Components list for new system

I'm looking to install a solar system and I've done a lot of research on components to come up with a component list for what I need but before I spend $7K I just want to make sure that I'll have what I need. Am I missing anything?

I don't see anything majorly regrettable in here.

I notice that the system is a bit light on battery, the inverter battery cables are a bit long and skinny, and that's a lot of brightmount footers to build just for 370's. I would consider larger panels, but maybe you have and you'd rather have a smaller wind load.

I would also consider going for a single indoor powerpro instead of the LP4's.

Agree on the 370w panels. Is there a reason?
Quick look at the ground mount from EG4 it appears to me that you could put a 500W+ panel on them. Manual is pretty thorough, but lacking on panel racking sizing.

With 500w panels (cost difference is minimal these days), you could eliminate one ground mount for the same wattage.

No reverse bias protection. Are you against using diodes?

No RSD?

Agree as well on the battery, little over paneled, but you might just be upgrading later? Than again, nothing really wrong with being over paneled.

Thanks for the feedback. I plan on adding battery storage as well as another 6000XP for redundancy in the future. I went with a 1 gauge battery to inverter cable so I would have room to move the batteries if I needed to. My understanding was that the battery feeds about 140 amps to the inverter and that 1 AWG could handle about 250 amps and I wanted something that had extra capacity.

For the ground mount, my understanding is that each unit holds 4 panels and I'll have 16 so I'm going to order 4 of them.

MrThisIsME said:

Agree on the 370w panels. Is there a reason?
Quick look at the ground mount from EG4 it appears to me that you could put a 500W+ panel on them. Manual is pretty thorough, but lacking on panel racking sizing.

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The main reason is cost & what the rack supports. The cost for 8kW's of larger panels would cost me more. The rack states "Supports up to 4 solar panels (44 inches wide or less)" and larger panels were wider than 44".

MrThisIsME said:

With 500w panels (cost difference is minimal these days), you could eliminate one ground mount for the same wattage.

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If you can show me a 500 watt panel under 44" wide for a similar price, that would be great. Thanks.

MrThisIsME said:

No reverse bias protection. Are you against using diodes?

No RSD?

Agree as well on the battery, little over paneled, but you might just be upgrading later? Than again, nothing really wrong with being over paneled.

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Can you elaborate on the reverse bias protection & diodes?

I plan on talking to my electrician about a rapid shutdown. I do plan on having disconnects at the array and at the inverter but they will help me make sure everything is up to code.

I plan on adding additional batteries and an inverter for redundancy. I'm ordering all the panels that I need up front.

MapleGuy said:

If you can show me a 500 watt panel under 44" wide for a similar price, that would be great. Thanks.

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Strange that the limit it to 44". If it were 44.7 inches per panel, just 2.8" longer overall, it would include 98% of the panels made. Wonder if it was on purpose?
Most of the 156 cell panels should work. 495w or so, not quite 500 but close.

MapleGuy said:

Can you elaborate on the reverse bias protection & diodes?

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In essence, no power should be going to the panels for any reason, unless you are trying to make a heater (not good). Diode I referred to here just ensures the electricity flows from the panels to your system. Not the other way. If for some reason, say MPPT failure, etc, power gets applied to the wires from your PV, the diodes will stop it from flowing to the panels and most liley damaging them.

Somewhat decent article here, that covers blocking diodes as I mentioned. Also goes over bypass diodes that may or may not be beneficial to you application.

MapleGuy said:

I plan on talking to my electrician about a rapid shutdown.

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With the EG4 unit you are using, it is easy, cheap and simple to integrate for protection for the inverter. Chances are slim to none it will ever be used, or reachable when needed, but there.

MapleGuy said:

I'm ordering all the panels that I need up front.

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Sounds like you got the right idea there.