How To Use Compatible Solar Panels With ExpertPower Alpha 1500, 1800, and 2400
ExpertPower is a company that sells a lot of batteries, and have recently started selling portable power stations, also known as solar generators. These portable batteries are used by people that don’t have access to the power grid.
They’re excellent for camping, boondocking, emergencies, power outages, and even used as by some as a UPS (Uninterrupted Power Supply) since some power stations support pass-through charging.
Related Post: This Solar Panel Charges Both 12V RV Batteries And Power Stations
In this post, we’re going to take a look at how you can connect solar panels to the ExpertPower Alpha 1500, 1800, and 2400 power stations. ExpertPower uses very powerful MPPT charge controllers in these power stations, so they can handle a lot of solar power and quickly charge the lithium batteries.
Let’s start by listing my solar panel recommendations, then we’ll talk about the limitations of the ExpertPower batteries, how to connect any panel, and how many you can connect at once.
Solar Panel Recommendations
Note: Scroll left/right on small screens to view all products in the table.
The solar panels that don’t have a green checkmark next to “Requires MC4 Adapter” can be plugged into the ExpertPower Alpha power stations without the use of any additional adapters. These panels come with different DC connectors, including the 8mm which you need for the ExpertPower Alphas.
If you choose a panel with MC4 connectors, you’re going to use the MC4 adapter included with the power station.
If you have lost the MC4 adapter, here is a similar adapter (click to view on Amazon).
ExpertPower Alpha 1500, 1800, 2400 Specifications, Limits, And Ports
The ExpertPower Alpha power stations are very similar to one another, but I wanted to do a quick comparison so I made this table to give you a quick overview of how they differ.
Note: Scroll left/right on small screens to view all products in the table.
How To Connect Solar Panels To The ExpertPower Alpha
Before you connect any solar panels, read the product manual, and make sure that the specifications above are correct. They’re what ExpertPower advertises, but the actual specifications might be different, so read the manual to be sure. I am not responsible for any damage.
You also need to make sure that the wires and connectors used can handle the amperages that your panels are going to output.
The Charge Controller
What’s impressive about these power stations is the MPPT charge controller that can handle a voltage range between 16-60V. That means that we’re not limited to wiring solar panels in parallel (like in most cases).
It also means that you can connect two panels together without the use of an MC4 Y branch.
Connect panels in series
Connecting two solar panels in series will double the voltage, but not the amperage, and with a 16-60V/10A limit, a series connection is more appropriate and useful.
I recommend going by the VOC rating when calculating how many solar panels you can connect. So for example, the Renogy 100W panel that has a 21.6V rating, connecting two panels would equal 43.2V.
To connect two panels in series, you take the positive MC4 wire from one panel and connect it to the negative MC4 wire on the second panel. Then you’re going to have a positive MC4 wire left from the second panel, and negative MC4 wire from the first panel. These will now be connected to the MC4 adapter included by ExpertPower.
When that’s done, you’re ready to connect the adapter to the Alpha power station.
Connect panels in series-parallel
To add additional panels, what you can do is add another pair of 100W panels wired in series, but in parallel. This way you’ll create a series-parallel setup and increase the input amperage as well as the voltage.
To do a series-parallel connection, set up the four panels in two pairs, in series as I explained above. When you have two pairs of solar panels connected in series, you’ll use a Signstek MC4 Y Branch (click to view on Amazon) to connect the two series pair in parallel.
Connect panels in parallel
Another way to go is to only connect panels in parallel, this will double the amperage but keep the voltage the same. It’s done with a Signstek MC4 Y Branch (click to view on Amazon).
Take the positive MC4 wire from both panels and connect them to the adapter that has two MC4 female connectors. Then do the same with the negative MC4 wires from the panel. Finally, connect the two MC4 Y Branch adapters to the adapter included by ExpertPower and connect it to the Alpha power station.
Extension Cables
It’s very likely that you’re going to need extension cables to make the connections work no matter how you connect the panels. Here you need to make sure that the wire is thick enough to handle the total amperage of your solar panels.
I recommend these MC4 extension cables by WindyNation (click to view on Amazon). They come in different lengths and gauges. Use as low of a gauge as possible to limit power loss.
You can also use an 8mm extension cable like this by Graybull between the ExpertPower MC4 adapter and solar generator.
Frequently Asked Questions
How Long Will It Take To Charge The Batteries?
That depends on which model you have and how many solar panels you have connected.
Here is estimates on how long it would take to charge each model with two 100W solar panels generating 140W:
Alpha 1500 – 11 hours
Alpha 1800 – 13 hours
Alpha 2400 – 18 hours
As you can see, it takes a while when only using two 100W panels. Therefore, I recommend doing a series-parallel connection with four panels, which will double the charging speed and split the hours above in half.
What Is The Difference Between The Different ExpertPower Alpha Power Stations?
The biggest difference is the battery size, the watt-hours. This is how many watt-hours the battery holds and decides how long you’ll be able to power your devices.
To give you an example, here is how long each power station would power a 100W device. These are estimates and do not count in inverter efficiencies.
Alpha 1500 – 15 hours
Alpha 1800 – 18 hours
Alpha 2400 – 24 hours
You should expect an 80-90% inverter efficiency, so multiplying the numbers above with 0.8 (80%) will give you a more accurate estimate.
Please leave a comment down below if you have any questions or have experience with these power stations and believe there is something that needs to be corrected.