Cable question

[gcp]

Thank you for the fuse sizing recommendation, it'll be work in progress.

Swift, as I've mentioned I do have a PTO driven 5KW generator, for the heavy use around the house, but it's noisy and requires diesel use. Truth is I am using this project as a learning opportunity, and to power my sheds around the property. See, I have a Conex container in which I store 4-wheelers and other such HW so I need to provide ventilation and trickle charging capabilities. I appreciate the link, I'm at Woburn but I'll check it out while in the area.

 

[gcp]

Worthington, MA is not close to where I am so a visit will be impossible. But I recently started reading about the Deco Unigy batteries and they seem to be a good power bank solution, if only I can find them at a reasonable price.

 

[varmint]

As a couple of posters have already noted, the wire is tinned. That is a requirement for wire used in marine, or aircraft applications. This is good. Looks like a lot of strands- I wish we knew what the diameter of the wire itself was?

 

[Swiftriver]

Worthington, MA is not close to where I am so a visit will be impossible. But I recently started reading about the Deco Unigy batteries and they seem to be a good power bank solution, if only I can find them at a reasonable price.

I have never worked with Deka batteries. I have used Trojan L16 on all the systems I have installed. They are easy to find, reasonably priced (if there is such a thing), and hold up very well if they are taken care of. The key to long battery life is keep them topped off with fresh distilled water, equalize at least every other month, and never let them get below 75% of full charge. For your 12 volt system that would be no lower than 12.4 volts. My first set of batteries lasted 10 1/2 years and my current ones are 5 years old and still going strong. Solar is not a put it in and forget it system. There is a lot of maintenance if you want it to last.
BTW, I sell and install solar equipment but we just ran a 1 1/4 mile line extension to get utility power to where we are going to build our new house. It was cheaper than going solar.

 

[gcp]

So, easy access to the batteries is a must then! There goes my first plan of installa
tion :laughing:

 

[Swiftriver]

So, easy access to the batteries is a must then! There's goes my first plan of instullation :laughing:

Build a plywood box witha hinged cover and make sure you put in a vent pipe. Those batterys give off dangerous gases, especially when you are equalizing.

 

[gcp]

Just as an FYI, would'nt sealed batteries require no maintenance and produce no outgassing?And if so there's a good reason for choosing that route.

 

[gcp]

Just as an FYI, would'nt sealed batteries require no maintenance and produce no outgassing?And if so there's a good reason for choosing that route.

I've about decided to install in my barn so weather and need for ventilation won't be an issue. I can then simply run ac wire from the inverter into the house and wire it to an external ac outlet. I can then completely disconnect grid ac from the barn and use my new solar system as trial to run its lights and equipment.

It's all coming together in my mind.

I have one more question, can I use one panel controller to connect 3 sets of 45w solar panels? These HF systems come with one controller each so will one be able to handle 3x the current?

 

[Swiftriver]

Just as an FYI, would'nt sealed batteries require no maintenance and produce no outgassing?And if so there's a good reason for choosing that route.

True, AGM batterys are maintenance free, but that comes at a hefty price. Two Trojan L16 6volt 370 Amp Hour batterys wired in series will give you a 12 volt 740 AH battery at about $650. It would take 7 Trojan 27AGM 12 volt 100AH batterys wired parallel to equal that at a cost of about $1600. The small system in my camp has 8 L16 batterys at $2600. AGM would be $6400. Vent pipe and distilled water aren't that expensive. Please, somebody correct me if my math is off. Also, does anybody have any experience with AGM batterys as far as life expectancy and equalizing?

 

[B7510HSD]

True, AGM batterys are maintenance free, but that comes at a hefty price. Two Trojan L16 6volt 370 Amp Hour batterys wired in series will give you a 12 volt 740 AH battery at about $650. It would take 7 Trojan 27AGM 12 volt 100AH batterys wired parallel to equal that at a cost of about $1600. The small system in my camp has 8 L16 batterys at $2600. AGM would be $6400. Vent pipe and distilled water aren't that expensive. Please, somebody correct me if my math is off. Also, does anybody have any experience with AGM batterys as far as life expectancy and equalizing?

I work in the forklift industry and we use both the AGM batteries average double the price of wet cell batteries...and they must charge at a lower and slower rate than the wet cells to avoid over heating them!! I would also go with the wet cells and put in a vent of some kind!! AH are AH BUT so a dollars!! :thumbsup: Typically a deep cycle needs to be drawn down before recahrging unlike an automotive battery with turns your motor over and recharges again this is the key t long life!!

 

[gcp]

While cleaning part of my property yesterday, I found about 50 ft each of 4/0, 2/0, and 2 AWG wire. This wire is aluminum, and was used to provide AC power to a mobil home which was removed when I bought these particular 5 acres. I plan to use it where possible to connect my solar system's battery bank to my 5Kw inverter, it'll probably be a 20 foot run, but the only reservation I have is the aluminum material vs. the preferable copper. Your thoughts will be appreciated.

 

[gcp]

Well, it's better to be lucky than good, sometimes :thumbsup:

Today I came across and purchased from a local store three 12V AGM/sealed batteries for $50 each. The owner said he sold 40 more last Friday and these three were the last at hand. Too bad I didn't stop by his place on Thursday, I would have bought at least 5 more.

I guess my plans have now changed as I can install these batteries inside the house since they don't outgass. Which mean 2AWG wire can be used in such a short run since the batteries and the inverter will now be co-located. But I'll have to make longer wire runs from the solar panels to the batteries so I estimate that the 12AWG AC copper wire, I have a lot of at hand, ought to suffice for this 30 ft run.

 

[Tractor Seabee]

In your earlier posts you were talking about about a 5KW inverter. The inverter name plate may well say KVA rather than KW. KW is a little different depending on Power Factor which at unity is the same as the KVA. That requires a 60 A circuit on the 120 volt side unless you limit by circuit breaker the output amps. You will get an actual 41 Amps but need to upsize circuit per code if full capacity is planned. Something is not adding up on your battery cableing scheme. What is the input voltage requirement on the inverter? That will determine how you connect the solar cells and batteries (series/parallel) and the wire size to interconnect the cells and batteries. Another variable is the capacity of the battery charger. All components have to be matched. Distance is not your basic problem here it is the circuit ampacity on both sides of the inverter. You are talking a lot of batteries to get 5KW capacity on both sides for any significant time period with no or limited input as the solar panel output will vary from 0-full capacity. There are lots of manufacturers out there that provide free engineering if you ask, a lot of the info is available on line.

More info is needed to design this system.

Ron

 

[yelbike]

I'll have to make longer wire runs from the solar panels to the batteries so I estimate that the 12AWG AC copper wire, I have a lot of at hand, ought to suffice for this 30 ft run.[/QUOTE]

You need to find out how many panels your using, the current may be enough that even 10' can create a voltage drop. Depending on the voltages maybe able to use the 12 awg if you run two wires from each panel to charge controller. Remember lower voltages must br in much shorter distances.

 

[gcp]

Tractor Seabee, there's probably a lot in what I write that doesn't make sense, right now, because I am feeling my way through this project but when I'm done it will.....I hope :laughing:

My inverter is a Wagan 5,000 Watt AC Inverter that operates with an input voltage range of 10-15 VDC. It has four 120VAC outlets rated at 15amps each. To begin with this will be off the grid and will be used only when there's power loss. But if/when I build confidence in the system I'll start using it at night for TV, lights, security system, and such other lesser current draw appliances. Please understand, this is my weekend place so there are no washers/dryers and/or ovens to content with. There are a couple of window AC units but I plan to run those with grid AC. So, all that's left are lights and other such low wattage items to power for a couple of hours or so, at night. You are right, info is only one phone call away but isn't this acquisition process fun?

yelbike, I am using three harbor freight 45 watt panels which will give me a 135 total watts of charging capacity. Each came with its own controller but if I can connect all 3 panels into one controller that'll be preferable to me (less boxes to turn on and off) but 4 amps is the internal fuse of each controller so I don't know that I'll be able to get away with using just one. Let's keep this discussion going.

 

[yelbike]

If the panels are 45 watts @ 12volt that gives 3.75 amps each. therefore each charge controller is maxed out. So you'll have to run all three.

 

[Tractor Seabee]

GCP, try this web site.

DIY Solar Panel help - tutorials, calculators and design tools for solar power

Ron