Where can I buy Panasonic HIT N250 Slim solar panels here in the U.S.?
- Thread starter MTVR
- Start date
dreadlocks
Well-known member
for paralleling solar chargers, and/or lithium you should be buying Victron gear w/out a doubt.. and yeah I know they aint cheap, Ive got a 30A and I needa buy a 50A next, for my 650W 12V system.. I'm capped out at 450W right now, I'm putting my fixed roof and portable solar on different controllers because with them in such different directions I only get one or the other unless they both getting full sun, so my partial sun performance is poor.. I could get another 30A one but I want a 50A so I can feed it shore power and use it as a programmable smart lithium AC charger too.
Huh?
dreadlocks
Well-known member
60*2 = 120V max, so yeah a 150/35 would handle two panasonic's in a series, but it'd only output 35A instead of 50A, you'd want the 150/45..
You can configure SmartSolars to limit current output, so if you dont desire the whole 50A, and you want 40A max because you have another 40A max you can configure em as such and even if they get more power than that sent in one end, it wont output more than that.. at some point I could see those smart victron guys letting multiple controllers dynamically adjust output to keep within a global max output.. they are just the kinda nerds who'd do something neat like that.
You can configure SmartSolars to limit current output, so if you dont desire the whole 50A, and you want 40A max because you have another 40A max you can configure em as such and even if they get more power than that sent in one end, it wont output more than that.. at some point I could see those smart victron guys letting multiple controllers dynamically adjust output to keep within a global max output.. they are just the kinda nerds who'd do something neat like that.
I'm currently looking at other Victron equipment- I mentioned the Victron Orion 24/12-70 DC-DC Converter in my 24V alternator thread:
Exploiting a large alternator via battery-to-battery chargers?
No, find out the power drawn and look at DCDC buck converters. High amp units do get pricey. Having dual banks on separate circuits is another way, probably cheaper but more complex. If you know 12V is best, cheapest option might be replacing the alternator. Ex emergency vehicle large-frame...
www.expeditionportal.com
dreadlocks
Well-known member
My 50A charger is gonna be configured to output no more than 40A (0.4C for 100AH), I have a really nice high output AC/DC power supply that I'm feeding into the Solar Charger, through a little diode box I made that keeps the AC charger and Solar Panels isolated.. so I can feed the solar charger either DC power from the portable solar panel when its plugged in, or its getting high voltage DC from my dumb power supply.. I getta pick and choose.
This is one of the only way's ive found to charge my lithium from shore power at high output, with something I can fully program my self to whatever parameters I want.
shade
Well-known member
Have you priced 2000W of HIT panels or 400Ah of good LFP batteries?
John has already mentioned it, but approaching this as a system is the smart way to do it, and the system is only as reliable as its weakest components. Considering what you're undertaking, spending a little more up front has the potential to save you a considerable amount of trouble and money over many years.
dreadlocks
Well-known member
Yeah he's looking at >$2k in solar panels, twice that in batteries.. $600 for a pair of high quality solar chargers to take advantage of the investment you've already in with seems pittance.. how much it cost to put 8 new tires on a MTVR BTW? dont that kinda make all this look cheap heh.
What do you mean?
Alloy
Well-known member
For a large sysy
4th Controller?
Our 2.6Kw - 12v uses two controllers. A 150/100 for the portable and 250/100 on the roof top. The 250 was to allow 2 more panels on the roof but I it's not likely I'll add them.
I would have gone 24v or 48v if the hyd leveling system didn't have 4-12v motors that draw 70A ea.
Everthing was done to maximize the output in the worst conditions. We did a 10 day trip in June. In 3 days of rain and sorrounded by 100' trees the system produced 70Ah-100Ah each day.
The portable picked up light (no direct sun) in the morning and the roof top got it in the afternoon.
My friend was there for 5 days and used a 100' cord from our inverter to power a 5A charger for his batteries.
4th Controller?
Our 2.6Kw - 12v uses two controllers. A 150/100 for the portable and 250/100 on the roof top. The 250 was to allow 2 more panels on the roof but I it's not likely I'll add them.
I would have gone 24v or 48v if the hyd leveling system didn't have 4-12v motors that draw 70A ea.
Everthing was done to maximize the output in the worst conditions. We did a 10 day trip in June. In 3 days of rain and sorrounded by 100' trees the system produced 70Ah-100Ah each day.
The portable picked up light (no direct sun) in the morning and the roof top got it in the afternoon.
My friend was there for 5 days and used a 100' cord from our inverter to power a 5A charger for his batteries.
Alloy
Well-known member
Afford the tires, the controlllers or both??