@BodeJohn,
Please can you share how you sourced your charger? I understand you got it cheaper compared to local costs?
Also if you dont mind, can you post the pictures of your panels now (where they are located). Are they on the roof?

Oga George,
is this the controller you use?
http://www.amazon.com/MorningStar-TriStar-TS-60-Battery-Controller/dp/B004N3U74Y/ref=sr_1_8?ie=UTF8&qid=1357419699&sr=8-8&keywords=mppt+solar+charge+controller

pdozie: @BodeJohn,
Please can you share how you sourced your charger? I understand you got it cheaper compared to local costs?
Also if you dont mind, can you post the pictures of your panels now (where they are located). Are they on the roof?

Yes, my panels are on the roof now, will post the picture later, when the sun is down. I got my charge controller from China, no brand name, just an inner believe that it will work and it is working...

compliments to you bodejohn,pls can i have ur phone number ...................

jayboskie7: compliments to you bodejohn,pls can i have ur phone number ...................

I have sent you a PM mail, please reply and from there we can exchange numbers.

bodejohn,here is my phone number 08060615464.flash mi i will call u bak ok

jayboskie7: bodejohn,here is my phone number 08060615464.flash mi i will call u bak ok

I sent you a text message yesterday, did you receive it?

Oga George,
I noticed that my charge controller was only able to push about 25Ah charge to my battery bank yesterday when i was not at home with the Inverter switched off, the battery voltage was just 26.1V indicating that it was not fully chargered. I regularly got about 52 to 54Ah since installation when i was home and used the inverter.

I suspect that the circuit voltage of my panels that is about 40V is responsible, because the PV voltage sometimes drops below 30V, what do you think?
I plan to connect 3 panels in series as you once suggested.

pdozie: Oga George,
is this the controller you use?
http://www.amazon.com/MorningStar-TriStar-TS-60-Battery-Controller/dp/B004N3U74Y/ref=sr_1_8?ie=UTF8&qid=1357419699&sr=8-8&keywords=mppt+solar+charge+controller

pdozie,
that link is for the ts-60 which a pwm (or regular) version of the morningstar charge controller.i am currently using the ts-mppt-60 which is the upgraded version. here is the link:

http://www.amazon.com/Morningstar-TriStar-MPPT-Charge-Controller/dp/B0052UIPIC/ref=sr_1_31?ie=UTF8&qid=1357722791&sr=8-31&keywords=mppt+solar+charge+controller

bodejohn,
it is better to connect your panels in three to take full advantage of its mppt functionality. if you install them any other way, your charge controller works just like any plain type controller with no boost.

George_D: bodejohn,
it is better to connect your panels in three to take full advantage of its mppt functionality. if you install them any other way, your charge controller works just like any plain type controller with no boost.

Roger that.

One more issue came up after connecting 3 of the panels in series, the Vmp from the panels is now 60V but the battery quickly runs into absorption, where less of power is required from the sun. Yesterday i got only 23Ah from the panels but battery only got charged to 26.1V. It is beginning to look like i will be needing another pair of batteries pretty soon, otherwise i will only enjoy more power from the sun when i am at home during the day.

What do you suggest is the ration between the battery bank size and solar panels?

@George: Thanks for the info. I already placed the order for the MPPT and the meter. Many thanks to Akanniade. Sent him mail for clarifications and he did call me and explained.
I already spoke to Titus. Hopefully by the time the orders arrive, i should have enough fund to buy 2 of the 250W 24 panels for a start. Then I should be part of the Hybrid league.

Oh! I have also ordered Battery Life Saver BLS-48A 48v Battery System Desulfator Rejuvenator. Hopefully it will help desulphate the batteries and give them long life.

bodejohn:

Roger that.

One more issue came up after connecting 3 of the panels in series, the Vmp from the panels is now 60V but the battery quickly runs into absorption, where less of power is required from the sun. Yesterday i got only 23Ah from the panels but battery only got charged to 26.1V. It is beginning to look like i will be needing another pair of batteries pretty soon, otherwise i will only enjoy more power from the sun when i am at home during the day.

What do you suggest is the ration between the battery bank size and solar panels?

bodejohn,
your battery bank goes now goes quickly into absorption because your charge controller is now making full use of
total power output from your panels therefore pushing out more charging current into your batteries.

for optimal use of your panels always you should consider sizing your battery bank to at least 3 days of autonomy.
that way it will have more redundant capacity whereby it is able to accept more charge irrespective of daily usage.

with your present battery size, you will only be able to enjoy more output from your panels when you are at home
whereby you're using your inverter simultaneously while batteries are charging.

when your batteries are full, the charge controller goes into absorption and ultimately to float. any excess power
from your panels remain unused from that point onwards unless there is a power demand from your house load.

pdozie: @George: Thanks for the info. I already placed the order for the MPPT and the meter. Many thanks to Akanniade. Sent him mail for clarifications and he did call me and explained.
I already spoke to Titus. Hopefully by the time the orders arrive, i should have enough fund to buy 2 of the 250W 24 panels for a start. Then I should be part of the Hybrid league.

Oh! I have also ordered Battery Life Saver BLS-48A 48v Battery System Desulfator Rejuvenator. Hopefully it will help desulphate the batteries and give them long life.

pdozie,
the morningstar ts-60 and ts-mppt-60 look alike from the outside except in the weight and internal components. while the ts-60 weighs about 2.8kg, the ts-mppt-60 weighs about 5.4kg. i'm sure akanniade would have explained to you other aspects which differentiates a regular charge controller to an mppt one. this holds true irrepective of the brand - whether xantrex, outback, morningstar, etc. i'll be quick to add however that as with any other product, performance efficiencies are not the same. morningstar mppt charge controllers have been proven to be one of the best industrywide in terms of ruggedness, durablity and conversion efficiency.


and, yes, the battery life saver is a very good piece of equipment to have for any person working with a battery bank.
i will soon buy one too.

Hi Every1, i found a link which i think may be a good read for those who want to hav a better understanding of how battries work, its a good read if you ask me.
here it is: http://www.letitgo.com.au/the-ins-and-outs-of-batteries-for-solar-systems/

George_D:

bodejohn,
your battery bank goes now goes quickly into absorption because your charge controller is now making full use of
total power output from your panels therefore pushing out more charging current into your batteries.

for optimal use of your panels always you should consider sizing your battery bank to at least 3 days of autonomy.
that way it will have more redundant capacity whereby it is able to accept more charge irrespective of daily usage.

with your present battery size, you will only be able to enjoy more output from your panels when you are at home
whereby you're using your inverter simultaneously while batteries are charging.

when your batteries are full, the charge controller goes into absorption and ultimately to float. any excess power
from your panels remain unused from that point onwards unless there is a power demand from your house load.

Thanks, I also discovered this although not before I bought two more solar panels thinking that was the issue. I hope I can get two more batteries from my supplier at the end of the month.

Jump in Jump out!!!

George_D, bodejohn and others, I hail.

Where can I get Deka Solar Batteries to buy at a cheap price.I got a guy in Lagos who is selling 265 Apms for 106K and 210amps for 83K

HAPPY NEW YEAR TO YOU ALL
@ PDozie, thanks for the call the other time.
I finally fix my 3.5kva will do the installation by tomorrow,
meanwhile my 1.5kva has really serve me. I connected it in series/parrallel for 4 batteries
now it has to rest and allow the baba to begin work.
Ohh boy i don miss o... see people starting PPP... soon i will join too by God grace.

BUTONEDAY: Jump in Jump out!!!

George_D, bodejohn and others, I hail.

Where can I get Deka Solar Batteries to buy at a cheap price.I got a guy in Lagos who is selling 265 Apms for 106K and 210amps for 83K

Oga Butoneday,
Very nice to see you around, it is a sign that this year will be good.
Cheers!

hello butoneday,
top of the day to you. the deka batteries may be hard to get in these parts unless you're
prepared to order direct from the usa. i think the guy selling knows this and that's why he's
selling at such an exorbitant price. if you really need them go for the offer but really i think
that price is on the high side.

deeplo,
welcome back. i'm sure that after your installation, you will finally begin to enjoy what some of us have been
enjoying for a while now. congrats in advance!

all,
i finally completed the latest round of my systems upgrade over the weekend.

details as promised:

added an additional morningstar mppt charge controller and ran an extra length of cable to reduce
current loading on the first set. front facing modules and back facing modules now have their separate
controllers:

installing the controller:

more:

replaced my faulty binatone stab with a prag 10kva stab. no story!

also installed a 60a breaker to take care of temporary electrical isolation
for maintenance activity.

installed extra 2pcs 200w suntech solar panels to boost charging current.

now total array power has finally crossed into the 4,000w (4kw) category!

changed string configuration for back facing panels to take advantage of mppt capability of charge controller.

(instead of two by twos, strings are now wired in threes - rear panels only for now)

be sure of the name: suntech!

the old and new now working together:

re-designed the voltage combiner for a more rugged and better performance.

also breaker now firmly in place:

also commissioned the 5kva cyberpower inverter in place of the 3.5kva sukam: