Energy Matters Forums

[harrydiculous]

Yes Jaahn. It's been going through my head all night.

What I'm not understanding is the relationship between the Panels & the Batteries.

The Inverter is demanding power to feed its chickens. The cable to the battery terminal is much thicker than the cable from the Regulator & the panels.

So, hydraulically speaking, the inverter will receive more power from the battery rather than the panels because it has a bigger "pipe."

I should, then, be able to work out what's coming from the Batteries & The PV's by deducting the PV input from the total used by the inverter.

I can then formulate that into an excel sheet to make it easier to troubleshoot/develop later.



But first, I'll check again all the cabling from the panels. I haven't done that for some time.

I just saw Jules post come in. I didn't run it much at all. Maybe 2 mins. The Voltage dropped to 25 so I cut it short.

[Gordon-Loomberah]

You really should be measuring the voltage at various points in the system with a single good quality multimeter, rather than relying on the voltage readings of inverter, MPPT CC etc, (which almost certainly do not agree) making any proper analysis impossible.

[jaahn]

Hi Harry
If you wish to measure the power of your 240V household appliances you can get one of these; https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/240V-Power- ... ctupt=true
I have one ! But indeed all the libraries here have a home power consumption check' kit to borrow which has one. So check with your library too. You can use them on the mains power, as well as plugged into a sinewave inverter. Be interesting to see if you get the same reading ??
Cheers Jaahn

[harrydiculous]

Well, fires are over, and we're feeling pretty fortunate here on the South Coast of NSW and the place where we are. No losses, several warnings including a "too late to leave" notice but we're intact.

So, I can now pick up where I left off.

I'd decided that my soldering of the battery cabling was pretty second class. It looked a mess so it probably was.

I decided to fabricate some bus bars; 25.4 mm x 6.35 mm copper & replace the cables with it.

https://flic.kr/p/2itLiiL

I was also given an AGM 200 AMP/Hr battery from a backup system that's replaced every two years regardless.

[Bthree]

Very clever but you will get better cell balancing if the power fed plus and minus come from the center battery and you need grommets or plastic tube to relieve the cable going through the metal wall

http://www.smartgauge.co.uk/batt_con.html

[harrydiculous]

Thanks Bthree. That is excellent information, I'll work on that. Minor problem; I'll have to drill more holes in the back of the metal shed, rather fraught without moving the batteries. I was going to extend the bus bars through to the Inverter.

As for insulating against the metal wall, davidG mentioned this earlier. I'd better do something about that, then.

And Gordon, I have a Cat III Multi-tester. I guess that this will be adequate. It always comes up with a reading between the other two sources.

[harrydiculous]

OK, Included some PVC Insulation between wires on the shed on both + & -.

And I've earthed the 240 Volt side & installed earth leakage devices. They seem to work without a practical test.

There is still cable (Approx 12.7mm Dia.) between the batteries & the inverter. (Method no.2 on Bthree[b]'s[/b] Chart.

https://flic.kr/p/2ixESey

https://flic.kr/p/2ixJEoF

Now, I do feel a current flow if I touch any battery terminal. + or -. Is this OK?

[jaahn]

"Now, I do feel a current flow if I touch any battery terminal. + or -. Is this OK?"
Hi
Short answer NO !
I am not sure what you are feeling but there should not be any 'leakage' of any type. You could put your multimeter on it, to earth, and see what it says. Perhaps your earth is bad and feeding leakage back from the inverter ? Or the inverter is leaky.
Remember electricity kills.
Jaahn

[australsolarier]

i am not sure i like your handiwork.

[harrydiculous]

Not repeating today jaahn, despite wetting finger to do what I could to promote a flow. (On the 12 volt side, of course.) I did try & measure before and it was about 1.9 volts. Today it was around 100 mV. But it was showing that without the contacts being engaged. Maybe it was wet weather (damp floor) on other occasions. Easy enough to reproduce but next time with the multi-tester & not my finger, seeing as how the Inverter might be a cause. Checked earth contacts as a matter of course. I'll do some connects/disconnects/measurements over the next week.

The previous cabling was about 9.4mm diameter. Messy soldering. And it certainly seems more stable now.

I needed to raise the bars on stanchions to clear the water ports for topping up.

Everything on the 240 Volt side is legal. Nothing bodgy there. "When in doubt ; don't."