Solar Charge with HPP and 2x 8mm question

mlaney54

Over the past year I have been charging the Yeti 3000x with two 320w panels on the roof, using a combiner cable and life has been perfect, maxed out at 550w of input on a great day of sun. I wanted to max out the Yeti and Installed two 225w panels each running the Yeti with an 8mm 30 ft extension. I figured after power loss due to their used age and extension cable and lack of sun I would at best get 150W out of each panel. I have tested them individually and have gotten about 225 between the two at the same time, so they seem to work. Weird thing is when i put in the HPP port to get the highest input, seems the input from the HPP only and the two 8mm disappear. Also when the two 8mm are both plugged in, wattage went up to 225 then yeti made sounds and drops, then runs up over 200 then drops back. Almost like the addition of the 8mm are messing something up.

Strange sound with only 2x8mm inputs - https://photos.app.goo.gl/1YjgULS8NrKbYQeN8

GOAL ZERO ADMIN

Hi @mlaney54,

You are not able to use the 8mm ports when using the HPP. The HPP will always take priority and shut off the two 8mm ports on the unit.

If you have two power sources connected to each 8mm port, the port on the front of the unit (above the HPP) will take priority over the one under the lid. Sometimes this does cause a fluctuation like this due to it trying to decide which port to use.

As for the noise, sometimes the MOSFETs involved in the PCBs turn on and off rapidly to help regulate current and can sometimes make audible frequencies. It may also happen on when the inverter is powering an inductive cooktop or starting up a motor. This is safe and does not indicate a problem.

mlaney54

@GOAL ZERO ADMIN

Thanks for the reply.

My frustration is with the marketing of your product and how the specs are laid out on the website. Your product is expensive for what it does, I knew that going in but I went the goal zero route for simplicity, meaning everything works as expected, no real troubleshooting needed. Your website claims the following below. So you are advertising with 1200W of solar you could recharge yeti 3000x in 6 hours, pretty cool. To get anywhere close to 1200 watts, a logical person would assume you would have to use the 600w HPP and 2x150W 8mm inputs at the same time. This only gets you to 900W but if you put 1200W of panels, with loses, cables, sun angles and clouds and such, maybe you could get 900W input to charge. While that is still not 1200W as advertised, it closer than the 550-600W i can get maxed out not. Turns out this is not remotely close to an option with 600W being the max you can use at one time in the HPP, so why even have this on the website.

RECHARGE CHARGE TIMES (0-100%)

• AC Wall Chargers (600W Input Max)
• 230W Power Supply: 14 hours
• 600W Power Supply (Add-on Purchase): 6 hours
• Solar Charging (600W Actual Input Max)
• *NOTE: Solar Panel Rated Watts are only what the Panel is rated to produce in perfect temperature/orientation/angle/full sun conditions with no losses due to cables, etc. 
• 100W Rated Panels (Boulder 100 BC/Nomad 100): 36-72 Hours of sunlight
• 200W Rated Panels (Boulder 200 BC/Nomad 200): 18-36 Hours of sunlight
• 400W Rated Panels (2x Boulder BC/Nomad 200): 9-18 Hours of sunlight
• 600W Rated Panels (2x Ranger 300/ 3x Boulder/Nomad 200): 6-12 Hours of sunlight
• 800W* Rated Panels (4x Nomad 200/etc.): 6-9 Hours of sunlight
• 1200W* Rated Panels (4x Ranger 300/etc.): 6 Hours of sunlight

Also, under the ports section in the specs, it states: 1x HPP at 600W and 2x 8mm at 150W max each. Nowhere does it state, if you decide to use the HPP the others are inactive. Again, that should be stated and the statement above about 800W and 1200W should be removed and 600W should have a bigger asterisk. I bought my solar and installed it with these specs in mind. I 4x total panels where two panels are basically a waste of holes drilled into my roof. I have your transfer switch installed and the 3000x, car chargers and HPP and 8mm extensions, lets just say I am invested in your product. The goal was the cover 2-3 day power outages for my refrigerators and internet, needless to say, it is not working as expected with the limited 600W input.

Ports

• INPUT
• 1x High Power Charging port (AC or Solar): 600W Max (14-50V, up to 50A)
• 2x 8mm charging port (AC or Solar): 150W Max (14-50V, up to 10A); Front face & under lid

I do believe this is false advertising and would appreciate more feedback other than yea, it doesn't do what we say it will do.

Michael Laney

cturner50

I have a related but different question @. I have a 6000x and would like to max out the 600W max @ 34V. So, given that you only reliably get on average half the spec'd wattage on average, but sometimes closer to max (i.e. June in California, my current time/place) the question is this: is it OK to overspec the input @34V? Will GoalZero safely cap it's intake at 600W even if the HPP lead has 1k-2k watts? It sounds like the answer is "yes" given you are advertising a charge time above for 1200W on a 600W max? My hazy college EE class memories tell me that the amperage is the draw vs. the push, and AxV=W which I suppose would make this the case?