I have not updated for a bit now.
We added another row of ten 100W GrapeSolar panels, so were now at 3,000W PV. We also moved from a bank of eight 6V golf cart batteries configured as 4 parallel sets of 2 in series to now running all in series for a 48V bank. The Schneider SW4048 works well and puts out good clean power (when the sun is flying high). The only complaint I have with the Schneider is that the phases have to be balanced if you are going to allow external power to supplement solar and solar will only be used on the least of the banks. Kind of screwy and didn't know it before purchasing. It's still a good inverter, but the system will need to change to be what we are wanting in the future.
What we've learned after 2+ years and a current stable system:
- we were over discharging our batteries, now we have the system programed to stop at 49V.
- with a battery based system, you will only get maximum PV output when there is a need for it: what that means is that in the middle of the day if the battery's are full, the Controller will try to maximize the battery state - NOT power. EX: when the sun is bright and there is plenty of power, the PV will only be feeding the controller what it needs, even if there are another 1,500 Watts of PV available, it'll never see it. I didn't know the system worked that way. It makes since now, but that's not exactly the system we want.
- the Schneider SW4048 is a good inverter, but not for the case where you are going to supplement with external power unless it is being used for 240V applications due to the phase balancing requirement it has.
Where I'm thinking of going next:
- to a system that is grid attached so the PV array can be putting out maximum at all times AND all breakers on the main can be using solar power.
- it will be less efficient, but I'll use the solar generated AC to feed my existing Schneider to maintain my battery bank and feed emergency circuits if/when the grid is not available.
So, a hybrid system is where I think we're heading, just taking slow steps to get there.
I would still encourage all interested in solar to get started!
