Re: [RE-wrenches] Was, Old School 12V Independent System? Now, controller tests

That's way too many strings, and as T105s die, they start using more water and boiling as their efficiency drops. I would only use sealed batteries if maintenance is a real issue. Sealed batteries cost twice as much and lost half as long. Allan suggested them and I agree in the previous cas

Re: [RE-wrenches] Marine battery bank switch

Eric; If you set the switch to "1+2" (sometimes labeled "both") then you are paralleling the banks. Set at "1" or "2" it's is not, unless there is another sneaky + current path that you missed. Be sure *everything* positive goes to the main + buss bar, which is then switched between the banks by t

Re: [RE-wrenches] Marine battery bank switch

One thing to consider is that flooded batteries almost always have a slight short to ground.  Its in the milliamps, but its there.  It runs through the conductive acid mist that coats the outsides of the batteries.  So connecting the battery bank negatives together could

Re: [RE-wrenches] Fwd: Charge control question

Hi Allan, If it were me, I would do total old school. Just parallel them with a standard non MPPT CC. Jay Peltz power On Oct 11, 2012, at 10:04 AM, Allan Sindelar wrote: > Wrenches, > I'm posting this for Carl Bickford, prof emeritus of the renewable energy > training program at San Juan Co

Re: [RE-wrenches] Marine battery bank switch

Thanks Allan, I always value your insight. There is a TriMetric on this system but I'm looking at the FM80. I wrestled with the idea that the systems are connected as the circuits between the two banks are not complete. However, as soon as I made the connections the voltage on the new bank drop

Re: [RE-wrenches] Marine battery bank switch

Eric, It still doesn't make sense to me. Unless you have a complete circuit, the banks are not in parallel, and your switch on the positives prevents a complete circuit of both at the same time. Common negatives should not be an issue - after all, in a standard

Re: [RE-wrenches] Tigo Optimizers.

I have Tigos on my system at home. I have very little shading on my array but I wanted to test these out. I do see increased harvest from my array using the Tigos. If you contact me off list I will send you the link to my systems so you can check it out. They do seem to work as advertised. I hav

Re: [RE-wrenches] Fwd: Charge control question

Try the SunSaver MPPT. It is 15A and be wired with Modbus and a display. Thank you, Maverick Maverick Brown BSEET, NABCEP Certified Solar PV Installer ® President & CEO Maverick Solar Enterprises, Inc. Office: 512-919-4493 Cell:512-460-9825 Sent from an iPhone. On Oct 11, 2012,

[RE-wrenches] Marine battery bank switch

I recently installed a Blue Sea 4-way marine battery switch to switch between two battery banks, one new bank and one old bank. I was hesitant to connect the negative home-runs from both banks onto one common bus (connected directly to a ground rod), which then connects back to the DC load cente

[RE-wrenches] Tigo Optimizers.

Dan mentioned Tigo Optimizers. I looked at the website and can see that when shading is anticipated, this product has great potential. Is there any performance information available that would justify using this product on unshaded arrays??? Do we have a real alternative to the microinv

Re: [RE-wrenches] Fwd: Charge control question

Check out Tigo Optimizers: http://www.tigoenergy.com/ dbDan BrownFoxfire Energy Corp.Renewable Energy Systems(802)-483-2564www.Foxfire-Energy.comNABCEP #092907-44 Original Message Subject: Re: [RE-wrenches] Fwd: Charge control question From: Jeff Irish Dat

Re: [RE-wrenches] C-40 controller tests

Just a small part of an answer, Mark, The C-40 has a non-adjustable two hour absorption cycle. That's good for a system in regular off grid use, but tends to lead to excessive water consumption in an application with intermittent use, such as a summer cabin. Even

[RE-wrenches] Was, Old School 12V Independent System? Now, controller tests

Sorry not to hijack, but. . I am sort of in the same situation. . . I am replacing a worn out battery bank (24 off-brand T-105s in six strings of 4) with nice new set of AGMs (3 strings of 4). It has a solar array and Whisperer 200 turbine charging the bank and no generator. Customer says the

Re: [RE-wrenches] Old School 12V Independent System?

Bill, Give her sealed batteries for this application. We like Concorde SunXtender, both because the few sets that have been in operation off grid have shown exceptional life (we have one series pair of PVX-2580Ts going into its 13th year still in good shape) and a

[RE-wrenches] Old School 12V Independent System?

A client has an old school 12VDC remote cabin, (SunDanzer fridge, Sureflo pump, 12VDC lights and fans) which she visits perhaps every three months. It isn't her interest to clean terminals, much less run the generator through one of her two days of country quiet to equalize the battery bank. The co

Re: [RE-wrenches] Fwd: Charge control question

Blue Sky has 15 and 30 amp, 12 and 24 volt charge controllers that are each independently MPPT that can be networked to their controller to communicate and charge a single large battery bank. Jeff Irish Hudson Solar From: re-wrenches-boun...@lists.re-wrenches.org [mailto:re-wrenches-boun...@lis

[RE-wrenches] Fwd: Charge control question

Wrenches, I'm posting this for Carl Bickford, prof emeritus of the renewable energy training program at San Juan College in Farmington, New Mexico. I'll forward your responses to him. I have a very interesting and talented friend who

Re: [RE-wrenches] Derate for # of current carrying conductors

How long is the gutter? check out 366.23. (Unless I'm missing something.. again). dbDan BrownFoxfire Energy Corp.Renewable Energy Systems(802)-483-2564www.Foxfire-Energy.comNABCEP #092907-44 Original Message Subject: [RE-wrenches] Derate for # of current carrying conductors From

[RE-wrenches] Derate for # of current carrying conductors

Hey Wrenchers, Is the derating for the number of current carrying conductors inside a large trough the same as it is inside of a conduit?Seems to me that if for example a 8" x 8" trough is used for 9 current carrying conductors the derating should be less than if it is inside the minimum siz

Re: [RE-wrenches] Heart Interface Inverter

Hello wrenches, Its been a while since I posed a question about this, but I thought I'd follow up. I got a chance to get a scope on the propane generator output. The voltage output of the propane generator has a significant "bite" out of the top of the voltage peak. Jay, I think you were right,