bracco purdo
Forum Member
I would like to boost solar with ground mounted panel in parallel to existing 300W in series, 3 x 100W, on van.
I would like to add a large panel for ground mounting to boost me up. I wish to add this to my existing SCC.
Lots of naysayers online saying no don't do that it will nerf your total output, get another SCC and do it properly!
I have read some articles and plenty say it is fine to do it, particularly a very thorough article by faroutride on mixing solar panels.
The reason I don't want to get another SCC is I don't feel it is necessary and would cost quite a bit more to the total costs whereas a large panel is very cheap in comparison. It doesn't matter if the output is stunted so long as the net gain will be above what I had before and it seems it will be by quite a lot. It still looks like I will be able to jump from 300W up to 925W, calculations below. So there is no need to get another SCC for a couple hundred quid as that will give me a huge gain regardless.
Haven't decided completely yet on the panel but just looking around for the largest I can get with highest Voc, which is closest to my current 3 in series - which are giving 70.5V. So far I have found a 645W panel for £102.90 with 53.9V Voc. I would be looking to parallel that with the string of 3 in series.
So doing the maths it seems that for the 300W series panels this would give me 280W with their current being at 5.2A x 53.9V. Not bad of a drop at all.
For the big panel that should run at its rated output right?
So 280 + 645 should give me 925W.
As it will be ground mounted I would like quick disconnects similar to how one would do with EHU so I can just leave it in place when I drive away. No way that would fit on my van anyway at over 2 meters.
Don't know what's available with those so suggestions welcome. Want the solar wire equivalent of anderson connectors.
Any other considerations in the setup, such as fusing and wire sizing? Perhaps good to have a fuse for the series circuit for safety? As I understand it I shouldn't have to change the wire size for the 300W, in series should I? as they should not increase in current within their series circuit and the current increase should only come once at the Y junction?
So I will get a Y junction and maybe thicker cable for the paralleled wire line.
Oh and I will also want about 25 meters or more of solar wire run so I can place the big panel part way up the hill to get better exposure when it gets to be darker days as it is in a valley and there is better sun up the hill, with large trees blocking the sun otherwise most other parts once it will be getting lower in the sky.
Comments and recommendations please?
EDIT: Oh btw the SCC is the Epever tracer bn 4215 which is renowned for its massive overpanelling capabilities. I have read online that the only thing you have to stay under is the Voc of 150V/138V. I read on fella that was running over 1100 on a home system and at one point he had over 2kw running through it at one point with strings of parallel. So seems I would have no issues with the SCC's capabilities.
I would like to add a large panel for ground mounting to boost me up. I wish to add this to my existing SCC.
Lots of naysayers online saying no don't do that it will nerf your total output, get another SCC and do it properly!
I have read some articles and plenty say it is fine to do it, particularly a very thorough article by faroutride on mixing solar panels.
The reason I don't want to get another SCC is I don't feel it is necessary and would cost quite a bit more to the total costs whereas a large panel is very cheap in comparison. It doesn't matter if the output is stunted so long as the net gain will be above what I had before and it seems it will be by quite a lot. It still looks like I will be able to jump from 300W up to 925W, calculations below. So there is no need to get another SCC for a couple hundred quid as that will give me a huge gain regardless.
Haven't decided completely yet on the panel but just looking around for the largest I can get with highest Voc, which is closest to my current 3 in series - which are giving 70.5V. So far I have found a 645W panel for £102.90 with 53.9V Voc. I would be looking to parallel that with the string of 3 in series.
So doing the maths it seems that for the 300W series panels this would give me 280W with their current being at 5.2A x 53.9V. Not bad of a drop at all.
For the big panel that should run at its rated output right?
So 280 + 645 should give me 925W.
As it will be ground mounted I would like quick disconnects similar to how one would do with EHU so I can just leave it in place when I drive away. No way that would fit on my van anyway at over 2 meters.
Don't know what's available with those so suggestions welcome. Want the solar wire equivalent of anderson connectors.Any other considerations in the setup, such as fusing and wire sizing? Perhaps good to have a fuse for the series circuit for safety? As I understand it I shouldn't have to change the wire size for the 300W, in series should I? as they should not increase in current within their series circuit and the current increase should only come once at the Y junction?
So I will get a Y junction and maybe thicker cable for the paralleled wire line.
Oh and I will also want about 25 meters or more of solar wire run so I can place the big panel part way up the hill to get better exposure when it gets to be darker days as it is in a valley and there is better sun up the hill, with large trees blocking the sun otherwise most other parts once it will be getting lower in the sky.
Comments and recommendations please?
EDIT: Oh btw the SCC is the Epever tracer bn 4215 which is renowned for its massive overpanelling capabilities. I have read online that the only thing you have to stay under is the Voc of 150V/138V. I read on fella that was running over 1100 on a home system and at one point he had over 2kw running through it at one point with strings of parallel. So seems I would have no issues with the SCC's capabilities.
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