I have a multi RS6000 and am using both of the solar array input ports (so 2 plus cables and 2 minus cables to be absolutely clear) as I have an east/west garden (panels are ground mounted) and putting them in series into just one of the input ports causes low production levels due to partial shading. I have 66V coming into both solar input ports. The manual says that the DC input range is 38-62V. I am sure that this is not referring to the solar input since the maximum DC voltage is cited at 450V. Further on we see that the startup voltage is 120V which likely explains why I have no power coming in despite panels being in full sun and having a potential voltage of 132V. Question is then, is there a way to get the inverter to combine the 2 input voltages without creating a return path through the panels which will naturally leave me with the same shading and production issue that I started with?
Of course I can add some more of my unused panels to jack up the voltage and production but it would mean reconfiguring my garden and the south-facing solar hot water panels between the PV panels on either side.
Thanks Peter for your input. Indeed no problem for a few more panels but space is the issue and in France the town halls and heritage police are known to get shirty if you dare to show you’re living off grid and not lining Electricity de France’s pockets so I can’t have them too visible
Thanks Andy. I had them connected to one input and that was fine but production was really crappy. It’s a pity it won’t accept 66V input on each of the solar input channels. Bad planning? Maybe but I’m in a temporary house while I build an off grid homestead up the road where I have unlimited space so I may just have to wait.
Despite the advertised 65-450V for MPPT operating range, in the morning it needs about 90V in order to start the MPPTs and when the evening comes, it also gives up at around the same 90V…
Hello Peter..ik begrijp-je niet mijn vriend! Sorry for my poor Dutch! but I don’t understand your question. I think you are suggesting laying out some more panels on the ground but again I have space limitations and would have to take panels away from other personal installations and put them in my home garden. With 2 additional panels already in the garden but not yet connected I can get the voltage up to 120 on one of the arrays but then I will get some partial shading for part of the morning. Maybe better than watching the sun journeying across the sky with no production!
Very interesting. yours seems to be cutting in and out at around 90V. I might get away with just adding one more panel to each of the solar arrays. I don’t have VRM because my Cerbo GX can’t access the internet from where it is. My 'smart’phone has bluetooth 5.0 and only allows me to see the basic production and consumption stats on the welcome summary screen so I am somewhat flying blind.
@conceptura
Which panels do you have? How many are connected in series/one string?
You could change to high voltage panels like Maxxeon 3, each having 70V.
Or get a cheap micro grid inverter to connect these panels while being in the temporary house.
I use single phase Hoymiles 4in1 HMS 2000-4T.
Hi Bjorn. Sorry for the delayed response. Thank you for your contribution which is much appreciated. I do have some brand new 500W panels in storage waiting for me to build our new house. I currently have 3 Jinko JKMPP-265PP-60s (265W each) on each series string. They give me around 90V which seems to be enough for the Multi RS 6000 to function. However even though I have the east-facing string plugged into input 1 and the west-facing into input 2 the performance of the system is not so good. It worked better with a 3Kw Multiplus with all panels connected in parallel and feeding 2x300Ah LifePO batteries. I currently have 2x5Kw lithium batteries. I guess the shorter days and recently awful weather in France are playing a big part but nonetheless I just know that the system is not performing as well. I put it down to a higher consumption from the inverter and batteries as both have bluetooth modules and with the higher power they are drawing that bit more energy that doesn’t go into the house. Typically I think its about 40W. that’s a big draw when production only starts at about 10am and finishes about 5pm. If I really wanted to fix it I would add/upgrade panels but I think I’ll wait. There is an ROI requirement at the end of the day, most of which has come through realising what consumes so much in a house and how to change behaviour to stop waste.
