Renogy Solar Panels

[wbwood]

We have the 100 watt mono crystalline suitcase. I was wondering if anyone knows if you can add another 100 watt solar panel to it?

[Almot]

wbwood - it was a wrong number. Some $10/hour guy in sales support, he doesn't know sh-t about his products and probably no college education. "Voiding the warranty" is a very common BS in this industry though.

You've got answers from several people here that you can and should use a bigger controller if you use a bigger solar array. 20A, in this case. Buy a good one (this advice was also repeated by several people).

[wbwood]

I'm wanting to keep it all portable and not mounting anything right now. We are weekend warriors and in the southeast. Dry camping in direct sun is hard to come by and something you really don't want to do in the summer here. So my idea is to keep things portable right now. Later down the road when we are able to full time, then I will probably mount something. Also we do a lot of camping at places with fhu. So the solar is not needed then.

[RJsfishin]

Just keep the cheap controller that comes w/ the suitcase to reinstall if warranty is needed.
If me, I'd sell the suitcase, buy 2 new roof mounted panels, w/ a decent controller.
I love my Blueskys flush mount LED controller, but not cheap !!
I have 300 on the roof, plus a 75 watt panel w/ cheap controller for portable for if I ever get stuck in the shade, it will help a little. Have never used it yet.

[wbwood]

lol. I was liking renogy before. But when I start feeling the BS vibes....he just went from me possibly spending another couple hundred dollars to possibly not spending any.

[time2roll]

May as well mount them permanent on the roof so that warranty can also be void 😉

[wbwood]

Ok. So I had emailed renogy to inquire. And here is the initial answer I got.

Unfortunately, the 100W Suitcase with controller is maxed out at 100W. There is no way to expand on this controller, or attach it to another system.

In some cases, people have attached multiple systems to the same battery bank separately, but this requires extensive battery monitoring since the systems will not communicate to each other when the batteries are full.

So I replied back and asked if I could get a 30 amp plug and run the suitcase panel to it along with another 100 watt panel. Here is he reply to that.

Yes, technically it is possible, but modification voids the warranty. Using a 30A charger, you could technically wire multiple suitcase to the same controller, all in parallel.

? They sell suitcases without controllers. So how would using another controller and plugging the suitcase I have into it be considered modification and void a warranty?

[scrubjaysnest]

To add additional panels, Vmp of panels must be within 10% of each other. If you plan to series the panels Imp most be equal or your wasting some of the higher current panel capacity. Charge Controller amp ratings should be greater then total Isoc of all panels in parallel.

[time2roll]

wbwood wrote:
I.m thinking I would probably have to upgrade the charge controller to maybe a 20 or 30amp...is my thinking correct? it has a 10 amp controller now..

100 watt is 6 to 7 amps.
Yes you need a new controller for adding an additional 100 watt panel.

[Golden_HVAC]

I started with a pair of 45 watt panels in 1994then added a 75 watt and a pair of 120 watt as well!

They are all working on the same controller.

I would recommend a roof mounted solar panel and it will keep the battery full while you have it in storage.

SunElec.com

They had 140 watt with aluminum frame and 12 volt nominal output for $229 a few weeks ago.

Good luck,

Ferd.

[Almot]

wbwood wrote:
upgrade the charge controller to maybe a 20 or 30amp...is my thinking correct?

Yes.

[RJsfishin]

I bought each panel separately.
I have upgraded the controller 5 times, the last one a good 30 amp Blueskys

[wbwood]

RJsfishin wrote:
I started w/ one 100 watt panel, then added another, later added another 90 watt, all three different brands, all near the same voltage, (but not exactly) and all been working good together, no problem.

you had the suitcase or just the solar panel?

I.m thinking I would probably have to upgrade the charge controller to maybe a 20 or 30amp...is my thinking correct? it has a 10 amp controller now..

[RJsfishin]

I started w/ one 100 watt panel, then added another, later added another 90 watt, all three different brands, all near the same voltage, (but not exactly) all connected in parallel, and all been working good together, no problem.