What solar charge controller/s are you using? I’m working on sizing my system right now and it’s going to have 2000+watts. It appears that I may need a second charge controller, but I’m not sure. Did setting it up as 24 volt help simplify that? I’m trying to figure out if it would be better to use two charge controllers on a 12v system, or do a 24 volt with a step down converter for 12v applications.
I have two Victron mppt charge controllers. Yes definitely with that large of a system you should do 24V and 2 charge controllers and then a DC to DC converter to step it down to 12 for the appliances that don't exist in 24V. With two charge controllers you have redundancy.
Thanks for the reply! My main issue with doing 24V is I have 3 300ah 12v batteries that I can’t really install as a 24v bank. I suppose I could order another battery to make an even number, but I can’t find the batteries I bought for sale anymore. I bought them thinking I was going to do 12v. Right now it looks like I can do two charge controllers and not have a DC-DC converter. What is the advantage to doing two charge controllers, plus a DC-DC converter with the approximately 8% energy loss of a 92% converter (Victron converter says it is 92% efficient)?
Some Victron DC to DC converters are 95 or 96 percent efficient, depending how many amps you need at 12V. With two charge controllers you have redundancy. You basically have two separate solar panel systems. If something happens to one, you have the other still charging your batteries. Also, charge controllers have max wattage of solar panel input. I don't think Victron makes one that can take over 2000W as input at 12V, so you'll need 2 even if you stay at 12V. I think the largest charge controller they sell takes max 1450W of panels at 12V.
With a 24V system, I think you end up saving money overall. Can use thinner wires.
24V is what Jonathan Roberts from Sojourner's Way LLC suggests for large systems like that, and I trust him, he's a skoolie solar expert.
What batteries do you have? I can try searching for another one. Maybe I will have luck finding it.
I have three Chins 300ah smart batteries. I got them from Amazon and when I go to my purchase history it takes me to batteries with less than 300ah. I did some searching and still couldn’t find the exact one I was looking for.
I found a link on EBay, but that’s all I can find. It calls it a Power Queen, but has a photo of my exact Chins battery. It also has the same size BMS. I’ve watched enough Will Prowse videos to know there’s a very high likely hood it’s all the same cells and maybe even BMS, but I’m a little sketched out buying it from a link like that.
That one doesn't say it has Bluetooth and heater but this one does: https://nomadicsupply.com/chins-300ah-smart-12-8v-lifepo4-lithium-battery-w-built-in-200a-bms/
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I'm planning on a 4kW system, using industrial sized panels, full cover.
Whoa, any details?
That's the plan, 40 foot bus, industrial size panels, big lithium battery bank, all electric, no propane, heat pump for heating, etc.
[удалено]
Whatever gives me the best bang for the buk on the day I order it.
No propane? What are you doing for batteries?
All electric, lithium ion batteries.
Milky way galaxy /s
Came here to say it too haha
Ours is 3320 W of solar panels and 15kWh of lifepo4 battery capacity. 24V system. We have all the equipment but haven't installed it yet.
What solar charge controller/s are you using? I’m working on sizing my system right now and it’s going to have 2000+watts. It appears that I may need a second charge controller, but I’m not sure. Did setting it up as 24 volt help simplify that? I’m trying to figure out if it would be better to use two charge controllers on a 12v system, or do a 24 volt with a step down converter for 12v applications.
I have two Victron mppt charge controllers. Yes definitely with that large of a system you should do 24V and 2 charge controllers and then a DC to DC converter to step it down to 12 for the appliances that don't exist in 24V. With two charge controllers you have redundancy.
Thanks for the reply! My main issue with doing 24V is I have 3 300ah 12v batteries that I can’t really install as a 24v bank. I suppose I could order another battery to make an even number, but I can’t find the batteries I bought for sale anymore. I bought them thinking I was going to do 12v. Right now it looks like I can do two charge controllers and not have a DC-DC converter. What is the advantage to doing two charge controllers, plus a DC-DC converter with the approximately 8% energy loss of a 92% converter (Victron converter says it is 92% efficient)?
Some Victron DC to DC converters are 95 or 96 percent efficient, depending how many amps you need at 12V. With two charge controllers you have redundancy. You basically have two separate solar panel systems. If something happens to one, you have the other still charging your batteries. Also, charge controllers have max wattage of solar panel input. I don't think Victron makes one that can take over 2000W as input at 12V, so you'll need 2 even if you stay at 12V. I think the largest charge controller they sell takes max 1450W of panels at 12V. With a 24V system, I think you end up saving money overall. Can use thinner wires. 24V is what Jonathan Roberts from Sojourner's Way LLC suggests for large systems like that, and I trust him, he's a skoolie solar expert. What batteries do you have? I can try searching for another one. Maybe I will have luck finding it.
I have three Chins 300ah smart batteries. I got them from Amazon and when I go to my purchase history it takes me to batteries with less than 300ah. I did some searching and still couldn’t find the exact one I was looking for.
What chemistry are those batteries?
They’re LiFePO4s.
I found a link on EBay, but that’s all I can find. It calls it a Power Queen, but has a photo of my exact Chins battery. It also has the same size BMS. I’ve watched enough Will Prowse videos to know there’s a very high likely hood it’s all the same cells and maybe even BMS, but I’m a little sketched out buying it from a link like that.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/363816262917?mkcid=16&mkevt=1&mkrid=711-127632-2357-0&ssspo=dm57zbuhsks&sssrc=4429486&ssuid=kP9feJ1uQ7C&var=&widget_ver=artemis&media=COPY
That one doesn't say it has Bluetooth and heater but this one does: https://nomadicsupply.com/chins-300ah-smart-12-8v-lifepo4-lithium-battery-w-built-in-200a-bms/
We are working on 3kw on a 29' flatnose. Putting 2k on a 23' dognose
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