I have a LifePO4 VATRER battery that runs at 51.2V and 100Ah, and it's supposed to be charged with a maximum voltage of 58.4V using my AIO MPPT. However, I'm using eight 250W solar panels, which have a Pmax of 30.3V and a VOC of 37.6V each. This means I'm sending 242V into the AIO. Can someone explain what the AIO does with all this extra voltage and what I'm missing in my understanding?
3 Answers
Your AIO MPPT is designed to handle that excess voltage by converting it into amperage. It's kind of like your phone charger; when you plug it into a higher voltage outlet, it only draws the amount of power it needs while managing the extra voltage effectively. Your charge controller does this really quickly, adjusting its output every moment to ensure your battery gets the right amount of energy without damage.
Why are you connecting all those panels in series? That could be an issue since your panels are rated for a max fuse of 15A, and if you parallel them, you might exceed that rating. Plus, your AIO MPPT can only handle a max input of 16A, so you might want to rethink your setup.
It’s pretty simple, really. If everything works as it should, your controller will shut off if there’s too much voltage coming in. Otherwise, it could end up generating smoke instead of charging. Just like how electric power lines transform voltage levels to deliver energy safely, your solar charger has a way to modulate incoming voltage to maximize the wattage it gets from your panels.
I had to connect them like that to avoid hitting the fuse limit. The current from these panels peaks at around 8.27A, and that’s why I went with series instead. Just trying to balance everything without exceeding my AIO's input.