Jesshaines
New Member
- Joined
- Mar 29, 2022
- Messages
- 36
I've been running 16 cell 48 volt 280 amp hour battery with victron charge controller 60amp and eight panels producing approximately 200 watts each 2s4p for about a year.
I live in the desert and am looking to make some upgrades before this summer when I'll see 2 months of 115°.
#1 battery cooling. My battery lives in a bench storage of a trailer. last summer I did see 30 to 35 Celsius on batt temp sensors.
I'm considering a liquid CPU cooler attached to the BMS.
Has anyone experimented with this? Any success or improvements?
(Photo attached of the battery setup. normally the picture shown will have a wooden cover on top and it's an enclosed area.)
#2 expanding solar array
I have panels in reserve and want to go up to 12 total array 3S4P before really hot temperatures hit.
Generally speaking the current setup seems to max out at 1800W production but once or twice I saw 2400W.
My victron is rated to 3200 watts. So if I expand my system and hopefully get approx 2700 Watts regularly and everything behaves lineraly, I might occasionally see a spike as high as 3600W.
My solar panels are used. I'm unsure where this occasional significantly higher production is coming from. I also don't know if it's a momentary spike or lasting longer as I've only seen it on the victron history for the day.
Does anyone know how the victron might handle over wattage like this? Does it shut itself down completely and turn back on?
Does it seem reasonable to try this expanded array or am I shooting myself in the foot and way over paneling?
#2b expanding solar array part 2
I currently have essentially two arrays of 2S2P that are plugged directly into the victron (two lines shoved into the solar receiving port)
I know this isn't ideal and would like to upgrade for safety.
So I think I either need a bus bar or a combiner box.
But I'm a bit confused about how to design this part of the system.
#3 efficiency and longevity
My power needs are greatest during the 4 months of intense summer. Other parts of the year I really don't need the full 12 panels.
Would it make sense to integrate a shut off switch so during the parts of the year that I need less power I can cycle between two banks of six panels.
Basically I'd have two banks of 3S2P and during low power needs I can have one bank shut off and only using six panels. And switch back and forth between which bank is being used.
Would this in any way improve the longevity of the panels to essentially have them shut off for a month or so at a time?
#4 is it bad to basically have my battery and float for significant periods of the year?
This time of year if I don't interfere with my system at all, I'm in float mode by 10:00 a.m. most days
I know there's a lot of talk about long-term storage of cells at 50% SOC.
I also saw an article prowse posted refuting the notion that daily cycling of the batteries is bad. He basically said cycle to your hearts content it won't impact your battery life.
But what about the reverse? Should I occasionally be shutting my panels off so the battery gets a chance to cycle a bit?
I've seen statements that some people do this at least once a month but no hard evidence one way or the other that it's necessary beneficial.
Anybody have hard facts on this?
Okay I know this is quite long if anybody made it this far with me thanks for reading and thanks in advance for input and advice
I live in the desert and am looking to make some upgrades before this summer when I'll see 2 months of 115°.
#1 battery cooling. My battery lives in a bench storage of a trailer. last summer I did see 30 to 35 Celsius on batt temp sensors.
I'm considering a liquid CPU cooler attached to the BMS.
Has anyone experimented with this? Any success or improvements?
(Photo attached of the battery setup. normally the picture shown will have a wooden cover on top and it's an enclosed area.)
#2 expanding solar array
I have panels in reserve and want to go up to 12 total array 3S4P before really hot temperatures hit.
Generally speaking the current setup seems to max out at 1800W production but once or twice I saw 2400W.
My victron is rated to 3200 watts. So if I expand my system and hopefully get approx 2700 Watts regularly and everything behaves lineraly, I might occasionally see a spike as high as 3600W.
My solar panels are used. I'm unsure where this occasional significantly higher production is coming from. I also don't know if it's a momentary spike or lasting longer as I've only seen it on the victron history for the day.
Does anyone know how the victron might handle over wattage like this? Does it shut itself down completely and turn back on?
Does it seem reasonable to try this expanded array or am I shooting myself in the foot and way over paneling?
#2b expanding solar array part 2
I currently have essentially two arrays of 2S2P that are plugged directly into the victron (two lines shoved into the solar receiving port)
I know this isn't ideal and would like to upgrade for safety.
So I think I either need a bus bar or a combiner box.
But I'm a bit confused about how to design this part of the system.
#3 efficiency and longevity
My power needs are greatest during the 4 months of intense summer. Other parts of the year I really don't need the full 12 panels.
Would it make sense to integrate a shut off switch so during the parts of the year that I need less power I can cycle between two banks of six panels.
Basically I'd have two banks of 3S2P and during low power needs I can have one bank shut off and only using six panels. And switch back and forth between which bank is being used.
Would this in any way improve the longevity of the panels to essentially have them shut off for a month or so at a time?
#4 is it bad to basically have my battery and float for significant periods of the year?
This time of year if I don't interfere with my system at all, I'm in float mode by 10:00 a.m. most days
I know there's a lot of talk about long-term storage of cells at 50% SOC.
I also saw an article prowse posted refuting the notion that daily cycling of the batteries is bad. He basically said cycle to your hearts content it won't impact your battery life.
But what about the reverse? Should I occasionally be shutting my panels off so the battery gets a chance to cycle a bit?
I've seen statements that some people do this at least once a month but no hard evidence one way or the other that it's necessary beneficial.
Anybody have hard facts on this?
Okay I know this is quite long if anybody made it this far with me thanks for reading and thanks in advance for input and advice
