Hello, I am very new to solar and power stations. I boldly bought a Bluetti AC 200 L and I’m amazed, but I don’t know how to use it. I am learning.
does anyone know the type of cord I need to extend my solar panels away from, my Bluetti AC 200 L .
I would like to keep the power station in my van while running a longer cord out to sunlight As often as they can.
Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thank you. Sincerely, David
Welcome to the forum @FreedomRoad !! You should be able to use the provided cables to attach to the unit itself, and then purchase any mc4 to mc4 extension cables from amazon to extend your reach to your panels. I recommend something like this 10awg wire for extended runs with minimal voltage sag…
Please holler if you have any questions! Cheers!
Hey my friend, your time is very much appreciated. I’m gonna buy this cord today again thank you. Have a great day. Sincerely, David
No worries! Please let us know if you have any other questions David!
You can buy premade cables with MC4 connectors on Amazon, or simply make your own, buying a small box of MC4s and a crimping tool. I’ve installed so many MC4s that I’ve done it in the dark at 2am when I was determined to have my array up and running before dawn. It’s that simple.
Thank you for your reply. It’s people like you who make it easier for us new guys to understand this technology so many thanks sincerely, David
Hey David,
You will really enjoy solar and the flexibility of placing portable panels for best solar power generation. I use a similar setup. Just one little detail to keep in mind is that the farther you extend between panels and generator you will experience some power loss in transfer. A previous reply suggested using 10AWG to help reduce this loss and that recommendation is spot on. However, just be aware that once you get out past 25’ you pretty much lose 40-50% regardless of cable size. With my setup I can see how much power is generated right at the panel and how much reaches the generator and the reduction is consistent. If you don’t have to go out past 25’ vvery often this won’t be a big issue but just something to be aware of.
Happy Trails!
Matt
Technically, you can run any long lengths depending on how much voltage drop you deem acceptable. Here’s a copy/paste from a google search.
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"How long can my solar panel wires be?
The length of the wires is crucial in maintaining efficiency. For optimal energy transmission, it’s recommended to keep the distance at 50 feet or less. This shorter distance ensures the voltage drop remains within an acceptable range, specifically at or below a 2% decrease."
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Sometimes long runs are unavoidable for finding the ideal location of solar panels. You naturally want the longest time in daylight before morning and evening shadows set in. Panels on a rooftop make that pretty easy, but mounting panels in a yard make placement a bit tougher, especially when winter comes. I had to move some panels around as the shadow from my house was covering them by November.
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We have a block wall fence, so I ended up just putting most of the panels against the back fence, which faces south. I found out last summer that I need to extend charging time as long as possible so I’m putting some panels against where the fence faces west. I can get a few extra hours before they run out of sunlight as I’ll be running window air conditioners all night. I have just enough battery power to run them about 10-11 hours until the sun comes up.
I, too, am just getting started with the AC200L. Is there any advantage using MC4-MC4 over XT60-XT60 to span the extra distance? For example this: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CQ25RRJG/?coliid=I1DC0CVRLJD0KN&colid=1OZJU2C59V0M1&ref_=list_c_wl_lv_ov_lig_dp_it&th=1
Thanks!
AC200L is a really good choice You’ll definitely enjoy its impressive specs!
Hello,
There are calculators on the Internet where you can calculate the line loss.
This depends on the length of the cable, its conductor material (preferably copper) and the cross-section of the cable.
But you can rest assured. Even with a cable length of 25 meters, the losses are less than 10%.
I recommend a cross-section of 6 mm².
You should achieve the highest possible voltage (V), then the losses are lower.
Therefore, the panels should be connected in series if possible. Then the voltage of the individual panels is added together. Note the maximum voltage consumption for the AC200L!
Best wishes, Joachim
Thank you for your help. I do appreciate your detailed response.
Thank you, I look forward to a battery extension. Also, have a good day.
Thank you, Matt. I do appreciate your response. Have a great day.
Thank you Akel, your help is very much appreciated,