RedArc vs Victron... REAL WORLD USE pros and cons?

[john61ct]

The SmartSolar line gives so much flexibility, even the cheap small units take up to 70V

 

[RAM5500 CAMPERTHING]

The SmartSolar line gives so much flexibility, even the cheap small units take up to 70V

That, and TONS of options for size and such

 

[ThePartyWagon]

The SmartSolar line gives so much flexibility, even the cheap small units take up to 70V

I'll go with Victron for my personal controller but I won't be pushing that much power.

 

[john61ct]

Voltage has little to do with power.

The 75/15 unit (USD $125?) is designed to output only up to 220W, so up to say 280W panel Pmax rating

 

[ramblinChet]

Voltage has little to do with power.

Please clarify your statement since volts x amps = watts (power).

 

[RAM5500 CAMPERTHING]

Please clarify your statement since volts x amps = watts (power).

Yeah…. I was confused to

With Victron their numbers system is max volts and max amps

Example Mine is the 150/70

It can handle max input of 150 volts and produce max output of 70 amps

 

[4000lbsOfGoat]

Yeah…. I was confused to

With Victron their numbers system is max volts and max amps

Example Mine is the 150/70

It can handle max input of 150 volts and produce max output of 70 amps

Suddenly the naming makes sense! Thanks!

I just got a 100|30 and hoping to get many years of hard use out of it!

 

[john61ct]

Please clarify your statement since volts x amps = watts (power).

Just because the SC is designed to handle a panel with high Voc spec on its input

does not **in itself** imply its ability to output lots of amps.

Unless your **system voltage** is increased.

So a Victron capable of charging a 48V bank can output 4x the watts compared to a 12V bank.

Note that system voltage has nothing to do with panel voltage.

Note that to be safe you should derate that Voc max spec by at least 10%, and 20% is much safer. However, going too low, say under 40-45Voc, does not give the MPPT enough headroom for its optimisation algorithm.

But on the output power, better to "overpanel" to get best bang for your buck, 20 to even 30% will give you much higher **average** charge capacity,

the ability to capture 100% of (rare) **peak** panel output is a fool's errand, waste of money.

So assuming optimal 1:1 SC ratio, an ideal panel for that 75/15 model in a 12V system would be 40+Voc and 240-280W theoretical max power rating.

Keep the Voc the same but double the power for a 24V system.

Hope that helps.

 

[RAM5500 CAMPERTHING]

Just because the SC is designed to handle a panel with high Voc spec on its input

does not **in itself** imply its ability to output lots of amps.

Unless your **system voltage** is increased.

So a Victron capable of charging a 48V bank can output 4x the watts compared to a 12V bank.

Note that system voltage has nothing to do with panel voltage.

Note that to be safe you should derate that Voc max spec by at least 10%, and 20% is much safer. However, going too low, say under 40-45Voc, does not give the MPPT enough headroom for its optimisation algorithm.

But on the output power, better to "overpanel" to get best bang for your buck, 20 to even 30% will give you much higher **average** charge capacity,

the ability to capture 100% of (rare) **peak** panel output is a fool's errand, waste of money.

So assuming optimal 1:1 SC ratio, an ideal panel for that 75/15 model in a 12V system would be 40+Voc and 240-280W theoretical max power rating.

Keep the Voc the same but double the power for a 24V system.

Hope that helps.

Agree 100%, good info

that was my reasoning for the 150/70, gives me safe buffer both ways

 

[Mtpisgah]

So if I am running a Victron 100/20 with a 180w panel, am I doing good? 12v system with a Genesis dual battery.

 

[DiploStrat]

So if I am running a Victron 100/20 with a 180w panel, am I doing good? 12v system with a Genesis dual battery.

2x180w panels should be able to produce around 10A in perfect sun, so a controller that can output 20A is fine.

Guessing that those panels run at about 25v, then in series, you are looking at 50v, so a controller that can handle up to 100v is fine.

 

[Mtpisgah]

2x180w panels should be able to produce around 10A in perfect sun, so a controller that can output 20A is fine.

Guessing that those panels run at about 25v, then in series, you are looking at 50v, so a controller that can handle up to 100v is fine.

I only have one panel, but sounds like that is ok just slower. It is on an AluCab canopy camper and takes up about 3/4 of the top.

 

[john61ct]

The 100/20 is overkill.

If you ever want to expand with portable panels, all identical if multiple panels, use that one to handle 300 + watts.

75/15 will be fine for that fixed panel

 

[DiploStrat]

Sorry if I misunderstood. I assumed that you already had a controller and wanted to know if it would work.

If you are designing a new system, you could do worse than to use this calculator. I would feed it the numbers for the biggest system expansion that you can imagine putting on your truck.

MPPT Calculator - Victron Energy

 

[john61ct]

To be clear, there is no problem with overkill, other than spending a bit more