Biggles

Hello All So the results are in. It doesn't work. The best I got with them connected together was 36amps 46amps is however regular when the sun is good and the batteries need it. It would seem there is a huge additional capacity in the 1st MPPT. The good news is I went 5 straight days without starting the engine. My biggest draw is the full size domestic fridge freezer on 240v. while I was messing about with things my 1160A/h battery bank went down to 76%, but once I had everything running optimally I got back to 100% in a day. Nothing ventured nothing gained. Thanks for you interest. Kevin

OK I have put them together, nothing bad has happened as far as I can tell. They certainly aren't sharing the work as can be seen by the two gauge. The one with the thumb is the second MPPT. As it can be seen the two closely add up to the total the Victon is saying, but that actually says more. So I'm not sure if there is any harm or benefit. I have tried disconnecting and reconnecting the 2nd MPPT and there is no significant change on the victron, but the individual meters are bouncing all over the show albeit slowly. They seem to be sharing the work, and certainly the first unit is cooler and each are the same temperature. Perhapas as said it messing with the max power point tracking. Thoughts please

All the panels are 8.3 amps max output, so even on the best day just a bit over 32 amps at 37v panel output. if that helps

Even by what's written as its specs it shouldn't be able to handle 500w of solar but it has for the past 6 years. But again getting 500w is very unlikely.. I'll watch what happens when I have continuous sun.

Hi and thanks or the input and discussion. This is the make and model and some specs. I have to say its a lot bigger and heavier than a modern one I fitter to a friends barge a few weeks ago. Uncharted territory? Do you think it would do any harm to try? Perhaps make it a bit less uncharted? Kevin

I can't do that because all the panel wires feed into 2 16mm wires which end up at the the first MPPT I'v shown them as 10mm but they are actually 16mm now I come to think if it. Seeing as how the current MPPT is supposedly rated at 30amps this is the reading I'm currently getting. See pic below.

Hi Yes I'm still around. Bobbing my way through France. This is what I had in mind, do you concur?

Hi All. Back for some advice please and suggestions. I've just fitted an extra 500w of solar to my boat making 1000w in total. I'm not entirely sure the current MPPT has capacity for 1000w at 12v. I have an identical MPPT as a spare and I know these can be run in parallel with feeds from each 500w array, but the wiring in the boat prevents this as a possibility. The MPPT's don't communicate with each other. So I am wondering with my limited knowledge of wiring if the same could be achieved by paralleling the 2 MPPT's together instead. In my head I think this is would have the same effect of halving the load each was handling. If this is not possible then I would need suggestions for an MPPT that could do1000w at 12v with an solar input of 37v Kevin

Yes absolutely sure. I can take a photo of the CU end later.

I've checked it and it is definitely connected each end Brown +ve to the MCB, Black to -ve and Grey to earth. Also checked the terminal marking on the back of the socket and that everything is going through the switch correctly.

? I'll do that right now. What about earth rod length?

No all polls are correct. See the original pictures at the top of the post to confirm. I think I'm going add an earth rod. How long should it be ideally. They seem to come in 4' lengths

I've done a bit more digging and now I'm not sure if it's TNC-S after all. There is no separation of the "neutral" from the "Earth". In the video there is a an outer layer of for the Earth.

That’s definitely not the case. How would that work now we have plastic plumbing I need to parts of the house?

I know my water main is lead under ground. I could earth down to this very easily. You don't have any equipotential earth bonding to company earth/spike and water and gas mains then? Odd sort of wiring if so. I would suggest remedial work is required in that case for your own safety. Is the installation very old? On better understanding and looking again I am TNC-S. It's about 15 years old this lot. Should I still put in an earth spike and PME to the water main. I could easily do the gas main as well but I know its plastic from the road to the meter.