What is LOCAL FEED IN? Adding Solar to the Anker SOLIX F3800 & Home Power Panel System

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In this video I show the detailed process of how I added solar panels to my Anker SOLIX F3800 and Home Power Panel system via local feed in. Each F3800 has two XT60 ports that we used to connect a total of twelve 405 watt rigid solar panels to. Because of the 60v max input we wired all of the panels in parallel which makes this installation unique.

I'm actually really impressed with how everything turned out.

Thank you for being here! Affiliate links above wherever possible. Thank you for your support.

Blessings,

Ben

[BenjaminSahlstrom]

If you want to purchase solar panels in bulk or learn more about other battery systems, I'd highly recommend checking out the stuff from Signature Solar at the above affiliate link. They also carry the F3800 and it might be a good option to purchase from them in order to gain access to their excellent customer service.

[powoxi]

There's something about this product that just draws you in. I'm hooked!

[Talkischeap]

Well done Dad. You are the man, Oli is a better man bc of you.

[robbe]

Nice your son is enthusiastic and working hard with dad And learning .

[jonathanguess]

It's so cool to see your son helping you and learning one day he could use his talent that you're helping showing him how to do it

[kevbob]

Oli is the best apprentice. Keep it up

[user]

I set up a very similar situation, but I am now changing it to a series set up and I’m going to put a 48v battery and charge controller between my panels and my ankerf3800 so I can get more power into the anker at Max charge potential. I have very similar solar panels and I am only able to get 1300 to 1400 W at peak time during the winter. Because the panels are only 31 max Volts, each in parallel the wattage potential is under used. I think you beat mine and distance because mine are 100 feet away and yours look further. I suspect because of the high amperage that there is too much heat loss in the transfer of the power to the anchor so put them in series with a lower amperage and a higher voltage makes more sense for me. Thanks for the videos always interesting to see different people set ups.

[airos]

As a PV installer, I say you did an epic job! I can see your attention to detail, and even reaming the PVC Connections. I would have done the layout different. Instead of a braket on each panel, build a structure with 4 brackets, and then put the panels on rails.. also the wire management was well thought out but technically PV Wire should have no more than 6 inches of direct sunlight. Again, great job, and next time you will make lots of improvements but ultimately your work ethic shows through, and you put a wonderful system together.

[mdunbar]

Great Job Ollie. Your helper did ok 2. 👍👍

[finned]

Good video. I hesitate to install the Anker Solix system from the 2 issues you mentioned. Feeding power back to the grid when you designed it as off-grid and the battery will waste solar power instead of powering up the house with excess energy. The load balancing is also an issue too. These aren’t major. Anker could come up with solutions in the next few months.

[ZachSolar]

Such a fun project to take on with your son. Well done!!

[simon]

I do like Anker products and bought two of the 767 versions, but found the solar input to be the biggest deficiency.
I would rather go with the Apollo, where you can add series strings, and then parallel them together for a much higher solar input!

[patcaribou]

As one who works in the solar industry, I think your design is really creative. However, I worry about connecting 3 panels in parallel like that...especially if those connectors are only AWG #12. To find the wire ampacity, normally you'd multiply the maximum current x 1.25...(a 2400W motor on a 240V circuit draws 10A so your wire would need to be rated for 12.5A). But with DC solar panels (and you can refer to NEC690) the "maximum" current is short circuit current (Isc) x 1.25....but then you have to multiply by 1.25 again! It sounds like your 400W solar panels have a pretty low voltage / high current to begin with, so if your short circuit current is 13A, then the wire has to be rated for 13A x 1.25 x 1.25 = 20.3125A ! And that's just for 1 solar panel! So if you are paralleling 3 together, that's a 61A ampacity..., that's gonna lead to trouble. I get that each "home run" is a parallel set of #8, but holy smokes that's a lot of wire, and if those Wye's are only #12, that's definitely going to be a problem especially where its only a single conductor carrying all that current (should be #6). Additionally, with 16 current carrying wires running in conduit, you have to derate your wires by half. The other thing too, are the input specs on that inverter - Most "grid tied" inverters or even Lithium Ion batteries with built in multi-mode inverters have Maximum input voltages of 600 - 1000VV. So you're 12 solar panels would normally all be connected in series with only 2 wires leading back to the inverter, not 16. High voltage, low current = generally more efficient. But definitely keep an eye on those connectors. The fuses won't save them.

[ericgold]

A side comment about PV design, since I did not hear it mentioned by Ben: While I think it is fairly common knowledge that wire has to be rated for 125% of the Isc, there is also a voltage consideration that applies to cold climates. If two panels in series have a Voc of 60V and the electronics are rated for 60V, cold days are going to increase the output voltage at the panel to somewhere in the range of 0.3 - 0.4% per C degree drop below 25C and potentially expose the electronics to over voltage

Maybe that long run with its voltage drop was a blessing is disguise, at least in the cold winter.

[mikew]

Great project but keep an eye on that LB location going into your foundation, I get there was not much room there but you should really have an Expansion joint to allow movement. If going through the sill instead of the block is an option that would allow more room to install the expansion fitting

[alanday]

Are those bi-facial? WOW those ANKERS are expensive, Hyperion makes 400w bifacial panels with up yo 500w with Bifacial Gain for only $132.00 each. I love them.

[monochromatech]

I didn't realize you were in MN. I knew I liked you for a reason...

[cliffordwalker]

Awesome instruction and great editing!

[jake-mvoi]

Hope Anker paid for all that cable. Nice work.

[tlteal]

Wow those panels are NOT cheap and showing almost $450/each. Nawww.... there are much better deals out there! :-) Great setup and thanks for sharing!