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terken
Member
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# Posted: 5 Sep 2012 07:03pm
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hey all
Im in need of some help
i bought a 60 watt solar set up from canadian tire a wile back
and it works well.Then i was given a sanyo 220 watt solar panel.
then I went back to canadian tire and bought a blue planet 450 watt ,30 amp charge controller and put them altogether and it was working great
i read on here that you cant put the canadian tire 60 watt set up with the sanyo so i undid every thing and i was running then by then selfs
2 set ups
the canadian tire 4x15 watt panels on the 7 amp charge controller
and the sanyo 220 watt on the blue planet charge controller
the sanyo panel smoked the blue planett charge controller
and I mean smoked <filled the house with smoke >
so what do i need , i bet i need a charge controllar but what one should i get
also i have a few more of the 220 watt panels <3of them >in the garage thanks for the help
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Dillio187
Member
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# Posted: 5 Sep 2012 07:28pm
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what are you charging for a battery bank?
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terken
Member
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# Posted: 5 Sep 2012 07:30pm
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yes i am sorry about that
kinda new here
I have 3 batterys right now.
and at some point i will get more
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VTweekender
Member
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# Posted: 5 Sep 2012 07:35pm - Edited by: VTweekender
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First you need to get a meter on the panel during sunlight and make sure the short didn't come from the panel. And also, if you didn't have a fuse in line, to make sure the short in the controller didn't smoke the panel as well. More than likely a faulty controller, not unusual. Check your warranty on it if you bought it not to long ago, they will replace it. Look into the Morningstar charge controllers, go 60 amp if you want to connect the other 220 panels.
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terken
Member
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# Posted: 5 Sep 2012 07:41pm
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the blue planet
has a meter on it
it was reading 48 volts and 32 amps
and yes i have put a fuze since then
the morning star are they hard to set up
i just learning lol
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VTweekender
Member
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# Posted: 5 Sep 2012 07:51pm - Edited by: VTweekender
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That reading sounds like you maybe smoked the controller with that input ..I think I will let someone more experienced chime in here...the morningstar are as typical as any other....but you may need to go with the MPPT version by the sound of those 220 panels....expensive though....you really need to know the exact output of those 220 panels before going further...then get advise on the controller after you know that info.
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Dillio187
Member
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# Posted: 5 Sep 2012 10:48pm
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so I'm guessing a 12V battery bank? You definitely need an MPPT charge controller to use those larger, 220 watt grid tie panels to charge a 12V bank.
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MtnDon
Member
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# Posted: 5 Sep 2012 11:16pm
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First check the specs on the PV module. Look for the maximum power output in both amps and volts, Imp and Vmp. Then also locate the figures for the short circuit value for amps (Isc) and the open circuit voltage (Voc).
Then locate the specs for the charge controller; the maximum voltage input and the maximum current (amps) input. Most likely the PV module exceeded the limitation on the charge controller.
If you can't find the specs on the PV module Google the PV module model number. The figures will be out there someplace. Or post the model here. Also the model number of the charge controller.
As for the other panels, are they identical to the first one? If you can supply the pertinent data (Voc, Isc, Vmp, Imp and the rated watts per module) I or someone can help you sort things out.
Also post the batteries you have, the model number or the voltages and amp-hour capacity and how many and how they are connected.
Things lose there magic smoke for good reasons usually. Figure it out before throwing more new parts together.
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MtnDon
Member
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# Posted: 5 Sep 2012 11:58pm - Edited by: MtnDon
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Is this the Sanyo PV module?
PDF Document
If it is and if you are running a 12 volt battery system that panels output will be wasted to a great extent unless you choose to use an MPPT type of charge controller. Up to a third, more or less, of the possible power output could be lost when used with a "regular" 12 volt system charge controller and batteries.
Also, with three more of those PV modules waiting in the wings right now is the time to figure out just what you want to end up with. Lots of beginners start with a 12 volt DC based system. Then their use grows to the point where a 12 volt system is inefficient. 12 volt systems reach limitations much sooner than a system based on 24 volts. Now is the time to decide as any new and more costly equipment that you buy now for 12 volts will be useless if you decide later that 24 volts is what you need. The exception may be batteries as they can be series connected, but if you are working with actual 12 volt batteries they are not the best for a serious off grid system.
So as well as supplying the specs on the modules and the toasted blue planet you should try to figure where all this will lead to. I know it ca be difficult; I spent a year planning and changing before building the system we now have.
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terken
Member
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# Posted: 6 Sep 2012 06:16pm
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hey thanks for all the info
like i said
im kinda new at all of this
and yes thoses are the panels that i have
i was given 4 of them and Im able to get more .
so i would like to get it all together ,
right now im running a 12 volt set up
and you are saying that i should be running a 24 volt set up
ok , how do i do that
any way thanks for all your help
realy
thanks
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MtnDon
Member
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# Posted: 6 Sep 2012 10:11pm
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Quoting: terken and you are saying that i should be running a 24 volt set up ok , how do i do that
Not meaning that 24 volts is the only way to do it; saying there are advantages. One is the use of smaller gauge wire for the DC circuits, especially if you go with a high capacity inverter. In part the decision hinges on how large the power output (AC power) is to be. I am suggesting you have a hard look at where the system use will be in a year or two. If it seems like the usage will grow it may be the right time to go 24 volts instead of 12. If the intent is to stay small with no more than 4 batteries, then 12 volt may be fine.
What makes a 24 volt system? The batteries are connected in series; 12 + 12 = 24, or 6 + 6 + 6 + 6 = 24. Then different inverter and probably a different charge controller, though some CC can do a variety of voltages.
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terken
Member
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# Posted: 7 Sep 2012 08:07am
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well to tell the truth I live in an apartment
and the land lord is a great guy
and he is cool with me trying what ever i want
so i was thinking that in the end of it all i would like to keep the stove and the fridge on the grid
but every thing eles off the grid
in 2 years from now i plan on living at the cottage full time
i have a wind turbine there now
and ill take all the solar set up with me
so i guess that every thing will run off of it
there are no power lines there i think the nearest one is 3 miles away
and for the shop i have a monster of a generater
i can even run my tools on it
<welder ,mill , lathe>
so im not worried about that
hey thanks for all your in put
i have been reading this page for about a year now and im love it
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creeky
Member
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# Posted: 11 Sep 2012 07:09pm
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the blue planet from CT is a 12volt controller that gets poor reviews for quality.
You appear to have 48 volt panels. A morningstar mppt-60 will let you use your four 48 volt panels for a 12 volt system. Maximum of 1kw worth of panels (really 850 or so, but let's not quibble.) The math is 60 amps times 12.x volts equals roughly 750 watts of panels. but with various losses (cloud, haze, dirt, wires, inverters etc.) a kw is a good number to aim at. your 4 panels are 880, so you're dialed.
If you want to add more panels best bet is a 24 volt system. Your controller at 60 amps is your bottleneck. Now you can have 1600 watts of solar input. (60 amps x 24 volts = 1440 watts, 8 panels!)
If you use your 48 volt panels to power a 48 volt system you can have 60 amps x 48v = 2760 watts of panels (3 k really, 16 panels)
Note: If your blue planet had been actually running at 48 volts your 32 amp reading would have meant your solar was inputting 1500 watts. Obviously a 220 watt panel is not capable of this.
If you want everything at your cottage to run off of solar a 24 volt system with 1500 watts of solar and 800-1200 amp hours @24v of batteries will run everything, including a fridge. Propane stove. Or solar oven...
I have a 12v system with 1200 amp hours storage and it's just a bit too small for a fridge. close though. very close. and I have lights, pumps, tv, microwave, blender, rechargeable power tools, phone, high speed satellite internet ... well everything but a fridge and stove really.
good luck!
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terken
Member
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# Posted: 12 Sep 2012 08:56pm
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hey man
thanks for all your input
i have just bought a morning star
60 amp
i have not had the time to hook it up yet ,work to much
lol
but i do it over the week end
i like the idea of running a 48 volt set up so its some thing i going to look at .
I
think i just going to sell the ct 60 watt set up
and the blue planet charge controllar
i guess that they are of no use to me now .
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creeky
Member
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# Posted: 13 Sep 2012 04:17pm
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hey terken, no problem. i dunno. but keep the ct 60. i have one too and I put it on the "washroom". runs the pump and lights there.
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terken
Member
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# Posted: 7 Nov 2012 07:44pm
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well it been a while since I was last here .
but i have been reading and learning all i can.
so this weekend coming i going to try it all out
4 pannels , the morning star 60 amp, and 8 new batterys
man i hope all goes well i going to hook it up to 24 volts
i hope
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Anonymous
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# Posted: 9 Nov 2012 12:23pm
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Did I read this right are you experimenting with solar power inside an apartment building and filled your apartment up with smoke?
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creeky
Member
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# Posted: 9 Nov 2012 12:45pm
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cool. I can't wait to hear how it goes for you. good luck!
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terken
Member
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# Posted: 12 Nov 2012 06:10pm
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yes you read it right
i had the controllar in the kitchen
and when i hooked it all up it started to smoke
but since then
i have it working now
but we have had hardly any sun
but the little that we do get it seems to be charging so far
watched 2 dvds on saturday night
with the solar
and on sunday
we had the juke box running all day
worked great
so now i going to hook all the lights in the kitchen and the living room up also and see haw that goes
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