diy solar

diy solar

Search results

  1. C

    Solar Panels needed with a high VOC - Increase voltage from panels or swap for higher VoC panels?

    yes, but the panels are not matched... I have 8x390 Watt + 2x 360 Watt so didn't want to mix, they are also on different parts of the roof so to mix the strings would be a bit of a nightmare :(
  2. C

    Solar Panels needed with a high VOC - Increase voltage from panels or swap for higher VoC panels?

    I have a foxcloud F3600 inverter which requires a VOC per PV Line (it allows 2 lines) of 80 ~ 550V. One string I have is 8 panels giving plenty of voltage to operate, however my second string has a VOC of 40V per panel (80V in series), but in reality it gives just short of the 80V minimum to...
  3. C

    Battery Equalizer PLC-10 with display from Mazava (Unboxing)

    @shiloh.sharps thanks for sharing this, making me want to open mine up to check which version I have. Were they easy to get into? Mine are the Mazava ones which has me concerned however they have been running over 2 years without any issues I have just left them to get on with it. Not noticed...
  4. C

    Battery Equalizer PLC-10 with display from Mazava (Unboxing)

    Yes they are connected 24/7, but note they only balance when there is a voltage differential between the batteries, otherwise they are essentially in standby. I am no expert either, but there will be other criteria the balancing would usually happen between a specific voltage range, but are...
  5. C

    Battery Equalizer PLC-10 with display from Mazava (Unboxing)

    Yes been running faultlessly, set it an forget it. Voltages are remaining in check and very happy with these
  6. C

    Need some help with connecting to ground for my inverter!

    wow amazing responses @FilterGuy !!! Makes perfect sense. I do actually have an RCD on the inverter input, since it comes from the main fusebox with both an MCB and and RCD. That said am keen to avoid nuisance trips, and also don't like the idea of current passing through earth This is...
  7. C

    Need some help with connecting to ground for my inverter!

    I just mean what's the advantage of connecting the utility earth to the invertor earth, sine it would trip either way. Also it prevents bypass from working?
  8. C

    Need some help with connecting to ground for my inverter!

    Have learnt a lot about grounding and earths over the last couple of days. It makes total sense about the earth and neutral bond now but know the way i was thinking in #13 it totally off. I always through that earth was used to 'dissipate' energy (in the ground), however now see that its...
  9. C

    Need some help with connecting to ground for my inverter!

    @FilterGuy makes perfect sense. I have no idea why the manual is so blasé about this. There is so much more than meets the eye and there is no mention on this bond! I have gone ahead and added the bond as per this diagram: My socket tester is now showing a correct ground!! Also the RCD...
  10. C

    Need some help with connecting to ground for my inverter!

    Is this what I should be doing? i.e. ignore the utility, but connect the Earth and Negative into the AC output breaker... This way any grounding fault will draw a high current over the earth wire and trip the breaker? Also connecting a earthing rod as an additional layer of protection...
  11. C

    Need some help with connecting to ground for my inverter!

    Neutral to Ground is giving me ~100V AC. The output however is 230V AC?
  12. C

    Need some help with connecting to ground for my inverter!

    I truly appreciate you investigating.... I am 99% sure my system is the TN-C-S System. There are 2 incoming conductors coming in, and then there is a 100A breaker from which point it splits out the Earth (see this video @ 25s in) The inverter has 2 modes, a bypass mode (as per the above), and...
  13. C

    Need some help with connecting to ground for my inverter!

    The resistance is 5-10M Ohm so no bond, this is at the AC output of the inverter. Yes I am 99% sure this will be in place for the AC input Wired directly into a plug socket. There is no bond in place there.
  14. C

    Need some help with connecting to ground for my inverter!

    The concept of bonding totally messes with my limited knowledge.... So I get this right... is the reason that the bond between ground and neutral does not just short the whole system, because the resistance of the ground is high compared with the circuit, but lower than going through your body...
  15. C

    Need some help with connecting to ground for my inverter!

    Thanks I tried connecting the AC input ground + the AC output ground to the inverter but the test plug I have is giving a ground error. Testing it on the AC input it works fine so its not liking that for whatever reason :( Is it OK to use a grounding rod for lightning dissipation just for the...
  16. C

    Need some help with connecting to ground for my inverter!

    The invertor has no AC input ground. It only has that shown on the diagram (#5). Would the case not be grounded to the ground wire (#4 on the diagram) as a matter of course? There is no separate ground connection for the case? I am in the United Kingdom.. sorry should have said from the...
  17. C

    Need some help with connecting to ground for my inverter!

    @FilterGuy thanks for this I will have a look. It seems this subject is a lot more complex that I first thought! For the questions you asked... is there any way I can identify the answers to these, for example using a mustimeter? Agree with your point about #4 I suspect this is an earth...
  18. C

    Need some help with connecting to ground for my inverter!

    Really need some help... I am pretty worried about the safety of my system in its current state! I have an AIO inverter / charger from Epever (similar to Growatt), and am struggling to understand how to best connect the ground for the AC inputs and outputs of this system. Manual link There is...
  19. C

    Jikong (JK) 8S 200A BMS Balancer - Anyone used this?

    I didn’t go lifePO4 in the end went AGM due to charger limitations :(
  20. C

    Battery Equalizer PLC-10 with display from Mazava (Unboxing)

    So after a month or so of use, I am pretty impressed with the results. I have left these on 24/7 and the batteries are in balance between 0.01V of each other everytime I have tested. I cant really tell how often the balancer is switching on now, since I am usually not there when it happened...
  21. C

    How to manually charge a LifePO4 with a variable voltage bench power supply?

    Thanks for the feedback I did purchase a VV PSU (Wanptek) in the OP. Still used it through the CC since it means I don't have to worry about setting the voltage (so much) and benefits from the protection of the CC. As @retrodog mentioned the CC also will increase the current output with...
  22. C

    How to manually charge a LifePO4 with a variable voltage bench power supply?

    Its just a camping 30Ah battery but on a 60W portable panel. To be honest my main reason for charging via a charger was to get to 100% to calibrate a shunt, but will want to maximise the charge on occasions, but only once every few months if that.
  23. C

    How to manually charge a LifePO4 with a variable voltage bench power supply?

    Just an occasional way to get to 100% soc quickly. I.e before a trip or to calibrate a shunt
  24. C

    How to manually charge a LifePO4 with a variable voltage bench power supply?

    Yes I cant see it making any benefit going direct over through the CC tbh
  25. C

    Battery Equalizer PLC-10 with display from Mazava (Unboxing)

    Arrived today so wanted to share with you initial unboxing on this Battery Equalizer PLC-10 from Mazava Purchased from AliExpress for around $35, it looked to be exactly what I was looking for. I have 4x12V in a 2P 2S setup for 24v. I have matched batteries but purchased at a different time...
  26. C

    How to manually charge a LifePO4 with a variable voltage bench power supply?

    the controller I have is PWM, but running it through the CC was more peace of mind that it did not overcharge it (i think there is protection built in). Not to worried about efficiency, its more to get it to 100% capacity so I can calibrate the shunt properly (and quickly) as the panel is only...
  27. C

    How to manually charge a LifePO4 with a variable voltage bench power supply?

    Yes but no reason an input to the charge controller would not be OK I presume, since its just replacing a solar input?
  28. C

    How to manually charge a LifePO4 with a variable voltage bench power supply?

    Thank you I have tried connecting to the charge controller input and it seems to work fine. I put it on 14.5V / 4Amps and charging looks to be fine. The overcurrent protection was kicking in so disabled it (I think the CC pulls as much current as it can). Would you recommend as your message...
  29. C

    How to manually charge a LifePO4 with a variable voltage bench power supply?

    Is there a way I can use a VV PSU to charge a 12v LifePO4 battery, manually. Or should I steer away from this and only use a charge controller due to the different stages of charging? I was thinking could I replace the solar input of the CC with a PSU to emulate a solar panel and benefit from...
  30. C

    Can you balance batteries by putting them in parallel?

    OK thank you, that was my concern getting a 5A fuse on a 35mm cable would be difficult. I haven't currently fused the midpoint connection to the balancer so will look into that!
  31. C

    Can you balance batteries by putting them in parallel?

    thanks so I can connect the midpoints with 35mm cable (same cable my batteries are connected with), and a smaller gauge for the balancer. Should the link between the 2 midpoints be fused?
  32. C

    Can you balance batteries by putting them in parallel?

    Has anyone had experience connecting the midpoints, is this a standard thing to do? Victron require it for their balancer... I presume this would not cause any issues especially as they require it however I have not seen this before in a 2P 2S (or 3P 2S as in the diagram) before? Is this...
  33. C

    Can you balance batteries by putting them in parallel?

    This is a really useful doc, it looks like it will be perfect for my needs.. What I am not 100% sure of is the 2nd part here, it says make sure each string is connected with a common busbar. I don't see many people use this on a lead acid. Will it really make much difference if the cables...
  34. C

    Can you balance batteries by putting them in parallel?

    Thanks for the feedback and for clarity I have 4 to run in a 2S 2P configuration to 24v. i cant charge them in parallel as it would give me 48V, unless I did it in 2 batches (which is an option). The voltages are only up to 0.2V out, however when on the charger I was having one battery hit 15V...
  35. C

    Can you balance batteries by putting them in parallel?

    Can batteries (AGM) simply be connected in parallel and left to rest to balance themselves? I am awaiting a balancer to be delivered, and curretly have 4xAGM with mismatched voltages between 13-14Volts. Would like to be able to balance them just to ensure the charger does not over volt single...
Back
Top