TimCam

Have you not missed a Zero or two on that amount. 🤔 What you could do is get a power monitor and see your general usage and peak usage for the month. This way you can plan a system more accurately. An example device is shown below. https://sonoffafrica.co.za/product/sonoff-pow-ring-smart-power-meter/

The SunSynk 16kW inverter can supply 70A on the AC side while there is no Eskom. With Eskom available, it can pass through 100A. With the cost of Eskom / Municipal power, it pays to manage the usage. Especially trying not to put all heavy loads on at the same time. If this happens by mistake while in load-shedding, we all learn very quickly. 😂 I have a number of CBI Astute Wi-Fi controllers to assist with geysers, pool pumps, etc... that can control with timers and remote control (via call phone) even when not at home.

Looking good at 8 panels per string with those specs. 👍

From one "Old Man" to another welcome to the forum. It would be a help if we knew the of the make of inverters. Just a guess from the above info, I suspect you are running SunSynk / Deye 5.5 kW and 3.6 kW inverters, and you're son-in-law has 2x SunSynk / Deye 5.5 kW inverters in parallel. (Master / Slave inverter) If this is true, you're inverters can usually have 2x strings of 8 panels per string in series, but check the panel voltage VOC does not add up to over 425V. You're son-in-law can have the same for both inverters, i.e. each inverter can have 2x strings of 8 panels per string in series..... Enjoy the journey. 😀

For drinking water you want a stainless steel pump. Cast iron pumps are mainly for irrigation, etc. See the link below for an example. 👍 https://www.takealot.com/trade-professional-water-pump-0-55-hp-ss-jet-motor/PLID94092201

Yip, including vat. At Voltex currently. See below link and look at the page of below R130K. https://www.voltex.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/WATTS-for-Africa_booklet_2-DIGITAL_compressed.pdf

@Steve87 Suggestion is spot on, especially if you want to upgrade to 3 phase for more head room. If budget is very tight, at least get another 5kW inverter in parallel to share the load, and give two more MPPT's for panels. To go with a tight budget, FreedomWon 5kW E-Tower batteries are going for +- R14800 each now, and you could run a few banks of these. If you have the funds, 32 panels should take you through most weather situations, wired as 8 panels on the 4 MPPT's if you have 2x 5kW inverters.

To understand what you want, are you saying you're base load is 4kW continually throughout the day, making up a daily usage of 96kW each day, or are you saying you're total daily usage is 4kW each day?

As @Carl Anthony said, with the "Normal" LED off there is a problem, and the inverter will not function correctly. You tried the "reset thing", by this you shut-down the inverter fully. By-pass the inverter so no load on inverter, solar off, mains off, button on inverter to switch off, then disconnect battery. By now the display on inverter, and all LED's should be off. Leave off for a couple of minutes, then ON in the reverse, i.e. battery on/connect, (Inverter display should light up), Switch inverter on with button. Now wait a minute or two while only on battery. Does normal LED come on, and click from essential relay activating? If so, continue with mains, solar and by-pass back to inverter. If no "normal LED", there is a problem. Hope you have success. 👍

Welcome to the forum. Depending on your inverter, it would be best to startup on battery, and if all is setup and working correctly, switch on mains AC and Solar. If you are running a grid tied inverter this is not necessary, and working off mains AC is expected.

If the new inverter without the CT coil was made master, this would have caused confusion, as the master must have the CT coil. 👍 Another query, on the inverter displays, is the Grid used (Paid) and Grid exported (Sold), correct or also mixed up?

Was your first inverter (with the CT coil) made Master, and the new inverter made slave?

Do you have solar Assistant connected to both inverters, not just the master? I am also puzzled as to why you discharge and charge you're batteries if you can export to the grid, unless this is to offset higher charge rates at peak times?

If we're home when the lightning approaches, we "go off-grid" by dropping the double pole MCB from municipal mains, isolate the solar strings, and even switch off the electric fence and throw the three isolation disconnects to the fence. If no one is home oops. Hope your insurance fully covers all equipment and labor as soon as possible. 👍

The 8kW is a solid inverter, but the 16kW machine is just in another class. Get one and you'll see the difference in build quality.

So great to see you back on the road to recovery, may you go from strength to strength to a full recovery as soon as possible.👍 Unfortunately, it was not just the J&J that had unhappy side-effects, some colleagues at work now have serious medical conditions due to "needing to fly" during the plandemic, which required the jab. Hope to see you fully engaged in solar discussions again.😀

According to Solar Assistant you are getting a combined +- 12 kW solar production from your 8.8 kW machine. That is very good and nothing to worry about, as @GreenFields has stated the supposed solar max is 10.4 kW. Excess going to batteries, and max AC going to load of +- 8.9 kW (discounting any pass through from Eskom). If you want higher production or load try a 16 kW unit. (Built like a tank) Welcome to the forum, and a nice setup you have. Many people would like to borrow it.😂

The cost of the pole and transformer is crazy high unless you're a large business. 😲 I hope you can still get 3 phase prepaid, maybe this Eskom page below is old and not updated?

Check your Eskom feed MCB, and size it similar on the input. If you are hoping to use higher power in the day on your essential loads (Eskom + Solar + Battery), add Eskom MCB value to 83.4A, with a max of 200A. By the way, beautiful machine, I'm jealous.😂

Easiest is to work out the cost of pumping for the month, the person who's property the borehole is on pays the municipal power. Divide the usage (pump) by three, and the other two pay there share to the one who pays the municipality bill. If you want to get technical, you could install a meter for the pump, and mark on a spreadsheet the number of units each household uses while pumping.

Welcome to the forum. Lovely to be totally off grid, well done, and may you successfully go through your first winter. We are always interested to hear what setup you are using, inverter, panels, batteries, monitor software, etc, if you feel like sharing. 👍

Are you still running ADSL from Telkom? It also looks like your MPPT's are causing interference when the sun is up and generating power. What inverter do you have, and anything strange with the way the panels are connected?

Lovely to see you can have a hot shower again. Thumbs up to the Kwikot technicians willing to help with "old" equipment.👍

Sorry to hear of the demise of your heat-pump, but 13 years for a mechanical device now-days is not too bad. Like you said, just to have a warm shower for the next few days connect your geyser element (hopefully not 4 kW), while you look around for a replacement. You have nothing to loose, why not strip the heat-pump and poke around. Maybe just a normal fuse or thermal fuse blown, or something else simple? Always something to help you empty your wallet. 😢

@SunDayFunDay Bump.... Any news or pictures.