Recent content by El Tigre

Thanks! Here's a spreadsheet I did just to quickly "see" what my options look like. If you see errors, I'm still a dummy! (If you can use the .xls, let me know. It's meant to calculate results for any values you plug into the blue part of line 5). So, if, after I set up a 4S2P layout (in...

Ignore previous message for now...reviewing posts...

oops...that is correct...I sent the wrong sketch...I plan to start out 2S2P and, assuming that works, add 4 more panels and set for 2S4P. (should delete old out of date sketches; sorry that one got sent) Will send 2S4P sketch

......also...Using 10AWG wire.

Welp, remaining decisions may be simplified since, with initial purchases, I seem to have gone closer to option 1. 1. I bought the very nice MakeSkyBlue 60A-V119 (see sketch below) https://makeskyblue.com/products/60a-mppt-solar-charge-controller-w-wifi?variant=31426587918470 2. I bought 4 100W...

Someone suggested: "Depending on your shading you might find trying a 2S4P setup to be more productive. Since you are running 12vDC batteries you can get by with the ~45Voc if wired that way. If you do go that direction I would suggest getting a combiner box." I can see that there are...

Getting ready to buy cabling...does it make any difference whether I get stranded 10AWG wire or solid core 10AWG wire for my 800Watt (8panel 2S4P system?

Yes, I guess 2S4P would be better (I'd read that parallel was better for shady environments because if one panel gets shade it doesn't limit the overall harvest as much). I wonder then, would 1S8P (all 8 panels in parallel) be even better (if 4 get shade the other 4 get full current and the...

Thank you ALL for your help!!! I'm sure there's more to buy but here's (sketch below) of all I know that I'm buying (unless somebody responds with "well hold on just a minute partner...") 1. I heard here that I didn't need fuses with 4S2P so none are shown in the sketch below. 2. The 24"...

(Please see the post just above too.) I love the price!!! Wondering about how well it works with LiFePo4 batteries (and maybe noise). What do you think (here's a review at the Amazon link you sent: If your application uses anything except lithium ion batteries I think this product is very...

1. So, when I do later expand to an 800W-900W system, I might choose to use 4S2P instead of 3S3P (despite the ~100W potentiall difference in yield) just to avoid needing fuses? (Just making sure I understand the "rule of fuses" :o) 2. Do the fuses provide any additional protection that might...

Great to know. I modified my sketches to use Voc for voltage (I know it doesn't really create 480.4W but, with our margin of error included by using the higher Voc it looks bigger...below it I also showed the calculations that come to the correct normative 400W). But I will, as suggested use...

Just to be sure, do you mean that I should be using Voc (for panel voltage in the sketch below) (which is 21.6v) instead of Vmp (which is 18v). (It seems plausible to use the higher value to be conservative for the protection of the SCC but I just wanted to be sure.)

Thank you for all that info. Yes, regarding the load, I will, at least for some periods, need to run a small window air conditioner whose cooling watts are low (200-450) but whose starting amps are much higher. However, this is just for a few seconds and I've run that same unit just off of my...

OK, I think I got that. Lots of good advice. Thinking I might start out w/4 panels in 2S2P for 400 watts (left sketch below) and expand later to 3S3P (right sketch) for 900W as shown below: (Did I get the numbers right this time?) I've also been looking at SCCs and got good advice above...