Here is what I am proposing for my sailboat solar setup so far....with my very, very limited electrical knowledge using Victron components. So before I put in my order, I would greatly appreciate any input or advice as to whether this will work or if it can be improved on. Thanks in advance, David.
Total of 4- 12volt 100 amp solar panels with 2 pairs set up in series, paralleled into a Victron Smart Solar MPPT 100 30 feeding into a house bank of 4 Victron Marine AGM 110AH Group 31 batteries.
Sounds ok to me. I have an older Trojan F26 cruiser with 2 170W PVs in parallel v going into the Smart Solar MPPT 100/30. I replaced the house bank of 2 100AH FLA batteries with 2 100AH LFP Battle Borns. These have built in BMS and provide longer AH service than the FLA. AGM is safer but still cant hold a candle to LFP. Cost is a big factor, but longevity, deeper discharge can offset that in the long run. Not sure what you have for engine battery but I still have a smaller (group 24) FLA engine battery and set up the Orion Smart DC/DC charger between the engine and house bank to regulate alternator power and protect it from LFP power “bounce back”. I may install a 1500W inverter next year to replace the older 600W inverter, just so I have a bit more AC power at anchor.
One important factor will be your total power needs. Add up your DC draw and calculate total AH. That will give you a good idea if you have enough power from your planned set up.
You may want to consider using two MPPT controllers if budget allows. That way if one set of panels is shaded, the power output on the others won't be affected. Even a small amount of shading from a halyard, sheet, or boom can have a pretty big impact. You can even do one MPPT controller per panel, but keep in mind the solar panel voltage needs to be 5v above the battery voltage for it to start charging, so might be best to stick with two MPPT units with 2 panels in series for each.
Thankyou gentlemen for your input. I think I will heed your advice regarding the second MPPT controller. A small FLA battery for starting. Does that mean I need a battery isolator or battery combiner or ?.?. to effectively charge the two different chemistries from the alternator. Our daily demands are around a 100 ah/day give or take so 400ah should give us a good cushion and not stress the bank too badly. Cheers, David
