Solar setup questions
#1
02-17-16, 07:57 PM
Solar setup questions
hi. all
i'm newbie to electricity&solar and i have something to clarify.
i have solar setup which is not working properly(i suspect). Below is schema.
in the schema,
2 solar panels are each 24V, 50W.
A charge controller is 12V, 10A. And its type is PWM.
A TV is 12V, 36W.
A reciever is 12V, not sure about W and A because no info on it. i guess 18W according to another reciever.
A LED bulb is 12V, 5W.
A battery is 12V, 100AH. it is HZB12-100FA from Hazebattery. Battery info is at Hazebattery FA AGM pdf file
Outdoor environment temp, where solar panels are, is around -10 Celsius and
indoor temp, where battery, controller, reciever and TV are, is around 17-20 Celsius.
The problem is the DC consumers (TV, reciever, Bulb) work for only 1 hour when no sun. i have expected it at least 4-5 hours but it is not.
Please help me to understand/realise what is wrong with my setup.
sorry if my english is poor.
thanks.
i'm newbie to electricity&solar and i have something to clarify.
i have solar setup which is not working properly(i suspect). Below is schema.
in the schema,
2 solar panels are each 24V, 50W.
A charge controller is 12V, 10A. And its type is PWM.
A TV is 12V, 36W.
A reciever is 12V, not sure about W and A because no info on it. i guess 18W according to another reciever.
A LED bulb is 12V, 5W.
A battery is 12V, 100AH. it is HZB12-100FA from Hazebattery. Battery info is at Hazebattery FA AGM pdf file
Outdoor environment temp, where solar panels are, is around -10 Celsius and
indoor temp, where battery, controller, reciever and TV are, is around 17-20 Celsius.
The problem is the DC consumers (TV, reciever, Bulb) work for only 1 hour when no sun. i have expected it at least 4-5 hours but it is not.
Please help me to understand/realise what is wrong with my setup.
sorry if my english is poor.
thanks.
#2
02-17-16, 08:16 PM
Member
Welcome to the forums!
Your equipment uses just about 50watts of power total.
If the battery were fully charged it should power equipment for maybe as long as 15-20 hours.
The solar cells will provide 100 watts total, but only when they are in very bright direct sunlight. Others times may be much less.
If you have equipment on when sun is on cells it will use at least half of the power from the cells, leaving at best only 50 watts to charge the battery. If would take more than 24 hours to fully charge battery under those conditions.
I think you are just not getting enough sun for long enough to fully charge battery.
How many hours of full, direct sunlight do you get on cells, and do you have equipment on at the same time?
Your equipment uses just about 50watts of power total.
If the battery were fully charged it should power equipment for maybe as long as 15-20 hours.
The solar cells will provide 100 watts total, but only when they are in very bright direct sunlight. Others times may be much less.
If you have equipment on when sun is on cells it will use at least half of the power from the cells, leaving at best only 50 watts to charge the battery. If would take more than 24 hours to fully charge battery under those conditions.
I think you are just not getting enough sun for long enough to fully charge battery.
How many hours of full, direct sunlight do you get on cells, and do you have equipment on at the same time?
#3
02-17-16, 09:02 PM
Group Moderator
A charge controller is 12V, 10A. And its type is PWM.
#4
02-18-16, 03:05 AM
Super Moderator
I agree batterys are not getting charged fully maybe.. ( probably wiring is too small. post wire size)
Test the batterys voltage with a hydrometer and let us know..
Test the outpump amps on a sunny day coming from the panels, and going to the battery. Do this for volts too..
You would be better off in my opinion to wire those panels in series and use an MPPT controller.
These panels are 24volts each? in series thats 48 volts and an mppt controller can turn the extra volts the battery dont need into amps.. Plus mppt starts working when sun coms up because you have more volts at panel to charge to 14.8 volts..
I like the morning star mppt..
SunSaver MPPT » Morningstar Corporation
As stated you lose too much voltage with pwm. espeacially with small wires. mppt allows smaller wires because your strting with a higher voltage.... Batterys want 14.8 volts to charge at bulk...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QpL4RR0_QyM
Test the batterys voltage with a hydrometer and let us know..
Test the outpump amps on a sunny day coming from the panels, and going to the battery. Do this for volts too..
You would be better off in my opinion to wire those panels in series and use an MPPT controller.
These panels are 24volts each? in series thats 48 volts and an mppt controller can turn the extra volts the battery dont need into amps.. Plus mppt starts working when sun coms up because you have more volts at panel to charge to 14.8 volts..
I like the morning star mppt..
SunSaver MPPT » Morningstar Corporation
As stated you lose too much voltage with pwm. espeacially with small wires. mppt allows smaller wires because your strting with a higher voltage.... Batterys want 14.8 volts to charge at bulk...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QpL4RR0_QyM
#5
02-18-16, 07:37 AM
thanks all for the replies.
@CarbideTipped
sunny time is 8-12 hours a day. and equipments are always disconnected to make sure battery is fully charged.
@PJmax
its not inverter. i thought that i dont need it because all my equipments are DC and just a charge controller is enough for me. 12v battery, 24v panels and pwm controller may sounds like i'm not a good planner. yeah. i just realised/learned it after purchasing them separately.
@lawrosa
the wire size is 1.5mm at diameter. Didnt measure amps and volts yet. gonna do it later because right now gonna replace battery. About mppt charge controller, i have not plan to implement it in near future due to expensive price of it.
@all
charge controller says battery is 100% and it took only 1 hour to consume that full battery. so i suspected battery might have problem and contacted seller and decided to replace battery. After then gonna update this post.
thanks
@CarbideTipped
sunny time is 8-12 hours a day. and equipments are always disconnected to make sure battery is fully charged.
@PJmax
its not inverter. i thought that i dont need it because all my equipments are DC and just a charge controller is enough for me. 12v battery, 24v panels and pwm controller may sounds like i'm not a good planner. yeah. i just realised/learned it after purchasing them separately.
@lawrosa
the wire size is 1.5mm at diameter. Didnt measure amps and volts yet. gonna do it later because right now gonna replace battery. About mppt charge controller, i have not plan to implement it in near future due to expensive price of it.
@all
charge controller says battery is 100% and it took only 1 hour to consume that full battery. so i suspected battery might have problem and contacted seller and decided to replace battery. After then gonna update this post.
thanks
#6
02-18-16, 07:58 AM
Group Moderator
1.5mm wire is close to our #14 sized wire which is rated for 15A of current. That wire is definitely not oversized and the only reason it can work adequately is because your panels are 24vdc.
In the future you could upgrade to a 3mm sized wire.
In the future you could upgrade to a 3mm sized wire.
