Gnome

I guess I don't get why it is external.  Current Transformers are installed on all inverters (and UPS for that matter) but they typically housed internal to the device.  Since the device can't control anything else that would export, I'm curious how having it external is beneficial?
EDIT: Ok I think I get it.  All the current you consume may not actually be going through the inverter input.  You may have significant loads in parallel to the inverter and having this external CT allows you to monitor and back feed for those situations without actually needing to pass significant currents via the inverter.  Quite a cool feature if indeed that is what it allows.

That someone doesn't know what they are talking about.  Once a lithium battery reaches a certain state of charge at a given voltage it will no longer accept charge.  You can keep it at that voltage and it will simply draw self consumption current at that point (nearly no current whatsoever).
The only thing to avoid is high "float" voltages.  For example, with LiFePO₄ to charge the battery fully you would technically charge it at 3.65v per cell and then keep the float somewhat lower than that because at 3.65v the cells degrade much faster.  Thus you would typically float it at a more reasonable level like 3.42v per cell.  For LiFePO₄ there are pretty compelling evidence to show even charging up to 3.48v per cell will get you to 99% SoC.  That last 1% dramatically reduces the life of the cell and is thus best avoided.  But you can easily test that for yourself if you have a BMS (ie. with LiFePO₄ charge up to 3.65v per cell, drain battery down, then charge back up to 3.48v per cell, then drain down.  Compare Wh you attained and thus be informed of what that last bit buys you.  Then adjust accordingly to meet your expectations).
Lots of these yahoos around who try to apply Lead Acid logic to Lithium batteries.  It just doesn't work that way.
Assuming LBSA uses LiFePO₄ in a 16s configuration, their 56v "charge" voltage is 3.5v per cell and 54v = 3.375v per cell.  I personally went a bit higher on my "float" but they have obviously tested this and determined that you will still get a guaranteed capacity at that float voltage.  At the float they propose LiFePO₄ is pretty far from its maximum voltage, I wouldn't be concerned at that voltage about premature aging.  The reason they went up to 56v in the first place is to ensure all the cells are fully charged.  Because the cells are in series if the "float" was 3.375 some cells may not be fully charged.  So you bring them all near enough to 3.5v and they'll all self consume down to 3.375 and be 98% or whatever full at that point.

Fuses are specified based on the wiring.  Same as circuit breakers in a house.  Your fuse should be such that
The batteries do not self destruct.  Since they can supply thousands of amps, it is unlikely you can "over-size" a fuse such that the batteries are in full short-circuit without the fuse blowing The wires do not heat up sufficiently to melt the insulation/catch fire/melt the wire The fuse is able to break the circuit safely (determined by the kA breaking rating).  A fuse that is too small will explode.  That in itself can cause a fire or spew metal piece that cause a short.  If a person is close when it explodes they can catch shrapnel.  A lot of systems in SA I've seen seem to use puny undersized fuses in terms of breaking capacity. Fuses aren't sized for the device.  The device will have its own internal fuse.  But obviously if you undersize your fuse, you are going to be replacing a lot of fuses.  If you think the fuse is protecting the device you are deluding yourself.
Disconnectors mentioned above should be as large as you can afford.  With most inverter systems you'll find it hard to find a disconnector for the high voltage range with suitable current rating.

Never, EVER connect the neutral of two power sources to each other.  There is no country in the world where that is legal.
Neutral bonding means a relay that connects the neutral output of the inverter to the ground wire of your home.  The simplest way to do this is using a 220v coil SPDT relay.  The common connects to your ground and the Normally Closed (NC) connects to your neutral.  The relay coil is powered from your Utility power (ie. Eskom).  When the utility power cuts out the relay turns off and the normally closed and common terminal is connected.  Thus your ground and inverter neutral is "bonded".  When utility power comes back, the relay switches back on disconnecting them.
Note that this doesn't work perfectly because the inverter may switch at different times than the actual utility disconnecting.  So really the only way to do this in a complaint manner in pretty much every country in the world that requires it, is to have the relay switched by the inverter.  So when switching to inverter power, it powers a relay which bonds.
As to why this bond needs to be created:  Your home's ground wire is floating in respect to the inverter.  Meaning they are two different power sources and no way for current to flow between them.  Bonding creates a path.  There are different earthing systems.  South Africa implement many different kinds, there isn't just one kind in South Africa.  Some earthing systems have a stake driven into the ground at your installation.  Others have a ground wire coming from the utility. It is a complex subject.  Doesn't really change the fact that a bonding relay is required.  If you don't have a ground bond, your Earth Leakage doesn't work.  I mean apart from the fact that your installation becomes insanely dangerous
 

So to be clear, the OP wants a UPS, not a solar setup.  Axpert works perfectly fine for that.  I've been using an Axpert in that configuration since 2015. I've also installed Axpert in a couple of family/friend situations for that.  And they are sold as power trolleys for a reason.  DO NOT use their solar, it sucks, but as a UPS they are really solid
https://www.fullcirclesolar.co.za/product/5kva-vp-5000w-unit-vat-incl-copy/
Then battery options:
https://www.fullcirclesolar.co.za/product/pylon-tech-li-ion-up5000-battery-pack-vat-incl/ https://www.fullcirclesolar.co.za/product/pylontech-li-ion-battery-pack-3-5kwh-vat-incl/ Goes without saying I trust that fullcirclesolar.  I've bought from them a number of times.

Batteries are an ongoing chemical reaction, this is not like buying a tool and you get a good one or bad one and then you are set.  Batteries fail on a curve and the curve is strongly dictated by the chemistry and cycles.  So essentially you are betting that those batteries will last their 10 year stated life or be replaced during that time.  Downtime is also a factor in that 10 years.
I use 10 years because with LiFePO₄, 10 years is actually a pretty good life expectancy.  If you lower your expectations and factor in that they probably won't honor the warranty later in the life of the battery then that is fine (or not be around anymore), but I'd be careful naïvely assuming it is a just all well now. 
Car companies like Tesla have also started opting for LiFePO₄ because of the longer life.
This is much more akin to buying a new VW and it uses a lot of oil, you take it to VW, they say, no this is acceptable and once the warranty expires the engine is completely buggered. (this actually happened with some of their TSI engines)

"Low Frequency" is an older design that first uses MOSFETs to create an AC signal then drives it through a transformer to up the voltage.
"High Frequency" first boosts the voltage the voltage to > ~400v RMS AC (very high frequency AC), rectifies it (usually with MOSFETs for higher efficiency than a diodes) to 400v(ish) DC, then smoothes it (using capacitors) then uses MOFSETs again to create an AC signal (the same as the low frequency design but at much, much higher voltage so much lower current, so fewer MOSFETs required so higher efficiency)
If ever "low frequency" had an advantage that has long since disappeared.  Its most significant advantage is simplicity of design (so easier at the design phase).  The higher frequency designs have higher efficiency, lower inductance (and can thus respond faster to transients), lower weight (50/60hz transformer need to be huge).
Another big factor against low frequency is your design phase is cheaper but your manufacturing costs will be higher because it is dominated by the HUGE cost of that transformer.  And because the transformer is so important, it plays a huge role in your efficiency.  For example, if you look at a Voltronic 5kVA inverter's transformer, it is actually pretty small for the 5kVA rating.  I know this because I bought a toroidal transformer for lab purposes and the cost of a 5kVA toroidal transformer is so high that I considered actually buying a Victron inverter JUST for the transformer.  So they are sacrificing some efficiency to save cost and weight during manufacturing.
The high frequency inverter has a transformer in its boost converter stage but it is relatively tiny in comparison, so they don't need to cheap out on the transformer.
In theory and practice high frequency designs have lower impedance and lower losses.  In the early days before electronics were so good as now, maybe.  But these days there is no way a company can compete with the most expensive high frequency designs.
Unless your design criteria is simplicity, then, yeah sure.

Just pointing this out, but 12v 200Ah @ 50% DoD is 4.8kWh at best.  (probably 20 hour rating).  With Peukert's law you have even less capacity than that, but let's call it 4.8kWh to keep things simple.  Since it has lasted so long, I doubt you've been draining down to 50% every time.
10kWh Lithium is a bit overkill for you to be honest.  You could get a single 5kWh Lithium and call it a day.

I went from 4x 12v 100Ah to 5.8kWh Lithium.  I'm making coffee, watching TV (with home entertainment, etc. draining about 500w), got my lights on, vacuuming, all kinds of stuff and not even getting to 50% DoD on my Lithium battery.  When I was still on lead acid I was careful not to turn anything but lights on during load shedding and near the end barely made it through a load shedding (and couldn't do it twice in a day).  Lithium is a significant upgrade, I just don't even care what I turn on anymore, even during load shedding.

I wouldn't use an Axpert in a solar configuration.  Their UPS are great and arguable better than many other brands even.  It is where they came from, they made UPS.  ie. if you compare to a Sunsynk, the Axpert accepts a wider input voltage.  They offer more options in terms of change-over time (ie. Axpert King can run in double conversion mode).  UPS is their strength.   I would be hesitant to go so far as say Sunsynk or Growatt is better in UPS capability.  I haven't owned a Growatt but Sunsynk for example would be a downgrade for me from the UPS point of view (which is how I'm using my Axpert).
In my opinion, the Axpert MPPT is not worth it (or PWM, or any of their "solar" offerings) for use in Solar.  Great as UPS, bad as a Solar.  I mean it work(ish).  But people who have had their Axpert inverters blow up were all running in Solar.  Their engineering margins for the MPPT/PWM components seem to be really tight causing them to run at the limit and not last.
Just to be clear, I wouldn't buy another Voltronic UPS, I would still buy a Voltronic Axpert but treat it as a UPS. (Voltronic is the manufacturer, full circle solar and whomever else just make a big order and then get to put a name and logo on it)
Lastly the financial outlay for a UPS system vs a Solar system is pretty much an order of magnitude larger.  You can get a UPS system as seen here for a good price.  A solar system starts at 100k (and I could go into some detail as to why that would be a bottom of the barrel kind of system).  It also has a much more significant installation burden.
I would just go Sunsynk or Victron if I were to go solar.  I don't really trust these other brands for that sort of thing.

So to be clear, the OP wants a UPS, not a solar setup.  Axpert works perfectly fine for that.  I've been using an Axpert in that configuration since 2015. I've also installed Axpert in a couple of family/friend situations for that.  And they are sold as power trolleys for a reason.  DO NOT use their solar, it sucks, but as a UPS they are really solid
https://www.fullcirclesolar.co.za/product/5kva-vp-5000w-unit-vat-incl-copy/
Then battery options:
https://www.fullcirclesolar.co.za/product/pylon-tech-li-ion-up5000-battery-pack-vat-incl/ https://www.fullcirclesolar.co.za/product/pylontech-li-ion-battery-pack-3-5kwh-vat-incl/ Goes without saying I trust that fullcirclesolar.  I've bought from them a number of times.

What do you mean it isn't working.  Did you buy it this way or did it stop working?  If it stopped working you have a more serious problem.  You should look if the cable is still correctly attached.  It doesn't just stop working and just fix it self with a firmware update.  If you bought it this way send it back.  Before doing a firmware update your equipment needs to be working 100% else you are setting yourself up for failure.  It's a bit like having a computer that doesn't turn on and then saying you should try fix it by reinstalling Windows.  It is backward.  Get it turning on, then update the software.

Some amount of products it is easy you just take it back.  That is not how it works with a lot products.  You warranty is with the manufacturer.  I've many times returned hard-drives to the manufacturer.  Returned angle grinder directly to the manufacturer.  Printers, laptops, the list goes on.  Even cars are provided by the manufacturer.  So maybe the "simple few" actually have experience with this sort of thing.  I've actually worked in a family business before and needed to field warranty claims for many retail products.
Also CPA, etc. is really meaningless.  You think it protects you, but in reality the CPA backlog is in the years.  They only go after big fish and cut and dry easy cases.  I've also gone the small claims court route when I was still a student, it was many hours of effort over months.  Then the store refuse to pay even with a judgement.  Then back to court to get cost order.  Then to police to get property attached (and police don't really actually want to do it, they are lazy so you best know where they need to go).  Overall the effort is HUGE and every step costs money.  So no CPA and SA laws really don't protect you.  In theory they do, in practice the effort is so high that it 99.9% of people (wisely) walk away and learn from it.

Neutering RIOT (remove useful information like SoH) and blocking access to information from PBMS tools reminds me of this syndrome.
See https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/mushroom_syndrome
Basically it means "keep you in the dark and feed you sh1t".
 

No matter what Hubble says, there is plenty of evidence they'll try their best to void any warranty claim.  So if you think you can put any trust into their warranty wording, you've got a lot of faith (or maybe you think you'll be the one guy they'll honor the warranty for).  Either way, I'd recommend you stick with a reputable company, like Sunsynk.

I mean you've posted there, surely you know they gave a bunch of people the run-around and ridiculous claims like if you use PBMS they'll deny your warranty and so on.  Your opinion is highly biased since you own many of their units.  I also have no doubt your units will fail sooner than the claimed 10 year warranty at which point you'll have issues with them.
All the data in that thread has pretty much convinced me they have a problem on all AM2 units due to choosing a bad chemistry.  It isn't a matter of am I affected but when will you be affected.  There is a reason why all Lithium companies, even for cars are switching to LiFePO₄
More importantly, many installers themselves no longer wanting to touch Hubble (and when they do definitely not AM2).  So if this was "industry standard" failure rates, installers would be having problems with other companies too.  Yet the posts are all about their dismal support and problems on their batteries.
I could go further and talk about sneaky behaviour like their overpriced cloud link that actually lost features instead of got more, suddenly became a requisite for warranty claims and so on.

No matter what Hubble says, there is plenty of evidence they'll try their best to void any warranty claim.  So if you think you can put any trust into their warranty wording, you've got a lot of faith (or maybe you think you'll be the one guy they'll honor the warranty for).  Either way, I'd recommend you stick with a reputable company, like Sunsynk.

Haha I didn't say that.  This quote system just allows anything 😛 

I assume you've seen all the threads here about problems with their batteries, right?

Don't get me wrong, installing a "modified sine wave" inverter for someone who is a layman is a bad idea.  Like really bad.  Because there are a LOT of devices that WILL get damaged by them.  Not to mention that modified sine wave inverters are the lowest of low quality products, they offer no extra protection.
That should be the reason not to install them.  But I have my doubts as to the validity that they damage SMPSs.  Old school 50Hz transformer/linear supplies, vacuum cleaner, fridge, microwave, etc. couldn't agree more that running that on your "modified sine wave" is just asking for it to break down.  I shudder to think what happens to a microwave on a "modified sine wave" inverter.  That idea scares me.
I've installed inverters now for a number of friends and family and basically they don't walk around thinking to themselves.  Hey, you know what, I shouldn't plug my microwave into this plug.  Or I shouldn't put everything on all at once.  Sure later when it all goes wrong, they are like "oh yeah".  But they aren't the problem there, in my opinion.  They are reacting how a normal human would react.  Your install should behave such that anything that goes into a plug will not break your install or the device or you are doing it wrong (in my opinion).  If not you are setting your customer up for failure and yourself.
I did those installs so it would at worst shutdown with an overload and restart or trip a breaker.  And I would sincerely hope that installers think the same about it.

What he said.  A switch mode power supply's first step is a rectifier.  And in those cases you can run it on any frequency down from DC and up to near 1kHz and it would make absolutely no difference.  As eluded to some very old PFC circuits can get damaged by non-sine wave inputs but small AC-DC converters and power supplies like those made by Meanwell, etc. are exempt so they simply don't put PFC on those.  Mostly older computer power supplies and TVs used those and they have long since gone away.
This is not legal in most electronics.  It has no isolation.  There are few exceptions where the device is completely enclosed and there is no possibility of interfacing with it.  ie. it is wifi only.  But if it allows something to be plugged into it and it isn't isolated it is not legal to sell in South Africa, US or EU.  It is easier to list the countries where that would be legal.
Also "transformerless power supplies" is a marketing wank name.  I've not heard it before.  I would refer to the topology used or non-isolated.  The problem with using the term "transformerless" is that marketing wanks like to use that in relation to inverter also and there aren't any inverters that don't use transformers.

Or just use Aluminium.  It is about 60% the conductivity of copper, let's say 50% rounded.  But you can go basically 5x the amount of material for like R200 that would cost many thousands for the same conductivity in copper. (and that is at builders warehouse prices).  Most batteries have Aluminium terminals these days for a good reason.  For my battery I had equivalent of something crazy like 150mm² copper wire in aluminium busbar and it cost me around R200 if I recall correctly.  Probably would have cost much less if I hadn't just bought it from builders.
Oh also, the reason they plate the copper busbars is exactly because Lithium batteries have Aluminium terminals (lead for car batteries, so even better).  The two metals galvanically corrode with each other

So nickel is thrown in to reduce the rate of corrosion to near non-existent levels (subject to moisture and temperature)

They won't unless you tell them.
Reading the data is not visible to them. They wish the users not to have access the real time data it seems. Only someone trying to hide something would go to such measures. So much for transparency.
As a responsible enterprise one would welcome user feedback on the performance of one's product, unless of course you know your product is flawed and the failure needs to be blamed on the paying customer.

 

I don't say you were idiotic.  I said putting a neutral to earth MOV that has a line to neutral voltage would be idiotic.  In other words.  If you put a MOV with a clamping voltage of 400v between neutral and earth, that would be stupid.
Yes, that is why you would size the neutral to earth as close to 0v, in terms of a clamping device.  Meaning you'd put a clamping device there with something low like 35v, 50v, etc.

Doing customs yourself is probably not that crazy.  Half the time I need to correct the customs declarations made by couriers anyway.  There is a handy schedule from SARS, so I assume it is just about matching the stuff and filling out the form.
What was the cost to have it shipped by sea?
I've already DIYed a battery a long time ago now, it seems to hold up pretty well.  Hasn't really aged tbh.  I was looking at the options should I need to replace it or build another for family members.  But for my family we just opted to buy a pre-built unit.

@Gnome
So first things first , find a good trusted supplier one that is verified, there are a few out there make all your enquiries about the product specifications and grade. When confirming the order stipulate all you requirements and make sure they are clear and understood by the supplier. Choose your payment options i think credit cards are safer as they have the 120day charge back facility but T&C apply. We'll shipping is DDP. When I used  Shenzhen,  they will send to a warehouse in JNB and once there the company will contact you to arrange for pickup and verify that you are the correct recipient. Most important of all keep all your correspondence  with the seller and make sure it's done on the App  because if a dispute were to take place you have proof ,as I almost lost my money due to the first supplier i used. I think @Steve87 can share his tips and experience.