The "Offical Solar Tester" is hard at work today...

[OffGridForGood]

My Spouse (The Offical Solar Tester) is running a few loads of laundry, Dryer on, hot water tank is on, and she has something in the oven baking - asked me if I wanted some left-over pie heated up in the micro to go with a pot of coffee ! (holy hunny, can you think of anything else to load up the system with all at once! - I thought this, but didn't say anything other than, 'sure dear' as I watched her switch on her tea kettle to boot.) Solar is awesome when it all works, and is sunny out!

 

[1201]

My Spouse (The Offical Solar Tester) is running a few loads of laundry, Dryer on, hot water tank is on, and she has something in the oven baking - asked me if I wanted some left-over pie heated up in the micro to go with a pot of coffee ! (holy hunny, can you think of anything else to load up the system with all at once! - I thought this, but didn't say anything other than, 'sure dear' as I watched her switch on her tea kettle to boot.) Solar is awesome when it all works, and is sunny out!

That's a demand of about about 17kw? How do you handle that with 13kw of inverter power?

 

[OffGridForGood]

That's a demand of about about 17kw? How do you handle that with 13kw of inverter power?

I have 19.66kW of inverter, three MPP 6048 with 27.3A 240 output each. (just shy of 82 amps)

 

[Brett V]

I had to upgrade to a 12k Growatt and am in the process of building two more 230 amp batteries to go with the two I already have because the warden here insists on running everything at once, but I see now she’s just an amateur.

 

[1201]

I have 19.66kW of inverter, three MPP 6048 with 27.3A 240 output each. (just shy of 82 amps)

Oh I didn't realize you have three lv6048s. Thought you had two

 

[OffGridForGood]

Yeah, my spouse is a retired olympic Gold Medal level solar load tester, I could tell you stories from her youth that would curl the insulation off your 4/0 cables...LOL.

Oh I didn't realize you have three lv6048s. Thought you had two

We HAD two, but this summer got in a third one, which is the limit for the 6048's unless you go to 3-phase but were not going to do that.
I feel the next expansion in a couple years will be a pair of EG4 18kWpv (12kW x 2 =24kW) or 12k SolArk or similar. I wrestled with the idea of either getting the third MPP 6048, or going with twin EG4 18kWPV this year, instead of waiting. Given the battery bank expansion we are still doing, decided to just get the third MPP and wait - see what comes along in new inverters/prices, and how the EG418kPV does over the next while.
These (6048)units would be great for building a bigger mobile unit, since they can do 120 240 with just the one unit. I don't think I will have any trouble finding a use for them when the time comes. or sell to a newbie starting out like we did.

 

[1201]

Yeah, my spouse is a retired olympic Gold Medal level solar load tester, I could tell you stories from her youth that would curl the insulation off your 4/0 cables...LOL.

We HAD two, but this summer got in a third one, which is the limit for the 6048's unless you go to 3-phase but were not going to do that.
I feel the next expansion in a couple years will be a pair of EG4 18kWpv (12kW x 2 =24kW) or 12k SolArk or similar. I wrestled with the idea of either getting the third MPP 6048, or going with twin EG4 18kWPV this year, instead of waiting. Given the battery bank expansion we are still doing, decided to just get the third MPP and wait - see what comes along in new inverters/prices, and how the EG418kPV does over the next while.
These units would be great for building a bigger mobile unit, since they can do 120 240 with just the one unit. I don't think I will have any trouble finding a use for them when the time comes. or sell to a newbie starting out like we did.

I wish I could find a used one cheap right now. My wife can run 20kw easy but I've decided to leave the dryer and range on grid. That brings it down to a manageable 11kw which two 6048s can handle.

 

[OffGridForGood]

I got all three of my units from Maximum solar - this latest one was $943 USD plus the shipping charge. I think this is a great price for what these units can do. The downside is the ldle consumption (75 W each) we compensate with more PV panels, but in November I cringe at the precious power lost.

 

[1201]

I got all three of my units from Maximum solar - this latest one was $943 USD plus the shipping charge. I think this is a great price for what these units can do. The downside is the ldle consumption (75 W each) we compensate with more PV panels, but in November I cringe at the precious power lost.

I read something that they are not consuming 75w(I measured 85) all the time. Just when sitting at idle?.


Thanks. I'll check out maximum solar

 

[OffGridForGood]

That brings it down to a manageable 11kw which two 6048s can handle.

I agree, we did too earlier. Best not to push these too close to their max. ie your 11kW of 13 available = 84% loading is likely a good limit.
besides, the big loads like the Stove and Dryer often are short run times compared to other smaller loads that run more often like A/C fridges freezers etc. Those bigger loads are hard to justify providing that capacity, mostly sitting idle, just so those can run a hour once in awhile like an oven.

 

[OffGridForGood]

I read something that they are not consuming 75w(I measured 85) all the time. Just when sitting at idle?.

The manual says "<100W" I have measured 75 when the units are not working very hard, they seem to use more energy (more heat lost) as they ramp up in higher output, but I havn't measured their consumption at higher output to confirm. A cloudy day in November with two sitting there (in 2022) they were eating up 150 Watts steady no matter how much I glared at them.
I will pay more attention to the standby consumption for any units we move to next stage, if only for the satisfaction that a cloudy November day didn't use more energy to keep the inverters "on" than the 9.6kW array was able to harvest from the sun in a whole day. LOL.