Phase 1, mostly complete

[Photowhit]

After my first large system in Central Missouri at a cabin I lived in for 5 years, I moved 8 miles away into a Modular home and back on the grid. Well, I'm off grid again after a year and a half back on. The first phase is a 4000 watt array (really 2 - 2000watt) on 2 MidNite Classic Lites, E-Panel, my existing 800Ah forklift/traction battery from my cabin system. and a single 1800 watt Prosine inverter.

The E-Panel has largely been converted to a DC Box as I have no other forms of AC current. I'll likely add an A/C breaker or 2 as I want to add a second inverter alike as a dedicated Air conditioner inverter.



Array the extended lumber at top since I had to have just over 16' board thought I'd leave it and add 4 more panels perhaps. (all ready over panels with Phase 2...lol)

Homemade double combiner box from an old combiner box from integrate industries(?)



Power center exposed.



E-Panel converted to Dc Disconnect box;



Phase 2 will be adding the 14 - 185 watt panels in my spare bedroom, but will be over paneled so will wait until the battery monitor module is ready, later this year (I hope, I hope...)

[TomW]

That system is entirely too neat. 

Kidding. It looks beautiful. I lack the gene that enables neat wire discipline. 

Thanks for the share.

Tom

[Photowhit]

I have too much more to go into the power center, not to be organized. another inverter for Air conditioner, another Classic for the Phase 2 array.

I need to replace the wire going to the outlet and on to the house with 10 gauge, all I had was 12 gauge or it would be stapled down. The space on the lower left has an air filter in it now, and there is a fan installed in the upper left corner, but I don't have wire run to the 5 watt solar panel to run the little exhaust fan yet.

...and of course the 'door' is still being screwed down and needs a hinge and some latches.

[dgd]

Nice neat setup.
How have you secured the panels to the timber frame, Z type brackets on each panel?
Lots of fuses in that box, did you consider breakers so that panel strings could be isolated for maintenance, replacement etc?  Where is the battery bank?

dgd

[Westbranch]

PW, I see 2 different sized wires connected to the shunt ?? Like a 2 and 6 Ga.? almost looks  like 3 but an 8(?) ga. goes underneath, I think, to buss bar on end of shunt.

[Photowhit]

How have you secured the panels to the timber frame, Z type brackets on each panel??

No they are aluminum angle actually a bit lighter(but much heavier than the frame) than this image from my cabin setup; They are actually cut so a single piece of aluminum mounts both panels, in this way I could make a jig and have the spacing between the panels the same through out the array. ...and yes I went ahead and mounted the aluminum directly against the pressure treated wood. The cabin mounts showed very little additional reaction between the aluminum and the pressure treating chemistry after4 years. I had added 2 panels and removed them after 4 years. An accidental experiment, figured I'd redesign the mount but took 4 years to do it!

Lots of fuses in that box, did you consider breakers so that panel strings could be isolated for maintenance, replacement etc?

No, for several reasons, I had the fused combiner box, though designed for less strings, and I had the distribution blocks, had to buy a couple fuse blocks, so $20 out of pocket instead of $200+. I also have a couple DC clamp meters(my Sears special started working again!) so checking them in comparison to the others is the best trouble shooting, and I can always turn off the array breaker, then disconnect if needed. It is extremely rare to do any maintenance on panels but I could replace one this way, if needed.

Where is the battery bank?

It's just to the right of the power center with the large cable going to it! one forklift/traction battery. 800Ah

[mtdoc]

Nice install!  What size is the wire feeding the inverter?

Also, where is your ground? ( I see the ground busbar but don't see where it is tied to ground)

[Photowhit]

PW, I see 2 different sized wires connected to the shunt ?? Like a 2 and 6 Ga.? almost looks  like 3 but an 8(?) ga. goes underneath, I think, to buss bar on end of shunt.

I have a 00 from battery on the left of the shunt, and 2 - #4 from array, and 2 - #4 from the Classic charge controllers and a #2 going to the inverter, this is a bit minimal, I have 0000 for the battery and will cut up the 00 for inverters in time.

I'm out of spots for #4 wire on this type of bus bar and will swap out an all #12 - #2 bus bar or use a short bus bar for the wires coming from the Charge controllers, which I believe have the lowest potential, though should be wired for max of the array. This might be next springs questions, I'll only have a single air conditioner this summer, and have other projects, like installing a wood stove for winter yet to do.

[Photowhit]

Nice install!  What size is the wire feeding the inverter?

#2 minimal as stated above, will use the 00 from battery cable once I get around to making the 0000 battery cables

Also, where is your ground? ( I see the ground busbar but don't see where it is tied to ground)

Caught that did you , the bond is still at the sub panel and the grounding rod all 8' is in my little Toyota Echo! Soon...

[mtdoc]

Caught that did you , the bond is still at the sub panel and the grounding rod all 8' is in my little Toyota Echo! Soon...

Ah!  Well, i've heard of floating a ground, but driving one?

[dgd]

A nice easy and low cost way of mounting solar panels, almost identical to my mountings. I also thought about the possible chemical reaction between the pressure treated, tannalised, wood so I had some 2mm plastic strips that I inserted between them. I used lumber lock roofing hex headed screws to hold the aluminum angle brackets to the 3by2s.  Been there a few years now and screws still tight.
What model of E panel is that? looks like a taller MNDC with plain door, I can't find it in the product pages..

dgd

[Photowhit]

It's an E-Panel - Lite, I've rearranged the 'furniture' a bit. It is 25 tall, width, 9.4" I think the same as the one's made for an Outback inverter or DR-TR Xantrex inverter on the door.

You haven't had any problems with updating your classic's firmware have you? I can't get one of my units to accept the new firmware. I keep getting "com 8 in use or does not exist" on the second unit when I try to update. I've been sure the power was off to the unit, and I used a 12-18" USB cable (same one I used on the other) I even tried turning down the com speed.

[dgd]

You haven't had any problems with updating your classic's firmware have you? I can't get one of my units to accept the new firmware. I keep getting "com 8 in use or does not exist" on the second unit when I try to update. I've been sure the power was off to the unit, and I used a 12-18" USB cable (same one I used on the other) I even tried turning down the com speed.

Sorry have not had this problem, seems like a serial connection problem, perhaps  try another cable, maybe the original long one that came with the Classic.

dgd

[Halfcrazy]

Hm Comm8 in use or not available is usually a Windows thing. I will Ask boB to jump in here and comment.

Ryan

[Halfcrazy]

Really Dumb question but you are plugging the USB cable into the second classic correct, not trying to update it through the follow me cables?

Ryan