GlennWest Posted May 22, 2020 Author Report Share Posted May 22, 2020 (edited) no. The panels are Sunpower 345. 14 of them. 2 of 7 wired. vmp=57.3, imp=6.02, voc=68.02, isc=6.39. Santan had these for $100.00 each a while back. They didn't last long either. Ones I have found now are $160.00 each. Edited May 22, 2020 by GlennWest Quote 2003 Teton Grand Freedom towed with 2006 Freightliner Century 120 across the beautiful USA welding pipe.https://photos.app.goo.gl/O32ZjgzSzgK7LAyt1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Randyretired Posted May 22, 2020 Report Share Posted May 22, 2020 1 hour ago, GlennWest said: I am planning on the Victron 150/85. It does not have a fan. Fully programable for my lithium paks. Not overly costly. It will handle 4850 watts solar at 48v. My planned set up will be near 4300 watts solar. Victron call for a 120amp fuse after the controller. Mentions nothing on incoming. You could easily miss this. The Victron 150/85 manual specifically states DC circuit breakers between the PV panels and the controller and between the controller and the batteries in the fine print. Quote Randy 2001 Volvo VNL 42 Cummins ISX Autoshift Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oldjohnt Posted May 22, 2020 Report Share Posted May 22, 2020 (edited) 4 hours ago, GlennWest said: Also you got me questions my fuses now. I put protection as close to battery as possible but have opened up 525amps to supply a inverter. Glenn to address your questioning of your fuses I thought I already posted this ??? but I cant find it now grrrrrrrrrrrrr I must not have gotten it posted so here it is again, sorry if late or sorry if it gets posted twice ???????????????. Glenn, you have that part correct. To protect the CONDUCTORS connected to the battery the OCPD (Overcurrent Protection Device) needs to be located at the energy source. If the battery bank feeds a buss bar, the cable to it needs to be able to withstand the max current ( I would size the wire to have a minimum ampacity of 125% of the max continuous current) for alllllllllllll that buss bar might supply and I would recommend a master disconnect switch there and adequate catastrophic fuse protection. Thennnnnnnnnnn you could use DC Circuit breakers to feed and protect whatever smaller ampacity conductors go from the buss to other individual loads. FWIW I like your plan to operate at 48 Volts (Im talking solar at 48 volts now) that's what I use and as I said I typically (subject to sun) Im delivering over 70 volts which I think is enough for most purposes . I'm NOT a fan of a whole lot over 100 Volts DC use. HOWEVER if for your battery configuration I like 48 volts as it reduces current If you choose to protect the solar panels PV Output, sure you can use DC circuit breakers even if "some" out there don't use them. YOUR CHOICE it wont hurt even if it may never trip or be required. Consult the factory manuals and do as they require less you void any warranty !!!! The huge cables from battery to Inverter input need the OCPD I spoke of above at the battery, and if you choose ???? sure you could add an On Off switch at the Inverters input even if many don't and even if not required. Its YOUR RV and YOUR choice. The inverters Output may well have its own internal overload protection (look at manual) I just cant say. Even if many don't use OCPD from solar panels to a solar charge controller input, with your whopping 4300 watts you may want to consider it as that can be a significant amount of current even thought its limited to the panels max current and max short circuit current IE a breaker may never see enough current to trip anyway??? As far as OCPD or On Off switching from a solar charge controllers OUTPUT down to your batteries, obviously any cables connected to the batteries need adequate OCPD WELL DUH and if you want to add a switch or other additional OCPD at the controllers output, first check with the manual and do as they say and then make your decision, and even if not required for convenience one can easily be added. To your more recent post "Victron call for a 120amp fuse after the controller. Mentions nothing on incoming" NOT A DOUBT if Victron calls for that DO IT. Regarding the incoming, see above, again some don't use breakers from panels down to Controller while others do. HOWEVER IF VICTRON SAYS TO USE BREAKERS FROM PANELS TO CONTROLLER USE THEM !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! NOTE I try to cover what IS REQUIRED to provide Overcurrent Protection. However if EITHER you want to add more switches for convenience OR the manufacturer calls for certain switches or OCPD hey go for it you don't want risk voiding any warranty !! You ask a lot of good questions and between all the good gents here you will hopefully get this figured out CONGRATULATIONS keep us posted this is fun for us sparkies at least John T Edited May 22, 2020 by oldjohnt Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GlennWest Posted May 22, 2020 Author Report Share Posted May 22, 2020 20 minutes ago, Randyretired said: You could easily miss this. The Victron 150/85 manual specifically states DC circuit breakers between the PV panels and the controller and between the controller and the batteries in the fine print. Please supply a link for that. I have read it 3 times and don't see this Quote 2003 Teton Grand Freedom towed with 2006 Freightliner Century 120 across the beautiful USA welding pipe.https://photos.app.goo.gl/O32ZjgzSzgK7LAyt1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hemsteadc Posted May 22, 2020 Report Share Posted May 22, 2020 I may have metioned this before, but I'd go 48v on the inverter too. Sure beats all that fat wire. I don't know if you go to Quartzsite, but your system sounds like something I'd really like to see! Wow. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GlennWest Posted May 22, 2020 Author Report Share Posted May 22, 2020 1 minute ago, hemsteadc said: I may have metioned this before, but I'd go 48v on the inverter too. Sure beats all that fat wire. I don't know if you go to Quartzsite, but your system sounds like something I'd really like to see! Wow. I have decided on the Magnum PAE units. 4400 ar 48v. 2 of them. I will get to Quartzsite one of these years. My work has been preventing this. Although right now there is no work for me. Quote 2003 Teton Grand Freedom towed with 2006 Freightliner Century 120 across the beautiful USA welding pipe.https://photos.app.goo.gl/O32ZjgzSzgK7LAyt1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GlennWest Posted May 22, 2020 Author Report Share Posted May 22, 2020 Well, waited too long on those panels. Sold out yesterday. Hard to find panels short enough to get 7 per side. Quote 2003 Teton Grand Freedom towed with 2006 Freightliner Century 120 across the beautiful USA welding pipe.https://photos.app.goo.gl/O32ZjgzSzgK7LAyt1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Randyretired Posted May 22, 2020 Report Share Posted May 22, 2020 2 hours ago, GlennWest said: Please supply a link for that. I have read it 3 times and don't see this Actually page 6 table 1 has battery fuse ratings and page 7 par. 3.3 has PV connections. I don't have the link but I googled Victron 150/85 installation. Hope that helps. Quote Randy 2001 Volvo VNL 42 Cummins ISX Autoshift Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oldjohnt Posted May 22, 2020 Report Share Posted May 22, 2020 Glenn, are these 375 Watt Panels too big (dimension wise) for you. They are $136 https://store.santansolar.com/ They have others, solar panels are so readily available and keep getting cheaper yayyyyyyyyyyy https://store.santansolar.com/product-category/solar-panels/ If I was starting all over Id probably go for Mono versus Poly. John T Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GlennWest Posted May 23, 2020 Author Report Share Posted May 23, 2020 Actually found some JA Solar panels 355 watt for $100 each. I could only fit 10 of these. They would give me 62 amps at 57v charging. They in Dallas so I culd pick them up. They are mono. I have not had any luck in finding a panel like the sunpower was size wise. I could fit 14 of them. At that price though one would go on truck too. Quote 2003 Teton Grand Freedom towed with 2006 Freightliner Century 120 across the beautiful USA welding pipe.https://photos.app.goo.gl/O32ZjgzSzgK7LAyt1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GlennWest Posted May 23, 2020 Author Report Share Posted May 23, 2020 (edited) Think I will call Santan tommorow. I goggled used sunpower panels and his site poped up with some 327 watt panels only 61" long. Perfect fit for 7 per side. That would get me 4578 watts. Edited May 23, 2020 by GlennWest Quote 2003 Teton Grand Freedom towed with 2006 Freightliner Century 120 across the beautiful USA welding pipe.https://photos.app.goo.gl/O32ZjgzSzgK7LAyt1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oldjohnt Posted May 23, 2020 Report Share Posted May 23, 2020 8 hours ago, GlennWest said: That would get me 4578 watts Glenn, unless you have enormous energy requirements 4578 Solar Watts should get you by. Ever ran an energy audit??? John T Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sehc Posted May 23, 2020 Report Share Posted May 23, 2020 If the cables from the panel to controller are sized to handle over the dead short output of the panel, no fuse is needed. Victron specks breakers on the positive and negative to enable disconnect of the panels from controller. With MPPT controller, it is important that the panels are not connected to the controller without the battery bank being connected. A heavy duty switch could handle that with less voltage drop. With my former suggestions of wire awg, I was thinking with my 12 volt brain. 48 volt can use smaller wires with less voltage drop. Fuses protect wires. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GlennWest Posted May 23, 2020 Author Report Share Posted May 23, 2020 (edited) I did. The most I could pull is 8000 watts. that's everything. Even clothes dryer. Been calling around for a while now trying to find one of the all in one clothes/gas dryers in 24" used, that I could remove dryer and install in place of our electric. Edited May 23, 2020 by GlennWest Quote 2003 Teton Grand Freedom towed with 2006 Freightliner Century 120 across the beautiful USA welding pipe.https://photos.app.goo.gl/O32ZjgzSzgK7LAyt1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oldjohnt Posted May 23, 2020 Report Share Posted May 23, 2020 Glenn, that 8000 Watts at 48 Volts = 167 Amps while 8000 Watts @ 120 Volts = 67 Amps (34 @ 240) . Sounds like you have plenty. The gents who don't use breakers up on top the roof for solar may assume the breaker has to be sufficient rated to allow the full max charging plus protect the wire HOWEVER a panel can only produce so much current even under a short in which case the breaker may NEVER (even under a short) see enough current to trip ???? Its NOT like a battery which could pump out hundreds and hundreds of amps under a short condition !!!!!! So long as the wire is protected is the main concern......BUT some gents use breakers up top which is fine especially if the manufacturer requires it, you don't want to risk voiding any warranty you know !!!!!!!!! Obviously WELL DUH I think everyone agrees to the use of a disconnect means at the charge controller PV input........... DITTO a gas dryer saves a ton of electrical energy and if you can find one that would save a lot of your solar capacity Keep us posted, hope this helps Best wishes, keep safe now John T Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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