I'm planning to set up a portable power system for my rural property to run lights, a water pump, and serve as a backup when my main power goes out. I'm considering two inverters - the SunGold 5K Inverter and the LiTime 3500W Inverter. The SunGold has a PV operation range of 120-500V, whereas the LiTime operates between 60-145V. I currently have two 310W solar panels that I want to leave at the property, and if I connect them in series, they would peak at about 114V, although I know I probably won't hit that max often. So my main question is whether the SunGold inverter would work at all if my panels can't reach the 120V minimum?
3 Answers
Just to clarify, is that 120V the minimum startup voltage or the minimum for MPPT operation? It sounds like it could be both. If it's MPPT, you might find yourself needing a different setup to make everything work properly.
Unfortunately, the SunGold inverter won't function if your panels can't reach that 120V. I'd suggest looking into a separate MPPT charge controller instead, as it might give you more flexibility without the built-in inverter limitations.
At my off-grid setup, I utilize 12-volt LiFePo4 batteries that actually operate between 13-14 volts, and I connect my solar panels in parallel. This way, my inverter boosts the battery voltage to 120V for AC use. I think it's crucial to incorporate a charge controller and batteries into your plan, as just linking your panels directly to the inverter may not yield good results. You really don’t need your solar array producing 120V directly.