I'm looking to operate a 120V AC unit using a 48V battery, and I want to incorporate a hybrid inverter that works well with solar power. The problem is, most of the 3kW inverters I find have a PV voltage range starting at 120V and can go up to 400V or more. Since I can only fit two solar panels rated between 300 to 400W, I'm trying to find panels with lower startup voltages, ideally around 60V but not exceeding 140V. So far, it seems like the options I have are limited to Growatt (specifically the older non-ES version), Rich Solar, and Renogy. I'm curious if Victron offers any solutions with lower PV startup voltages. It would be nice if these lower-voltage inverters had higher voltage ceilings, but I guess they are designed this way for a reason.
1 Answer
Most Victron inverters, apart from the RS450 models, only require the battery voltage plus 5V to initiate. Typically, high voltage MPPTs maintain that lower startup limit since they might use similar chipsets.
What is the minimum solar voltage required for it to start charging?