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Post by JohnV on Apr 12, 2021 12:13:10 GMT
Not sure what has been done there.
Unless he has wired it so that the battery to MPTT switches on in "Batt" Position and stays connected when going to "solar" position and the solar panels only being connected to the MPTT in the "solar" position in which case it must be at least a 2 pole 3 position switch and only switches just the + for the battery and only the + of the panels. (and ideally a make before break)
I suppose that does have the advantage of never being able to connect the panels to the MPTT before the battery has been connected. ..... handy for an installation that might be used by someone who is not aware of that.
In styling it could be a Krauss and Naimer switch but I suspect it will be a Chiunese lookalike
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Post by JohnV on Apr 12, 2021 12:36:27 GMT
Can anybody recommend isolator switches? Each string of three is running at 120v with a maximum of 80amps Back to Kris' question.
as long as you don't mind having to remember which switch to do first I reckon your simplest (and probably the cheapest) method would be the same as me and use a DC rated MCB of the correct amp rating for each ..... get a short bit of DIN rail and 4 DIN rail end stops to mount them (So you can keep them separate on the rail)
Outback do a range of them rated at 120 V from memory around the £30 each mark
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Post by kris on Apr 12, 2021 12:58:40 GMT
Can anybody recommend isolator switches? Each string of three is running at 120v with a maximum of 80amps Back to Kris' question.
as long as you don't mind having to remember which switch to do first I reckon your simplest (and probably the cheapest) method would be the same as me and use a DC rated MCB of the correct amp rating for each ..... get a short bit of DIN rail and 4 DIN rail end stops to mount them (So you can keep them separate on the rail)
Outback do a range of them rated at 120 V from memory around the £30 each mark
Yes maybe I’ll have a look at them. Thanks
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Post by Deleted on Apr 12, 2021 13:06:49 GMT
I use this
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Post by kris on Apr 12, 2021 13:09:50 GMT
I use this yes that’s quite neat.
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Post by Deleted on Apr 12, 2021 13:12:11 GMT
I use this yes that’s quite neat. The case was a fiver from screwfix, and the switches (can’t remember the price) were from bimble
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Post by JohnV on Apr 12, 2021 13:20:25 GMT
The case was a fiver from screwfix, and the switches (can’t remember the price) were from bimble That is neat...... I couldn't find a suitable enclosure for the Midnight ones when I was installing (and they were the only ones that were bigger than 60V DC that I could find)
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Post by peterboat on Apr 12, 2021 13:45:40 GMT
Very nice Kris, I have currently 4 panels on domestic and 2 strings of 4 panels on drive, shortly I am having a rejig and it will be 5 panels on domestic and 2 strings of 5 on drive, making a total of 4.6 kw ish. when not moving the drive solar goes straight onto a 3kw immersion heater in the heat store. the panels can be all switched to drive batteries which on a sunny day means I run on solar only. dont put the immersion on the inverter as you are wasting energy converting from dc to ac and back again. On a day like today i will get plenty of hot water from the solar as its sunny here
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Post by Deleted on Apr 12, 2021 16:04:31 GMT
The case was a fiver from screwfix, and the switches (can’t remember the price) were from bimble That is neat...... I couldn't find a suitable enclosure for the Midnight ones when I was installing (and they were the only ones that were bigger than 60V DC that I could find) I’m a neat person 😂🤣
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Post by kris on Apr 13, 2021 12:01:47 GMT
Very nice Kris, I have currently 4 panels on domestic and 2 strings of 4 panels on drive, shortly I am having a rejig and it will be 5 panels on domestic and 2 strings of 5 on drive, making a total of 4.6 kw ish. when not moving the drive solar goes straight onto a 3kw immersion heater in the heat store. the panels can be all switched to drive batteries which on a sunny day means I run on solar only. dont put the immersion on the inverter as you are wasting energy converting from dc to ac and back again. On a day like today i will get plenty of hot water from the solar as its sunny here Heating water and cooking on electric are what I’ve got to get into. After experiencing these new panels I can see how electric propulsion could be possible.
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Post by JohnV on Apr 13, 2021 12:37:48 GMT
Very nice Kris, I have currently 4 panels on domestic and 2 strings of 4 panels on drive, shortly I am having a rejig and it will be 5 panels on domestic and 2 strings of 5 on drive, making a total of 4.6 kw ish. when not moving the drive solar goes straight onto a 3kw immersion heater in the heat store. the panels can be all switched to drive batteries which on a sunny day means I run on solar only. dont put the immersion on the inverter as you are wasting energy converting from dc to ac and back again. On a day like today i will get plenty of hot water from the solar as its sunny here Heating water and cooking on electric are what I’ve got to get into. After experiencing these new panels I can see how electric propulsion could be possible. I cook electric and I've only 1Kw panels and at the moment in this bright sunshine I'm charging at over 30 Amps (@24v).
batteries are approaching float and this afternoon I have a duck to roast the power for which will be almost all met by the solar.
With the improvements in panels over just the last few years, I think I need to look and see if I can add another 500w or so to mine and mount them at a better angle for winter sunshine (especially as my venture into wind power turned into such a bust)
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Post by Deleted on Apr 13, 2021 12:46:59 GMT
Heating water and cooking on electric are what I’ve got to get into. After experiencing these new panels I can see how electric propulsion could be possible. When petrol and diesel propulsion is finally banned in canal boats (I think someone said its 2050), the future boaters will be looking at how they get the maximum possible solar onto a narrowboat roof. I spoke to one guy who said he had 2.5kw of solar fitted on a 57ft narrowboat, but I dont know if even that would yield enough charge to cruise a boat every day. With widebeams you obviously have more roof area for panels. But if you had 2.5kw say, and you could only cruise every other day, or one day in three, that would still be better than not cruising at all. There are a lot of boaters who would simply be priced out of the lifestyle if they faced a mandatory £8k bill for an electric motor install (and that's without the batteries). So unless the cost of electric motors comes down a lot (which it might do, as more used ones become available), the numbers of narrowboats on the system will drop sharply in 2050. Perhaps people who want to cruise a lot will buy GRP boats, as they need less energy to move? Those happy to cruise every second or third day will stay in narrowboats, if they can afford the motor ad batteries.
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Post by JohnV on Apr 13, 2021 12:56:19 GMT
My heart bleeds, what about those with historic boats that are very large and very heavy and require lots of power to move, especially those that are also sea going. Sabina H is 80 plus tons and has a bow like a bulldozer. (Though on the other hand did you say 2050 ? ...... Oh well in that case I don't give a ........ )
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Post by Telemachus on Apr 13, 2021 13:57:51 GMT
Heating water and cooking on electric are what I’ve got to get into. After experiencing these new panels I can see how electric propulsion could be possible. When petrol and diesel propulsion is finally banned in canal boats (I think someone said its 2050), the future boaters will be looking at how they get the maximum possible solar onto a narrowboat roof. I spoke to one guy who said he had 2.5kw of solar fitted on a 57ft narrowboat, but I dont know if even that would yield enough charge to cruise a boat every day. With widebeams you obviously have more roof area for panels. But if you had 2.5kw say, and you could only cruise every other day, or one day in three, that would still be better than not cruising at all. There are a lot of boaters who would simply be priced out of the lifestyle if they faced a mandatory £8k bill for an electric motor install (and that's without the batteries). So unless the cost of electric motors comes down a lot (which it might do, as more used ones become available), the numbers of narrowboats on the system will drop sharply in 2050. Perhaps people who want to cruise a lot will buy GRP boats, as they need less energy to move? Those happy to cruise every second or third day will stay in narrowboats, if they can afford the motor ad batteries. I don’t think it will be a problem. Based on the current rate of degeneration of the system, by 2050 means of propulsion will be the least of your worries. Getting off the bottom and through a lock will be a major achievement.
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Post by peterboat on Apr 13, 2021 16:12:33 GMT
Heating water and cooking on electric are what I’ve got to get into. After experiencing these new panels I can see how electric propulsion could be possible. When petrol and diesel propulsion is finally banned in canal boats (I think someone said its 2050), the future boaters will be looking at how they get the maximum possible solar onto a narrowboat roof. I spoke to one guy who said he had 2.5kw of solar fitted on a 57ft narrowboat, but I dont know if even that would yield enough charge to cruise a boat every day. With widebeams you obviously have more roof area for panels. But if you had 2.5kw say, and you could only cruise every other day, or one day in three, that would still be better than not cruising at all. There are a lot of boaters who would simply be priced out of the lifestyle if they faced a mandatory £8k bill for an electric motor install (and that's without the batteries). So unless the cost of electric motors comes down a lot (which it might do, as more used ones become available), the numbers of narrowboats on the system will drop sharply in 2050. Perhaps people who want to cruise a lot will buy GRP boats, as they need less energy to move? Those happy to cruise every second or third day will stay in narrowboats, if they can afford the motor ad batteries. Tony my whole conversion was less than 8K! one of the advantages of lots of solar is that I have bought a 2 ring induction hobb, it sits on the Rayburn and is for summer use, its quick clean, gas free and makes sense when you have masses of solar and batteries. Microwave does some reheating and maybe I should have bought a combi version on reflection?
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