SHEESH! Nothing But BIG MPPT Panels?

[MEXICOWANDERER]

My new roof "wrack" measures 4' x 6'

I think I'm hosed in finding excellent value MPPT panels that'll fit inside the rack. Then to top it off I have to look for panels that render an efficient amount of production per square foot. The smaller roll-up and foldable panels trouble me as far as durability and value is concerned.

I called home during a blackout there. A great reminder to keep on track. Wotta phone, Niner! Jesus was standing next to the yammering Kubota and I could hear and speak! He sold 220kg of lobster yesterday and returned with two drums of diesel and one of gasoline. An hour's worth of gen run time today @ 450 amps charge rate. Tomorrow the Lambordini gets a workout - three hours spinning a 385 ampere 24-volt 50DN Delco alternator. The Kubota is powering compressor to jam 175 lbs of air into a pair of old 83-gallon LPG motor fuel tanks, as well as the big chargers.

But I want panels on the roof to keep a PAIR of 31 Lifelines charged up. This would make my life a lot easier. I just have to find those odd-size panels without incurring a punitive price tag.

[BFL13]

A couple years ago PT bought a special inverter that was sworn to work according to the two nubile concubines in the accompanying photo. Unfortunately for PT, the inverter didn't work right.

Five concubines instead of just two would make it a certainty, so Mex should be ok.

[MEXICOWANDERER]

I guess Lin is a bigwig - he has 5 young ladies under his roof and is a bachelor. Mao must be spinning in his grave. "Come!" Says Lin. I take you on a tour you never forget!"

Probably the understatement of the century.

Somehow I think touring electronics factories and a titanic lithium battery plant is only part of what he has in mind.

[JiminDenver]

Thank sir. you are too kind. A lot is the right place, right time and a big camera. The pesos to get the boat kinda help too. hehe

[MEXICOWANDERER]

BFL13 wrote:
Ok, Mex has a special deal cost-wise, with his contacts in the Middle Kingdom, but it would be interesting to know the specs of his new controller wrt solar array size in watts, and the array composition (24 vs 12 etc) and wrt the battery bank size in AH.

I'll let you know what that sucker can do on the straightaway just as soon as I get the fire out.

[MEXICOWANDERER]

True gift you have with photography. I'm lucky if I don't end up with a picture of my thumb

[JiminDenver]

Go for it Mex. Here are some more from that trip.

Cancun

[BFL13]

Ok, Mex has a special deal cost-wise, with his contacts in the Middle Kingdom, but it would be interesting to know the specs of his new controller wrt solar array size in watts, and the array composition (24 vs 12 etc) and wrt the battery bank size in AH.

[MEXICOWANDERER]

Stunning images. I would love rights permission to post online with glowing credit!

Urban and suburban Mexico has always been the land of petty theft. 50,000 cullings have thinned the herd a bit. Rural Mexico is a lot less hectic. My kids watch out over me and two Chihuahuas and a ONE HUNDRED FORTY db siren with keypad will keep borderline flakes intimidated. 140 db is not tolerable. The piezo makes a screech similar to dragging fingernails across a blackboard. Sixty watts of piezo!

Mexico is paying the price for corruption and public apathy toward ethics. It is a cruel lesson but Mexicans have no one to blame but themselves. Bitter medicine.

Nevertheless I still need to find panels. A 48 dollar m
MPPT controller is on it's way from China as I tap this screen.

[JiminDenver]

KJINTF wrote:

Solar voltaics is a red-item down here. The panels should be kept out-of-sight of the Customs agents and crooks. Overnighting in hotels for better than a week. Using 100' of 316 stainless cable for security. That and the feet of the rack are insulated. A nice match for my 30-mile new 12-volt fence charger.

What happened down south?
Doesn't sound like the kind of place many of use would want to live or even visit anymore

We use to go down there quite a bit, especially at this time of year. Then it got commercialized so we started renting cars and getting away from that. The last time we were touring the Yucatan and we experienced some of the issues down there first hand. Nothing too serious but it made us realize we were not safe doing what we were. News reports just confirmed that so we went farther south.

I hope they get the issues taken care of while I can still go back to seeing and photographing Mexico my way. I waited all day to get a even shot of this.



A tour from Merida to Celestun to see the Flamingos took all day in a crowded van to see the edge of the flock for 15 mins in a over loaded boat. We drove back the next morning, took a private boat and quietly drifted through the flock for hours. The driver said save a few shots for when he had to start the motor and wow. You just don't get that on a tour, in a resort or eating at Outback.

[Bend]

KJINTF wrote:

...

Doesn't sound like the kind of place many of us(sic) would want to live or even visit anymore

$hit happened!

I came to that conclusion over 20 years ago, even before retirement in San Diego!

[time2roll]

MEXICOWANDERER wrote:

smkettner wrote:
Convert the system to 24v and use PWM....

The inverter may not like that too much...

Two battery system how big can it be? The money you save on MPPT controller gets you a new inverter.
That and we love spending other people's money 😉

[KJINTF]

Solar voltaics is a red-item down here. The panels should be kept out-of-sight of the Customs agents and crooks. Overnighting in hotels for better than a week. Using 100' of 316 stainless cable for security. That and the feet of the rack are insulated. A nice match for my 30-mile new 12-volt fence charger.

What happened down south?
Doesn't sound like the kind of place many of use would want to live or even visit anymore

[MEXICOWANDERER]

Bend wrote:

MEXICOWANDERER wrote:
My new roof "wrack" measures 4' x 6'

So a single 40"x66" will not fit or not enough output?

https://www.solarblvd.com/product_info.php?products_id=3000

There is always this:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AoxHtcU2woM

Solar voltaics is a red-item down here. The panels should be kept out-of-sight of the Customs agents and crooks. Overnighting in hotels for better than a week. Using 100' of 316 stainless cable for security. That and the feet of the rack are insulated. A nice match for my 30-mile new 12-volt fence charger.

The "bezel" of the rack is 6" high, plenty to hold a pair of panels. But I do want ti keep them invisible to Customs - flat black repainted frames.

[MEXICOWANDERER]

A 40 voc panel to my way of thinking is an MPPT panel. Agreed it's merely a high voltage panel, but my fingers are lazy on this micro keyboard and MPPT works foe me 🙂

[MEXICOWANDERER]

smkettner wrote:
Convert the system to 24v and use PWM....

The inverter may not like that too much...