Last fall I installed two Solarland 180w PERC panels. I had ordered three 100 watt but changed my mind and bought the two 180’s. Unfortunately I didn’t resize my order for the panel breaker which is 15 amps. The 100 watt panels were rated for five amps each but these are at 9.42 each. So now that we are getting really sunny days my panel breaker is tripping. I thought ok I’ll have to replace it with a 20. But I was watching the power when I was trouble shooting and thought I might have briefly seen more than 20 amps. Would a 30 amp fuse of these two panels be too high? The MPPT controlller is Victron. The system side breaker is 40 amps.

IMO a thirty amp fuse would not be excessive.

See this article from WindyNation regarding solar panel fusing…https://www.windynation.com/jzv/inf/how-properly-fuse-solar-pv-system

You need to check the rating for the controller. I have a Blue Sky rated for 30 amps, hence I have a 30 amp fuse.

Lwiddis wrote:IMO a thirty amp fuse would not be excessive.X2

Thanks I checked the windy nation chart and I used 8 ga wiring so I’m good for 30 amps. That’s what I ordered. With 25% additional amperage range 20 would not be enough. Wonder why the kit came with 15. It’s a 30 amp Victrom.

Tripping solar panel breaker | Good Sam Community

StirCrazy
Moderator
May 13, 2022
EMD360 wrote:
2oldman wrote:
I don't know why you have to fuse panels.

Apparently you don’t if wired in series. The amps are not high enough to damage the wires if there is a short circuit.
That’s what the windynation site that was shared explained.

I still did for mine, I did both the panel side and the battery side of the controler with manual tripable breakers so I can use them as a disconect if I have to do any work.

Steve
Housted
Explorer III
May 13, 2022
StirCrazy wrote:
EMD360 wrote:
2oldman wrote:
I don't know why you have to fuse panels.

Apparently you don’t if wired in series. The amps are not high enough to damage the wires if there is a short circuit.
That’s what the windynation site that was shared explained.

I still did for mine, I did both the panel side and the battery side of the controler with manual tripable breakers so I can use them as a disconect if I have to do any work.

Steve

X2
EMD360
Explorer
Jun 17, 2022
Just reporting that the upgrade to a 30 amp breaker on the panel side worked. But of course the amps I was reading were below 15 when tested.

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