CyberJoe

Solar Assistant, one cable to plug in and it works.
Home Assistant, well, install, configure, setup etc. This can a bit daunting for a non technical user.

I checked, no comms on the inverter, will check the pinouts tomorrow.

I presume that by now you have come right, but if you have not, I bought one from Shumata, was sub R500 for the board.
https://shumata.com/

Use CAT 5e shielded LAN cable. I have extended by 60m like this...

I've got some issues open about PE/NMB, it's just a matter of me finding the time I'm afraid. Hopefully I'll get to it soon. If you click "watch" on one of those issues, then you'll be notified when they're fixed.

A very important thing to take note off:
With Solar Assistant your data lives on your own device on the card. You have no way of accessing that data in any form other than through Solar Assistant. (It is time for somebody with a bit of Linux skill to look at the SA installation and figure out how to remove the monitor off, no keyboard instruction, add back SSH access to enable backups over the network). 
Solar Assistant DOES NOT BACKUP YOUR DATA.  If anything happens like a corrupt card your data is gone forever, the recovery method from Solar Assistant is to install it onto a fresh card and start over. 
There IS NO WAY TO BACKUP YOUR data, other than pulling the card out every now and again and making a file image manually of it. 
In comparison with ICC you have FULL access to the system running ICC and can easily do your own backups, or move your data from one installation to a new one. 
 

A very important thing to take note off:
With Solar Assistant your data lives on your own device on the card. You have no way of accessing that data in any form other than through Solar Assistant. (It is time for somebody with a bit of Linux skill to look at the SA installation and figure out how to remove the monitor off, no keyboard instruction, add back SSH access to enable backups over the network). 
Solar Assistant DOES NOT BACKUP YOUR DATA.  If anything happens like a corrupt card your data is gone forever, the recovery method from Solar Assistant is to install it onto a fresh card and start over. 
There IS NO WAY TO BACKUP YOUR data, other than pulling the card out every now and again and making a file image manually of it. 
In comparison with ICC you have FULL access to the system running ICC and can easily do your own backups, or move your data from one installation to a new one. 
 

When I used to drive a Jeep I complained about fuel consumption, and the best advice received was that the only way to improve fuel consumption was to stop logging and analysing it, so I did just that, and have been doing that since with all vehicles, stop, fill up, drive off. I now get fantastic fuel consumption and never worry about it. 
Same for solar, I got caught with my pants down, the area where I live did not have load shedding until about 3 years ago, ran out and bought this light, and that battery, then this battery stops working, that light gave problems etc. I realised that before I wipe the snot out of my eyes I am going to be spending a lot of cash on a lot of small crappy products, and I will still be sitting in the dark during load shedding. 
I had a bit of cash, bought the 5kw inverter, with 5kw hubble and 6 panels. 
It changed my life, what is load shedding again?
I do now however try to optimise absolutely everything I can so see how much I can spare on my electricity bill, so far this time of year it might be about R700pm.
Was this an investment? Absolutely. Investment in my lifestyle and sanity. There is nothing more depressing that walking around with little camp lights in a dark house.

Water heating is most definitely the most expensive item, so I would start with that. 

To close off this thread, it was the panel. Bought the replacement here:
https://shumata.com/product/kodak-remote-comm-for-og-plus-5-48
All running again.

Its running jn my HA instance, previously on a Pi and now in a VM but essentially yes, running on a local machine. That acts as the break-out node into the LAN 

This is factually incorrect. Looking at the King range of the Voltronic inverters they most definitely can blend solar and grid. 
You can use SOLAR - UTILITY - BATTERY or SOLAR - BATTERY - UTILITY, and you can also schedule the inverter to automatically switch between the two at given times daily. 
When your system does not generate enough solar for the load, and you do not want to use battery power (to preserve for load shedding for example) then you just blend grid and PV. 
For charging you have the options:
Utility first Solar first Solar and Utility Simultaneously  Solar Only

A place to start
 
 

Contact [email protected] for the files.

This is factually incorrect. Looking at the King range of the Voltronic inverters they most definitely can blend solar and grid. 
You can use SOLAR - UTILITY - BATTERY or SOLAR - BATTERY - UTILITY, and you can also schedule the inverter to automatically switch between the two at given times daily. 
When your system does not generate enough solar for the load, and you do not want to use battery power (to preserve for load shedding for example) then you just blend grid and PV. 
For charging you have the options:
Utility first Solar first Solar and Utility Simultaneously  Solar Only

Another vote for Solar Assistant, very happy with it.

This is factually incorrect. Looking at the King range of the Voltronic inverters they most definitely can blend solar and grid. 
You can use SOLAR - UTILITY - BATTERY or SOLAR - BATTERY - UTILITY, and you can also schedule the inverter to automatically switch between the two at given times daily. 
When your system does not generate enough solar for the load, and you do not want to use battery power (to preserve for load shedding for example) then you just blend grid and PV. 
For charging you have the options:
Utility first Solar first Solar and Utility Simultaneously  Solar Only

Install and Transport @ R9k
Electrical Accessories @ R8k
Maybe you need a breakdown for the above, it also all depends on the type of installation, where is the DB, where must the unit be fitted, how much cabling is involved etc. 
IF you unit will be fitted next to or close to your DB then there is minimal wiring involved, and those accessories at R8k sounds rough, but without seeing the actual list it is impossible to say. (You need a feed from the DB mains to the inverter via a breaker, you need a return from the inverter to DB with a cut over switch, not sure what else is included in your case.) Battery is probably wall mount, that should not take more than 20mins to do, with a feed from the battery to the inverter, again with a breaker/switch/isolator. 
Inverter is probably R20k, if you go with a "unit with less features" like the Kodak or Kodak King then that cost goes down to R12k, but keep in mind the loss of functionality (which without panels does not really matter?)
5kw Battery ball park is R25-R30k, and that is if you can get stock right now. 
I may be very wrong, but that quote seems a tad much.

This is the only way to learn, unfortunately some of the stuff is above the heads of some, so these interactions are the learning books!
As far as I am concerned if you take the price and intended function into account the Voltronic inverter works just fine, but then you must remain within the set parameters, want to get a bit fancier with your setup, pick something else (the reason I am looking around)

Thank you. Cable ordered delivered and plugged in!

To close off this thread, it was the panel. Bought the replacement here:
https://shumata.com/product/kodak-remote-comm-for-og-plus-5-48
All running again.