Question regarding Jackery power bank.

[runnach]

I have 2x 100w solar panels. Today bank at 30%. Plug in panel 1, input 90w. Plug in panel 2, total input x 2 panels now 130-ish watt. My non electrical brain tells me this should now be 180w input?

Why is this?

 

[wildebus]

I have 2x 100w solar panels. Today bank at 30%. Plug in panel 1, input 90w. Plug in panel 2, total input x 2 panels now 130-ish watt. My non electrical brain tells me this should now be 180w input?

Why is this?

are they the same solar panel models?
Have you specs of each panel?
question for tomorrow coming .... what do you get when you plug in each panel on its own? (making sure they are next to each other, facing same direction and at same angle and the cloud is not changing between testing each)

 

[runnach]

are they the same solar panel models?
Have you specs of each panel?
question for tomorrow coming .... what do you get when you plug in each panel on its own? (making sure they are next to each other, facing same direction and at same angle and the cloud is not changing between testing each)

Both identical Jackery 100W Panels, David. One was bought on the run up to xmas last year, Black Friday deal, the other was replaced last March, as it was fubared, and replaced under warranty. Both are new panels.

Tomorrow I will do a singular test on each one, and as for alignment, both are near as identical aligned to maximize best solar harvest. Oh, np c;oud cover here in Spain.

 

[wildebus]

Both identical Jackery 100W Panels, David. One was bought on the run up to xmas last year, Black Friday deal, the other was replaced last March, as it was fubared, and replaced under warranty. Both are new panels.

Tomorrow I will do a singular test on each one, and as for alignment, both are near as identical aligned to maximize best solar harvest. Oh, np c;oud cover here in Spain.

can you see the numbers on the back? voltage and current? they may look identical but if different ages they may be different specs if Jackery changed their supplier inbetween?

 

[runnach]

can you see the numbers on the back? voltage and current? they may look identical but if different ages they may be different specs if Jackery changed their supplier inbetween?

I will check tomorrow

 

[runnach]

David, I didn’t get around to checking the panels, been a long day. I will pick this thread up soon and test each panel, then test then working together connected to the Anderson connection.

 

[runnach]

Back to topic. David, bank at 50%. See image, front panel is replacement panel from March this year, plugged in singular, input 86 amp. Rear panel bought December last year, plugged in singular, input 100 amp.

Both plugged in together via Anderson connection, input 135 amp. Angles are both the same, there is no adjustment to the pull out supports which are incorporated into the panel, ground is flat.

Spec on each panel are the same. Maybe an issue with Anderson plug which is required when charging with bank using two panels.
What are your thoughts?

 

[wildebus]

if the same spec in all results, you should have got thje combined results - so around the 180W.
Going from 100W to 85W when swapping leads could be just a slight variaiton on conditions, but you seem to get a notable reduction in combination that suggests two possibilities ...
1) Panels are not really identical in specs despite label saying this.
When combining panels, they will drop to the lowest common denominator. so if in parallel, whichever voltage is lowest; in series, whichever current is lowest. So if say one panel was 20V, 5A (100W) and the other was 25V, 4A (100W but in a different way); each on their own is 100W max, but join in parallel and you have an array of 20V * (5+4)A (max of 180W); or in series, you have (20+25)V * 4A (180W again as it happens) - but neither will add up to 200W. But if the numbers are same on each panel, it should be a straight addition.

2) You are hitting a limit on the built-in solar controller?
If you are connecting in parallel, is there a limit to the incoming current? or in series, a max voltage which is being reached and anything above is ignored - with a potential effect of cutting some power.
The power from solar tends to fluctuate constantly to a degree as you probably have noticed? When you have the two together, do you tend to see a much more consistent output e.g., this 135W is fairly static? if this is the case, then it would suggest that is the maximum the controller can do?
What is the voltage of the battery you are seeing? 135W is a fairly interesting number in that if the controller had a maximum rating of 10A, you would expect to see a maximum power from around 120W to 144W as the charge voltage gradually increases. that 135W is suspiciously in that range.

 

[runnach]

Thanks for this David, I can’t say I understand all of your reply, although I get the jist of what you have explained. I did consider the inbuilt Jackery Solar controller may have an effect on the input.

Not the end of the world, the bank does what I want it to do, and when low solar harvest, I permanently have the 240v charge unit powered by my 2000 watt inverter, which is wired to three household wall sockets, with power coming from the inverter, input to bank is no more, or less, than 145 watts.

Thanks again.

 

[wildebus]

You haven't said what Jackery model you have, but I just had a look at the website and there is this note for the Jackery Explorer 1000 Pro ...

DC Input:
12V-17,5V⎓8A Max, Double to 8A Max
17,5V-60V⎓11A, Double to 24A/1.400W Max

I don't know what the "Double to ..." means, but the second entry ... "17,5V-60V⎓11A, Double to 24A/1.400W Max" could be significant.
The range of voltages would suggest this is the input used for solar, and that it is limited to 11A current? That is potentially quite limiting.
it should NOT cause a problem with just 200W of Solar, but I have never used a Jackery.
You mentioned you have an Anderson connector to use when you combine the two panels? do you know how that connects the panels? With the specs above, I would say having the panels in SERIES would work best as you are doubling the voltage but keeping the current the same.
But you need to check the info for the Jackery before trying things - A series array can cause problems where the voltage allowed is limited (this is very common with combo B2B/MPPT controllers for example).

 

[runnach]

I have the Explorer 1000, David. Pic of the connector to connect two panels at the same time, also spec on the cable at the Anderson end.

By the way, I’m happy with my purchase, although not happy the original Solar panel Fubared a few month short of warranty expiry. No hassle to replacement sent to our address in France.

I was just curious why figures not doubling up when adding another panel to speed charging.

 

[Wilded639]

For example, third-party solar panels for the Explorer 1000 should have the following specs:


1. The voltage must be between 12-30V


2. The plug connection size: Outer diameter 7.9mm, inner diameter 5.5mm, inner needle diameter 0.9mm (empty)


3. Note: We can't, however, recommend other brand products to recharge your Jackery power station. As we can't guarantee the safety and quality of those products or provide after-sale service for them. It is highly recommended that you purchase the matching Jackery SolarSaga solar panel(s) for your Jackery Explorer.


If you have any more questions, please reach out to us via hello.eu@jackery.com.

Taken from Jackory help centre page.

It states the voltage range must be between 12-30V but not does not state the max amps

 

[Wilded639]

I've found the specs we need...

Jackory max input voltage for all DC inputs including solar is 30v and 7.5 amps max watts 30 x 7.5 = 225 watts.

But only if that sweet spot is hit.

The Jackory 100w solar panel spec is: 20v @ 5A =100 watts (lovely)

However 2 in parallel they would exceed the max amps and in series they would exceed the max volts, hence the missing watts.

 

[wildebus]

So .... with those limitations, you will never get more than that 130W it would look like. But ... Having two panels will not be wasted as you will hit the controllers maximum for a longer time each day.

A max of 30V really means a single 12V panel only - or parallel panels (that jackery cable almost certainly is a paralleling combiner). Panels are either a nominal 20V (12V panel) or 40V (24V panel). You don't get 30V ones.
The best single panel you could find to use would maybe be a 160W possibly? You could certainly get a 140W single panel that would not have its output clipped by the rather limiting spec of the built-in charger/controller.

 

[Wilded639]

You will rarely get 100w out of a 100w panel so over panelling is a good thing. You will hit the 150w limit of the jackery more often and for a longer period in the day

 

[runnach]

I must have been lucky, as yesterday my December purchase panel was inputting 100 amp yesterday.

 

[wildebus]

I must have been lucky, as yesterday my December purchase panel was inputting 100 amp yesterday.

a lot of people say you will never get the rated power of a panel. baldilocks! in the summer at peak solar (around 1ish) on a clear day, you can for sure get the maximum. I have had OVER 100% of the rated power of my roof array on occasions.

 

[Wilded639]

Never say never

 

[nabsim]

It doesn't explain why one panel gives less than the other when used on their own though, or did I get that bit wrong?

 

[wildebus]

It doesn't explain why one panel gives less than the other when used on their own though, or did I get that bit wrong?

It was very close (I thought anyway) so when considering the vagaries of solar power harvesting from one minute to another... (If he had them connected at the same time but into two identical controllers, I reckon they would have been near enough the same).
If you watch the power coming from a panel using an app, you will not see the number stay the same for more than a few seconds.