A BMS is mandatory.
Panel and wiring doesn't matter as long as the OCV is between 36V and 119V (allowing for cold weather use). I'd buy as much wattage as you can afford in terms of $ and/or space.
IMHO, I would go for 4 72S panels in parallel as that will provide a nice Voc as well as making the system extremely shade tolerant if that's a concern.
Growatt is a light duty unit. It has a very poor surge capacity. Even in grid/generator mode, you will be limited to the 3kW rating, i.e., it will not pass more than 3kW of power through it regardless of the source.
Fantastic!
That answers all of my questions. The 72 Cell panels are all quite a bit more expensive so I think I'm going to start with 3 and then add on later.
That should give me - watts, at 48V / 30A and all operating independently in parallel - That's exactly what I need.
The add later portion: If you plan to add it to the same series/parallel string, it needs to the same type of panels. Or you can start a new string with similar panels to a different charge controller. Important to match them. So plan ahead and make sure you can get the same panels. Most of the solar panel vendors make different specs in a year or two after production. It gets harder to obtain the same panels.
The add later portion: If you plan to add it to the same series/parallel string, it needs to the same type of panels. Or you can start a new string with similar panels to a different charge controller. Important to match them. So plan ahead and make sure you can get the same panels. Most of the solar panel vendors make different specs in a year or two after production. It gets harder to obtain the same panels.
That's a good point. Plus, if he's buying from Santan, the chance he can buy additional panels of the same thing - a year later - is close to zero.
For a ground based system, I would be purchasing the panels with the biggest bang for the buck. Large panels work well there. On an RV, where you're limited on space, large often doesn't work.
Thank you for the video! I'll watch the whole series later, but I'll ask: When you say "exactly" what do you mean?
Her videos leads me to believe using wildly different panels will cause big losses, which makes sense.
But just using the santan solar example:
If I buy one of their:
72 C / 365W / 48V / 9.24A panels today.
and next year I add one and they have:
72 C / 335W / 46.1V / 8.85 panels
That is not a big deal right? Yes there will be slightly less efficient but I imagine still function fine, right?
There is no safety concern there correct?
It's hard to tell on forums what people mean when you "must" do something.
In my mind:
I must do certain things for safety.
I should do certain things for efficiency.
Hi all,Look at Hitech Solar. They are a panel manufacture in Indiana and build a good panel.
I'm building a variation on Will's recent "hand-cart generator" build.
- 8S 280ah EVE cells
- Growatt 24V SPF TL LVM
- Electrodaucs BMS (if they come back in stock)
- Single Phase, fully off-grid system
- To be charged by large gasoline generator when needed
- To be charged by grid-AC when available
- Panels to be ground-mounted only semi-permanently (I live in a rental house)
- My solar availability is fair, but not great. Southeast US.
My question is this: Which combination of 3 or 4 of the santansolar panels would be the best for my application and how should I connect them?
72 cell or 60 cell? and wired in what series/parallel combo?
Price is not the main concern, but of course cheaper is better.
Yes - I know this is not enough panels to support this generator capacity - It's the most I can fit right now, and I will supplement with the Gas Generator.
Thanks!
Hi there. Yes, that example was showing wildly different volts and amps. I have some other videos showing same amps different volts, and visa versa. The system will work best with all the same, and worst with all different. It'll work ok with just one difference, the closer you can get them the better. If the 60 cell panels are much less per watt, so you can get 4 instead of 3, I'd recommend doing 2 parallel strings of 2 in series. Just know that you need to keep the strings even, so if you buy more, you'll need to buy in sets of 2.
If you're looking to switch to solar, you may wonder if you have enough space to install the panels. This is a valid concern - solar panels are pretty big! Most home solar panels are about 5.5 feet x 3 feet and weigh roughly 40 pounds each.
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Most of the time, you won't see the size of solar panels expressed in feet. Instead, you'll see it's listed as the number of solar cells within a panel, with the most common solar panel sizes being 60-cell and 72-cell.
Let's take a closer look at the difference between these solar panel sizes and how to pick the right one for your home.
Calculate the costs and benefits of installing solar on your homeWhen you look at a solar panel, you’ll see it’s made up of small squares. Those squares are called solar cells, and they're the part of the panels that turn sunlight into electricity.
You'll see the size of a solar panel described by how many cells it has. 60-cell panels are usually laid out in a 6 by 10 grid and are the most popular option for home solar installations. You’ll typically find that 60-cell solar panels have output ratings between 350 and 400 watts and efficiency ratings between 17% and 19%.
72-cell panels, on the other hand, are usually arranged in a 6-cell by 12-cell grid. Because 72-cell panels hold more cells, they are bigger and can produce more solar power, making them popular for commercial installations. 72-cell panel wattage usually sits around 415 to 450 watts, but they can get into the 460-watt range. Their efficiency ratings are typically between 18% and 21%.
Many people want to know the physical size of solar panels, not just how many cells the hold. The average 60-cell solar panel is about 65 inches by 39 inches, or 5.4 feet by 3.25 feet, and weighs around 40 to 50 pounds. The actual dimensions will vary from panel to panel, so we’ve listed a few for some of the most popular 60-cell panels on the market:
72-cell panels are larger, about 80 inches by 40 inches and about 1.5 inches tall. This works out to just about 6.5 feet by 3 feet for 72 cell panels, give or take a few inches. 72-cell modules generally weigh around 50 pounds. Here are the dimensions for 72-cell panels offered by top brands:
Here’s a brief breakdown of the pros and cons of each panel size.
Once solar panels are installed on your roof, you don’t have to think much about their size anymore.
But, with portable off-grid panels, solar panel size is one of the most important things to consider. Your RV might only have a small amount of roof space, or you might want something you can carry around and set up outside your campsite!
Because portable solar panels are made for travel, they tend to be smaller and have about 40 cells as opposed to 60. 200-watt portable panels are around 5 feet by 2 feet.
If you are looking for more details, kindly visit 60 Cell Solar Panel.
You could also opt for flexible solar panels, which also measure about 5 feet by 2 feet. But flexible panels can bend and are much thinner than crystalline panels, so they’re easier for storage.
The flexible panel sold by Renogy, a popular portable solar brand, has 72 cells, but they’re smaller than the ones used in typical commercial panels. The panel is also substantially lighter, weighing just 10.8 pounds!
Folding solar panel kits are also an option for portable use. Foldable panels can be small enough to fit in your backpack, or large enough to power your RV - there's a wide range of options out there.
There are many factors that you should consider before the size of your solar panels, like solar panel efficiency and solar panel warranties.
Solar panel efficiency is the percentage of light that strikes the surface of a panel that is converted into usable electricity. Modern solar panels have efficiencies that range from around 17% up to 22.8% in some premium models.
Highly efficient panels take up less space, which will allow you to fit more panels on your roof.
There are two types of warranties that cover solar panels.
The first is the product warranty. This is the period during which you can ask the manufacturer to replace the solar panel should any problem arise. Nowadays, a product warranty of 12 years is standard, but more brands are starting to offer product warranties of 25 years.
The second type of warranty is a performance guarantee. Most mainstream panels have a 25-year production warranty, guaranteeing the panel will produce a certain level of output at every stage of the panel’s life. From the date your panels are installed up until the 25-year mark, the minimum guaranteed output of your panels will gradually decrease.
You can expect an output of close to 100% for year one, gradually down to between 80 and 92 percent for year 25. This loss in output is technically known as solar panel degradation. Some solar panel manufacturers, such as Canadian Solar, even offer a 30-year performance warranty on certain panel models.
Find out if solar panels are worth it for your homeThe easiest way for homeowners to figure out the best solar panel size for their needs is to work with a dedicated solar installer. Solar installers will size your system based on your energy needs, coupled with your available roof space and the sunlight in your area. They can recommend a system size that can fit on your roof and reduce or eliminate your electric bill.
For more information, please visit custom solar panels.