How Many Batteries For a 3000W Inverter?

🎁 Free diagrams: cleversolarpow...
📖 My best-selling book: cleversolarpow...
Read the written guide: cleversolarpow...
Are you wondering how many batteries are needed for a 3000W inverter? In this video, I will provide you with surprising insights, especially since many guides often get this wrong. I'll explore two examples: one with a lithium battery and another with a lead-acid battery, to demonstrate the ideal setup for your needs.
Many people use a 3000W inverter with just a 12V 100Ah battery, leading to early battery failure. I'll show why this happens and what you should do instead.
In this detailed guide, I'll cover:
- The importance of limiting current to 100Amps in an off-grid solar power system, and how it leads to reduced wiring costs, cheaper charge controllers, and higher efficiency.
- The calculation for a 3000W inverter, demonstrates why a 48V system is more efficient and cost-effective.
- The concept of C-rate for both lead-acid and lithium (LiFePO4) batteries, and why it's crucial for battery longevity and performance.
I'll also provide a practical example using lithium batteries, showing the calculations for a 48V system and why it's a superior choice. Plus, I'll repeat the process for lead-acid batteries, highlighting the differences in size, weight, and efficiency.
Remember, always fully charge your batteries before connecting them and respect the C-rate to ensure maximum lifespan.
For those interested in lithium batteries:
12V batteries: cleversolarpow...
48V server racks: cleversolarpow...

[@cleversolarpower]

🎁 Free diagrams: cleversolarpower.com/free-diagrams/ 📖 My best-selling book: cleversolarpower.com/off-grid-solar-power-simplified 💵Use coupon code: clever6 to get 6% discount for Litime batteries: cleversolarpower.com/litime (cheaper than amazon)

[@Eduardo_Espinoza]

thanks :)

[@agustinemckain4846]

😊

[@Peter-b6e3x]

A professional off grid system never uses inverters such as those

[@LanwadanKodjoga-ir6xw]

😊😊😊

[@grandpas-weekend-projects]

Thanks

[@crazyduck1254]

am i really the only one who just cannot grasp all this?

[@cleversolarpower]

I'm going quick in this video, so watching it a second time might be better. To simplify: 1. increase the voltage so that the current is limited to 100A (not necessary but good for sizing) 2. increase the capacity of the battery so that the C-rate of the battery type is respected.

[@andykendall5171]

No...😂

[@larry-z9m]

No….

[@danielkerry8219]

No joke to me over 10 years of slowly learning for it to finally click

[@donaldfrazier5244]

No I just want to know how many to power 2,000 watts

[@OH2023-cj9if]

This is really helpful, thanks for explaining it. I am just about to DIY a solar and battery system !

[@Core-vu6mc]

You are oversimplifying a bit. Its not how big your inverter is but more what load you will put on it. Also you should have larger inverter than you need for starting motors unless you buy a coil based inverter. I'm running a 24v 960ah LiFePO4 system using a 3000 watt inverter. My daytime load (highest) is about 1000W. After a couple of days of cloudy skies, my batteries are empty. I could really use a larger battery however I don't have the solar capacity to support it (3.7kw) especially during the winter months.

[@cleversolarpower]

Thanks for your feedback. You have to size for the inverter, not for the load you attach to it. Startup surge power is a whole other topic that I can make another video about. It's impossible to mention everything in a short video.

[@2hotscottpro]

What do you run that uses 1000 watts,heck that could be an AC…? All I know is my 100ah doesn’t cut it so getting two 12v 230ah bats.

[@jasonbroom7147]

@@cleversolarpower - No, you do NOT have to size for the inverter. You have to know your loads and size the inverter to easily handle those, without pushing it too hard. Then you have to size your battery storage and your solar array. You keep acting like you have to go 100% all the time on all of these components, and that is most certainly not how any of this works, or should work.

[@evil17]

@@2hotscottpromany things: microwaves, coffee machines, split A/Con, toaster, air fryer, electric jugs can all use over 1000W each.

[@moziani9093]

@@2hotscottpro May I ask what you are looking for to buy. My batteries degenerated very fast (see my comments here) and I'm looking for a replacement. As far as i can see the best option is lifepo04. I’m looking at the brand Li Time.

[@Edgunsuk]

YOU DONT ANSWER THE QUESTION THIS VIDEO ASKS no one building a camper, ((( 90% of the people watching this video!!))) wants to know about 48v batterys OR server racks simple question .... How many 12v AH do you need to run a 3000w inverter ? i know its dependant on what you run and how long for but to be safe ...How many 12v AH do you need to run a 3000w inverter ?

[@cleversolarpower]

Did you miss my recommendation at 1:00 ?

[@wekapeka3493]

Very clearly explained with good graphics.

[@damianbutterworth2434]

I ran my house off grid with 2 kilowatts of panels. 80 amp charge controller, 500 amp hour batteries(6 12 volt caravan batteries), 3500 watt sine wave off grid inverter. I never ran a heavy load at night. 24 volt system. This is in the UK. Worked great for at least 9 months of the year. I fitted a separate rings mains so I could switch to grid with a different socket in each room.

[@adictiveadictive]

After 9 months you had issue?

[@frankenstudio22]

Excellent explanation. ~Thank you

[@peterwarden7471]

Why a inverter? Is there anything today that doesn't run on 12V? I'm living now 8 years in a caravan and cover everything from Internet to watch movies, from mobile to tv and vacuum cleaner, with 1x 100ah 12v battery and 1 portable solar panel.

[@cleversolarpower]

Still many household appliances that use 120 or 230VAC. if people have these devices already, it's not worth it to purchase a 12 or 24V version of it. DC fridges are more expensive than AC fridges as well.

[@theosalt1]

A really well structured video, Thank you for being ome of the very few people who introduce your topic by outlining what you intend to demonstrate. ✴✴✴✴✴✴✴✴✴✴

[@akadog6319]

You can divide the panel watts by 12 volts, but 12 volts will not charge a battery. You will never over 13 volts to charge a 12volt battery. You must also figure in the efficiency of the solar panel because it is less that 100%.

[@robertweekley5926]

Per your comments @ 1:21 & @ 1:49, it would seem a Lead Acid Battery Pack should also be given that "25% Buffer", meaning a 400 Ah x 48V pack, or 4S4P Pack is really safer! But, most Lead Acid Batteries aren't rated at "0.2C" they are rated at a "20 Hour Discharge Rate". A 0.2C is actually a 5 Hour Discharge Rate (5 x 0.2 = 1.0). So a 20 Hour Rate, is 0.05C (20 x 0.05 = 1.00) You can find "Some" Lead Acid Batteries, rated on a 10 Hour Discharge Rate, as well, if you get the Higher Priced And more Exotic ones. However, this still doesn't count that Lead Acid Batteries shouldn't be discharged to "Dead" or "100%", but in normal use, should never be drawn down below "50%" of Rated Capacity! (If you want any meaningful Lifespan from them!) 😲

[@Refertech101]

max life a bank never should go below 25%, but between cost and size the standard for most is 50% depth of discharge, so basically once you calculate needed run time, add a safety factor, you either multiply it by 2 (Cost/life span ratio most go with) or by 3 best life but higher cost. But he was correct in absolute bare minimum to operate an inverter with out destroying the batteries (And possibly inverter) is a 100AH battery, but be pretty useless functionally due to next to no run time.

[@Dezza71]

already got 12v300ah x4 AGM with 48v 5kva inverter about 2kva solar panels, AGM only last 4 or 5 years they dry up over hot summer 40c for 4 months , so then buy lifepo4 340ah x4 is way more power then AGM by 10 times longer never goes flat , living on a camp house run big fridge, two pc and tv , 5 kva aircondion have it on ;low setting less power use about 800watt for 6 hours not a problems .

[@cleversolarpower]

Great, I will make a video about replacing lead acid with lithium soon.

[@skeetersaurus6249]

Your information doesn't speak of Peukert's Curve, or how parallel batteries can feed very large inverters. For example, a 12v 100Ah SLA (or AGM, though temperature sensitive) can only survive a 50% mfg. discharge rate...but if you place 10 into a parallel circuit, now you have the equivalent of only 10% of the Current demand...so a 5-year SLA deep cycle battery can now yield 100A currents...simply by (in this case, 10-units) dividing the current by 10...thus, 10 12v 100Ah batteries can power a 4000 Pure Sine Wave Inverter just as one 12v battery could power a 400 watt (small) inverter...with approximately 4-hours before 50% of it's charge is reached. I KNOW, as I built such an array with an advanced 4000watt PSW Inverter and 10 such batteries (to power a remote cabin)...it can take a 100A load for 4-hours safely without deterioration of the batteries...and the built-in 90-amp charger is within recommended charge amps...7-hours, give-or-take, from a small generator, can bring the battery array back to 100%...and that's if you pull 100-Amps on that inverter (something a small cabin would NEVER do). In reality, it will work for 24-hours and charge for 5 (charging is automatic)...why does this matter? Because 10 12v 100Ah deep cycle SLA batteries are IN ARRAY, and one failing does not mean all fail simultaneously! So, instead of replacing a $1500 LiFePO4 failure is ridiculous, when 'old school' SLA batteries, good ones, cost $150 each, and tend to fail individually over a few months of time! It just makes more sense! ALWAYS use Peukert's Law (calculators can be found on-line) to determine size vs demand and recharge, and build an appropriate sized array! Draw it out first, plan your recharge method (in my case, the PSW inverter also has an automatic 8-second transfer switch which starts the charging generator, too)...Amazon, my friend, Amazon!

[@beetbyagirllowes2636]

what about 3000 watt inverter, 12volt 3x 300ah lifepo4 batteries and 800 w solar panels? how do I remedy?

[@JustaLocalLLC]

Whats the problem?

[@RKhuc]

What about 12v?

[@FewerOptions-mx7qt]

You would probably need 3 batteries. Bms on a lifepo4 battery typically won't allow more than 100a and a 12v 3000w inverter would draw about 250a

[@n.b.p.davenport7066]

If you're going to do it do it right spend the money buy once cry once

[@cleversolarpower]

True.

[@twissted1277]

Very useful. I send it to my clients when dealing with what's needed in there RVs.

[@Refertech101]

As a system builder I'll verify what he said is accurate, and must say one of very few I have seen to do it accurately. As to charge controllers another way to look at it, with a quality charge controller, at 12v best you can do is 750w, but at 48 same unit will do 3.5kw so you have more power available. a general rule, no matter the voltage the core wiring should be no less than 2 awg imo

[@managersamuel]

You didn't mention most lithium must be discharged to 80% Maximum and lead acid to 50% to get long life from the batteries

[@cleversolarpower]

Checkout my video about sizing your off grid solar system. I cannot mention everything in a short video.

[@TalonID]

The 12V 100Ah Renogy AGM Battery you pictured far out paces your C-rate calc of 20A. It is rated at 30A with a 5 second rating of 100A! A couple of these tied to a 2000W inverter works wonderful in a typical RV.

[@cleversolarpower]

It could deliver 1100A, but do that a few times and you will have a dead battery. Deep cycle gels or AGMs are not made for high current. Can they do it? Yes. Is it ideal? No.

[@GEOsustainable]

No battery is good at high current. Geez, if makers would just get off of playing with the numbers trying to fool us to sell a battery. If you want high current, use super capacitors,@@cleversolarpower

[@NightshiftCustom]

the only time you would ever hit the battery with 1100AMPS would be with a big diesel engine lol @@cleversolarpower

[@cleversolarpower]

@@NightshiftCustom Sorry typo. Should be 100A.

[@wallacegrommet9343]

The best feature of lithium batteries is how they deliver most of their current above 12.8 volts. Inverters love 13.3 volts

[@Qui-9]

Yea, I agree it's best to size the inverter to a margin above the expected peak load. The total battery capacity would be determined by the expected average load, as would a solar array(plus a region/sunlight-based margin) and battery chargers. Oversized inverters for a modest average expected power consumption has little effect, other than the idle current used to run the circuitry.

[@Sovereign_Citizen_LEO]

i.e. - More unnecessary and undesired idle current draw from an oversized inverter in porportion to the battery bank (thus draining the batteries faster while inverter/ batteries are not in use). The problem though in this equation, is cheap inverters which cannot deliver the current (amps/ watts) which are stated on the inverter. So I always oversize even with expensive inverters and then oversize battery and solar array commensurately (when and where possible/ practical). The batteries will always outlast the inverter if used properly.

[@timharris3203]

Great example but you failed to mention that your 3000 watt Inverter needs to be 48 CDC. Most of us run 12 VDC inverters. I have a 3000 watt and have 6 100 amp lithium at 12 vdc. My problem was not enough solar wattage, had 360 on roof of the van, but my mppt couldn't handle my second 360. So had to buy a mppt thar could take 720 watts, I also will be installing a 100 amp AC to DC inverter for shore power use when pluged in to go along with the 40 amp DC to DC I have wired in already. I don't plan to run a 110 vac on the van or a microwave for multiple hours at a time. So I should have enough power to run all my 12 vdc systems. BTW, you would need to install a 48 vdc step down inverter to 12 vdc to run all of your 12 vdc appliances.

[@arguescreamholler]

Thank you. I had plenty of questions about that. I too have a 12v 3000, but I just began to experiment with how many batteries I would need for continuous power without fail. Now I know I need at least 6. I have other inverters on order to have portable power. *I learned a lot from you, Thank You!*

[@cleversolarpower]

You don't really need a 48V inverter for a 3,000W inverter. But if you can you should do that. step 1: ensure your C-rate is ok, by having higher capacity batteries. Step 2: increase the voltage of your battery so you can use less thick wire, thus save money.

[@WalrusRiderEntertainment]

I worked in the battery industry for 10 years and you are teaching me new stuff in some of your videos. Well done

[@nicflanagan6662]

Your book was the 1st one I bought on the subject of Solar Power. I bought others, but kept referring back to yours for a simple clarification. The content and ease to follow on the various subjects is excellent. Many Thanks 🙏🏼

[@cleversolarpower]

Thanks for getting the book and your kind words.

[@AffectionateJukebox-je4rs]

What is the name of the book please?

[@DavidABlackish]

Good morning sir, thanks for your teaching but I want to learn more about solar panels installation please sir 🙏🙏🙏🙏

[@jamesalles139]

where does the 0.2c discharge rate come from? I have never seen that specified by a manufacturer. I have seen a 0.1c charge rate for lead-acid batteries, which makes charging them decidedly slower.

[@cleversolarpower]

It's specified in the datasheet of batteries. The capacity is mentioned in ah at a 20 hour rate. This is 0.2C. The manufacturer would list the capacitiy of their batteries at a 20 hour discharge rate. It's also known as C20. Check my video about C-rate.

[@jamesalles139]

@@cleversolarpower Yes, of course - the marketing term. They advertise 100AH at the 20 hour rate - *0.05C, actually.* That is only a measly 5 Amperes (continuous). However, it is not necessary to be this conservative. Otherwise, no one would be able to start their car in the morning. What needs to be looked at is a series of curves. And decisions made on the trade off between capacity performance and the number of charge cycles over an acceptable lifetime. If you discharge continuously at 100 Amps, you might get something like 70AH out of it, in much less than an hour. (Mfg. vary) but you wouldn't want to market it this way. And sure, you will get longer run time and longer life if you take it easy on the current demand. But most real-life loads (except heating) have an intermittent duty cycle. So lets look at my conservative design. 3 pieces of 12v 105AH AGM batteries in parallel. I want to use 50% of that capacity, or 157 AH; or 1,800 Watt-hours (nominally). And I like the idea of limiting to 0.5C for discharge and 0.1C for charging. And that gives me slightly over 150 Amps. Well, the inverter I chose is 2000 Watts, which is 167 amps at full capacity. I like to de-rate the load to 80% which would draw about 133 Amps. I have no problem doing that 0.42C continuously down to 50% State of Charge (SoC), which should last for about an hour. Then of course making the battery happy by getting it fully charged again. I use a 30 Amp smart charger for this rig. Also, with lead-acid chemistry, I have the headroom to support the full rated 4,000 watt motor starting capacity (inrush) current of 333 Amperes. Thanks for the videos! Cheers!

[@Kaimarah007]

What's the difference between Lithium batteries and Ammonium Gel batteries?

[@jessejameson154]

Where are you going with your 48 v ???????? Do you think that people only use the battery to power the inverter , and nothing else??? That's ridiculous......people use the 12v side of the battery voltage almost as much to power various devices or appliances . 48v is utterly useless other that being an inverter power source.

[@cleversolarpower]

In large off grid systems 48V is the norm. If you have an RV, you can use 12V with your appliances. There are also converters which you can use. It's about cost/benefit, both work.

[@c.s.4845]

for a 3000w inverter can you use 2 x 12v 200 ah lithium batteries ? The calculation should be the same.

[@cleversolarpower]

That would make it a 24V 200Ah battery. 3000W/24V=125A*1.25=156A It is possible, but I recommend using a 48V battery because of the mentioned benefits of having a higher battery voltage.

[@jasonbroom7147]

@@cleversolarpower - You don't have to connect them in series. You can have 2 x 12v 200ah batteries. Each will only deliver half of the needed amperage. That's still a lot of draw for a 3,000w inverter, but if you're using an inverter that large, you should have a larger battery bank, anyway.

[@cleversolarpower]

@@jasonbroom7147 Indeed. But connecting in series will increase the diameter of the wire. Overall just having two batteries is not enough for a 3000W inverter like you said.

[@jasonbroom7147]

@@cleversolarpower - Since when has connecting batteries in series meant you need to increase the diameter of the wire? It is very common knowledge throughout the solar industry that you go up in voltage (which a series connection does) so you can use SMALLER wires, not bigger ones. I'm starting to get the sense that you are really new to this and don't actually know what the Helsinki you're talking about!

[@RonaldDaub-g7z]

You need to run at least number one stranded gauge wire on 12 volt like this But you don't factory in is how long any given setup will run on it's given output and but that's fine you can watch the battery drainage with a good digital voltmeter once it drops past or under 12 charge the damn thing

[@cleversolarpower]

Thick wires should be as short as possible, i thought that was clear. I have made a video about voltage drop as well. This is mainly for the solar panels to the charge controller.

[@cdonuts7335]

Your not talking inverter efficiency into your calculations. Inverters are not 100% efficient!

[@cleversolarpower]

I'm glad you liked the video. This video is meant to give you the basic concept of inverter size, not to go into every detail.

[@leehyde6610]

Why is the discharge curve under load never shown? Because the average person would see how big the con job is !!

[@cleversolarpower]

True, the voltage sag is another item.

[@RonaldDaub-g7z]

I use deep cycle marine batteries and I have a way to get more.. you can't have too many batteries in parallel it just takes longer to charge

[@eric0u812]

I use 12v lighting in every room and 2000w inverter for frig and freezer. Supply power is 800w=8 amps solar 200w=2amps wind feading 6 lead deep cycle 780ah batteries. Now given we dont run all the lights and kids dont leave frig door open lol i can run for months without needing charged from normal means . I set my system up for backup only (just incase) but i know im good to go . Off grid if need be

[@cerealtiller]

I use 3 x100 A.H. Lead Acid batteries for a 12 Volt 3000 Watt sine wave inverter..it runs an 800watt Inverter with ease.

[@thelonewolf666]

if you need a 3000w inverter you need a generator and a appointment with a Psychiatrist

[@givemespace2742]

Or just be one of the many people who forgot what camping is. Fridge, coffee maker, inductive cooktop, possibly air-conditioning. Without all that people think camping is just homelessness 😊

[@timledbetter1781]

You must be in the US. In the Philippines, there is no central heat and air. For an 1100 sq ft house, you need 5200 w in 24 hrs to run air conditioning and internet and TV. If you want to live without air conditioning over here, you are the one that needs a psychiatrist

[@thelonewolf666]

@@timledbetter1781 you dont need batterys fella--- you need to use mains power

[@timledbetter1781]

@thelonewolf666 yes. There is 4 other people in the house, kids often times too. I'm living in the tropics, I don't need heat, or a hot water heater. I don't even use am air conditioner, except at night when I sleep. But, I don't think it's fair, for me and their mom to sleep in an air conditioned room, but her grown kids don't. Plus, there are frequent outages here. It's very hot with no fan. So, I want to be able to run 3 1hp air conditioners at night, a refrigerator, a freezer, internet, charge our devices, and lights, without an electric bill. Plus, the grid here is so inadequate, in my current house, if we turn our air conditioner on before 11pm, the power goes out to the entire village. A 3kw system would only run the internet, TV, refrigerator, freezer, and lights nothing else. And, the electric grid here, is even more efficient than the west. The system is 220v 60hz, smaller wire and breakers due to lower current. The bills here for power are literally half what they are back home, but their power grid isn't even capable of running our new house. So I'm putting an off grid system in it, that will be even more stable than their power grid

[@gushardy4421]

If you have never used electrodacus, you are cheating yourself.

[@fidelmcneill6954]

i purchased a 3,ooo watt 24 volt Growatt Inverter 3000 / 24 =125 amps thats OVER 100 amps will rhar WORK ????????

[@cleversolarpower]

If you have lifepo4 batteries, the BMS will shut down if it's rated at 1C and if you draw the full 3000W.

[@fidelmcneill6954]

@@cleversolarpower I have 100ah 12volt battle born batteries ???

[@frogsintheforest]

This is incredible! I can tell you, that I have visited all solar specialists along the Queensland coast, from the NSW border to Rockhampton, where they have no idea how to calculate the capacity of a 12 volt battery to produce 240 V. Using their own words, they had no idea how to calculate it and some said you just need to purchase additional 12V batteries to calculate it. Of course it has taken me until now to learn how to calculate it. Cheers

[@donames6941]

The more batteries, the longer you have power, but if you can't charge it, then it's useless no matter the wattage

[@cleversolarpower]

True

[@lezbriddon]

if you live in the 1980's and are using lead based batteries, simpler math is take the wattage, ie 3000w, divide by 10 so 300w, add half as much on again so 450w, change the w to Ah, boom theres your minimum pack size. as they are normally sold in 100ah, so buy 5 of them for 500ah

[@cleversolarpower]

That's one way 😄

[@tom53332]

The 100A limit you mention is completely arbitrary. The only consideration that matters is the C-rate of the specific battery. Enough 12V batteries in parallel will just as well power a 3000W inverter.

[@cleversolarpower]

Yes, that's what I'm saying. Your wires will be large, costing you a lot of money, so not properly sized.

[@RobinMuric]

I watched this video but I? LOL. This is the inverter I purchased. Pure sine wave 8000 model. 4000/8000 (peak). DC 12V/24V TO AC 110V 50HZ FROM JJ CYCLE (CHINA). Hopefully you can advise me a little more. Thank you for responding.😊

[@outcastfpv7655]

Inverters don't cost much. just get a big inverter and then you can add batteries later if needed. It's the load that matters. Don't strain the battery. A big inverter is not going to worry the system.

[@cleversolarpower]

Bigger inverters have higher idle consumption. So bigger is not better.

[@outcastfpv7655]

@@cleversolarpower Tru

[@Tom-t1g]

Cheaper. 😅 Cheaper 😅, 😂 cheaper 🤪, cheaper 😜, cheaper 😂, cheaper 😂, im seriesly thinking about re aligning in parallel dimensions. But it's not cheaper 😂. ✌️

[@FewerOptions-mx7qt]

There is a reason why they have 12v inverters. Sometimes lead acid battery is better. I have a 12v 700w inverter in my truck plan on replacing it with 2000-3000w. I want to run a 1400w chipping hammer but only for a few minutes and not everyday. My alternator can power it without any drain on battery.

[@MaritimeHomesteader]

Hello I wasn’t going to say anything cause I see nonsense all the time on line and can’t be bothered to put my two cents in for lots of reasons. However…. I’ve been designing and installing off grid systems for 14 years and I also live off grid. I have taught hundreds of Solar PV workshops across Canada and have taught hundreds of engineers and electricians the proper way to design and install solar off grid systems. You size your battery bank first to give you the days of autonomy you need while running the expected loads. Then you size the solar array to provide adequate charging of said battery bank with the Peak Sun Hours in the area taking into account the site efficiency. Then you choose a charge controller that can properly charge the battery bank with the appropriate amount of current and can also handle the array wattage. Then you choose an inverter that can easily supply the wattage typically required. Most inverters we use are between 4000W and 6800W and can surge much higher.

[@cleversolarpower]

Thanks, I have a video about what you explained on the channel.

[@DrDSays]

I am powering a 16,000 Watt powerjack inverter with 4, 200Ah LiFePO 200Ah 12V batteries to run my table saws in my wood shop. I would wire them in parrallel to get the 48V and hook them to the 48V inputs on the inverter. then the inverter ouput I have wired to an electric off grid breaker box which powers my 110 v outlets. The inverter should be able to pull the power out of the batteries to start the big draw a large motor requires, correct? I have 8, 200 Watt solar panels 4 connected in parallel to yield approx. 48V then these are connected in series to the other 4 panels. These then combine and give approx 90V and connect to a 100A MPPT charge controller that then goes to recharge the battery bank. My old lead acid AGM batteries stopped powering my big motors last year so I just upgraded to the lithium. Should this work for few years?

[@MacDa-yy8xn]

That’s easy. As many as you have room for and can afford.

[@MoonArk]

meaning lead acid batteries are only good when they are used in a 12v system. but lifepo4 are always best 12-48v

[@Hollywood4Fun]

I have a couple questions. The most energy intense device in my house is a shallow well pump. It will draw just barely over 10 amps when it kicks on. Other than my refrigerator and my microwave and my toaster, the shallow well pump seems to be the biggest current draw. And when I shower it kicks on and off every 10 seconds to maintain pressure. I'm considering setting up four 400 watt solar panels and using a 3000 watt all-in-one inverter with a 48 volt 100 amp hour battery. Do you feel this would suffice for an off grid setup? My monthly electric used last month was only 165 kWh. Thanks. Subscribed.

[@cardinhamkilligrew9712]

so I have 3x 105 AH battery bank. for 315 AH - planning a 2000 watt renogy invertor with 1/0 cable and a 250 AMP fuse. SOund good? we will almost never use appliances over 1k watts. we wanted the extra just in case. does this sound OK? 12v AGMS

[@CatHound]

Sounds logical, my renogy 2000watt does great I'm in 3 100 ah lithiums

[@cleversolarpower]

I just published a guide on calculating wires and fuses. Even if your inverter can draw 2,000W, you need to size for a 2000W power draw.

[@Refertech101]

Small battery bank will have very short run times, AGM's are easy to kill very sensitive to charge voltages. The fuse is sized to protect the wire, not your devices, but with single aut you're fine with that fuse.

[@PhG1961]

Awesome video, very well explained. I wonder, could you also make a video to compare lithium batteries to the more recent sodium versions?

[@cleversolarpower]

Great idea, thank you for the suggestion.

[@onmyworkbench7000]

I had two 48 volt *_AQUION SALTWATER BATTERIES and the SUCKED!!!_*

[@PhG1961]

@@onmyworkbench7000 Can you share some more details? There is however a difference between sodium batteries and saltwater batteries.

[@onmyworkbench7000]

@@PhG1961 It was Aquion Energy and I had a pair of their 48 volt batteries then a few months after I bought them they filed for Chapter 1. It's my understanding that they have now emerged from Chapter 11 but I don't know any more than that. The Issue with the batteries was that they only had 2.2 kWhr capacity with a peak power 1 kW each. One of the ones that I had died so I replaced them with 4 48 volt EG4-LL Lithium Iron Phosphate batteries.

[@MaritimeHomesteader]

What was wrong with the Aquion batteries? Our supplier was selling them several years ago then the company went into receivership. A company from Germany bought them for 9million. Aquion had spent $150M or so on R&D. They were 50Ah at 48V so 2400Wh. Not a lot of capacity but that’s one battery. They’re very safe and have good cycle life. Can’t let them freeze though. Also tipping them over voids the warranty.

[@handymandev03]

When using inverters anything over 2000watts switch to 6volt batteries theu will last longer, i am using x4 6volt agm 224 amp hour each battery, giving me some impressive run time, downside they are expensive.

[@cleversolarpower]

I hope you wired them in series to make 24v.

[@handymandev03]

@cleversolarpower 👍

[@marklopez555]

Solar panels are not the answer.

[@jameswilsin5348]

One will run it But it depends on how long you want to run it

[@cleversolarpower]

It will always run, but not efficient and you will pay more for wires.

[@44Mag]

Great info for longer-term setups. For short term, I use a 12v 100AH battery connected to a 3000 watt inverter. My total amp draw is about 12 amps per hour if I opt to run everything I need at the same time. This carry's the load for about 6 hours. I have a second battery that I charge on a propane generator while the other one is carrying the load, then switch them out. It takes about 1.5 hours to charge the battery, and I get about 14 hours of run-time on the generator for a 20# tank, which means I could get about 48 hours of power to the things I need. (TV/Internet/fridge/freezer/window AC unit/ portable heater/etc as each is needed) - I normally do not run everything 100% of the time, for example the window AC unit draws about 800 watts/5 amps by itself, so I tend to only run that intermittently, and hunker down in just one room with it running about 20 minutes per hour on average. - Same for a space heater if it is cold, though it has an even higher current draw)

[@cleversolarpower]

Don't forget that a 3kw inverter will consume about 30-50w just idling. That's 720wh-1200wh daily. You can use a small but efficient victron inverter for small loads and turn off your 3kw inverter when you don't need it.

[@LotsaThingsNstuff]

How do I find how many amps I'm using? My system doesn't seem to have that capability...

[@44Mag]

@@LotsaThingsNstuff - There is normally a label on the items that posts the amp draw (or at least the watts, and you can then calculate the amps - but always account for the initial surge, which is normally higher (briefly) than the stated running watts or amp draw)

[@thetoolmat8632]

@@LotsaThingsNstuff A=W/V or Amps=Watts/Volts Ex: in a 12v system 1500 Watts / 12 Volts = 125amps

[@eric0u812]

Everything is based on usage. Your not going to run everything at the same time at least I hope your not going to . I use 12v backup lighting and run a 2000w inverter for fig and freezer. I use 6 lead deep cycle batteries 780ah each backed up with 800ah solar and one 200ah wind turbine. I can go for months without needing to charge with normal means . This is a backup only system not living off of it

[@marshallzink7282]

Sir i have solar panel that has 100watts and 12v 100ah battery with inverter of 600w-1200w But when i try to charge my laptop... battery finishes fast and inverter starts to make the annoying noise,what can i do to fix that problem?

[@1GREATDANE]

1600 Watts of Solar Panels and Dual Renogy 60 Amp Charger Controllers into 4 AGM RENOGY 200 amp an Hour 12 Volt Batteries Wired as 48 Volt enough to Power a RENOGY 3000 Watt Inverter ? Until I can Buy 4 More RENOGY 12 Volt 200 amp AGM Batteries for Separate Battery Banks later ?

[@cleversolarpower]

A 48V 200Ah AGM battery has a C-rate of 0.2. You could discharge at 40A (200Ah*0.2C). 3000W/48V=62.5A, so so if you add double the capacity you will be ok. Now it will work too, but your batteries will die sooner. I don't think Renogy has a 3000W 48V inverter though.

[@1GREATDANE]

​awe, Your Right I was wanting 2 banks of 24 Volt Battery Bank at 200 amp hours x 2 Batteries each Bank for the Dual Charge Controllers. RENOGY'S 3000 Watt Inverter is Just 12 Volt.

[@nathanburton2002]

Hello mate thanks for the great video you've gained a sub , this is my first time using solar. Im about to use a 12v inverter (3000w) with 2 12v 115ah lead acid batteries and a 30A solar controller. my concern is the amperage however do you think this can work ? Thankyou in advance

[@marcusoutdoors4999]

If you’re in the UK go to 12 volt planet for advice. Personally I wouldn’t use anything other than Victron gear. As for your proposed configuration, even if you rigged your batteries up to give 24 volts to reduce the current (volts x amps = watts), you’re at 125 AMPs, that is a huge current and therefore fire risk + it would destroy your batteries. As a side note, my 500 watt Victron is rated for 900 watts for short peak loads. I initially bought a cheap Chinese one which was dangerous rubbish. From his calcs, the theoretical max for your batteries would be in the 500 to 1000 watt range depending on how you set it up. The 30 watt solar controller sounds OK though. I have no association with Victron, but the other great feature is all their devices have blue tooth and a great app so you can monitor and control your set up through your phone. Hope this helps

[@kev4241]

hmm for 1500W inverter in a van thought 12V would be way cheaper than 24V so as to dominate total system cost consideration. 12V massive current causes all kinds of costs though

[@cleversolarpower]

The maximum a 12V 100Ah battery can output is 100A. 100A*12.8V=1280W, you you cannot get the 1500W of the inverter. If you have another battery in parallel ,no problem. So you need a 12V 200Ah, or 24V 200Ah battery.

[@CamioneroblW]

For you focus too much into the cost of materials. An investment is needed to install the equipment. A 48v system is not something recommended for DIY

[@cleversolarpower]

I see too many people using a 3000w inverter on a 12v battery. This is to help DIY people and show them how it should be done properly, even if that means buying more batteries.

[@deang5622]

I am not saying it is easy for everyone, ir should be easy for everyone ,but if you can't figure out an approach how to determine how many batteries you can connect up to an inverter, then I suggest you don't have sufficient electronics knowledge and you should stay well away from this subject and find someone else who does have sufficient knowledge and expertise. I was in an argument just the other day with a guy the other day that claimed he did his own solar panel and battery sizing and inatallation but didn't know the difference between kWh and kW. If you don't understand when to use which, then you can't do the calculations correctly. But alas he couldn't accept his level of knowledge was seriously deficient. To be safe, you need to understand your level of knowledge and don't attempt to do things on which your knowledge is deficient. Seek help from an expert.

[@deebee9010]

for a year, when Camping, I used a 3000w Inverter with my 120ah Battery to run my Dometic Fridge, an led Lamp & low power TV...😂 just clamped it on & everything ran like a clock.. ...have since changed to a 1500w Inverter...will be buying a bigger Battery soon, maybe 200+ah. Think I've damaged my 120ah Battery..? Still works beautifully...😂

[@cleversolarpower]

Unless you are drawing a 3,000W load it's not a problem for the battery. For your application it would have been a lot cheaper in wiring cost to have the smaller inverter from the start.

[@nodripsman]

Home off grid style back up. 4 100 amp 12v lifepo4 in Parallel, 3000 pure swine Renergy, 250 amp max peak , with 1 kw panels , for home backup, manual Generator switch, non grid ,

[@vanlifeofficial]

We have a 3000w inverter. Would 3 x 100Ah lithium batteries be okay to power this?

[@bertmohsolar]

How easy is it to find a 20A Charge controller with a maximum PV input voltage that is high enough to accomplish 800W of solar array?

[@cleversolarpower]

It depends on the voltage of the panels and the max input voltage of the controller. Check my video about sizing a charge controller.

[@Chrismarquez7]

I recently installed a 12v battery 100ah tied w a 12v lead acid 50Ah in parallel. I have two 200 W panels on the roof for 400W total. Using a BougeRV controller rated 600 watts max solar and 40 amps. The only thing I’ll be running on that is the new Starlink Gen 3 satellite, which pulls approximately 85 to 100W. Along with that, a mini movie projector that pulls 80W. I should be good, right?

[@cleversolarpower]

To keep the lead-acid battery happy you should not discharge lower than 50%. Since it's in parallel with a lithium battery, this will become the same. So you can only draw 50% of the lithium battery as well. You can draw 25Ah+50Ah=75Ah from your two batteries. If you only had the lithium battery, you can draw 100Ah. total energy for the lithium battery is 1280Wh. 100W starlink*24h=2400Wh. -> Your battery is not big enough to support the load for one day.

[@andrewpaul4446]

I like this video

[@stephenhickman9502]

Well, im confused. I have 600 watts of panels connected in parallel to a bus bar combiner. Each panel is fused at 10 amps. I have 5 100ah lithium iron phosphate batteries connected to a bus bar as well. Each battery is connected with a 100 amp in-line circuit breaker. I have a PowMr Pro 60 charge controller in this system. All of this feeds my 3500 watt pure sine inverter. My loads are never more than 2000 watts. It seems to run well. My system is 12 volt. How would you improve on this? Based on this video it seems im making mistakes.

[@cleversolarpower]

You have a 12V 500Ah battery. You can charge/discharge at 1C. That means you can charge discharge at 500A. Your inverter consumes a maximum of 3500W/12V=291A. So on the C-rate side you are ok. However, with 600W of solar panels, you need a 50A charge controller. If you had a 48V system, which I recommend, then you would only need a 600W/48V=15A charge controller. You probably spent a lot of money on wires too. Increasing the battery voltage to 48V could have saved you money on wires and the charge controller. However, you system will work just fine, but it's not ideal.

[@jasonbroom7147]

@@cleversolarpower - Your understanding of the battery side of things is solid, but the conclusions you're reaching on the charge controller side are VERY misleading, because you're forgetting that the power coming in is spread out over a much longer time period. Also, the main consideration for charge controllers is the VOC (voltage, open circuit) not the amperage. Panels push volts, but the controller pulls the amps. This is why you can safely "over-panel" in many situations. You need to stop presuming that the battery is getting charged at the maximum amperage possible from a given solar array and develop a better understanding of how that side of the process works.3

[@alflores4220]

So, with a 600-watt set of panels, does he need a combiner? I thought a 60-amp MPPT controller was all that is needed?@@jasonbroom7147

[@kevinward7498]

The MakeSkyBlue charge controller is the original version and it's higher quality supposedly with much better performance. That's my favorite cheap mppt charge controller. I'm running three of them now but only been using them for around 3 years, haven't had a problem. I run a 6000 BTU air conditioner hard in the summer from one of these 60 amp controllers.

[@stephenhickman9502]

@kevinward7498 thank you for that heads up, brother. I'm fairly new to this stuff. I'm a journeyman electrician with 20 plus years under my belt. But I've never attempted this solar stuff until recently. I get OHMs LAW, I get circuit logic. It all seems pretty straightforward to me, and then I look at KZbin and feel stupid. 😆 I will figure this stuff out. With help from y'all anyway. Stay blessed.

[@jaybradley3765]

Im a bit confused i have a 2500watt mig welder max 90amp. Thinking about fitting a 3000watt inverter in my garage what battery would i need to run the above thanks.

[@JR24-w3p]

What's the absolute top surge amperage when you create your spark, that could b well above 3k. Then you need to decide whether you want 48/24/12V batteries. Then you need to decide what chemistry you will use, lifepo4, lead acid, gel etc. Then you need to figure out your usage over time in order to size your array. There are many steps to take on your journey.

[@CasaMaryParadise]

I always use my generator for welding. I'm running a 24v/3000w system. Welding impossible.

[@skrickerum]

👍🏻

[@fellpower]

This is wrong, u NEVER pick a fuse because of the current - u pick it because of the rated current of the WIRE. Its a safety for the WIRE, not for the unit... And the money u "save", if u buy 48V units, u need more money for a 48V battery. so its the same money ^^

[@cleversolarpower]

I always fuse based on the wire ratings. Check my video about sizing wires and fuses. Some people have 4 12V batteries in parallel. You can make a 48V system out of it.

[@williamadkinsbanishedtothe5057]

I am currently using a 2000-Watt inverter with a 12-volt battery but plan to add another battery shortly.

[@cleversolarpower]

You should 😀

[@williamadkinsbanishedtothe5057]

Thank you for the response. After all is said and done I will be building to a 48 volt system but that is further down the road.@@cleversolarpower

[@uupyerkilt]

Solar panel disconnect switch before solar charge controller or after?

[@CarlAyers-x8h]

Good question. But I usually use money for an inverter and not barter in batteries for an inverter.. But whatever works for you, money or trade.

[@OYMInternetRadio]

What about the 50% discharge rate for a lead acid battery? You can only use 50% of the capacity so if you have a 300Ah 12v battery = 3600Watts, you can only use half the watts as it's lead acid. This is what I've heard.

[@cleversolarpower]

You have 3600-watt hours, not watts. Watt-hour is about the energy over time. So 3000W for one hour is 3000Wh. Indeed, you should only use half of a lead-acid battery's capacity. So for a 300Ah 12V lead-acid battery that has a total capacity of: 300Ah*12V=3600Wh you should only use 1800Wh.

[@WunkimbiKaus]

I thank you for your explanation I understood you very well

[@alaingoyette7103]

the free diagrams form doesn't work. Tried with 2 different email accounts!🤔

[@cleversolarpower]

I experienced difficulties with the signup form. You can try again now.

[@alaingoyette7103]

@@cleversolarpowerJust tried and nop, still doesn't work.

[@RioTintoGoAwayFromDrinaRiver]

Ne verujem da struja olovnog akumulatora ne sme preći 20A za dugotrajan rad. Pa u automobilima imamo potrošače koji su mnogo veći potrošači, pa nema nikakvih problema.

[@walkertongdee]

4- 12v. batteries wired in series.

[@TheAncientMarinersBlog]

this is incorrect a 400Ah 12v LiFePO4 battery with an internal 250A BMS will comfortably drive a 3000w 12v inverter. Equally, a 30A 12v charger will quite happily charge a 400Ah 12v LiFePO4 battery - it just takes longer to do so (a full day for solar, or overnight for 240v mains) I use a Victron Phoenix 3000w inverter; Victron are a top-rank supplier of solar/charger/inverter/battery equipment. If it was not viable to operate a 3000w inverter at 12v, why would they produce one? In many contexts - in a marine environment, for instance - most standard equipment is only available in 12v configuration (including high-current devices such as anchor windlasses). Trying to operate hybrid 12/48v systems is impractical, inefficient and potentially dangerous

[@cleversolarpower]

Two distinctions are made here. Lead acid and lithium. Both have different C rates.

[@RPBCACUEAIIBH]

That is not how it works! - Voltage needs to be appropriate for your inverter! Check what voltage it is rated for. (eg. My father has a 3000W inverter rated for 12V. If I put a 48V battery on it as you suggested, it simply can't handle that!) - Yes I still need at least 3-4 batteries IN PARALLEL(!) to avoid damaging them if I run the inverter at or near max load continuously but that's still only 12V, and it's well over 100A, so I need thick cables to avoid fire hazard! (I simply can not connect the batteries in series for 48V to keep Amps under 100A, cause my inverter isn't rated for that!) - There are plenty of reasons why you would not want a 48V system over a 12V system. (eg. 1. My father uses whatever old/used batteries he finds cheap, which makes it dangerous to connect it in series for 24V or 48V systems, cause we don't know the battery's condition. One may be better, the other weak. 2. We already have several 18V solar panels to charge the batteries, and 12V car charger in case there is no sun, which we would have to replace if we went for 48V system. 3. We can run the inverter with a small load on just 1 battery any time if he needs mains power at remote location. etc.) - Current varies according to the load * efficency + inverter's quiescent consumption. I measured a 27W quiescent consumption, with no load on it. Let's say the inverter is 85% efficiency. (300W / 85%) * 100% = 353W (rounded) (353W + 27W) / 12V = 31.67A Therefore I can easily run my father's 3KW inverter with 300W load from just a single 12V battery, and not worry about killing the battery. So it's a far more complicated topic then your video suggests.

[@cleversolarpower]

You can use a 3000W inverter on a 12V battery, it's just not correctly sized. I recommend increasing the voltage of your system if your inverter gets larger. Not required, just a recommendation. Wires, charge controllers,... Will be cheaper.

[@Photo-ops_OnPeninsula]

Ok let me see if I've understood... I have an Enerdrive 40Amp DC/DC Charger & Solar Controller. I have 2 X 12V 120Ah lead acid AGM batteries (so far). I intend on using 2 X Solar panels. 1 X 400W on roof of Caravan + 1 X 200W portable panel on 8m heavy duty wire. 600W Solar/12V = 50Amp (max production) 70Amp fuse 120Ah X 0.2C = 24A current per battery 1000W Inverter/24V battery = 41.6Amp Controller (40Amp Enerdrive) 41.6Amp X 125% Safety = 52Amp Fuse (60Amp fuse) 41.6Amp max draw/24Amp max current = 2 batteries So... I need a 24Volt 240Ah battery to power a 1000W Inverter on a 40Amp controller.... This is 4 X 12v 120Ah lead acid batteries in series.... Am I right? If I only have 2 X 120Ah lead acid batteries I should halve the inverter to 500W....is this correct?

[@cleversolarpower]

You need a 50A charge controller fuse, not 60A. You need 4 batteries in a 2S2P configuration.

[@ihmesekoilua]

fortunately, most #vanlife vans use a 3000w chinesium inverter that won't ever output more than like 1000w

[@karinabourne3465]

I have a question about inverters and batteries. I’m renovating my caravan with 240v wires throughout. I only plan to run a fridge, convection oven, lights and a tv and dvd player. The fridge will be the only one running non stop (while travelling around). The fridge is 240v 50Hz 0.73A 106W. How do I work out what size inverter and battery do I need?

[@cleversolarpower]

I advice against a convection over. It draws a lot of power. For the fridge, multiply the power consumption by 8 hours, which is a 30% duty cycle. 106W*8h=850Wh I made a video about system design, look it up on my channel page.

[@EduardoRaquel-b9e]

Akit di ipakita yung mga dapat ikabit puro mga numero yan dinman acurate yan mas ok kung yung mga tools yung ilalagay di ouro kwenta ng power sa totoo lang napakarami di nakakintindi nyan maski mga nagtratrabaho sa electrinics onekectrician more on actual yung mas naiintindihan di yung mga kwento

[@ImASurvivorNThriver]

Great information! Thanks for sharing.

[@saeedabdulwahid3830]

I just bought a new 3000va ups, it provides a voltage 163 to 190 volt , is that normal ? What ampere should a 3000va ups deliver?

[@cleversolarpower]

Doesn't seem like thats normal.

[@alexl2174]

I'm trying to figure out the optimal set up for my Freightliner Cascadia transport truck that runs an electric APU with an inverter inside the bunk to power electronics. The inverter is 2000w but I'm not sure if it could handle a 5000w inverter What is the best way to contact you?

[@cleversolarpower]

Most of the times it will work, but that does not mean it's correctly sized. As you can repeat the calculations in this video for your own use case. You can send en email to me through my website cleversolarpower.com

[@havenvandronten9652]

what is the C-Rate of a Varta C40 EFB 240Ah Battery, you can't find it anywhere? ps Good channel and good Info, Thanks.

[@cleversolarpower]

It's not suited for solar applications. It's made to start a truck.

[@dustyarcher]

Great info, thanks for sharing buddy!

[@Derek_S]

I installed a 3KW pure sine wave inverter together with six 110 AH 12 volt leisure batteries wired in parallel on our boat six years ago. I didn't do any calculations. It was just my gut feeling of what was needed. We have a 230V fridge, a 230V 26" LCD TV, a 230V microwave, a 2KW 230V Electric kettle, a 17 inch Laptop PC run with a 230V charger and can go away from the mooring for a week at a time and run those things with no issue. We do have a diesel powered, 12 KVA generator installed too but rarely use it.

[@cleversolarpower]

Yes, it will work.

[@afzaalkhan.m]

Batteries:Why not in series?

[@Derek_S]

@@afzaalkhan.m My inverter requires a 12v supply. Running six 12v batteries in series would produce an output of 72V. If you look at the diagram at 5.29 in the video above, you can see three lines of batteries. The horizontal lines are in series giving 48v and then the three lines are connected in parallel vertically to give 300 Ah.

[@deepredstate4414]

that would be 72v @110AH per 20hrsseries instead of 12v @ 660AH per 20 hrs. parallel. He could have also tried 36v@220AH per 20hr load with three sets of 12v batteries in series / parallel.@@afzaalkhan.m

[@oymediascotland2853]

Has anyone any idea about Omron omron sysdrive 3g3fv 7.5kw inverter, please? I have one and unsure if this could be connected to solar panels system

[@adamsisernik4556]

Which 3000w output inverter to buy so that I can connect it to a 12kWh 48V 230ah LifePo4 battery ( I charge it with panels via Victron 150/35), and I will be able to charge household appliances with it, such as a washing machine, dishwasher, oven, ...

[@cleversolarpower]

I recommend taking a look at the victron multiplus. I think you need the 5kW version or even the 8kW version to power your loads.

[@gd2329j]

Just a heads up for the new guys . ** NEVER PARALLEL THE INVERTER OUTPUTS **

[@cleversolarpower]

* if it's a off grid inverter. Sounds like you have experience with it 😉

[@twentysevenlitres]

You get the same reduction in individual current draw if you connect the batteries in parallel. Typical 12V LiFePO4 battery is rated to 100amps continuous (as per your examples). a 3000W inverter running at 90% efficiency or better (typical) requires around 3300W of input. 3300W at 12V = 275Amps required (Watts = Amps x Volts). 12V 100Amp battery: 275Amps/100Amps = 2.75 - rounded up you will need at least 3 batteries. Therefore: Running 3 x 12V batteries in Parallel gives 12V 300amps continuous (with a power capacity of 3600W (12x300)). Provided batteries are of the same type (they should be), the current draw on each battery should be evenly distributed. at 3300 Watts or 275Amps, each battery will use around 92 amps. So, 3000W at 12V only requires 3 batteries (in Parallel). To achieve 3000W at 48 Volts requires a minimum of 4 batteries (in Series). It's all about sizing your system correctly. Trying to run a loaded 3000W inverter on a single 12V battery delivering 100Amps continuous, of course you're going to kill it prematurely. The key advantage to running in Series (to 24 or 48 Volts) is it keeps the overall Amps of the whole system lower, meaning you can use thinner wires and have lower resistance/less voltage drop (not a concern at distances of less than 6m). 48 Volt systems are typically used for homes with 5KW -12kW inverters (104Amps there @5kW without losses on only 4 batteries...) 12 Volt (and 24 Volt) systems are typically used for Caravans, Boats and RV's.

[@travisd7888]

I recently got a Jupiter 3000w power inverter, Super Start Marine Deep Cycle battery, Viking 4amp battery charger/maintainer; all recommended to compliment each other. Is this a good setup?

[@cleversolarpower]

Compliment? That's a bit of an overstatement. I would say compatible 😬

[@JohnJames-xj7df]

I think it will be more correct to say load of 1000W instead of 1000W inverter. Usually you never use the inverter at 100% of the rating

[@cleversolarpower]

Usually not, but when you do it's the same consumption as the inverter anyway.

[@dwmcever]

4. Minimum.

[@78BanditTA]

So a 400watt solar panel would either require a 40amp charge controller?

[@cleversolarpower]

400W/13.6V= 29.4A*1.2=35A