Hi, I read a lot of other topics in this area about charging the Leaf with solar, but I felt all the replies and or posts sort of missed the angle I would like more information on.
Not that it's important to questions, my situation/needs:
I am off-grid now with just under 2KW solar in the far north east... My usage would be 25 miles every 2 days with occasional round trips to 50miles.
Being budget oriented(I use $200 1000W PSW/3000W-MSW inverters and plenty of 12VDC) off-grid in an area with lousy sun I am keenly aware of efficiencies and losses and have done real world tests that contradict popular opinion and even device specifications with converters/inverters/controllers. 84-95% efficient inverters I find have a 30% loss usually unless the power draw is in a very narrow range(rarely at).
Several of the Leaf's I'm looking at have a level3 440VDC charging port. Does the Leaf itself have a controller to handle the level 3(440vDC) charging? I presume it does, as the communication/complexity needed for the other way around would be unlikely...
If a Leaf has a built-in controller is there a way to safely(from an electronics in the leaf standpoint) connect an array of solar panels directly to the 440VDC charging of the leaf? ie: Is there a wide working voltage range on the fast charge port?
What I'm thinking might be a nice way to go is install a new array for the leaf(sure I can divert power besides that but for purpose of Leaf capabilities)...
Say for example I use 225W 30.36V Vmp 36.43Voc ; 7.41AImp solar panels:
14 in series(and quite possibly 2+ of those in parallel to drive up amperage)
for 425V under load; and 512Voc. Is the leaf charge controller smart enough to take a wider range of input DC voltage and handle/test higher voltage open circuit voltage? ie: Some controllers may test voltage and see > 500V and shut itself down for safety(over voltage); What the 'overvoltage level is in the Leaf could allow direct panel connections.
I don't want expensive/proprietary/wasteful equipment between the leaf's charge controller and solar panels. Just a dumb old ~400-500VDC solar plug waiting for a device to accept power.
Any details/thoughts from those with a better idea of the Leafs internals?
Example of why I don't want inverter charging...
Panels -> MPPT (5-10% loss) -> Inverter(25% Loss) -> Leafs Charge(Likely 25% Loss)
Then more trouble still in such a system for having house/inverter batteries connected and needing something in place to not attempt to charge leaf until house batteries are fully charged and stop when panels no-longer produce enough to maintain(Don't want to drain house batteries to charge car).
Each 1KWh solar out would turn into ~0.52KWh in the Leaf battery... Pretty lousy.
Not that it's important to questions, my situation/needs:
I am off-grid now with just under 2KW solar in the far north east... My usage would be 25 miles every 2 days with occasional round trips to 50miles.
Being budget oriented(I use $200 1000W PSW/3000W-MSW inverters and plenty of 12VDC) off-grid in an area with lousy sun I am keenly aware of efficiencies and losses and have done real world tests that contradict popular opinion and even device specifications with converters/inverters/controllers. 84-95% efficient inverters I find have a 30% loss usually unless the power draw is in a very narrow range(rarely at).
Several of the Leaf's I'm looking at have a level3 440VDC charging port. Does the Leaf itself have a controller to handle the level 3(440vDC) charging? I presume it does, as the communication/complexity needed for the other way around would be unlikely...
If a Leaf has a built-in controller is there a way to safely(from an electronics in the leaf standpoint) connect an array of solar panels directly to the 440VDC charging of the leaf? ie: Is there a wide working voltage range on the fast charge port?
What I'm thinking might be a nice way to go is install a new array for the leaf(sure I can divert power besides that but for purpose of Leaf capabilities)...
Say for example I use 225W 30.36V Vmp 36.43Voc ; 7.41AImp solar panels:
14 in series(and quite possibly 2+ of those in parallel to drive up amperage)
for 425V under load; and 512Voc. Is the leaf charge controller smart enough to take a wider range of input DC voltage and handle/test higher voltage open circuit voltage? ie: Some controllers may test voltage and see > 500V and shut itself down for safety(over voltage); What the 'overvoltage level is in the Leaf could allow direct panel connections.
I don't want expensive/proprietary/wasteful equipment between the leaf's charge controller and solar panels. Just a dumb old ~400-500VDC solar plug waiting for a device to accept power.
Any details/thoughts from those with a better idea of the Leafs internals?
Example of why I don't want inverter charging...
Panels -> MPPT (5-10% loss) -> Inverter(25% Loss) -> Leafs Charge(Likely 25% Loss)
Then more trouble still in such a system for having house/inverter batteries connected and needing something in place to not attempt to charge leaf until house batteries are fully charged and stop when panels no-longer produce enough to maintain(Don't want to drain house batteries to charge car).
Each 1KWh solar out would turn into ~0.52KWh in the Leaf battery... Pretty lousy.