Just acquired my AC180 yesterday. I purchased the AC180 rather than an Anker C1000, the comparable priced EcoFlows (mostly due to noise) and the Dabbsson dbs1300. I knew with the AC 180 purchase of the solar charge 30V threshold. This is all new to me and I am attempting to learn quickly to be an informed consumer. Here are my questions.
If I purchase a PV350 wouldn’t that solve the 30V limitation?
If I purchase a non Bluetti solar panel, as long as it exceeded the 30V charge, and met the min and max range wouldn’t that also solve the limitation?
I am planning to purchase 50’ of solar wire. What is the best gauge wire for this config? What is the gauge coming from the the PV350?
Lastly, if there is a flaw in my thought kindly reply with recommendations.
non Bluetti panel & Bluetti PV 350 panel:
21.5-23.5% vs. 23.40%
Vmp: 39 vs. 37.5V%
Imp: 10.26 vs. 9.2A
I am struggling to justify the extra cost for a PV350 and the added performance versus other panels with slightly less performance at significantly lower prices. Thanks. My first post.
–RM
What do you mean with 30V limit? The MPPT of the AC180 can handle VOC 12-60VDC/ 10A. So you can use solarpanel(s) up to 60V of open circuit voltage. It doesnt matter if its a bluetti or third party panel as long its within the 60V.
For the cross section of the cables, i use 6mm² in my setups. longest cable is around 15 meters. Dont know how mmuch its in awg…
About the choice of a panel:
Yes, Bluetti panels might be a bit more expensive, but they are really high quality. I have multiple folding Solarpanels, mostly Bluetti but also third party and you really can tell the difference in build quality and more important, in the power output. If its possible for you, go with the PV350, im sure you will love it!
Just make sure that the PV350 provides at least 30V when operating. I’ve been using the PV420 with my AC180. It maintains about 35V when operating so it maxes out at about 350W input with the AC180. If you want to approach the theoretical limit of 500W PV input, look for a combination of panels with Voc as close to 60V as possible.
@RMAC180, I have noted this on other threads. I have an AC180, I already had portable solar, not Bluetti and like you, no need for further expense, lol. I have 2 x 150W panels rated at 21.24 Voc, 18.0 Vmp, 9.17 Isc and 8.33 Imp. Here’s the simple math for a nominal 12V solar panel;
1 panel’s Voc is 21.24V therefore
2 panels in series add to 42.48 Voc and 3 panels add to 64.12 Voc.
Therefore, 3 panels will exceed the 60 VDC max input of the AC180. The nominal solar max is 500W, therefore using 2 panels in series at 150W each I get a theoretical output of 36 Vmp x 8.33 = 300W. I get close to this in good sun conditions and that is enough to recharge what I use daily from the AC180.
The issue is that the DC & solar input is capped at 10A, which you can slightly exceed, but the extra power is absorbed not used for charging and with 2 good quality panels get around 44V max = 440W input of the 500W the AC180 is rated to. This means 2 panels in series at 200W is about the limit as their output is around the 10A mark. A good guide is that for every 100W of panel output you get roughly 5 Amps. All of the above is calculated for nominal 12V panels.
Thanks Mandp. You have restated what my conclusion was researching the AC180. I knew this fact prior to making my purchase. My best choices seem as you mention to purchase 2 panels or one 400 watt panel. My space for storage is limited and my application is mostly for 3-4 camping trips and the occasional power outage. Can you share the panels you use? I am very interested in a single 400w panel that states 37.5V% output.
My panels are 150W Hardkorr Crockskin solar mats. I believe their now minimum is their 200W panels. I have 1 x 160W panel on the roof of my RV, which is flat. The K/K mats are angled at the sun. On a good day I’m getting 25+ Amps from them all in parallel to my RV batteries. This is due to the 50V limit of the RV MPPT.
When using them on the AC180, I only use the 2 x 150W H/K mats in series, (using a small Anderson series 2 into 1 patch lead I made. I get around 270W in this configuration, in reasonable weather.
The H/K are in their own carry bag and I lean them in between the Cafe Lounge seats of the RV when mobile and deploy when camped. I do have DC-DC between vehicle and RV i.e. redundancy of more than one power option.
Thanks. I’m a retiree who is going to begin car camping with an SUV, an SUV tent, and power and creature comforts not available when we were backpacking, tent, and popup camping. Panels need to be foldable, somewhat lightweight and transportable. Bluetti will be our only electric source at times when we are doing disbursed camping running our BourgeRV refig, fans or electric blanket. The AC180 will charge the refig for 72 hours, and I was planning all along to get panels to extend the stay when desired. And of course for times without electricity at our home.
