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Ivylog · 03-06-2019, 10:59 AM

My original plan was for 700W of panels and a 60 amp controller but ended up installing 900W. In fairly good conditions I’m getting almost 60 amps out of my Outback FlexMax 60 controller. Since I have one more panel and room on the roof I’m going to max out my 60 amp controller...should have planned on that since I ended up buying 10 panels. Going to put in a FlexMax 80
[Mod Edit]

Will add below a condensed version of my install instead of the 5 pages:

Ivylog · 03-06-2019, 11:26 AM

Working on my tilting mounts for 7, 100W frameless panels that are 2' X 4' so they will fit besides my AC units and hopefully will not be shaded by them. I have the alum raised rails along each side making it easy to attach a pivot on the inside near the top of it...a 2” piece of 1.5” alum channel. The panels are frameless so I’ll clip each to two PT wooden battens that fit/pivot in the 1.5” alum channels. When traveling they will be angled down towards the middle of the roof...have not decided if I need to hold them down while traveling. Angled down is also the best position when we snowbird each winter. Will probably use 2’ long wooden poles to tilt them up when advantageous. Going to silicone and clip the panels to the PT battens.

Finally found the prewired wires in the ceiling of the bay with the inverter in it...plenty large enough for the 80V down to the mppt controller. Will run 2’ long 4-0 cables from it to the inverter cables...about the last thing to do. Will be after Christmas before the rig will be out in the sun.

Wish I’d thought a little further ahead and added the two different length legs for leveling and tilting the panels the other direction before mounting the wood arms to the raised rail. Would have been a lot easier. Fortunately the MH is out of the rain and close by, although the headroom is lacking and my knees are hurting.

Ivylog · 03-06-2019, 11:45 AM

There was some concerns (not by me) that I need to fasten my tilting panels down so they would not raise up and flop around on the roof at speed. I already knew the aerodynamic of a brick with little or no wind at the front of the roof or on the front half of the bus and then turbulence at the back which concerns me some. My roof is unusual with raised areas at the front and back so not sure if there will be any turbulence at the sunken roof level at the back. I will run a cord that will limit how much a panel can raise up and paper test strips under the ends of the wooden battens. Pretty sure they will still be under the supports...no uplifting on my trip to Fla.

Well, after 500 miles and 78mph (briefly) into a small head wind the test strips of paper are still under the ends of the mounts. Will loosen the cord so there is not any down force from it for the last 200 miles to WPB.

On the way to WPB I had a 20+ mph cross wind (45 degrees of steering input to go straight) and then a headwind...85 mph effectiveness. Loosen the cord so not holding them down and the test strips of paper were still there when I got to WPB. Will use the cord when the panels are raised up when parked because they will have a large positive angle of attack...plenty of raising force unlike when they are down where it may even be negative.

PS: as a pilot for over 45 years I was never worried about them raising up but now I know for sure they will stay down when traveling.

The full 5 pages are here: http://www.irv2.com/forums/f56/800w-...ll-414235.html

Itinerant1 · 03-06-2019, 01:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ivylog

My original plan was for 700W of panels and a 60 amp controller but ended up installing 900W. In fairly good conditions I’m getting almost 60 amps out of my Outback FlexMax 60 controller. Since I have one more panel and room on the roof I’m going to max out my 60 amp controller...should have planned on that since I ended up buying 10 panels. Going to put in a FlexMax 80 so I now have a 60A I need to sell...$400 delivered.

Will add below a condensed version of my install instead of the 5 pages:

I thought when figuring for a charge controller (A=W/V) * 1.2 (20% safety margin I've read to be figured in?)

So @ 700w÷12v= 58.3a , 900w÷12v=75a

With my 1,280w system using a PT100 (100a) I have seen 80a. Right now with solar bouncing between 880w - 912w it's bouncing 65-72a. Love that solar.

Itinerant1 · 03-07-2019, 08:32 AM

I was browsing your install thread again then went and downloaded the FLEXmax 80, FLEXmax 60 owner manual and it did say you probably should of went bigger right from the get go and saved a couple of bucks.

Ivylog · 03-07-2019, 08:52 AM

The reason for starting this post is because I hope others would learn from my mistakes and save some $$$. My original plan (guess) was for 800W and it actually ended up being 700W (7 panels fit along the driver’s side) when I ordered the controller. I bought 10 panels because I essentially got 2 for free. A bargain is something you buy and try and find a use for it...3 paid for panels doing nothing got to me. Adding 2 in the middle of the roof was fairly easy...hence the “planning way ahead” suggestion.