Small East/West split - Inverter/meter advice

[SolarRoofSols]

quoting for an east/west split on a hipped roof (oh joys!) so can only get 5 panels on each roof. After reading some of the previous posts I thought that the Aurora 3.0 would do the trick but the minimum voltage is 156v. Thinking about 250w Yingli (35.1v) so this doesn't leave a lot of leeway for low yield days in my view.

Looked at the Stecca 2010 + slave but the cost isn't great in my view, so you may as well install 2 x SMA 1200s.

If you were to install 2 inverters, do you need 2 generation meters??

Your opinions as always are appreciated!

 

[cbw]

I did 2 off 1200 through JB into 6mm T+E then 16A mcb.

Works well 1 year on, (exceeding expectations by miles) and assesed by MCS.

(It was all properly labled etc)

 

[SpitfireW'sale]

Using 2 inverters is a good option if you have the space, and the cost does not become too great.

No, you don't need 2 meters, just connect the inverters on the AC side and run down to one meter. You will need to double up on isolators / warning labels etc. however. Unless there is a small dual tracker inverter that someone has experience with that you could use? I am unfamiliar with the Stecca you mention.

 

[Gavin A]

1 meter only

 

[Eco Deal]

you can manually lower the power one 3000 down to 120v !!

why not use yingli 265w make a bigger system

 

[wstevew]

Use a 72 cell panel like the znshine 260w.

 

[solarsavings]

Cbw, what backing board you have used?

 

[dansk]

Try solaredge.

 

[FB.]

Use a 72 cell panel like the znshine 260w.

Yes, consider panels with a higher voltage, or install a greater number of lower-wattage/smaller panels.

With 200W panels often being smaller than 250W panels, it might also make it possible to rearrange the layout to squeeze a little bit more kWp by wasting less space.

 

[screwdriver]

The PVI 3.0 would be fine, just run it through the string tool on the power one website to check but I would imagine you could go down to 4 panels on a string if you are using that inverter, I have just been over to check a PVI 3.0 for a customer who had his system fitted in november, it has a max rating of 3.3kw but his system had produced over 3.5kw peak since then ( 10 x suntech 280 panels) if that isn't a bit of positive tolerance on the panels I don't know what is!!!!!

 

[Gavin A]

can you use the smaller and higher voltage 80cm wide panels usually around 190-200Wp per panel, 36V?

so 5 of those panels would fit in the same space as 4 standard meter wide panels giving a string voltage of around 180V instead of 120V.

 

[SolarRoofSols]

Thanks for all of your help guys, as always!