zellfoxx:


Conext SW 4048 230V -- 630K
Conext MPPT 60 150 CC -- 220K

O'boy these are big boy leagues men.... Let me stay at my MPP jejely

House,

I am in the market for a victron smartsolar charge controller.. I am torn between a 150v-100amps or a 250v-100 Amps.. Price wise, there is a $250 difference.. Is it worth the difference in price? Are they basically the same? What advantage does the 250v have over the 150v? I have researched extensively and yet to find anything on the internet that points towards an advantage of one over the other..

All comments would be appreciated..

theoilguy:
House,

I am in the market for a victron smartsolar charge controller.. I am torn between a 150v-100amps or a 250v-100 Amps.. Price wise, there is a $250 difference.. Is it worth the difference in price? Are they basically the same? What advantage does the 250v have over the 150v? I have researched extensively and yet to find anything on the internet that points towards an advantage of one over the other..

All comments would be appreciated..

From my modest knowledge of physics and RE:
1. The voltage limit of your CC choice should be based off of the PV panels string voltage you intend to use in your setup (Since both cc efficiencies are closely matched and of same brand).

2. This is evidently determined by the distance of panels to CC as higher voltage PV strings lead to lower power loss for same value of energy transmission (if compared to lower voltage strings and higher current equivalent energy requirements).

3. So if distance is a factor to consider, and the power loss is negligible, I'll say go for the 150v. If distance is a big ish, then the 250/100 cc will not only save you on cable costs and Max PV panel voltage per string but on power loss too. Only if it equates or exceeds the $250 you quoted as difference.

4. I believe this is basically true for most premium brands I've had experience with.

PS: These are my views from real world experiences with other premium brands and not Victron.

theoilguy:
House,

I am in the market for a victron smartsolar charge controller.. I am torn between a 150v-100amps or a 250v-100 Amps.. Price wise, there is a $250 difference.. Is it worth the difference in price? Are they basically the same? What advantage does the 250v have over the 150v? I have researched extensively and yet to find anything on the internet that points towards an advantage of one over the other..

All comments would be appreciated..

The only reason to go for the 250V100 is if your system's nominaal voltage is 96v and above. If you are limited to 48v like most of us, the 150v is more than adequate for your need and is cheaper on the long/short run.

ojeysky:


Lucky you with phcn, am surprised that you just want to install solar or do you mean this is for a client?

Its for me.
Theoritically, we r supzd to be getting 12hrs daily, but sometimes they dont give the 12hrs, sometimes you get 9hrs, 6hrs and the occasional times you can 2 to 3 days without phcn. With my 4 battery setup, am doing ok..not much need for solar...however like i explained, am considering buying an inverter frost free fridge to be permanently on 247...hence my 4 batts may not cope very well any of the days phcn fails to deliver our daily dose..

Meanwhile in other news, seems i snatched babe from 1 of the mods here, the foolish spam bot has been issuing me daily bans now anyhow

theoilguy:
House,

I am in the market for a victron smartsolar charge controller.. I am torn between a 150v-100amps or a 250v-100 Amps.. Price wise, there is a $250 difference.. Is it worth the difference in price? Are they basically the same? What advantage does the 250v have over the 150v? I have researched extensively and yet to find anything on the internet that points towards an advantage of one over the other..

All comments would be appreciated..

Depends on your total planned array capacity and projected cable runs, if perchance you are looking at 10kw array and 100ft and above cable run, transmitting this power at higher voltages will make life easy for you.
Thats part of the reason Mpp inverters are superb, the inbuilt cc can take 500v and it also has battery less mode

Oshomo12:


Haba! U wicked small o, little wonder we no dey see Nigeria used buy! Go and buy another one joor, u want to use it forever ni.

Hahahahah, you sure say no be your bad bele come spoil my beloved haier thermoccol fridge, that has served me faithfully all these yrs.

For freezer, going forward its either haier or scanfrost.
Its fridge now am a lil confused. Go with less energy consuming inverter 30w fridge or stick with 150w haier fridge put it on timer socket & ATS for 16hrs daily,

Thank you everyone..

Has anyone used Ipower Ascend Inverter 2Kva before? I know it's modified Sine wave and its rated 1600watts but I need to know how durable it is.

adrusa:


The only reason to go for the 250V100 is if your system's nominaal voltage is 96v and above. If you are limited to 48v like most of us, the 150v is more than adequate for your need and is cheaper on the long/short run.

And those of us that use 450v80 on a 24v system nko

ojeysky:


And those of us that use 450v80 on a 24v system nko

LEAVE ADRUSE, E STILL DEY 2012, technology has left him behind
at 500v, one can comfortably run over 12kw array on a single pair of 16mm cable

ojeysky:


And those of us that use 450v80 on a 24v system nko

The other excuse you may have is if your panels are so far from your charge controller that voltage drop may be a serious problem.

Otherwise, using such high voltage on such a small nominal voltage system is needlessly endangering one's life. 450v is no joke, AC or DC. Any mistake can lead to death or significant disability.

You should stick to the minimum voltage that will serve your system adequately.

My one cent.

And may I remind us all of Murphy's Law; if anything can happen, it will probably happen one day.

This law is particularly relevant in electricity. Look at your system and see what may go wrong. Then try to minimise the chance of it going wrong, and the consequences of it go wrong.

These are two different things. Chances can be minimised, but consequences are more difficult to minimise. So, your best bet is to try to avoid it happening at all.

And to repeat. Work with the minimum voltage that will do the job adequately, no need to play fast and lose with danger to prove some useless points.

I started my inverter adventure with 2 batteries, so I was doing 24v. I later realised that I can reduce the stress on my wires by going 48v. So, I went to 48v.

With 24v, my panels didn't need to be more than about 70/80v for MPPT. For 48v, I don't need more than 150v. So, these are the voltages you will find in my house, except 220v AC.

A friend almost lost a limb not long ago while doing DIY. He was working with his panels when his spanner mistakenly breached the negative and positive terminals. The spanner was amputated instantaneously. Somehow, his hand wasn't touching the spanner at the point of contact. He was safe, but he was shaken. He stopped messing around his installations since then.

So, gentlemen and ladies, let us be safe. Take the necessary precautions.

Get a rubber shoe to wear while working with electricity.
Get appropriate level gloves for your voltage.
Avoid touching naked wire as much as possible.
Use breakers to ensure that powers are cut off before working on your system.
Use only the minimum voltages that work for your system.
Stay safe.

I am relocating my panels for better sun capture. This will increase distance by about 4 metres. I am thus considering installing the powmr controller that has been idle since to replace the pwm controller. Will 2s2p panel configuration give me any advantage over my present parallel configuration?

Check my signature.

@Adrusa,
Good talk about energy isolation.
Always ensure ZERO energy before working on an energized system. Double check or get a second verifier
I've had many near misses in my tinkering career. Now I just pay people to do the work while I supervise.

adrusa:
And may I remind us all of Murphy's Law; if anything can happen, it will probably happen one day.

This law is particularly relevant in electricity. Look at your system and see what may go wrong. Then try to minimise the chance of it going wrong, and the consequences of it go wrong.

These are two different things. Chances can be minimised, but consequences are more difficult to minimise. So, your best bet is to try to avoid it happening at all.

And to repeat. Work with the minimum voltage that will do the job adequately, no need to play fast and lose with danger to prove some useless points.

I started my inverter adventure with 2 batteries, so I was doing 24v. I later realised that I can reduce the stress on my wires by going 48v. So, I went to 48v.

With 24v, my panels didn't need to be more than about 70/80v for MPPT. For 48v, I don't need more than 150v. So, these are the voltages you will find in my house, except 220v AC.

A friend almost lost a limb not long ago while doing DIY. He was working with his panels when his spanner mistakenly breached the negative and positive terminals. The spanner was amputated instantaneously. Somehow, his hand wasn't touching the spanner at the point of contact. He was safe, but he was shaken. He stopped messing around his installations since then.

So, gentlemen and ladies, let us be safe. Take the necessary precautions.

Get a rubber shoe to wear while working with electricity.
Get appropriate level gloves for your voltage.
Avoid touching naked wire as much as possible.
Use breakers to ensure that powers are cut off before working on your system.
Use only the minimum voltages that work for your system.
Stay safe.

Nice write up. But in my small knowledge of solar and electricals I believe its better to max your voltage output from the panels into your CC in order to reduce its current draw thereby also reducing your wire sizes.

There is a reason why the higher voltage CC is more expensive than the lower more conventional one. That's because power handling capability will be more using P=IV while also reducing your current further and making your connections safer. There was a 450v Victron I saw, man it was damn expensive else I for use am for all my connections oo. Voltage from your panels into your CC has little or absolutely nothing to do with your system voltage.

As for your friend, what happened to him was caused by current and not voltage. Whenever you short a live circuit, it's the current that hurts. The reason voltage is more referred to is because its usually directly proportional to current. Anyway, bridging batteries is a common occurrence in solar systems and can actually make you confess all your sins if you see it so na to try as much as possible to do your jobs in a safe way. Batteries can also not be isolated as they always pack a charge. Best thing is to insulate your hand tools and cover the battery terminals.

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kiekie1:
Brand new Schneider homaya 1.5kva solar inverters available for order .... 75k


Contact,
Smartcell global services
Call:: 081-350-31951
WHATSAPP::: https:///2348170385620

Good day,
can this power 0.5hp submersible pump?

Thanks

essegis:


Nice write up. But in my small knowledge of solar and electricals I believe its better to max your voltage output from the panels into your CC in order to reduce its current draw thereby also reducing your wire sizes.

There is a reason why the higher voltage CC is more expensive than the lower more conventional one. That's because power handling capability will be more using P=IV while also reducing your current further and making your connections safer. There was a 450v Victron I saw, man it was damn expensive else I for use am for all my connections oo. Voltage from your panels into your CC has little or absolutely nothing to do with your system voltage.

As for your friend, what happened to him was caused by current and not voltage. Whenever you short a live circuit, it's the current that hurts. The reason voltage is more referred to is because its usually directly proportional to current. Anyway, bridging batteries is a common occurrence in solar systems and can actually make you confess all your sins if you see it so na to try as much as possible to do your jobs in a safe way. Batteries can also not be isolated as they always pack a charge. Best thing is to insulate your hand tools and cover the battery terminals.

I disagree Sir. The higher voltage CC are for higher nominal voltage systems. There are inverters with nominal voltages of 90v and 180v. These are the ones for which high voltage CC are made and they are expensive because of the electronics needed to handle that high voltage, not so that someone with 12v system can run PV voltage of 250v.

And as to my friend, yes it is current, and VOLTAGE. Voltage drives high current. The higher the voltage, the higher the current it is able to drive through any system when resistance is constant. V=IR. So, for a human being or anything at all, 100V is more dangerous than 10V. Yes, it is the current that kills, but it is the high voltage that drives the current.

Finally, I have once been told that there is an MPPT sweet spot for your panel voltage vs your system voltage, I really can not lay my hands on the details now. But I remember that while high voltage may reduce your installation cost, two much of a difference between your PV Voltage and your battery voltage put extra stress on the conversion electronics in your charge controller. Don't forget that an MPPT CC is basically a DC-DC converter and the higher the difference between the voltages the higher the work needed to be done by the converter and the greater the loss and the likelihood to have a fault.

But again, you must maintain a balance between safety and cost. Unless my inverter system requires it, I will not do high voltage.

adrusa:


The other excuse you may have is if your panels are so far from your charge controller that voltage drop may be a serious problem.

Otherwise, using such high voltage on such a small nominal voltage system is needlessly endangering one's life. 450v is no joke, AC or DC. Any mistake can lead to death or significant disability.

You should stick to the minimum voltage that will serve your system adequately.

My one cent.

I think it's important to mention, it's high PV low current so my array is 280v but at 8A, I don't think the risk will be lower if it's 120v at 24A

lukkens:


Good day,
can this power 0.5hp submersible pump?

Thanks

It should considering your device wattage ! My contact is inclusive in advert . Thanks

kiekie1:
Brand new Schneider homaya 1.5kva solar inverters available for order .... 75k


Contact,
Smartcell global services
Call:: 081-350-31951
WHATSAPP::: https:///2348170385620

Please is it 12v or 24v?
And can it power a 110w chest freezer?

adrusa:


I disagree Sir. The higher voltage CC are for higher nominal voltage systems. There are inverters with nominal voltages of 90v and 180v. These are the ones for which high voltage CC are made and they are expensive because of the electronics needed to handle that high voltage, not so that someone with 12v system can run PV voltage of 250v.

And as to my friend, yes it is current, and VOLTAGE. Voltage drives high current. The higher the voltage, the higher the current it is able to drive through any system when resistance is constant. V=IR. So, for a human being or anything at all, 100V is more dangerous than 10V. Yes, it is the current that kills, but it is the high voltage that drives the current.

Finally, I have once been told that there is an MPPT sweet spot for your panel voltage vs your system voltage, I really can not lay my hands on the details now. But I remember that while high voltage may reduce your installation cost, two much of a difference between your PV Voltage and your battery voltage put extra stress on the conversion electronics in your charge controller. Don't forget that an MPPT CC is basically a DC-DC converter and the higher the difference between the voltages the higher the work needed to be done by the converter and the greater the loss and the likelihood to have a fault.

But again, you must maintain a balance between safety and cost. Unless my inverter system requires it, I will not do high voltage.

We learn everyday bro. That's why a maker will make a CC and rate it for 12/24/48 & give you different parameters to make all function because they know it can handle it. If it would not handle they would tell you straight ahead. I have not seen the spec sheets for the 250v CC though so I no fit talk.

If you read my initial post I'm sure I stated volts are directly proportional to current and I've been trying to think about it I think solar is the only (or one of the few) where the inverse proportionality is preferred. Baba, if you have 2000w of panels na still 2000w oo.....whether you install all in parallel or series. To save yourself the headache just do it & max the volts to the best of your CC.

ojeysky:


I think it's important to mention, it's high PV low current so my array of 280v but at 8A, I don't think the risk will be lower if it's 120v at 24A

It will be. Current is "pay as you go" or taken as required. You can only talk about the maximum current your system is capable of giving. No one is sure what it will give under every conditions. Even if your system can do 100A, you need adequate voltage to drive it through. Look at a car battery. It is only 12v and you can complete the circuit, i.e. touch both the negative and the positive simultaneously without any shock. Yet that battery pushes out between 100-200A when you are using it to start your car.

Voltage is always there. Current normally do not flow until a circuit is completed. And how much current will flow is dependent on what demand is being made by the electronics. But in the case of electrocution, voltage is the most important. What current will flow is dependent on the resistance of the body and the contacts the body is making with the groud. A good insulating rubber shoe will reduce the current passing through for example. Sweat or otherwise wet body and wet ground will reduce the resistance and increase the current flow.

So, in electrocution, current is of little importance, it is the voltage that is crucial. Yes, it is the current that will kill, but without adequate voltage, there won't be enough current to cause danger. That is why when 11,000V from High Tension poles falls on anything, it drives enough current through to incinerate whatever is its path. 220V can never do that. 220V will most likely send the heart into such a very rapid, irregular beating (tachycardia) that blood circulation becomes ineffective, it rarely causes burns.

ojeysky:


I think it's important to mention, it's high PV low current so my array is 280v but at 8A, I don't think the risk will be lower if it's 120v at 24A

The risk will actually be higher both to humans and your wires, more current flow.

Abeg did you arrange 280v on a max 150v CC?

essegis:


The risk will actually be higher both to humans and your wires, more current flow.

Abeg did you arrange 280v on a max 150v CC?

Okay I think you didn't get the point:

280v 8A on a 450v CC
130v 24A on a 150v CC

Where is the risk more than the other?

vicarsenal:


Please is it 12v or 24v?
And can it power a 110w chest freezer?

24v .. Yes it will ! Feel free to reach me for discounted price lower than 80-90k online price range as seen in snapshot below

Contact,
Smartcell global services
Call:: 081-350-31951
WHATSAPP::: https:///2348170385620

adrusa:


It will be. Current is "pay as you go" or taken as required. You can only talk about the maximum current your system is capable of giving. No one is sure what it will give under every conditions. Even if your system can do 100A, you need adequate voltage to drive it through. Look at a car battery. It is only 12v and you can complete the circuit, i.e. touch both the negative and the positive simultaneously without any shock. Yet that battery pushes out between 100-200A when you are using it to start your car.

Voltage is always there. Current normally do not flow until a circuit is completed. And how much current will flow is dependent on what demand is being made by the electronics. But in the case of electrocution, voltage is the most important. What current will flow is dependent on the resistance of the body and the contacts the body is making with the groud. A good insulating rubber shoe will reduce the current passing through for example. Sweat or otherwise wet body and wet ground will reduce the resistance and increase the current flow.

So, in electrocution, current is of little importance, it is the voltage that is crucial. Yes, it is the current that will kill, but without adequate voltage, there won't be enough current to cause danger. That is why when 11,000V from High Tension poles falls on anything, it drives enough current through to incinerate whatever is its path. 220V can never do that. 220V will most likely send the heart into such a very rapid, irregular beating (tachycardia) that blood circulation becomes ineffective, it rarely causes burns.

I like that you say the bolded, but it seem to suggest that a voltage of 130v is not sufficient enough to harm when carrying 24A current. If that were the case, a 280v 8A will not give me the same charge current that 130v 24A will give(and I have tried this myself).

Simply put, both are proportionately as dangerous, the high tension line was not carrying 8A hence the impact is much more..... Besides the high tension line is in thousands volts so even if it was carrying just 5A it would be more lethal. Besides this is VDC not VAC as you would have in high tension lines.

I would have agreed with you if you say 280v at 24A is more dangerous than 130v at 24A

adrusa:


The only reason to go for the 250V100 is if your system's nominaal voltage is 96v and above. If you are limited to 48v like most of us, the 150v is more than adequate for your need and is cheaper on the long/short run.

The 250 V 100 amp Victron on works up to 48V batteries. The advantages are fewer strings because you can connect more panels in series. You also can use thinner cables because you can run lower current. Your higher voltage minimizes loses if you are far from the array.
I have used both and honestly I pick the 250 100 any day over the lower voltage. Fewer strings means fewer breakers.

chris81964:

The 250 V 100 amp Victron on works up to 48V batteries. The advantages are fewer strings because you can connect more panels in series. You also can use thinner cables because you can run lower current. Your higher voltage minimizes loses if you are far from the array.
I have used both and honestly I pick the 250 100 any day over the lower voltage. Fewer strings means fewer breakers.

I have no victron experience but just for my information, I hope the amps referred to in bold is the Max MPPT current and not the hervest current?

chris81964:

The 250 V 100 amp Victron on works up to 48V batteries. The advantages are fewer strings because you can connect more panels in series. You also can use thinner cables because you can run lower current. Your higher voltage minimizes loses if you are far from the array.
I have used both and honestly I pick the 250 100 any day over the lower voltage. Fewer strings means fewer breakers.

Thanks for buttressing my point.