Starting In Solar? Feel free to introduce yourself

So after ALLOT of thinking and pondering the time has come to stop my laziness and do my own solar setup with the help of a friend "Marius" an Electrical Engineer from VUT. Marius will be doing 90% of the wiring and commissioning. Runs his own Solar business over weekends. Main equipment list: 16x Canadian Solar 540w Hiku6 Mono PERC Panels. (8 Per string in Series) 1 String facing NE 1 String facing NNW 1x SunSynk 8kw Inverter 2x Hubble AM-2 5.5KWh + Cloudlink Busy Designing the stainless (304) roof Brackets for the Renusol Rails as i have my own cnc plasma Cutter and 60 ton 2.5m press brake. Le…

Hi Im finally able to get myself a solar system, now the learning start as I love doing most things DIY and have zero solar background... Ive ordered the following: KODAK Solar Off Grid Inverter OG-Plus 5.48RM 2x Jinko Solar Panel Tiger 470W Mono-Facial for now ill be using 2nd hand 110Ah deep cycle batteries (x4) untill I can get myself a Pylontech US3000 biggest challenge I have at the moment is where to place the panels was thinking off building a "carport" in front of the house then I hit 2 birds with one stone, some shade and place for the panels, but not sure on the design and how the panels will be placed to b…

Hello New guy here. I have 2 (almost ) full days of research under the belt and tired to absorb as much knowledge as I could muster. I'm a complete noob with no electrical background, but have been toying with the idea of becoming self sufficient when it comes to electricity supply, or at least make a start towards that goal. From all my researching, and recommendations, I have my heart set on a SunSynk 8K and either a Hubble AM2 or Pylon 5K battery to start off with to at least initially help with load shedding, but ultimately, in addition be 90+ % self sufficient if not 100%. I know I have a long journey ahead of me, and I have SO much to learn, especially not…

I think it's safe to say that the only thing worse than not having a solar system, is having under-utilised capacity 😮‍💨 Ok first, some background and system context. This 6kWp PV is split into two arrays (Figure 1). My main array (feeds AC loads and charges batteries) is a 4.8kWp array (12x 405W panels in a 4S3P configuration). The remaining 3 panels heat our 200L geyser via an PowerOptimal Elon 100 system. Based on the NREL PV Watts Calculator, my 4.8kW array has an average generation capacity of 24kW per day. I graphed my daily consumption averages (based on the last three years' utility bills). This brings our average daily con…

Hello guys, let me introduce myself my name is Andrea, I live in southern Italy Sicily, at home I have a small system of 6 modules of 375w mono, and an inverter of 3.5kw easun, looking a bit on the forum I noticed this sunsynk, it looks like a nice car .. and I thought that my is a toy, I would like some advice, does this inverter work the same way? Even without a network? Does it enter the network? What if I make a DIY battery pack, is it compatible? Thank you all and I hope to start a new experience with this inverter, after the holidays I would like to buy it, if I can get it shipped by me 💪🏼

Hi all, I'm planning an off grid installation to run a 12v refrigerator, a laptop and some led lamps. I have all the devices and I have measured the consumption of each with the power meter (25-30 watt per hour total). I want help to pick the right battery and panels for a robust installation. The consumption is 30 watt per hour, lets say 24/7 in south Europe. Is it fusible, what is gonna cost? Thanks

Good day all, I'm new at solar. I bought a sunmagic 3kva inverter it looks like the sun pays and axpert inverter and has an identical user manual, the problem is I can't change the programming the manual says push enter button 3 seconds I've done this several times and the button does make a beep when pushing it but the inverter doesn't go into programming and it also won't communicate through the rs232 cable. The inverter works but it's in utility first mode even when disconnecting the utility it works perfectly with the solar and batteries, I'm basically just trying to set it to solar first. Any advice? Thanks

Hi, hope you all are well. Semi new to solar and need to upgrade as I would like to go off grid. Could someone give me some clarity on my situation please. I would like to parallel 3x spf5000es inverters per phase(all our farm wiring is 3 phase). So hypothetically total of 9 inverters. What is the max Amp output per inverter and does the amp multiply by 3 per phase if 3 inverters are connected in parallel per phase. My biggest motor is 15kw rated at 31A. Would the inverters be able to start it up and run smoothly without utility(eskom). I currently have have 4x pylontech us3000c batteries, should I add to them or replace with Revov first life. …

Hello, i hope you all fine and in peace. from the last weeks i noticed that mostly members talk about upgrade firmware of Main & SCC MPPT with new versions for the XP, KS and MKS 3~5KW series. But no one provide any useful information or downloads for the Axpert VM, VM ii, VM iii Series. i have installed Axpert vm iii 3.2kw inverter and also need to upgrade its Main Firmware and SCC MPPT firmware. If anyone have useful links or downloads in regards to VM series then kindly share with me.

Hi All, The solar bug has bitten and am also hopeful that in the long run this will get us away from Eskoms increases and obviously loadshedding as well. I had 11 x JA 455w panels installed along with a 5kw Sunsynk inverter and 10.1kw Alpha ESS battery. Very happy with the performance so far! My roof the panels are installed on faces exactly north which is awesome 🙂 Ive seen the solar production go up to 5650w which is really impressive for panels that are supposed to be a combined output of 5005w

Hi guys, after (too) long deliberation and hesitation, I eventually started my PV installation. I'm a pensioner so money is not abundant but I managed to get things started. I have a 8kW Deye hybrid, six 400 W panels from Proton Solar and one Pylontech UP 5000 4.8 kWh battery. My electricity meter is old school analog and I was told that it would turn backwards if I produce surplus power. I need to witness that when the sun shines again. I live in Centurion. I plan to expand, first with more panels and then with more battery. I have a concern about the panels. I can't find any info about them on the www. The maths tell me that the total rated power is 2400 W, but…

Hi all, this forum should come with a warning label 🙈 I spend WAY to much time on here. Have learned a lot in the brief time I've been a user (or at least I think I have). On to my question.. I have an array of 15 Canadian Solar panels (405W), well technically only 12 as the other 3 are on a separate array connected to a PowerOptimal Elon for heating my geyser. I'm trying my hand at reverse calculating the array's wiring configuration based on amperage. I've been observing it over the last couple of days, and it rarely rises above the 20A mark (earlier today it briefly breached 30A, but only for a few seconds). Would it be accurate to assume that, based on this maxim…

Good evening, I'm looking at the Sun Synk 8.8kW hybrid inverter and I see that the data logger has varying access levels. I'm assuming that the inverter does not have user based access when it comes out of the box and as such all parameters are open to the user from the front panel. Has anyone used the logger and what functions are locked out to the basic user access level? Lastly, can the logger be used on a local network only i.e. without internet access or does it run via some server in China? Regards

Hoping to learn more by actually participating and asking things rather than just lurking. New to the field though, and with a limited system consisting 4 x PV panels, 3Kw inverter and 2,75Kw Li battery. Will be posting my questions in (hopefully) appropriate sections. Located in Langebaan, on the beautiful West Coast.

Hi everyone, Been in sustainable living/off grid etc for ages. Implemented a few sustainable living things into my daily life and looking to go more into it. So im thinking of going semi off grid to fully off grid, obviously over time due to costs involved. This is more for self sufficiency than Eskom being useless because to be honest for some reason we don't get load shedding that often 'touch wood' , I think in the last 2 years we have had load shedding maybe 6-8 times max that I can recall, besides maintenance outages and once we had no power for 2 days due to a cable issue. We don't fall under city power which probably helps and we stay next to an industria…

Hi there I'm in the process of upgrading my load shedding backup batt/inverter system. I'm looking at the Kodak inverters mentioned here and I have two new Pylon UP2500 batteries that will be used with he new inverter. What are the essential differences between a Kodak KING 24v 3000w unit and the Kodak VM111 3000w unit? And which of these are recommended. I want to basically backup for load shedding. The load during load shedding varies between 200 and 1500W (mostly around the 500W range) as I've split the DB with plugs and lights fed from the the inverter and the rest from ESKOM, with a changeover switch that allows the entire DB to be supplied by ESKOM. I am planni…

Hi all, New to the forum and wondering if anyone can give me any input. A buddy of mine gave me some if his old, smaller victron equipment and I was thinking of using it to make a small off-grid connection in my house to basically run my internet, Laptop and TV. So it will be a completely independent of my municipal connection. The equipment is as follows; Victron Blue Solar 100/50 Charge Controller Victron Phoenix 800va inverter 2x Ritar 100ah batteries Sealed LA 2x 310 watt Solar panels. My Laptop, internet, and TV combined is about 400watts draw in total so my thinking was to mount the 310 watt panels on the roof and have the Vi…

Hello I am looking at an incremental install to save money and over time upgrading to be mostly self sufficient at the end. Is there any installers that you guys can recommend? Starting off, I want no less that the following: 1: 8kw hybrid inverter 2: enough PV panels to let me be non reliant on eskom during daytime 3: about 5kWh battery to start off and then will expand that over time I have received 1 quote to date and they suggest the following: 1: SUN-8.0 - Sunsynk Sun 8K Hybrid Inverter 2: Freedom Won Lite Home 5kWh / 4kWh 3: JA solar 540w mono perc half-cell mbb x10 All the connectors and db and i…

Hi all, Been lurking for a while and pulled the trigger last week on a 5kw Sunsynk, 5kw lifepo and 3.6kw of panels. It turns out my installer in fact doesn't have experience with these, having admitted after finishing the install that it's his first non-Axpert (despite me asking beforehand), and then also saying they don't do CoC's 🤬 Now I'm obviously questioning everything and saw he didnt change any settings either, and i suspect he didnt wire things as I had asked I've updated the settings as follows, the idea was to always have enough juice available for lights and tv in case theres an outage or loadshedding even if it's a poor solar day. I have …

Hi I hope someone can help. I have a solar installation comprising 3x3 Canadian 360w panels, 5kva hybrid inverter and 2x4.8 Li batteries. I have noticed that the fuses in line from the panels and the isolator are rated 30A. The isolator is an AC switch. The fuses and the isolator get so hot the the container has started to melt. I called the installer and he replaces the fuse holders and isolator like for like. This has not solved the problem. I read on an overseas site that there is a formula for determining the required fuse rating. Fuse rating = (short circuit current x 1.56) / temperature coefficient. When I apply this formula I get a result of 50A…

Yes yes, I know I must be about the 100th person in this scenario I studied electronic engineering, so I have some background as well as some ambitious expectations. They say someone who knows a little is much more dangerous than someone who knows nothing at all I have bought myself a 850VA/680W Homaya inverter (Schneider Electric) along with the infamous Hubble S-100 100ah 12V LiFePO4 battery. There were a couple of reasons I went for that particular inverter: Reputable brand name (SE) Pure sine wave 800W solar charger (12V panels only, a bit meh) 12V 20A output for DC equipment (adds an additional 240w to your power budget, batterie…

I was told by one fellow to connect to Inverter Mecer King 5kVA/5kW MKS11 only 6 of my 9 Solar Panels (Jinko 535W) but told by the other to connect all 9. Power-Forum please get me out of this confusion. 🙈

Hi guys, I had the following system installed yesterday. 5kw sunsynk inverter 1 hubble am-2 10*595w ja solar panels, 2 strings of 5 panels, facing east and west. Happy with the installation, but there seems to a phantom 2w of solar being generated at night, which I suspect is preventing the inverter from drawing from the battery at night. Has anyone experienced something similar?

Jacques and I live and work in Waterfall, KZN. I've done a few Mecer + lead acid load shedding DB installations and now taking a big step towards solar and larger inverters and its scary and exciting and I'm thrilled to introduce myself and HELLO EVERYBODY! 👋 So I was wondering about using batteries as a way to not only have a storage of energy but as a way to offset electricity cost. Currently I am paying R2.0866 per kW of hourly usage or converted R0.002c per watt of electricity used in an hour. An AM-2 Hubble Lithium Ion battery sells for R26 000 @ 3000 cycles used at 100% DoD. Consider the calculations below: 5.5kW = 5500W 5500W * 3000 cyc…

Hi All, So I'm quite a noob on this topic and need some assistance. I know my battery and panels are not efficient but my avg draw during the day is 400w-500w. I'm slowly upgrading. So I started with the invertor and the battery only for a UPS backup to the house during load shedding. As I noticed my draw is mostly 500w during the day I added x2 405w Canadian panels to cover my usage in day times with enough sun. My Goal: - To draw solar during the day - To switch to Util at night time - To have power in my battery during load shedding. Invertor specs: Rated Power: 5000VA/5000W DC Input: 48VDC, 117A AC Output: 230VAC, 50/60HZ, 22…