kombiman

Thanks Scorp, so, my sum means I used 166.66 Watts every hour, for 12 hours? The idea is to help guide me on batt backup etc.

Hey guys, been chatting with a mate over the usual discussion relating to loadshedding, power usage, etc. The question came up, could one work out how much power you're using in a certain time frame, based on the Kw numbers shown on the meter. The confusion is the different measurements of power. Watts, Kw, and kwh, etc. I'm trying work out how many watts I used between a specific time? Example: If the meter says I have 10 units at 6:00 at night, and then next morning at 6:00 am, it shows 8 units, what is this telling me? Did I use 2 thousand watts of electricity over 12 hours? or 2 thousand watts each hour? thanks gents.

Where can I source them from if I may ask?

Thanks all, and is this a 12 or 24 volt, Isolator? regards

Hi all, Been going well for the past 10 months with a small 3 Kw Home Setup, consisting of an entry-level RCT Axpert 3Kw 24 Volt Inverter, which is fed by 4 x Lithium Halo 1.2 Kw batteries. This Inverter however only support a 600 Watt PV supply, but thats fine for now, the circuits I've moved to my essential DB is completed, and my draw is seldom above 2400 Watts in total. Soon I intend getting the slightly bigger 3Kva Inverter which can support up to 4000 Watts of PV, but my question is, can any of the guru's pls assist in what size isolator breaker and fusing I need for this setup? Its 4 x 1.2 Kw Lithium 12 v batts connected 2 in series, then parallel to give 24 volts. Thanks.

Item: Mecer 2400 VA, 24 Volt Inverter for sale Age: 3 years Price: R 1 500-00 Payment Method Accepted: EFT\Cash Warranty: None Packaging: Possibly, must check. Condition: AS new, working 100%. Location: Parklands, Cape Town Reason: RCT Wall Mount upgrade Shipping: Via Postnet if needed Collection: Yes please Link: IVR-2400LBKS Mecer 2400VA, 1440W, 24V DC-AC Inverter. Compare prices. Supplier 1 / 2 suppliers | Mecer PC regards Alan (Price adjusted to go. )

Item Wanted: 1 x 100 or 120 Watt MAX Solar Panel - Voc = 45 V) Packaging Essential: no Desired Age: Not nb Location: Tableview\Parklands\Cape Town Willing to accept a shipped item: no Ballpark/Budget Amount: 1000 I'm almost at my small inverter ceiling as far os Solar PV power goes. cannot go higher than 120 Watt, but, the Voc is nb to match my two existing panels. thanks Alan

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Hi guys, Ok, need some assistance please. Originally, I've used a Mecer Lobo 24 Volver Inverter, 2 Lithium Bats, and 1 x 200 watta solar panel connected to it with a Victron Bluepower PWN Solar controller. This all worked for about 2 years. The reason for the Solar charge controller was to help recharge the batteries, and to offer the dusk till dawn "switch" to which I bought and connected up a 24 volt external flood light that came on automatically and went off on it's own. Then I ugraded, and purchased a 3Kva RCT Pure Sinewave Inverter in Jan. Decided to do this properly, and its all in and configured as best I know how\understand from the booklet, and it's all good, HOWEVER, I've lost the use of the floodlight with this inverter. So, I wanted to use the Victron charge controller again. I wired to all up together with the RCT, (so both Soler feed is in Parallel, and 24 volt batt feed.) The lighte came on as it usually does, and I went to bed. Woke up with this remote beeping sound, and, in my head, I thought it was a neighbour's alarm or whatever, but then realized i'ts my RCT int he workshop. so, came through, and it had an error code 03 flashing, according to the booklet, this is Batteries overcharged. Voltmeter on each showed them at 13.4 to 13.6 across all 4. So, no option how to clear error codes, stop beeping, so put selector breaker into bypass, and quickly disconnected pv supply and batt supply. RCT went off, and then reconnected the batts and PV alone, ie: without the parallel Victron charge controller. It all came up and is running as normal. So, how do I do this? Obviously the charge controller AND the RCT started recharging the same batteries, or there was a loop-back somehow, whatever, I don't know. How do I use a charge controller as the nighttime "switch" without giving it a PV feed, (which wouldn't work then as the controller wouldn't know the sun had gone down.. I dunno if there's a way around this, or how to wire up the 24 volt floodlight to the RCT with it having the switch? IREALLY hope this all made sense to you guys. Any thoughts, ideas welcome. Al

Ok, not to put too much into this, we're wiring the lighting contactors to the genset feed for now, which should alleviate most issues. Just to deal with the blackout for 20 or so seconds.

Hi guys, Trying to find the solution to what seems to be a smallish challenge. I am wanting a solution to keep all Office lights on during Load-shedding. I have capacity on our Genset. So the "gap" between shedding and genset run, is what we need the answer to? Its 3 floors of lighting, all wired on different phases. Loads vary between 2000 watts and 4500 watts on each floor, 8 to 18 amps. So, Do we go a single phase Inverter on each floor, with it's own Batt Backup? Do we go with a monster 3 phase Inverter and monster Batt Backup installed on 1 floor? Reaching out to the Industry experts here for your expert opinions please? tks.

Yep, Got you. Thanks for the feedback. I'm limited by design here, and my demand is small, so just trying to understand what would be the better move to make down the line, now that I finally have an Inverter and can see consumption numbers, and so on. It helps to see things vs trying to work them out. Right now, I'm not wanting to get off the grid, I've got 4 x 12V lithiums, and limited roofspace, so, I have to work within these boundaries. But at least it's working, and doing what it should do. regards Al

Thanks, I think maybe I'm mis-communicating my question, or requirements here. It's more about USING more PV for internal use, as well as charging? Then I believe the answer is, the Inverter I have is a little under-sized, being limited to only manage 600 watts of incoming PV, is that how I understand this? For now it's all good and I'm happy with the current operation, just want to know what to consider when I start planning for "phase B". 😉 cheers gents. regards AL

Thank you gents. For now, I'm happy, it seems to be doing what it's supposed to do. I've changed the default source to PV and it's pulling around 385 watts in sunny conditions.. SO, for the first time I'm harnessing this free energy. Good one. @Coulomb, how would the connection of the above look like, simply move batts to MPPT controller, ? How do you then connect the controller to the Inverter? Cheers. Al

Hi, So, off the back of the recommendations in the opinions channel, I decided to pull the trigger and migrate from my existing, works perfectly setup of a Mecer 24 volt Lobo inverter and 2 Lithiums, to a Pure Sinewave jobbie. Got a decent price on the RCT Axpert 3 Kva, and after a 2.5K shopping spree to local Electric wholesaler, it's all in and working, seems to be pretty much perfectly. Newly added fridge plug runs, and, with all existing plug and lighting circuits on, my Max power is sitting around 650 Watts, So, pleased with the result. I had 2 x 200 Watt PV panels on the roof, which I used with PWM Solar charge controllers to help recharge the Lithiums. So, have also added one of them onto the Axpert for now. I have a question if someone can assist. The manual for this boy says it's MAX wattage is 600 Watts in PV form. That seems daft considering it's a 3 Kva Inverter. But, is that it, the most I can connect PV wise is equivilent to 600 Watts? No more? eg: 2 x 300 Watt panels. For now, or the next maybe year or two, this should suffice, but, am learning as I go along, and, would like to then reduce the Utility consumption later on by upgrading to an Inverter that can support the 3 to 5 Kw's range, which should cover all my needs during daytime. Look forward to your constructive suggestions and feedback. Al