reconsidering recomendataions on solar
so after 1 year using my solar my outcome is a little less than expected. I have 2 100W panels mounted on front slope of roof, and 1 additional panel mounded flat on roof behind the DS panel that i...
Forum Discussion
This is very typical of the types of conversations I used to have with many of my solar customers. I recommend the best equipment to most efficiently get the absolute peak out of a very well designed system and I would get push-back because 1) I want to keep my crappy charge controller 2) I've hosed my batteries by undercharging them for years but now I want more panel - I'll just keep the old batteries 3) I don't want to cut my power consumption but I'm out of rooftop for panels and garage for batteries and money for better equipment 4) Just make the equipment I have perform better. I could go on and on.
This system would be fine IF -- wire panels in parallel so partial shading does not take a panel out. Make sure all Voc on all panels are within 0.2V. Use a good MPPT controller with temperature compensation. Keep panels clean (no small bird poops - even hummingbird poops). Equalize batteries on a regular basis (sounds like one problem here as they're "pushing back"). Count on 80% efficiency MAX. Do an honest power survey (including ghost draws) and find out what your OVERNIGHT average draw is - adjust draw to less than 50% battery capacity.
This has, more or less, been said in all of the three previous pages but if you chose to go your way -- just add panels until you max out that PWM controller or burn up your feed wire then call it a day.
JMHO - I could be wrong
This system would be fine IF -- wire panels in parallel so partial shading does not take a panel out. Make sure all Voc on all panels are within 0.2V. Use a good MPPT controller with temperature compensation. Keep panels clean (no small bird poops - even hummingbird poops). Equalize batteries on a regular basis (sounds like one problem here as they're "pushing back"). Count on 80% efficiency MAX. Do an honest power survey (including ghost draws) and find out what your OVERNIGHT average draw is - adjust draw to less than 50% battery capacity.
This has, more or less, been said in all of the three previous pages but if you chose to go your way -- just add panels until you max out that PWM controller or burn up your feed wire then call it a day.
JMHO - I could be wrong
