Solar Power

Hi Everyone, I’m planning to upgrade my current solar system and would appreciate your insights. My existing setup is: Inverter: Sunsynk 5kW Battery: Sunsynk 5.32kWh Panels: 7 x 460W (3.22kWp total) I’ve come across a deal from Utilitypal for the SolarMD 16kWh (SS4160) lithium battery at R45,999 incl. VAT (https://www.utilitypal.co.za/product-page/solar-md-lithium-battery-ss4160-16kwh). I’m considering selling my current Sunsynk battery and adding a second Sunsynk 5kW inverter. The proposed new system would be: Inverters: 2 x Sunsynk 5kW (in parallel) Battery: SolarMD SS4160 – 16kWh Panels: 7 x 460W (3.22kWp) Questions: Can I successfully parallel two Sunsynk 5kW inverter…

Good afternoon, I have a question for all you fundi's. I have 8 x 545W Solar Panels connected in 4P2S (4 Parallel with 2 in series). The panels sit on my roof and are at a slight disadvantage of only sitting at about 21 degrees but are north facing. My question though is, even at midday sun with no shading effect I only seem to be generating 2300 to 2400 watts. Why do the panels just not seem to be producing? Am I being unrealistic to think I would get closer to 3200/3500 watts or even 4000 watts? Therotically, the panels could product up to 4360 watts if in perfect conditions. Or is the angle really not playing nicely? Btw, connected to a Mecer SOL-I-AX-5P. Thanks in …

Hi Guys I plan on installing about 30 x 545w panels on a flat roof (Slab). The panel frame is to be mounted to concrete ballasts. Do I need to mount/fix the ballast to the roof slab or can they be freestanding? Also do I need to waterproof the concrete ballast? (I don't think it needs to but my builder says I should waterproof it)

I am hoping to find a solution to the issue I have on hand. I have two strings of 8 panels, 550 Watt Longi. The string positioned to take best advantage of the early morning sun is being hampered by shading due to the string being split in two on top of a carport. The back string is shaded by the front from sunrise now in winter till around 11am. I need to raise the back 4 panels in a safe and secure manner to overcome the reduction in solar production due to the throttling effect. Some advice and a possible installer for a solution here in Roodepoort would be appreciated. Thanks for reading.

Hi, so i have a question about panels and connecting them. I have attached a pic of my inverter specs. I have 4 Canadian 550W mono panels that i connected in 2 strings. 2 panels in series then all 4 in parallel into combiner. My question is, i have 2 JA 460W mono panels lying in storage and wondered if i could add them to maybe get more power in the late afternoon. AI suggested i should just add them in a 3rd string but the calculation seemed off.. coz i know the 460's would drag the 550's down to output like a 460. Any advice would be appreciated. Thanks in advance.

Just a question: If my solar system feed access power back to the grid will it record credits on my prepaid meter?

Hi I am using a Stec Solarix inverter and had a fan problem. Code 01 appeared in the display and a beeping sound started. One of the two fans had stopped, so it was replaced. Both fans are now working, but the beeping and display of the 01 error code continue. Even after powering the system down overnight. As the problem has been fixed, what could the continued error message mean, and how can it be stopped?

Good afternoon, I need some input. Currently running 8 x 545Watt solar panels into a Mecer SOL-I-AX-5P. Currently I have the in pairs, so two panels in series to create 1 unit then the 4 units run to the inverter in parallel. But is this the best setup or should I be looking at a different setup? Panel specs: - Power selection; 0-+5W - Peak power [Pmax]; 545W - Max power current [IMP]; 13.1A - Max power voltage [Vmp]; 41.8V - Short circuit current [ISC]; 13.9A - Maximum voltage system; 1500V - Open circuit voltage [Voc]; 49.75V - Maximum overcurrent protection rating; 20A Inverter or MPPT specs: Rated Current: 80A System Voltage: 48VDC Min Solar Charge Voltage: 40VDC M…

Hi all, Im trying to make an informed decision on my panel choices before making a purchase, The setup i want 10 panels 5kw sunsynk inverter 2 X 5kwh sunsync bats Most guys are quoting me on the JA 550W panels Now here my question The rating on the inverter for PV current is 13 amp The panels the guys are quoting me on are MAX CURRENT AMP 13,1 -14 around there Will the panels ever reach that? Because im worried that i might hurt the inverter in the long run? Do the panels produce less current over time? Please advise Thanks

Hello everyone. I am using a voltronics based inverter MKS 5K 48V system with 4 12V lead acid batteries. Suddenly I started facing backup issues with the system. I check individual battery voltages and found 2 batteries at 9V. Initially I had them changed but the issue persisted. Then I had all 4 batteries replaced with brand new batteries. But the problem is still there due to which I had to have them replaced. I am facing the following issue before and after replacement of batteries: 1) As soon as the inverter goes to backup mode even on a load under 500W the inverter would trip giving error 4 which shows low battery. 2) As soon as grid of solar power is supplied to th…

Issue: I have recently upgraded my system with an additional battery (the Dyness in the image), I had someone come and fit it. My issues are as follow. - Batteries are 100ah, but on solar assist when both are connected, it shows 75ah each (150ah total) When one is connected, it shows 100ah. - Master Battery runs down faster than Slave ( in the morning, the Master would be around on 30% and slave would be over 50% ) What I have tried: - I have tried to make the other Battery Master (Pins) & swapped the Comm ports on the two(so that the Raspbery Pi) runs of the new Master (but it only picked up One Battery) - I did not move any powe…

Hi, I have an issue with newly installed solar panels (TR-665W - TRINA SOLAR 665W MONO SOLAR PANEL) on my roof. I have split the panels up into 2 arrays at roughly the same angle (+- 20 degrees). The more north array (array 2) casts a slight shadow on the second string but about 10 - 15% on the bottom of the panels as I installed in summer and forgot about the sun shift in winter. Array 1 (the array with the shadow on) generates about only 50% of array 2 (the array with full sun) I always assumed it was the shadow that caused the difference in power generation but this morning before the sun was up I checked the inverter and found that this difference was still present al…

I am new to solar detail I have a 8Kw Sunsynk inverter with ten 545w panels on 2 strings Can I add two 550w panels to one sting without having any negative impact of the performance of my system? (5 panel on 1 string and 7 on the other)

Hi Guys, I need assistance with what the cause maybe of my Pylontech batteries loosing charge rapidly. The system comprises of 5kw Axpert Inverter , 4 x 3,6kw Pylontech batteries & a centurion solar battery monitoring system. I have had the system from 2018 which worked well with relatively no issues, batteries cycling normally. now the batteries are cycling very often and loosing charge rapidly. I don't know whether it is the monitoring software or either the inverter or batteries has caused a short because my Raspberry pie monitor has been short or won't power up. How do I trouble shoot this issue. Please i need help. thanking you all, awaiting your responses. Reg…

Hi I have a sunsynk 3.6kw inverter, max solar input 7kw. 15 x 385w panels (5.7kw) My solar input seems to be limited to just under 4kw. The input chart seems to be shaved above that (attached) Is this a setting somewhere to increase this 4kw solar limit, or am I misunderstanding what is happening? ?

Hi All I noticed my PV panels seem to generate voltage at night - its very small about 3.6 - 9v. Is this the little bit of light the panels are managing to "catch" at night or is this capacitance left in the panels after the days light. i would be interested to find out more about this. Many thanks

Hi I have a solar invertr : Felicity IVEM5048 the unit is damaged (lost nutral from grid) after testing the board I found : 4 Damaged Mosfets on INPUT side ( Mosfet : NCEP026N10) 4 Damaged Mosfets on OUTPUT side ( Mosfet : MIW75N65F) I checked drive section (resistors , npn+pnp transistors , optocoupler ... ) nothing damaged I couldn't find the same mosfet equivalent for damaged parts , and the closest equivalent has lower Id paramiter (Drain Current-Continuous) my question : can I replace mosfet with same voltage and Rds but with lower Id ?

Hi everyone, We are making a move to have a total of 20x 455w panels with 2x 5.1KWh batts. We thought this would be the best way to compensate for cloudy days to still be able to charge and provide the load with power. Nominal load during the day (house only) 350w, 1,3kw (with pool pump on), spikes with an additional 2kw when the kettle boils, which is often On sunny days when batts are charged and the load is only 3,000w for example, and the panels are producing 9,000w is there any way of making use of the "wasted" power? Any chance of feeding back to grid in JHB? Thanks so much!

Hi everyone I noticed a strange problem with our solar power system's production in Pretoria today (29 May 2025). The specs are as follows: 6 x 545W JA Solar panels 5kW Deye hybrid inverter 2 x 5.12kWh Dyness DL5.0C batteries Early on in the day, I noticed that solar production was picking up slower than in the past few days despite clear skies and similar irradiance. By 11:35, just as our 3kW geyser turned on, the peak generation was only at 2.06kW, despite the battery still being far from full. Yesterdat at the same time it was 2.68kW. I'm not sure what other appliance was turned — maybe a microwave or kettle — but when our consumption picked up to over 4kW, the solar p…

Gents, This could be fake news, but if it is true, very scary indeed. China has installed kill switches in solar panels sold to the West

Hi everyone, I’m running a 3-phase grid-tied system with a Deye inverter (SUN-8/10/12K-SG01LP3-EU) and I’ve hit a strange issue I can’t figure out. My solar panels are producing over 5kW (PV1 + PV2 are both working fine). The house is consuming 5kW+. The inverter shows that Phase 1 (R) and Phase 3 (T) are delivering power normally. But Phase 2 (S) always shows 0W output, even though it reports correct voltage and current (e.g. 235V and 15A). This results in power being injected into the grid (~3.5kW), despite the fact that the system is set to "Zero Export to CT". What I’ve tried: I have 3 CT clamps (R, S, T) on the grid input, mounted as per Deye’s diagram. I reversed th…

I'm in the process of adding a few panels to my system. They have a 425 watt output as opposed to my multiple 350 watt panel array. Therefore I am adding to the second array available. The open circuit voltage output of the 3 new panels is 36.83x3 (110v). The PVInput Specification of the inverter states "Start-up Voltage / Initial Feedin Voltage is 116 / 150 VDC Does this mean that the panels connected to my 2nd array will not register with the inverter, due to having a lower voltage to the start up specified? Many thanks in advance and hope someone can answer my question Goody

Hello friends, I need your help I have a GSB Max 8kw inverter with SN: 96342206107591 Program version V1: 72.03 V2: 112.15 It stops and gives me F90 error, after searching and contacting with some providers I know the inverter needs to update its firmware but it is not available Please help me to fix this problem, I need suitable firmware and how to update by the micro USB port using flash with OTG

Current setup is Goodwe ES, 2 strings of 6x325W Risen panels, Freedom Won 10/8. This system is really under panelled, especially when weather is margingal. One string faces North, one East. I have lots of East/West facing roof, not so much North. I'm in Randburg, Gauteng. So what I want to do is 1) Replace the North facing string with 550W or thereabouts panels. 2) (optional) move the 325W panels that are currently facing North to face East. (1) would mean using the existing wiring and mountings. The MMPT can take it, and I understand that you are installing panels and not running or configuring the inverter. I've lived with that inverter since 2019 and I can control it. …

Good morning, Everyone I will be connecting 3 x 8000kVA Single Phase Inverters in parallel. The system is totally off grid. What would be the best way to combine the 3 ac outputs into 1 supply to the main DB EL? I bought 16mm2 cable, so wiring size shouldn't be a problem.