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This for the guys that are in the know about Solar SYSTEMS.

i have a Magnum Energy System and the magnum 100 Solar Panel charge Controller.

It works on 12V , 24V and 48 V input from the panels.

I may have made a mistake.
I just purchased a bunch of 320W 32V Optimal operating voltage panels.

I currently have 12V panels run in series to make them 48V.

I will not mix the panels

Does anyone know if the 32V panels will be compatible with my 12v , 24V, 48V Magnum System Charging lithium batteries?

I need some advice to keep the order or to Cancel it before they ship it.

Can’t see how it would work.

Lithium Batteries are strange things
They charge different than lead acid and gel batteries.

I may just cancel the order?

I tried getting into the AltE forum but they will not let me log in.

It looks like from this manual:

https://www.magnum-dimensions.com/pt-100-mppt-charge-controller

You can jam a whole lot of volts into the controller and it will do what your battery needs, but that manual is not too very clear to me. It has a calc to determine how many panels you can connect in series and not fry the charge controller.

Does controller support a lithium setting? Need to charge at about 14.6V.

Actually after reading the specs of the charge controller, you should be ok as it can handle a large range of input voltage - not just 12,24,48 as you stated in your original post.

In fact you might even want to run those 32V panels in series/parallel (like 128VDC) and then run them in series with your existing 48V setup.


What voltage is your current battery bank?

I have (8) 12V 200amp batteries
(2) series of (4) making (2) Banks of 48V
I also have the 48V Magnum inverter

I’m not sure how many 32V panels you bought or how many watts your existing panels provide, but do the calculation to make sure you don’t exceed the maximum wattage your CC can handle (approx 5000 Watts per your specs at 50VDC output into your 48V battery bank).

The other issue you may run into is wire size required when running a lot of panels. This is where increasing the voltage helps by running them in series - but you could have an issue.

Also with a battery bank that large, you can put a lot of amps into it, so if your existing controller can’t handle it or your wiring is undersized, you could just get another charge controller. One for the existing panels at 48V and one for the 32V panels (whatever voltage you decide to run those at).

AltE was great in helping me set up my system and it took them almost 2 hours to program the thing with me on the phone.

They were Great and have helped me several times.

They told me that I can put (2) 30 amp Inverters on these batteries with no problem and maybe even a 3rd.

So 60amps of 220 v and (2) poles of 110V for sure and a Possible 90 amps

they also told me that I can add several panel charge controllers to the System. I can not remember how many maybe (6) in total.

That's a lota power.

they advertised 320 Watt 32V panels for $19 a panel so I jumped on it.

I ordered 20 then because of my insecurity's I canceled the order.

If they are still available tomorrow I will Reorder them.

The 20 panels will be more than the single Charge Controller can handle but i have several other Chargers and Inverters so I can use what I get in other set ups.

Thanks for all of your help.
I was looking all over for the specs for my system and could not find it and you did for me.
Thanks again.

320 watt panels for $19 sure sounds like a scam to me.

$19 a panel??? The best I’ve seen on 275w USED has been $75 each, from SanTan. Even at that, it was nearly $60 each to ship them. Those (320w) should be $300 or more a piece, new. $19????

Beware : Per page 53 of the owners manual, there is no setting for battery type "lithium". Either LiFePo4 or Lithium ion.

The AGM2 settings should work on some lithium batteries, you'd have to check on a case by case basis.

I had to Laugh a bit when AltE was helping me set the computer up .

When I told the Tech. Lithium Batteries he told me to scroll over to (Other).
I asked him why Magnum did not have a Lithium setting because lithium has been around for a while and he could not tell me why.


As for the $19 per panel.

Commyfornia is now pushing residence into installing Solar Panels on their home quite hard.
I have been contacted by 6 or more Contractors and have received several letters from the State and our power company Edison.

There my be some kind of Tax funded program going on right now.
The shipping will cost them more than $19.

I just reordered my 20 panel max per order and I will see what happens at $411 shipped maybe it will be worth the risk.

They even advertised it on FakeBooks this morning when I got on the Computer.

At this price I will be able to set up one set of Panels here in Commyfornia and another set on my property in Arizona.
I have been disassembling my (24) 100Watt panels and transporting them back and forth between property's.
I built the Battery/ Inverter box to be portable and it is pretty much a plug and play system so until I move up there permanently I will be transporting the Box back and forth just like a portable generator.

I will see if this gamble pays off for me.

At $19 each (if true), you ought to buy 100, and sell the other 80 on Facebook for $150 each. Congrats if you get em that cheap!

They limit you to 20 panels
That is still 6400 Watts I will more than likely never use that much up in Arizona.

We run our Wide Screen TV and in the Summer time a 220V Window A/C unit here in Commyfornia.

My girl loved it last year when I told her to keep the house as cool as she wanted because I had already Prepaid for the power with the panels.

With more panels I can hook more of the house up to the Solar and Edison can go screw them selves with their $.60 a kilowatt during what they call peak hours.5pm--9pm.