Calling on Solar Techies
I have been thinking of going solar for some time and decided to pull the plug. My wants are a 400 to 500 watt system. I have four 12 volt batteries with 340ah. I am not planning on changing b...
Forum Discussion
1L243,
I picked the Kinverch as an example. I'd research it carefully for reviews--and not those on amazon.
MPPT in the lab, may yield 30% more energy. In the field, 10% may be more realistic.
My controller is MPPT, but in 2005 I was paying $5 per watt for panels--so it made sense to go MPPT on such a small system.
Now panels are as little as $0.36 per watt--so adding an extra panel is more economical that purchasing a quality MPPT.
On the other side of that coin, MPPT may start charging sooner and charge later in the day--and is usually better in low light situations. Because of the higher voltage, thinner wire may be used with MPPT.
Another reason to go MPPT is if the available roof space has been maxed out.
I picked the Kinverch as an example. I'd research it carefully for reviews--and not those on amazon.
MPPT in the lab, may yield 30% more energy. In the field, 10% may be more realistic.
My controller is MPPT, but in 2005 I was paying $5 per watt for panels--so it made sense to go MPPT on such a small system.
Now panels are as little as $0.36 per watt--so adding an extra panel is more economical that purchasing a quality MPPT.
On the other side of that coin, MPPT may start charging sooner and charge later in the day--and is usually better in low light situations. Because of the higher voltage, thinner wire may be used with MPPT.
Another reason to go MPPT is if the available roof space has been maxed out.
