question

fran-parma avatar image
fran-parma asked

Integral question for freshly installed setup

Hello all!

I am looking for a piece of advice..

We have self installed this system with my dad. Advices and recommendations are very welcome.

The setup is as follows:

-2x SP 455W JA Solar Mono PERC (serie)

(VMPP): 41,82V

(VOC): 49,85V

-2x battery AGM 12V 300Ah Tensite (serie)

-MPPT 150V 35A Victron Smart Solar

My questions!

1) I would like to know if the following status info gathered from the regulator are okay for you.

2)are the settings right for the battery? There is a preset for agm spiral but I preferred to do this setup according to whats specific for the batteries.

3) would you comment on the equipment and tell me if there is something that makes no sense?



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battery chargingMPPT SmartSolarsmart solar set-up helpAGM Batterysmart solar charging behaviour
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4 Answers
klim8skeptic avatar image
klim8skeptic answered ·

Regarding your battery/mppt settings.

The settings look ok for a generic agm battery, however you need to look at the temp compensation figures a bit more close.

Regrding your mppt history.

Whilst your battery has been properly charged (YAY!!) the figures are pretty poor for what your 910w of panels should be capable of producing.

Maybe you are a hermit, and only need some light, a radio and a phone charger?

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fran-parma avatar image fran-parma commented ·
Thanks for your input, sun has not been shining these last days.. 30 hours of rain. Yesterday and today also, clouds.. so I have to see the behaviour while the sun is there to make sure they are gathering what they should.

I am kind of a hermit, but with a few more needs :D this system is supposed to cover .. I do not use a fridge..

sound system needs to run soon .. looking forward for that.


A food processor sometimes is powered.


Do you think its too much to use something 400wh consumption rate?


(Will have a closer look to temp)

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Trevor Bird avatar image
Trevor Bird answered ·

Hello @Fran Parma ....

1. That history looks ok to me.

2. the voltage settings look to be the upper limit for the Battery according to the battery specs. They are within spec though.

3. It all makes sense to me.

Looks like you and your Dad did a good job to me.


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fran-parma avatar image fran-parma commented ·

Appreciate the comment and opinion.

Felt capable and went forward, my dad assisted closely and together came something that I hope will keep me running for a couple of years!



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klim8skeptic avatar image
klim8skeptic answered ·

sun has not been shining these last days.. 30 hours of rain. Yesterday and today also, clouds..

Mother nature has a warped sense of humor..

If you can get your battery voltage up to the bulk/absorp voltage every other day, and through to float a couple of times a week, you will have happy long lived batteries.

Nothing wrong living within ones energy budget. Cut back use then the sun is bad, go nuts when the sun is good.

Blue skies.

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fran-parma avatar image fran-parma commented ·

Sure! Thanks for the advice.. today just charging a laptop..


Nature calls for keeping it low.. sun shines here every now and then :)


I have seen today the yield decreasing way lower than last days, do you know what that means?

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klim8skeptic avatar image klim8skeptic ♦ fran-parma commented ·

I have seen today the yield decreasing way lower than last days, do you know what that means?

You have not used much energy out of the battery overnight. Notice the battery min voltage of 26.25v? Takes less energy (yield) to recharge the battery.

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fran-parma avatar image fran-parma klim8skeptic ♦ commented ·
Your message is clarifying:)

Thanks!

Also have to add that I am living with rain water and some water from a small natural reserve that comes down the mountain.


This system is mainly for keeping mmy top up consumtions such as laptop, sound system, food processor and dehydrator.

Evertything else is powered up by a small solar panel

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fran-parma avatar image
fran-parma answered ·

Hello everyone :)

Today since 7 am full sun, until now! So we had almost 5 hours of it.

Here are the readings:

1) What are your thoughts?

1d47a9a3-efd5-4ef0-b353-c9512c5c1d02.jpegImage Caption

I have encountered a problem..

Charging the laptop is no issue. (Had some crispy sounds but stopped)

But today I tried my sound system and the inverter starts to make a crispy sound non stop and stops to send out electricity to the equipment.

I have used this sound system with this same inverter but with way too old batteries, now the batteries are new.

here are the inverter settings:

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2) What do you think could be?


Thanks a lot for your time and happy Sunday


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JohnC avatar image JohnC ♦ commented ·
Hi @Fran Parma

I seems you're using AES. That will possibly do what you describe. (That's the Wakeup/Eco stuff in your settings). Best to turn it off, at least until you understand what it does. I don't use it, ever..

The '1m/0%' Absorb time needs attention. Take a look at your mppt settings again, this time in the 'Expert Mode'. You may have an inappropriate 'Tail' setting there which is overriding either a Fixed or Adaptive mode. Set it to zero Amps, again until you know what it does.


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fran-parma avatar image fran-parma JohnC ♦ commented ·

You mean changing it from 2.0 to 0?

Can that be the cause?

Why is that a default?

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fran-parma avatar image fran-parma fran-parma commented ·
I can change it to 0 or disable it, which one should I do?
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fran-parma avatar image fran-parma fran-parma commented ·
I have set that back to 2 as you said that was okay for the batteries.

They are not charging but floating now

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fran-parma avatar image fran-parma commented ·
I have to add that the sound system is a 60w piece + 2 monitors of 65w each. Pretty small, should not be of a problem. But it is!
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klim8skeptic avatar image klim8skeptic ♦ fran-parma commented ·
Disable eco mode and report back.
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fran-parma avatar image fran-parma klim8skeptic ♦ commented ·
Econmode is not on,

I can set it as ON OFF and ECO

Never switched to eco, is there any other place I can disable that forever?

Eco search mode interval is there but the eco mode is not on

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JohnC avatar image JohnC ♦ fran-parma commented ·
@Fran Parma

Ok, the mppt's 2A Tail is fine for your batts. Might be just doing what it should. Bears watching what happens when you deplete your batts far deeper, you're hardly using them.

Different issue though than the AES. That's in the inverter. Try turning it off. With such low load it may not even be giving a proper sine wave.

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fran-parma avatar image fran-parma JohnC ♦ commented ·

52afd4e9-35d3-40a1-8e6a-201f8ce445d4.jpegTail current is disabled now.

Will try it for today


Sun is shining and mppt is in float state

Sound system is now operating along with laptop charging.


So far good.


I have just set the search eco to 0 secs

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fran-parma avatar image fran-parma fran-parma commented ·
Nope, laptop charger is not working, only sound system and 10w charger 0,45a
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fran-parma avatar image fran-parma fran-parma commented ·
As soon as I combine both laptop charger and sound system it breaks
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fran-parma avatar image fran-parma fran-parma commented ·

Relay mode is is set to OFF


Now laptop is charging along with woth sound system

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fran-parma avatar image fran-parma commented ·
Sun shining still.. the day is ideal for testing :D
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fran-parma avatar image fran-parma commented ·

Sound system keeps on running, everything else is charged.


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