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I currently have a grid tied 10.5KW system using 42 panels.
It is broken down into 4 strings (2x 10 panels and 2x 11 panels).
The panels are Mage / Powetec Plus, 250 / 6 PL US AC.
AC output, 240V
AC Max Cont output current, 0.992A
AC Max Cont output power, 238W
AMPHENOL Helios H4
Since they come with the inverters pre mounted, they don't give any info on DC output.
However, I am able to find specs on the inverters so that gives me all I need.
The inverters are Pantheon II.
INPUT (DC) DATA P250LV-208/240
Recommended STC Module Input Power Rating 235 W – 280 W
Maximum Continuous Input Power 250 W
Maximum Input Voltage 48V
MPPT Voltage Range 18V-37V
Maximum Power Voltage Range 25V-37V
Maximum DC Short Circuit Current 15A
Maximum Input Current 10A
Based on the inverter requirements, I know the panels are putting out between 18V-37V DC. I tested some and they were in the 32V range when I did.
Now, my unknowns are as follow.
Am I correct to assume that I remove the grid tied inverters from the panels then connect each of those panels to a DC/DC combiner.
Right now, panels are connected in series and since I have shade issues, I'll need to use parallel.
Each panel will get connected to a combiner to get one final output of 48VDC. For 10-11 panels,
I'm thinking of using a 6KW-8KW inverter but that might be a little overkill? Is it?
I'd like to convert one string initially but I might want to add another later.
This means I'll try to find either an inverter that will allow me to add more panels or one that allows multiple inverters to be connected together.
I've not seen anything that would allow me to connect 20+ panels. Maybe a panel combiner of some sort?
I might be using the term 'string' incorrectly in terms of my new setup.
In some cases, a string is panels connected in series and in combiners, they seem to imply that each panel is a string.
This will not be connected to the grid, it will be connected to a 48VDC inverter that will either charge my battery bank directly or provide a clean 120VAC or 240VAC output that I can use to charge existing UPS's I have for example.
Again, the panels have standard AMPHENOL Helios H4 connectors.
There is tons of used solar hardware on eBay and on Craigslist.
Wondering if I am overlooking something?
It is broken down into 4 strings (2x 10 panels and 2x 11 panels).
The panels are Mage / Powetec Plus, 250 / 6 PL US AC.
AC output, 240V
AC Max Cont output current, 0.992A
AC Max Cont output power, 238W
AMPHENOL Helios H4
Since they come with the inverters pre mounted, they don't give any info on DC output.
However, I am able to find specs on the inverters so that gives me all I need.
The inverters are Pantheon II.
INPUT (DC) DATA P250LV-208/240
Recommended STC Module Input Power Rating 235 W – 280 W
Maximum Continuous Input Power 250 W
Maximum Input Voltage 48V
MPPT Voltage Range 18V-37V
Maximum Power Voltage Range 25V-37V
Maximum DC Short Circuit Current 15A
Maximum Input Current 10A
Based on the inverter requirements, I know the panels are putting out between 18V-37V DC. I tested some and they were in the 32V range when I did.
Now, my unknowns are as follow.
Am I correct to assume that I remove the grid tied inverters from the panels then connect each of those panels to a DC/DC combiner.
Right now, panels are connected in series and since I have shade issues, I'll need to use parallel.
Each panel will get connected to a combiner to get one final output of 48VDC. For 10-11 panels,
I'm thinking of using a 6KW-8KW inverter but that might be a little overkill? Is it?
I'd like to convert one string initially but I might want to add another later.
This means I'll try to find either an inverter that will allow me to add more panels or one that allows multiple inverters to be connected together.
I've not seen anything that would allow me to connect 20+ panels. Maybe a panel combiner of some sort?
I might be using the term 'string' incorrectly in terms of my new setup.
In some cases, a string is panels connected in series and in combiners, they seem to imply that each panel is a string.
This will not be connected to the grid, it will be connected to a 48VDC inverter that will either charge my battery bank directly or provide a clean 120VAC or 240VAC output that I can use to charge existing UPS's I have for example.
Again, the panels have standard AMPHENOL Helios H4 connectors.
There is tons of used solar hardware on eBay and on Craigslist.
Wondering if I am overlooking something?
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