480 Watts = ?

[Mike90250]

Don't know how much you paid for your inverter, but you can always use a step up or step down DC converter to use it with the ideal 24V or 48V series string...just a thought

Won't work, a 1,000w DC-Dc converter to do what you are suggesting, will cost more than a new inverter would. And you now have 2x the system losses.

Ebay is for the mistakes. Sell the old, buy a new.

[Securityxpert4u]

Milezone,
You can always max out your 12V parallel @ 1000W...save up your coin and bump up to a higher V inverter and reconfiigure your PV string at that point...then you can start adding more PVs again...or until you run out of PV space

[Sunking]

You can always max out your 12V parallel @ 1000W..

Not with a 60 amp MPPT controller, 800 watts is the limit with a 12 volt battery

[milezone]

Right now I only have 480 watts, so going to stick with 12 volt for now. I do plan to add another (2) 120 watt panels to reach the 720 mark. And I think at that time I will purchase a new inverter to go 24 volt.

So with that said I have a drawing that I think is accurate on how this system will be wired. You guys have been most helpful so please let me know if there is something wrong, other than my bad electric version of a drawing.

Milezone

[Sunking]

I would not put the panels in parallel.

If you are serious about adding 2 more panels later and switching to 24 volts I would wire the panels in a 2 x 2 configuration. That means wire 2 panels in series, in parallel with 2 panels in series. So when you buy 2 more panels you wire them up in series and parallel them to the existing 4 panels..

Then when and if you do go to 24 volts, your panels are already to go, all you have to do is change out the invert and batteries.

However if it is going to be a while before you do anything you might consider wiring all 4 panel in series to maximize efficiency and save you money on wiring, cabling, and materials.

[Mike90250]

I would not put the panels in parallel.

If you are serious about adding 2 more panels later and switching to 24 volts I would wire the panels in a 2 x 2 configuration. That means wire 2 panels in series, in parallel with 2 panels in series. So when you buy 2 more panels you wire them up in series and parallel them to the existing 4 panels..

Then when and if you do go to 24 volts, your panels are already to go, all you have to do is change out the invert and batteries.

However if it is going to be a while before you do anything you might consider wiring all 4 panel in series to maximize efficiency and save you money on wiring, cabling, and materials.

Ditto!

[milezone]

Hi Sunking,

Ok I think I don't understand that, if you do not mind can you draw me a quickie to show me what you mean? Thanks

Milezone

[Sunking]

I do not have enough time right now to draw out your specific requirements but it will look something like this:



What you see above is a 5 x 2 configuration. All you need is 2x 2 or just 1 series string with 4 panels. Below is another example with 3 panels in series.

[Securityxpert4u]

Hi Sunking,

Ok I think I don't understand that, if you do not mind can you draw me a quickie to show me what you mean? Thanks

Milezone

Milezone,
You have to know & understand the basic principles between parallel & series wiring...
Parallel wiring results in same voltage 12+12+12+12=12 (like jumpstartinga car battery + to +, - to -)
Series results in higher voltage 12+-+-12+-+-12+-+-12= 48
Series 12+-+-12 paralleled to Series 12+-+-12 = 24

[Sunking]

Here you go wire the 4 panels in seires, when you ge t2 more add them in series.

[Mike90250]

I don't have time to draw it up, but here's a site explaining how batteries can be wired in many different ways Series, Parallel & Series Parallel combination.

just mentally erase the 6V and insert PV !



So look at the 4 6v batteries in series, that is how you would connect your 4 solar panels, + to - to +...

credit to

http://www.solarseller.com/battery_bank_wiring_diagram.htm

and they have PV layouts, but I think the battery one is easier to grasp the idea.

http://www.solarseller.com/photovoltaic_module_wiring_diagrams.htm

[milezone]

Here you go wire the 4 panels in seires, when you ge t2 more add them in series.

If I wired all 4 that way wouldn't it be 48 volts? Shouldn't I only do 2 together, and then tie the other 2 as parallel?

Milezone

[Mike90250]

The outback controller down converts the high panel voltage, to the proper voltage for the battery. You need to confirm the battery/system voltage of 12V, was auto detected properly when hooked up.

[milezone]

Ooooohhhh ok so when I get the Outback controller, I can leave my battery setup at 12 volts, because of my 12 volt inverter, but I can setup my solar panels to be 48 volts, as the controller will regulate that part to 12 volts when it gets to batteries.

Milezone

[Sunking]

Ooooohhhh ok so when I get the Outback controller, I can leave my battery setup at 12 volts, because of my 12 volt inverter, but I can setup my solar panels to be 48 volts, as the controller will regulate that part to 12 volts when it gets to batteries.

Milezone

Yep you can wire up to 6 panels in series for any battery voltage. A MPPT controller, well an Outback 80 amp controller is good for 150 Voc on the input. With 2, 3, 4, 5, or 6 panels in series the current remains 7 amps, only the voltage adds up.