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jensemann avatar image
jensemann asked

SmartSolar MPPT 75/15 and Phoenix Inverter 12/500 with a 3S lithium-ion battery

How would the SmartSolar MPPT 75/15 and the Phoenix Inverter 12/500 work with a 3S lithium-ion battery pack with a voltage range from 9V to 12.6V? Are the settings on the two Victron units adjustable to work well in this voltage range?

I’m planning to build a little portable setup with the ability to charge from an ultraportable solar panel on 100w that only provides up to 18V, so to get the voltage distance high enough for the MPPT to start charging I would have to use a 3S battery configuration.

I’m planning to use either the ALLPOWERS 100W or the Nitecore FSP100 solar panel.

I also thought about charging the battery with a USB C 3s or 4s charging module directly from the solar panel, but I think this would be less efficient way and a lot of solar power would be lost. Anny thoughts on this?




MPPT ControllersLithium BatteryPhoenix Inverter
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Mike Dorsett answered ·

3 series cells will be to low voltage for the inverter, but the MPPT could be programmed not to overcharge.Why not use 4 Series? the voltages would be more compatible.


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jensemann avatar image jensemann commented ·

The spec sheet for the inverter states that it supports voltage down to as low as 9.2V, but does it actually work at that voltage?


Yes, a 4S configuration would be much better, but then I think will run into voltage problems with the MPPT since the solar panel only produces 18V. I know this is far from ideal, but this setup is for traveling and hiking with the equipment in a backpack so saving weight is a priority. That's why I need to get it working with the portable panels I mentioned.


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