Ray Grose's posts

I’m a little puzzled on this.
Kyocera solar panels
KC 40T is rated at 43 watts. Now you take into consideration the rated power tolerance of plus 15% and minus 5%. Its going to be a rare day that someone gets the +15%. Does the +15 % get added to the 43 watts or is that factored in already? Does the 43 watts turn into 47 or 48 watts?

KC 40 watt and the KC 50 watt rated power tolerance of +15% and -5%

plus 10% and minus 5% on the KC 65 watt to KC 200 watt

the KD 135 watt rated power tolerance is plus 5% and minus 5%

In my way of thinking the plus side of the tolerance adds to
the power rating. Am I somewhat correct?
Thank you

Thank You for the reply. I will definitely look into the battery monitor Tm2020. I see they have two shunts that can be used with them. I agree with your thinking on the hydrometer. I perfer not to make a mess with the battery acid also.
On the Surette 530's what is the 20 amp/hr rating those batteries?
Thanks again, Ray

I am seeking opinions and advise on SG hydrometers.
Are the digital ones better than the glass ones? What makes and models are the better/best ones. I'm looking for quality for the money. Is there a special hydrometer for each battery brand? I have eight Trojan L16h-AC batteries that I'm working with. any and all replies will be appreciated.
Thank You
Ray

my opinion/thoughts.
I have had my air x up since sep 2008. It works fine for me. I wouldn't change it. I have seen on web sites longer blades. Wider blades. Supposedly heavy duty blades. I was Really tempted but thought long and hard. decided not to.
different blades could over speed the air x. put things out of balance. cause noise. cause damage. void the warranty. my opinion, dont change, stay with what belongs
Ray

I have my wind turbine thru circuit breaker, meter then straight to the bats. I have the charge controller output thru a fuse to the bats. I have the inverter wired thru a fuse to the bats. All three items connected to the same pos
battery post. All three items connected to the same neg battery post. My system has been doing fine for over a year now. Hope this helps

mixture of panels

When I first started, I ran the all solar panel wires straight into the charge controller. when i got the last panel things got sloppy. wires coming and going, not very pretty. I went to Lowes/Home Depot and got two 9 slot bus bars and screwed mounted them on a 9x11 peice of wood. nailed the peice of wood to the wall. I used tie wraps on the wires to make things neater. Inline fuse holders are from Auto Zone. I'm using the old glass type automotive fuses.
I want to go to a junk yard and get a fuse box from a old car. Try to elimanate the inline fuses.
sorry no pics. I have seen the bus bar boxes on the internet. I cant afford them. money is tight.

I have the air-x about twenty feet off the ground. About 40 feet of wire into a automotive 40 amp circuit breaker I got at Auto Zone. then a southwest 30 amp dc meter I got at Altestore. then to the pos terminal of number one battery. black wire going to number six battery. I have no problems with the Air-x or the solar panels. they dont affect each other. I have had both (air-x and panels)charging the batteries at the same time. On those days I couldn't stop smiling. Follow the owners manual / instructions closely, things should be fine.

Mike,
I have the panels wired seperately. Inline fuse for each one. pos wires going into one pos bus bar and neg wires going one neg bus bar. 8ga wire going from the bus bars to the controller.
When I got the L16h-ac 435 batteries is was told that the L16h 420s were no longer availible. that is why the two different sizes. thanks for the reply
Ray

I started with two L16h 420 ah trojan batteries. they were used for lights, small radio, small computer. About seven months later I add four L16h-ac 435 ah trojan batteries.
I connected them (by the book) and I figure I have About 1260 amp/hr total. I have had no problems with the batteries. The batteries are in a row. I have the 420's closest to the inverter and the C60 controller. Should I move them (420's) to the middle? Make them the middle pair?
I have read the fourms and see that is NOT good to mix battery sizes. Are these battery sizes to far apart?
Will the 420's drag down the 435's. They all charge very good. When I added the distiled water they all took the same amount. Not much.
I have two kyocera 40 watt, one kyocera 85 watt, one kyocera 130 watt solar panels. one Air-X 400 watt wind turbine. Xantrex prosine 1800 inverter and xantrex C60
controller. I'm seeking opinions, advise.
Thanks
Ray