SolarFlex 400i Wattage

[watkins]

question regarding the 400i package on my 2023 Fuzion 373....

it has 400 watts of solar.. but even in direct sunlight at most I am seeing is like 230 watts... i went up.. cleaned panels.. checked connections.. not sure whats up with that.

[chuckster57]

Where are you measuring? Have you checked each panel by itself?

[watkins]

Originally Posted by chuckster57

Where are you measuring? Have you checked each panel by itself?

Viewing from the controller app on my phone. Went on roof, disconnected each panel to make sure they both were putting out the same, they were.

[hondatech1955]

I was told, because the panels are laying flat on the roof and not angled to directly face the sun, you lucky to get that many watts.
I have the same system and the most I have seen is 200 watts.

[watkins]

Originally Posted by hondatech1955

I was told, because the panels are laying flat on the roof and not angled to directly face the sun, you lucky to get that many watts.
I have the same system and the most I have seen is 200 watts.

Thanks. Makes sense.

The port on the side of the trailer, that’s for just an external panel directly into the battery right? Like it bypasses the solar controller…. Was thinking of grabbing a harbor freight external just help out rather than throw 400 more on the roof.

[hondatech1955]

Yes it does go the battery, but you have to go through a charge controller.
I bought another victron100/30 controller and a 200 watt portable solar panel.
I’m going to install the controller on the wall by the other controller and run some wires to connect the panels.
I’ll let you know how it works. I’m installing them today

[watkins]

The harbor freight ones are self contained with a cheap controller/charger built in.

Mines pre wired for additional panels on roof with an additional wired spot for the other controller. Maybe that’s the better solution. An external panel would allow me the flexibility of dragging it out of the shade should there be some.

[hondatech1955]

Just finished my install. This doubled my watts and amps.
I might go bigger on the solar panels. Like 400 watts.
I’m have 300 ah of lithium batteries that I am charging.

[jxnbbl]

Originally Posted by hondatech1955

Yes it does go the battery, but you have to go through a charge controller.
I bought another victron100/30 controller and a 200 watt portable solar panel.
I’m going to install the controller on the wall by the other controller and run some wires to connect the panels.
I’ll let you know how it works. I’m installing them today

Curious on why you got another controller...a 30A controller would handle the 400W panels, beyond that you would have to expand the controller.

[hondatech1955]

The Solarflex 400i comes with Victron 100/30 controller and 400 watts of panels on the roof. So I could not add panels to it because it is rated at 440 watts for 12 volts.
I’m not 100% sure about portable panels yet.

[jxnbbl]

Originally Posted by hondatech1955

The Solarflex 400i comes with Victron 100/30 controller and 400 watts of panels on the roof. So I could not add panels to it because it is rated at 440 watts for 12 volts.
I’m not 100% sure about portable panels yet.

Sorry, I thought you were going from 200->400 in the previous posts. Totally makes sense.

[Stircrazy]

Originally Posted by watkins

question regarding the 400i package on my 2023 Fuzion 373....

it has 400 watts of solar.. but even in direct sunlight at most I am seeing is like 230 watts... i went up.. cleaned panels.. checked connections.. not sure whats up with that.

How are you figuring out how many watts it is putting out? A lot of people make the mistake of seeing there in put at say 22amps and multiplying that by 12. that isn't going to work, you have to multiply the amps by the actual voltage supplied. not saying you are doing this, but I have seen a lot of people making this simple mistake. The other key info would be, is that using a PWM or an MPPT controller.

for example, my 235-watt splitcell 24v panel on my camper will put out 22 amps on a decent day, if I multiply that by 12V I get 264 watts, but if I multiply it by the charge voltage of 13.8, I get 303.6 watts

now the difference an MPPT controler can make over a PWM is even more amazing, the camper above is an MPPT controler but on mt 5th wheel I have a 480 watt 12v setup on a PWM controler and I have never seen more than 290 watts out of it, even when it is right beside the camper which is putting out 300

[Jake's Keystone]

Originally Posted by watkins

question regarding the 400i package on my 2023 Fuzion 373....

it has 400 watts of solar.. but even in direct sunlight at most I am seeing is like 230 watts... i went up.. cleaned panels.. checked connections.. not sure whats up with that.

As well right now the sun's angle will effect the watts. Was the 230 Watts in June /July or recently in Dec??

[SR71 Jet Mech]

Also even though the sky is completely clear (appearing) there is enough stuff like humidity, dust, smoke etc that will block enough that the panels will most likely stay at 75%-80%.
I have tiltables(1100w) on the roof and 600w on the ground and very rarely see full capacity.

[peanut]

Originally Posted by Stircrazy

How are you figuring out how many watts it is putting out?

Originally Posted by hondatech1955

I was told, because the panels are laying flat on the roof and not angled to directly face the sun, you lucky to get that many watts.
I have the same system and the most I have seen is 200 watts.

The Solarflex 400i package includes a Victron 100/30 MPPT controller and a Victron Smart Shunt. Both are bluetooth capable. Using the VictronConnect App you can access all of the settings and reports from the contoller and shunt.

My average output from my 400i panels is 350 watts. I have seen as high as 500 watts and as low as 180 watts.

Originally Posted by watkins

The port on the side of the trailer, that’s for just an external panel directly into the battery right? Like it bypasses the solar controller….

Yes. On my 24RDS the Zamp port by-passes the OEM controller and is wired to the buss bars in the "giggy" box, which, in turn, are connected to the battery.

I built a 150 watt suitcase kit. I installed a separate Victron 100/20 MPPT controller in the front storage compartment right next to the "giggy" box. Re-routed the wiring from the Zamp port to the new controller and then from the controller to the buss bars in the "giggy" box. I just built the kit this fall so have not used it yet to see how much it might add to the system but I am expecting at least 100 watts - so my total should be in the 450ish to 500 watt range. I try to be energy efficient so am hoping it will be enough to keep me going indefinitely.

Most pre-built suitcase kits include a solar controller. But a controller installed on/at the kit limits the length of cable you can run to the sidewall Zamp port. By installing the controller as close to the battery as possible, you can use much longer cable runs from the kit to the trailer - - which increases location possibilties for the kit.