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At my solar site we have a single axis tracking system by Game Change. The system involves a node controller on each string that is powered by a small panel mounted on the rack with a battery that measures angle and controls angle through a DC actuator. These nodes communicate with a master controller that gets 120 AC power from the Inverter closest to it, but each master also controls about 2 1/2 inverters worth of Node controllers. If power is lost the master has a small battery that basically powers it for up to 4 hours, but after the first 2 hours of no AC power they signal all nodes to go to wind stow position. My problem is when I lose an inverter for a long duration that is powering a master I basically lose tracking for almost 2 other inverters worth of panels and over a month or so that can be a big hit to production.
What I am trying to do is instead of going and getting a gas generator to power the Master controller, I want to get an inverter/battery charger with about 100 AH of batteries at 48 VDC and make a portable solar emergency back up power system that I can mount on a small trailer and just trailer it out to the master and hook it in to regain tracking. Now I picked up a Mrpwr 5000 Kw solar inverter and (2) 50 AH 48 Vdc Lithium Ion batteries. As for panels I will repurpose some of the first solar series 6 panels that are already in the area and once tracking is regained they will also track. Looking at making about 4 strings of 2 panels in parallel. This should make my open circuit voltage in the upper 400 Vdc range and give me 3.5 kW of solar power into the inverter. This should be adequate to charge the batteries and run the load of the master which is has a 10 W standing load with up to a 60 W surge load (Surge load is when it charges it's internal back up battery.)
Now my question is probably a little late as I should have asked this before buying it, but the inverter is a grid tie inverter. In the settings though I can set it up to use solar power first then kick over to battery power with grid being a last resort that would not be available. What I am wondering is should this work as an off grid system? Or did I buy an inverter that will not work in this application? Maybe it will need jump started from an extension cord off the AC plug in the bed of the truck to get synced up to 60 Hz that I can then disconnect and let it run.
I have also considered that when the system is not in use it will still need to be plugged in someplace to float charge the batteries as long periods of time sitting idle for batteries is not good for them.
What I am trying to do is instead of going and getting a gas generator to power the Master controller, I want to get an inverter/battery charger with about 100 AH of batteries at 48 VDC and make a portable solar emergency back up power system that I can mount on a small trailer and just trailer it out to the master and hook it in to regain tracking. Now I picked up a Mrpwr 5000 Kw solar inverter and (2) 50 AH 48 Vdc Lithium Ion batteries. As for panels I will repurpose some of the first solar series 6 panels that are already in the area and once tracking is regained they will also track. Looking at making about 4 strings of 2 panels in parallel. This should make my open circuit voltage in the upper 400 Vdc range and give me 3.5 kW of solar power into the inverter. This should be adequate to charge the batteries and run the load of the master which is has a 10 W standing load with up to a 60 W surge load (Surge load is when it charges it's internal back up battery.)
Now my question is probably a little late as I should have asked this before buying it, but the inverter is a grid tie inverter. In the settings though I can set it up to use solar power first then kick over to battery power with grid being a last resort that would not be available. What I am wondering is should this work as an off grid system? Or did I buy an inverter that will not work in this application? Maybe it will need jump started from an extension cord off the AC plug in the bed of the truck to get synced up to 60 Hz that I can then disconnect and let it run.
I have also considered that when the system is not in use it will still need to be plugged in someplace to float charge the batteries as long periods of time sitting idle for batteries is not good for them.
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