Energy Matters Forums

[dRdoS7]

Hi,

I don't um..............OK, however it's not possible to export more with a battery backup system involved.
It is just not possible to export more with the battery backup system in the mix.

Sorry, I probably should have explained it in detail:

I have installed a new, separate, PV system. Panels, controller, batteries, inverter. I had installed a UPS (APC 3000) several years ago to avoid power outages (long story), run through a couple of new power circuits, in the house & garage. The new PV setup is replacing the UPS. Switches mains AC to inverter off at 54v (48v battery), back on at 50v. Most appliances (TVs, PVRs, PCs, fridge, etc.) running from solar.

One more thing: export is @ 66c/kWh. And, I wasn't allowed to add more panels, upsize inverter, without dropping back to a whopping 8c/kWh.

dRdoS7.

[jackatwo]

I have put 5.4kw onto my garage roof and run it to 2 forklift batteries banks which I bought for $300.00 each.
they now power all my lights and office and TV, no more worries about outages and do not have to worry about the 8 cents either, they can stick their 8 cents where the sun don't shine
its a 48 volt system running through the 6kw Powerstar inverter,

I am going to add more panels and get it up to 10KW after I get another 2 battery banks hopefully I will be able to take our home totally off the grid.
if you decide to use the forklift batteries be aware of there condition, I was lucky as I had inside information from a friend.

[Garyho]

[Moderator - removed quoting of entire previous posting]


Did you modify the inverter? Otherwise all the power from at least 4 of your panels will just be providing the idle current.

I have found a way to get ex telstra batteries from a scrap metal dealer for scrap price plus a bit more to make it worth his while to sell it to me.

[davidg]

.......and run it to 2 forklift batteries banks which I bought for $300.00 each. they now power all my lights and office and TV, its a 48 volt system running through the 6kw Powerstar inverter,

Your real need is storage, having said that you have the grid to fall back to if needed. you can top up at night when rates are low, beats having a generator to look after.

A couple of things when using multiple banks of batteries there are some very important rules to follow, the length of the links needs to be heavier the better, don't under estimate how important this is. the length of the wires to each bank and the joiners that parallel them together need to be the same, although it might not appear to be important on this sort of application it is very important to improve the life of the batteries, DOD is important, lead acid does not like deep discharging much, the less the better, check this thread for some of my pics, solar-wind-gear/topic4989.html

How do you control the DOD to keep it not too hard on the batteries those inverters are just not smart enough to do it for you. I created a controller because I could not find such a unit based purely on voltage.

I now do them for 12, 24 or 48v. They switch AC power on/off and will also start/stop a 2 wire autostart generator, voltage points are adjustable.

[jackatwo]

ahhhhhh sorry I will explain more:
the system is a 48 volt every thing goes through a 10KW controller
2 panels linked together to make the 48 volt each panel is 200 watts, total 28 panels = 5.4KW sitting at 28 deg facing 352deg north west, this makes it pretty close to ideal.
the 48 volt 6KW inverter is only used for 240 volt even though it is a charger to
all the wiring including batteries is designed to a minimum loss including the mains back to the house.

I am extending the garage to have a carport in front and will fill the rest of the panels on that.
the 10KW controller I had my client in China make it for me, ( I am a importer for wind turbines/inverters/etc.)
Don't ask about that please. the mods might not like it. and I like it here as I am learning same as you guys.

I have a small hybrid system on my factory, total of 5KW which runs every thing I need, the mains is switched off and I do not use it unless I really have to which I have not yet, the system is more or less the same as at home. but the misses will not let me use the wind turbine,

[Tracker]

How do you control the DOD to keep it not too hard on the batteries those inverters are just not smart enough to do it for you..

My humble MPPsolar charge controller has two programmable output.. I think many do..
Surely, they can be used for the purpose and thus he fully integrated. ..
..
.

[Tracker]

. I had installed a UPS (APC 3000) several years ago to avoid power outages (long story), run through a couple of new power circuits, in the house & garage.

Was that the matrix 3000,
And if yes, how did it perform..
..
.

[Ashley70]

Hi jackatwo if you have two panels in series to get the voltage high enough for 48v you only have 14 panels parrelled which makes 2800 watts total as i have a similar system running two strings of 5 x 190w panels which makes 950 watts total on trackers (need to add more panels),with a gsl 60/2 mppt charge controller and a 48v powerstar inverter thats running all my lights and power except for fridges and cooking,using a plc to control a generator and the power star for charging ,also have two airx 48v wind turbines but they don't add much.

[davidg]

My humble MPPsolar charge controller has two programmable output.. I think many do..
Surely, they can be used for the purpose and thus he fully integrated. ..

If it's one of these PCM5048 / PCM8048 / PCM-40CX / PCM-80CX then it would appear yes it could do it, have you tried it? If its one of the other versions, apparently no.

This unit can be used to turn on/off the grid power when needed so if the voltage gets too low it allows the batteries to get boost for while before turning off again based on voltage. Not many MPPT DC charge controllers have aux relay/s that may be able to control things based on voltage, some also turn off when the sun goes to bed.

[boatie0]

Hi,
Only new to the forum, but I have been following with interest the various modifications, opinions and results of the Power Star W7 inverter chargers. I have the 48v version 6000/8000 and it seems to basically fulfill me needs at present. The issue I have (other than the sheer amount of power it consumes), as raised previously, is trying to supply power to the charge circuit. In theory I assumed that at 70A 48v allowing for a bit of inefficiency it woud draw around 15A (3600w). Unfortunately the draw must be well above this as it immediately trips the 15A breaker on the generator. Has anyone managed to actually run one of these chargers and checked the current draw peak? If I am going to upgrade the genny I want to be sure it will be adequate for this task.

Informed advice is like gold!!