Inergy Flex systems 12v or 24v?
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Inergy Flex systems 12v or 24v?

M

Mudduck

Member
I was going to pick up one of these battery systems and a buddy said that these are 24v, but on their website if I'm looking at this they say 12V. Just making sure, which is it?
 
From their site
  • MPPT Charge Controller: 14-90VDC solar input, 30A maximum battery charge rate.
  • 13.8V Regulated DC Power: Increases run time and stability for 12V devices
Its possible their running 24 volt panels. That could be where he got that from.
 
That's based on the solar controller. I can run 100 volts into mine and get 12v out. The cheaper controllers can only take in around 20 volts.

The higher the voltage, the less loss you have. When calculating voltage a 12v panel can output around 20 volt with a 24 volt panel around 40 volt, So output is just short of double the rating which is why its important to run a controller. Some people run the panel straight to the battery. They think a 12 volt panel puts out 12 volt.

On my vehicles I run a single fixed panel but if I need to add in my auxiliary panel, it hooks into series. this brings my input voltage to around 40 volt. I can also tie my Cruiser, trailer and auxiliary together giving me around 60 volt input. This is all to minimize loss.
 
Cool, thank you. I don't suppose any of you have used one of these systems before or can shed some light on these?
 
We have been reading a lot on power stations lately, the only one that I know of that is 24V is the Lion Energy Safari.
 
The difference is, your stuff runs on 12v. 24 has to be converted. Anything battery wise should be 12v. Not going to get into the math side of it but battery wise the power is the same with 12v or 24v.

When it comes to panels, "if" the panels are mounted more then 50 ft away and (or) your using too small of wire, the 24 volt (or higher) system will lose less power in the wire. The loss from the actual converter will be the same regardless.

For simple, 12v.
 
For panels that are a distance from the converter, yes. If everything is close, you wont notice the power loss.

I did some testing with my panels some years ago. I was told the best spot for the solar converter was at the panel. This was said to me by an "Expert". Not wanting to prove or disprove what he said, I sat down with a couple of diffrent converters and six panels. I wanted to see if what he said was correct. The math said otherwise.
A 12v panel will put out 18-20 volts. With the converter at the panel it was 12v down the wire.

Right off at 12v with 25 foot of 10 gauge wire, Controller at the panel. I was losing about 15% of my power.
When I moved the converter near the battery, I was losing about 5%. Putting together the panels to 24v I lost about 7% (at 25 foot). Then I went to 50 foot away. The 12v loss was higher and the 24v didn't change much.

What that proved to me was the expert "wasn't". What I gained wasn't a better understanding but the way he said it, the math didn't add up.
Since then I've done several vehicle installs of solar. I constantly try new things and the end result has always been the same. Higher voltage has less loss.
12v is simpler to deal with. Realistically if we remote our panels, 24v panels would be best. Series two for 48 volt would be better.

FYI
30volts is the limit for what your skin can resist voltage. Anything over that you stand the risk of shocking your self. With that said, I will run three panels in series which produces close to 60v. This is if I have to extend my portables out into the sun.
 
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