TimCam

Best to ask those with Luxpower inverters first hand.👍

If you are looking for "old style" contact relays have a look at the one below:- https://www.dc-contactors.com/dh50-high-voltage-dc-contactor/high-voltage-dc-contactor-dh50c It's (only) a 50A, but is good enough for 2.4 kW DC. Using a nano, ESP32 or Pi pico and a shunt you could make up a nice DIY solution.

Yip, on the SunSync there is a "No Battery" option, under battery settings. It can run as grid tied, and supply essential and non essential from PV with grid available, so your bill should be reduced. As @Speedster has just explained, the SunSynk will always be able to "blend" and save you money.

Yip, for me batteries are a definite, but everyone has different needs.

With no battery on the inverter, the inverter would shut down. This would be a manual process of starting the generator, then switching the inverter on again when the generator is running. The generator can be connected to the Eskom feed via a change-over switch, or the AUX/ Generator port straight. I would not recommend the AUX port on such a small generator.

Most times I would say yes if you have a large enough generator with decent AVR control. With a small generator the Voltage and Frequency might fluctuate to much, and the inverter will disconnect the "supply". On the inverter you can open the range quite a bit, but still no guarantees with a small generator. 🤔 Maybe someone else with a 2.2 kW generator can give us some feedback?

Check with your Efergy monitor, and see what your usage is. You also say your 2.2 kW generator gets you through load-shedding, therefor maybe a small 2.75 kW lithium battery will be enough for a start, to fill in the gaps when there are clouds.

If the existing Laundry Room is to be used, remove or plug all water points and drains, and make sure there is no damp, and decent air flow. Welcome to the forum, and soon to power independence.

Both inverters mentioned will require a battery to supply loads from solar when Eskom is down. The only inverter I know of that can supply load from solar without batteries is certain Kodak inverters. Even so this won't be reliable or constant with cloudy weather. The inverter will "brown out" and switch on and off. Never good for electronic equipment.

Before I installed my solar system I installed 12V DC LED lights throughout the house with a 16 channel remote, so any light could be switched on or off remotely. With DC, fusing every circuit, and feed from batteries to controller is absolutely essential, as fires can start so easily. Also don't over size the fuse too much. Satisfy yourself too by, shorting the wires, and make sure the fuse blows before the wires melt.😲 Don't forget on DC there is no protection like "Earth Leakage", you are at the mercy of fuses only.

Welcome to the world of power backup, and soon to solar (when the panels arrive). The independence is great, and continuing through load-shedding with your daily living is strange at first, but you will get used to it. 😂 Welcome to the forum too.👍

Yip, but RVN coin price is on the rise again, 160 sat's at the moment.👍

@mzezman Whatever option you choose, you will help your family in the next few years through the coming tough times. More inverters, panels and batteries. 👍

I'm expecting the grid to become more unstable for at least the next five years, before it might improve. All this talk about Eskom and PV plus battery storage over the next two years, is nothing but politicking. The amount of generation and battery storage they are talking about is nothing but a joke unfortunately. 🤔 See the link below, the numbers mentioned are worthless when considering the current shortfall during load-shedding. Eskom forges ahead with first battery energy storage project – to be used for ‘peak shaving’ https://businesstech.co.za/news/energy/611858/eskom-forges-ahead-with-first-battery-energy-storage-project-to-be-used-for-peak-shaving/

Yip, been thinking of getting a Kodak for the caravan when in the bush, and off grid with 4 to 6 panels.

Yip, I agree if lightning takes out the system it's a most depressing situation. Unfortunately with two or more systems in the same location, lightning is likely to damage both or all connected systems. Fortunately my system has survived some extreme lightning strikes, which literally make me cringe, as flames shoot out of door reed switches on the alarm system. 😲

Welcome to the forum, and if at all possible financially, try and buy/order your equipment as soon as possible. With the last round of load-shedding everyone wanted solar, and stocks ran out due to local demand, and international supply chain issues. This backlog might clear in the near future, but rather not get caught in the next solar feeding frenzy. Any idea as to what system you will be looking to install? 🤔

Trade in the 5kW inverter for an 8kW inverter, connect both strings in parallel into one MPPT (9S-2P), and get another 18x330W panels and do the same for the next MPPT. This way depending on your base load, even with overcast weather you can run the house and charge batteries. Another battery is always a welcome addition, if Eskom blows a transformer in the area.

Way to go, Eskom and Squirrel will love you for this. 😂 Did you connect the two spare panels, or are you still to do this? Hope you find "spare" batteries to bolster your system storage. Waiting for the next test run in September, and good luck.👍

Looking forward to today's updates.

Yip, Keep Eskom as an emergency battery charger.

I think I saw in one of Kieth's videos or read somewhere, that the "older" SunSynk" 8.8 kW machines were update to 22A via firmware, but proved to unstable, so were brought back down to 20A. This could be the same for Deye machines. The new machines released now, I don't know, maybe someone with a new machine can check and let us know.

Maybe the BMS count on the Hubble is a "raw" count which has to be processed with other parameters on the BMS, and that is why the RIOT displays differently to SA and PBMS? Possibly the count is calculated depending on discharge / charge state, plus SOC % at the time of count, etc. I suppose the software people at Hubble will not divulge this info, as it would be covered by copyright.

Double post.

Yip, I have a base load of 1.2 kW, and would need at least 40 kW of batteries to go off-grid. With 20 kW of batteries, I could "limp" along off-grid, and maybe use the generator to help if needs be. To go off-grid on a small solar system will require to many sacrifices for most people.🤔