Solar PV advice

Richard77
Posts: 188
Joined: Thu Sep 19, 2024 3:26 pm

Re: Solar PV advice

#161

Post by Richard77 »

Fintray wrote: Wed Jan 22, 2025 12:13 am The fuse current capacity needs to be rated in relation to the current capacity of the cable .
I see...

So it wouldn't be wise to have 2x 35mm² that are rated for 240A with a fuse that is rated 400A even though it would only use less than 200A (battery max discharge/charge is 200A and inverter is max charge/discharge 190A).

It would be good practice to spec the cables to be capable of carrying 400A just in case, so 70mm² (485A)?
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Stinsy
Posts: 3230
Joined: Wed Jun 02, 2021 1:09 pm

Re: Solar PV advice

#162

Post by Stinsy »

Richard77 wrote: Wed Jan 22, 2025 12:42 am
Fintray wrote: Wed Jan 22, 2025 12:13 am The fuse current capacity needs to be rated in relation to the current capacity of the cable .
I see...

So it wouldn't be wise to have 2x 35mm² that are rated for 240A with a fuse that is rated 400A even though it would only use less than 200A (battery max discharge/charge is 200A and inverter is max charge/discharge 190A).

It would be good practice to spec the cables to be capable of carrying 400A just in case, so 70mm² (485A)?
If you have cables rated at 240A then you need a fuse rated at 240A or lower.
12x 340W JA Solar panels (4.08kWp)
3x 380W JA Solar panels (1.14kWp)
5x 2.4kWh Pylontech batteries (12kWh)
LuxPower inverter/charger

(Artist formally known as ******, well it should be obvious enough to those for whom such things are important.)
Richard77
Posts: 188
Joined: Thu Sep 19, 2024 3:26 pm

Re: Solar PV advice

#163

Post by Richard77 »

Stinsy wrote: Wed Jan 22, 2025 3:19 am
Richard77 wrote: Wed Jan 22, 2025 12:42 am
Fintray wrote: Wed Jan 22, 2025 12:13 am The fuse current capacity needs to be rated in relation to the current capacity of the cable .
I see...

So it wouldn't be wise to have 2x 35mm² that are rated for 240A with a fuse that is rated 400A even though it would only use less than 200A (battery max discharge/charge is 200A and inverter is max charge/discharge 190A).

It would be good practice to spec the cables to be capable of carrying 400A just in case, so 70mm² (485A)?
If you have cables rated at 240A then you need a fuse rated at 240A or lower.
Ah I see... Thanks.

I was thinking I needed 250A fuses... So I really should go with 200A fuses then if using 35mm² (240A) cable and battery/inverter max 200A/190A respectively?
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Stinsy
Posts: 3230
Joined: Wed Jun 02, 2021 1:09 pm

Re: Solar PV advice

#164

Post by Stinsy »

Richard77 wrote: Wed Jan 22, 2025 8:55 pm
Stinsy wrote: Wed Jan 22, 2025 3:19 am
Richard77 wrote: Wed Jan 22, 2025 12:42 am

I see...

So it wouldn't be wise to have 2x 35mm² that are rated for 240A with a fuse that is rated 400A even though it would only use less than 200A (battery max discharge/charge is 200A and inverter is max charge/discharge 190A).

It would be good practice to spec the cables to be capable of carrying 400A just in case, so 70mm² (485A)?
If you have cables rated at 240A then you need a fuse rated at 240A or lower.
Ah I see... Thanks.

I was thinking I needed 250A fuses... So I really should go with 200A fuses then if using 35mm² (240A) cable and battery/inverter max 200A/190A respectively?
200A fuses seem sensible in this situation. Remember they don’t “blow” at 201A. They’re rated for 5mins at 2x rated capacity and 4s at 5x.
12x 340W JA Solar panels (4.08kWp)
3x 380W JA Solar panels (1.14kWp)
5x 2.4kWh Pylontech batteries (12kWh)
LuxPower inverter/charger

(Artist formally known as ******, well it should be obvious enough to those for whom such things are important.)
Richard77
Posts: 188
Joined: Thu Sep 19, 2024 3:26 pm

Re: Solar PV advice

#165

Post by Richard77 »

What the #*@£ ..... The size of thing and the fuses!

Image

I've seen smaller ones in the old black and white Frankenstein films :shock:
Moxi
Posts: 2474
Joined: Sun Oct 31, 2021 3:46 pm

Re: Solar PV advice

#166

Post by Moxi »

were they smaller or just further away :D

Back to reality though that's about the size of mine and the fuse links - always make sure you have the switch fully closed as it takes some force to push the links home fully, if not its possible to get localised heating and melting of the plastic case.

Moxi
Richard77
Posts: 188
Joined: Thu Sep 19, 2024 3:26 pm

Re: Solar PV advice

#167

Post by Richard77 »

Moxi wrote: Fri Jan 24, 2025 4:04 pm were they smaller or just further away :D

Back to reality though that's about the size of mine and the fuse links - always make sure you have the switch fully closed as it takes some force to push the links home fully, if not its possible to get localised heating and melting of the plastic case.

Moxi
I'm about Dougal's level hehe

Going to be a few weeks before it's getting installed... Need to finish the garage first and waiting for garage doors.

Also... Back fences blew down today and snapped all the posts so going to need to sort that too!

2026 for the big switch on :oops:
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Stinsy
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Re: Solar PV advice

#168

Post by Stinsy »

Richard77 wrote: Fri Jan 24, 2025 3:40 pm What the #*@£ ..... The size of thing and the fuses!

Image

I've seen smaller ones in the old black and white Frankenstein films :shock:
Breaking DC is no joke!

You see why we call them "Frankenstein Switches"!
12x 340W JA Solar panels (4.08kWp)
3x 380W JA Solar panels (1.14kWp)
5x 2.4kWh Pylontech batteries (12kWh)
LuxPower inverter/charger

(Artist formally known as ******, well it should be obvious enough to those for whom such things are important.)
Andy
Posts: 605
Joined: Sun Aug 29, 2021 12:16 pm

Re: Solar PV advice

#169

Post by Andy »

I have some settings coded on my victron cerbo such that I can control the DC currents. They are reduced to zero so I can safely pull the breakers. Making the breakers without precharging the capacitors also makes a nice bit of molten metal.

Same goes for the eltek. To increase the life of the relays, current is reduced to zero before operation.
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