. thanks for reassuring me.

[packagewarren]

Skippy...very nice system. some really good ideas there for me to use. hope you don't mind. oh, and by the way, what is the reason for connecting the converter to the batteries instead of to the charger? again, great system.

[skippy3840]

Thanks. Feel free to use anything that you like, or ask me any questions that you have. I connect the inverter directly to the batteries because the charge controller is only 12v out and I don't want to overload it. The system works better that way.

[AZZDryHeatt]

I like it, very nice and clean. How many panels (total watts) do you have for that bank of batteries? And how do you like that charge controller?

[skippy3840]

Thanks. Right now I have 2 panels for 140w at 8 amps charging the batteries. Works well with the amount that I am drawing every day. The charge controller is OK, but I am thinking about upgrading that also fairly soon to a MPPT system.

[cool70200]

very nice

[field16]

What a great tour of an impressive system! Thanks for sharing that. I like your use of angle iron for the solar panel frame. I might copy your idea for my panels. I also like your use of starter cables to connect the batteries.

[skippy3840]

Thanks. The angle makes it really easy to attach the panels. Then all I do is put them up or down depending upon what time of year it is.

[pieater53]

great setup, a lot of good useful info. i have saved all your vids.

[skippy3840]

Thanks.