Hard data - Sunpower 360w Performance

[SoonerSailor]

Originally Posted by noelex 77

For those that have used the app how does it cope with multiple controllers? For example three panels each with its own controller. Is it possible to display the output from all three panels on one page? If not is it easy to switch between controllers?

One Bluetooth dongle for each controller. When you run the app, you choose which controller you want to look at. Seems there should be a pc application for that but I haven't noted one.

[Davidhoy]

Originally Posted by Quadrille in JB

Attachment 153949

As I posted before my Victron 30/100 mppt does an amazing job managing my 360w Sunpower panel's output (thanks to Alex at Seatek in Marathon) to my 500ah AGM battery bank. I run my isotherm ref/freezer, PUR Survivor 35 watermaker, nav electronics, fans, pumps, etc. This screenshot is from the Victron while we were on the hook in the Bahamas last month. The thermostat on the freezer failed and I wired it directly so it ran continuously so some days the battery bank was never fully charged.
On day 27 the system output 2.46kwh over a 13.5 hour period. If you average the high and low voltages it appears that the system averaged 14.9 amps output throughout the day.
I'm impressed with this output from a single 42" x 60" panel.

Thanks for the great info! I'm looking for a similar system myself. Do you mind me asking a ballpark figure on your system, for the panels, controller, wiring, etc? I did find SeaTek's website, and reached out to them too - I'm in Fort Lauderdale, so Marathon is close enough.

Regards,
David

[Cotemar]

We just purchased 3 of the SunPower X21-345 to give us 1035 watts.

Will use 1 Victron 100-30 MPPT controller for each panel.

Will need 3 VE Direct Bluetooth Smart dongles

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vZJA4eTd6vw

.
.

[john61ct]

I haven't investigated much, but Victron has an Internet connectivity option, puts all the historical logging data onto their portal for realtime viewing remotely, and later graphing and analysis.

I wonder at what point that gets cheaper than buying a dongle for every panel?

[sailormed]

My 2 panels on the car and installed on the boat. 2 Sunpower E20-327, controlled by Morningstar Trist ar MPPT 45.




Sorry 1st picture doesn't upload, probably to big.

[mikedefieslife]

This looks good.

You're getting what, about 300 amps a day into the batteries.

I'm currently running 4x100w panels and an old PWM controller getting roughly 80-100 amps per day, but am considering a 327w BenQ panel (they have a partnership with Sunpower)

Is the 100/30 controller the right size to go for then for that size of panel?

[skipgundlach]

In a perfect world (brilliant sunshine, new panels, sun directly overhead, no shading) you'd see 27.5A, maybe more via the miracle of MPPT.

So you're never going to see perfect conditions, nearly certainly.

So you should be fine with a 30A nominal limit...

Our panels (720w) nominally could produce 60A (our controller can handle that) but it's never going to happen in our world...

[rabbi]

Originally Posted by redsky49

Quadrille:

In this screenshot, using day 27 for an example, are you drawing your batteries down to 11.68V before charging back up to 13,23V?
Am I reading this correctly?

I know the app from my system so I jump in:

The app shows daily min/max voltages. So on day 27 his min voltage is 11.68v. Maximum voltage is 13.22v

As you can see on the far right side the bulk charge time is 13:5? hours, so the charger is spending 100% of its time in bulk charge mode. But even with a maximum of 375w available for battery charge & consumption the battery never reaches absorption voltage.

So consumption is more than production, and battery SOC is going down slowly (the daily minimum voltages are going from 12.18v down to 11.52v).

Overall output is impressive for just one panel of that size, but still not enough. Maybe too much beer throughput in the fridge

[john61ct]

Originally Posted by mikedefieslife

You're getting what, about 300 amps a day into the batteries
...
getting roughly 80-100 amps per day

You must mean AH, amps are an instantaneous snapshot of current flow, not a quantity over time.

Originally Posted by mikedefieslife

considering a 327w BenQ panel (they have a partnership with Sunpower)

Is the 100/30 controller the right size to go for then for that size of panel?

Link to the panel's detailed specs please?

And do you plan one SC per panel? If not, how many?

[skipgundlach]

Originally Posted by sailormed

My 2 panels on the car and installed on the boat. 2 Sunpower E20-327, controlled by Morningstar Trist ar MPPT 45.

Attachment 154759


Sorry 1st picture doesn't upload, probably to big.

That looks like a great rack. I suspect you could put two more on there if you wanted to - and if I had the real estate, I surely would (want to).

It's the real estate which drives the selection to Sunpower, as they take up the least for the available wattage; that same panel size now can put out the 360w in the subject line; lesser efficient cells make up the 345s and 327s, I believe.

[Captain Bill]

I would worry about my batteries if what I'm seeing here is typical. There are no days when the batteries even get into absorption, let alone to full charge. This is slow death for AGMs. I notice my lifelines starting to loose capacity after just a couple of weeks of not getting them to 100%. If you've been doing this for a while without capacity loss, you should tell us what brand of AGMs you are using.

[SoonerSailor]

Originally Posted by Captain Bill

I would worry about my batteries if what I'm seeing here is typical. There are no days when the batteries even get into absorption, let alone to full charge. This is slow death for AGMs. I notice my lifelines starting to loose capacity after just a couple of weeks of not getting them to 100%. If you've been doing this for a while without capacity loss, you should tell us what brand of AGMs you are using.

Oasis Firefly AGMs may turn out to be the solution to that problem. Only come in G31 size at present however.

[john61ct]

And backordered, even at $500+ per 100AH.

They do need to have a "capacity restore" protocol run every once in a while when shore power's available.

But yes, great solution for such chronic PSOC abuse, short of adding panels or going to LFP.

[SoonerSailor]

Originally Posted by john61ct

And backordered, even at $500+ per 100AH.

They do need to have a "capacity restore" protocol run every once in a while when shore power's available.

But yes, great solution for such chronic PSOC abuse, short of adding panels or going to LFP.

I recently put three of them in my boat. Too early to say much, but I did put each on an electronic load at 10 amps (after a full discharge/charge cycle), and each exceeded 110 amp-hours to 10.5 Volts.

Cost was $486 each, but local pickup. Shipping would add a fair chunk more. I'm hopeful!

[john61ct]

Search for "20 hour capacity test" here:

http://www.pbase.com/mainecruising/p...attery_monitor

Whichever protocol you use, be consistent, benchmarking the AH capacity decline each year, then more frequently after it drops below ~90%, will mean no sudden failure surprises, and accurately calibrating your battery monitor.