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Forum Index : Solar : Getting bigger
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KarlJ Guru  Joined: 19/05/2008 Location: AustraliaPosts: 1178 |
I have the roof I'm in the right industry..... why not! http://forums.energymatters.com.au/resources/image/411 Still at 28 panels but by the end of the week it will be 40. roughly 7.3kW for the sake of arguement. Compromise is 2 strings of 12 panels on the 3000HF 1 string of 185W panels and the other of 180W panels. I thought this was a better option than 190W panels as i'm already overpowering the inverters by a decent margin as we have a 5000W inverter limit over here in WA to get premium feed in tarrif. Luck favours the well prepared |
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| KarlJ Guru Joined: 19/05/2008 Location: AustraliaPosts: 1178 |
all done I did go for the 180W Solarfuns, hand picked a dozen at 183W a pop so close enough to the ZNShine panels that were 185 +/- 5%, possibly even better! Certainly much less expensive than the suntechs and I didnt need those extra watts in any case. Quite an awesome array of panels even if I do say so myself... Today the weather is miserable but still cracking 400W.... 
yesterday with some full sun, both inverters top out and crack in 5300W continuously. not much clip but fluctuating within 50W of MAX for both. I think this will be idea as previously in summer in the full heat of the day the CMS units barely made 1900W with 2.6kW panels, hence 2180W continuous is realistic with 3KW panels on it. similarly the 4.4kW X 0.75 on the 3000HF =3285W less efficiency losses of 5% = 3120W and it tapps out at 3080W. so close enough! 
Luck favours the well prepared |
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| Barry T Coles Senior Member  Joined: 30/07/2009 Location: AustraliaPosts: 109 |
No wonder it's getting cold up here in the north, your sucking up all the sun.
Impressive array Karl. Cheers Barry I need to learn from the mistakes of others. I dont have the time to make them all myself. |
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| neil0mac Senior Member Joined: 26/12/2009 Location: AustraliaPosts: 210 |
What's next Karl? A granny flat - or large garage? Incidentally, you don't expect the panels near the HWS to provide unwanted shade? |
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| KarlJ Guru Joined: 19/05/2008 Location: AustraliaPosts: 1178 |
The ones behind dont get any shade and the one to the side will cop a little late in the evening but no real solution to that. Lower on the roof = shading from elsewhere. Luck favours the well prepared |
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| KarlJ Guru Joined: 19/05/2008 Location: AustraliaPosts: 1178 |
today was a classic example of why overpowering is good. 
awesome. This graph represents 4.38kW / 7.34kW array on the 3000HF. its more overpowered than the CMS 2000 (the CMS runs out to 2350W as opposed to the SMA 3000HF which is all out of ideas at 3076W) In total the whole system made 32 units today and fed 29 of those to the grid  Luck favours the well prepared |
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Tinker Guru Joined: 07/11/2007 Location: AustraliaPosts: 1904 |
Hey Karl, do you know a source of reasonable priced solar panels in Perth? I think you are in the business and would be aware where the good deals are. I did look at ebay but the cheap panels all seem to be overseas... Mine is a standalone solar system and I'm looking for 24v panels. I priced the Sunpower 238W panel at $1080ea from a Perth supplier. Its a very nice panel but I need two or more panels and the budget is not too flash  Klaus |
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| KarlJ Guru Joined: 19/05/2008 Location: AustraliaPosts: 1178 |
come see me I have tons of Suntech 190W panels call it $400 each. or I have 180W Solarfuns for $380 each. I went for the solarfuns as I didn't need another 120W and rule of thumb is string only performs as well as worst performing panel, all my other panels are a year old and were +/-5%, experience has now shown me that typically means they are -3%. hence a good match to the 180W solarfuns. I have REC 235W panels and for the ants pants, the beez kneez I have 235W Sanyo's which are awesome but ferociously expensive, hence if you have the space 2 solarfuns is a better buy. Luck favours the well prepared |
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| Tinker Guru Joined: 07/11/2007 Location: AustraliaPosts: 1904 |
Thanks Karl, that price sounds a lot more to my liking. At that price I'll be looking at 4 x 190W Suntech panels and will send you a PM when I'm ready to get them. They are for the 2 solar trackers I'm building, I have one two axis tracker already but decided the design could be improved and am making two more. Only two panels per tracker are used to keep the wind profile low as they will be located on top of my shed roof. Would it be possible to see the spec sheet and mounting hole details for the Suntech 190's?. I need to make the panel frames yet and set the thing up in the shed with a dummy load on it to do a year's accelerated tracking test (that takes about 10 days). I really appreciate your offer, 4 more panels just about get me grid independent for my standalone system. Klaus |
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| KarlJ Guru Joined: 19/05/2008 Location: AustraliaPosts: 1178 |
STP-190-24AD+ spec sheet should be here http://www.energymatters.com.au/images/suntech/STP190S24Adpl us.pdf dont think it has the dimensions you're after though... forget the pm shoot me an email at work address karl.jensen(AT)apolloenergy.com.au Luck favours the well prepared |
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NathanM Newbie  Joined: 23/08/2011 Location: United StatesPosts: 5 |
That's an impressive system you have there. I've only recently gotten interested in solar panels. I think I'll start a little smaller than that and as I learn more, get more. Need San Francisco electrician |
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| rgormley Senior Member Joined: 22/02/2006 Location: AustraliaPosts: 245 |
Hey karl just wondering about the mounting details for your inverters inside or outside mount? ip rating? any extra cooling forced air? temp controlled? when would you do a capacitor bank change in the inverter? would you tackle the cap change yourself? sorry for the barrage of questions, give me an idea on my own setup (IG30 outdoor unit but mounted in my garage with extra forced air cooling) running 15 x 180watt in series |
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