System Design for the Complete Idiot

[freegirl]

I'm actually not a complete idiot. I already did a power usage analysis for my trailer, bought my panels and batteries, chose my charge controller, but still waffling on the inverter. But now I'm thinking about all the ancillary items such as panels, disconnects, etc., to tie the whole thing together. No background here. It's my first system, and I had never even heard of the word "combiner" until I started focusing on this area (I did find out that a combiner is pretty much what the term infers).

So first, this is what I have, then I want to ask about the panels and whatnot required to tie everything together:
Qty 24 153w panels. 25.61VOC, 20.30 MPP voltage
Batteries: 100AH array at 48v
Midnite solar Classic 200 (I ran the calculator and it likes the 200 if I run 4 strings of six panels each (about 120V)

Application is for an older trailer. There is an external, recessed breaker panel (with door), with a fat 120v, 3 wire AC cord coming out. Also, I have grid power available and leaning toward an inverter that give me the option to feed power back to the grid, but I may never do that. I HAVE 15 AMP SERVICE AND HAVE NEVER BLOWN A FUSE, so that gives you an idea of max power draw.

Here's the question: I want to build safe, smart, and cheap. If one item must give it will be the cheap stipulation, but for a system this size how far can I condense everything down is terms of how many panels I need? For example, can I use one panel to handle everything?

In that case I envision the panel strings entering the panel stage left, being combined on, whatcha call it, a couple of bus bars, somehow pass through a disconnect (perhaps 4 separate breakers in case I want to take a portion of the array offline... say for maint.?), then cabling exiting the top and tied into the inverter, then AC wires back in the top of the panel, bussed down again to circuit breaker and tying in with the AC lead from the trailer. That is probably an idiotic notion, so what should I do to be a minimalist and still be smart?

And I'm happy to buy the equipment from MidNite so if you employees read these posts please feel free to jump in. THANX!

[zoneblue]

Quite a big subject. Your question is about intergration and BOS right? So, the MNDC disco is a really good place to start thinking about all this. Download the manual for it and study it til it makes sense. Those are great boxes and youd be hard pressed to assemble one yourself for that price. If you choose a quality inverter (and you should), then be sure to look at the e-panels. My other suggestion is that you spend some time hanging out on teh NAWs forum, bill and the guys over there will happily give you a second opinion on your overall design.

For the CC, given your distances are small i advise sticking to the 150. The 200 usually only makes sense if you have distant arrays.

Combiner... yes use one. Its that that allows you to truly isolate your array, and you need the breakers for multi string arrays anyway.

[freegirl]

Thank you.