Ravenshield

I managed to be at the inverter this afternoon when it happened and took a video of the event. Error code is indeed F08. And i am starting to see a pattern of when it occurred, it seems to me that i drain some of the battery during loadshedding off course, then when eskom comes back on and battery starts charging, and as soon as the battery hits full charge it happens! According to the app "Main CPU Firmware Version 00072.00 and Secondary CPU Firmware Version 00036.03"

I just checked in history and mine does not seem to have any gaps that i can spot.

Thanx for the reply, im new to this inverter, how can i record the fault code?

@Steve87 i know you installed a fair amount of these Kodak's maybe you have encountered this problem before. Or maybe the techs at @SEGEN SOLAR will know?

Hi guys, i have a Kodak OGS5.6, brand new install, system only has inverter and 1 hubble am2 battery and no panels so far. Also have a problem that sounds like yours of it cutting power to loads for a few seconds and my automatic change over swapping over to eskom and then swapping back to inverter like 3 sec later. Im not sure where to get the error code, but this is the screenshot i took on the Watchpower App (not sure why it shows the error a couple of times as all the time stamps are the same)

Its been a while, but i finally did this install. Not exactly as i planned, ended up starting with a Inverter and Battery, but here it is...

I posted on the forum a while back to get advice and changed my initial plans a bit and started off with Inverter and battery in stead of Inverter and panels, i will now add panels as funds come in. Here is the install so far.

I also had this problem, at the wifi configuration it kept saying the phone is not on the same wifi as the inverter although it was, went into the app and allowed all permissions and it worked immediately after that.

Your install looks awesome!! What panels and config did you use on this setup?

Yes that is def in the safe zone once you calculate everything. It just feels so low because when you initially check specs on inverter you see that 6000W max pv input and now that you calculate everything you end up on a max input of 4320W .

Haha i see you answering the questions now even before i get to ask them! My next question was what the components are i need tot make the install safe legal and neat, as i need to make a list of those!

Thanx, i will recalculate using that and see if their method agrees with what @Steve87suggests

Aah ok thats something i did not spot there! Ok so 8 panels one string no problems. Wil it be fine if i start the string off with 4 panels and then add another 4 once budget allows? If i understand correctly if i do that the string voltage will be lower meaning the inverter will only start producing later in the morning abd and stop earlier in the afternoon, but that's just something I'll have to make peace with for the start. Other than that any problems with that config?

Ok so far it seems like i will go with the Kodak OGS5.6 Inverter and the JA Solar 540w Panel. I played around a bit and worked out the PV array according to a method i found on solaradvice.co.za (https://solaradvice.co.za/how-to-size-a-pv-array/) Answer i get is 10 panels in one string, thats it... I will post screenshots of my calculation as well as inverter and panel specs. Does my calculation look correct and real world actionable? Also, if that is correct, will it be fine to start off the array with 5 panels and then later add another 5? Or should it be different?

Yes you are 100% correct, but those days, cloudy with a chance of loadshedding will at least be way less than the days i currently have no power to work with, which is every day! I def do intend on adding a battery, those are just damn expensive!

Thanx for this awesome info!! If you have a link to the voltage operated switch you used that will be much appreciated!!

Looks awesome, like the color! I looked at that exact model on diy geek and i think that will be my inverter of choice to start my solar journey!!

Great info thanx! I see you have to be a pro to buy from Segan so i assumed what you imply is that all kodak machines in sa are imported and warrented by them regardless of which retailer you bought from? Thanx for setting it straight that the kodaks are named differently, makes great sense now!

Hi Steve, can you maybe share a link to these inverters that can blend the pv and ac and operate without battery, as that sounds like what i need to start off with for my current needs!

A month or so ago i worked and stayed on a site for 5 weeks, where they had installed 2 x sunsynk 12kw, 48 x 540w JA Pv's, 8 x hubble am-2 5.5kw/h batteries, so i know exactly what a dream that is like!! But that system price is half my house haha. So i def won't be happy with anything that is a backup but uses grid only to charge as the grid is not reliable and with the latest loadshedding schedule being messed up the grid is not even predictable. Time on between loadsheddings is not enough to fully charge any considerable amount of backup one might have so going that route is a waste of money in my opinion. So therefor what im looking for 1. Has to be PV 2. Inverter with ability to use what is available from PV and the shortfall from grid (when available haha) 3. Ability to add PV and batteries as funds become available. Those are the 3 things i know for sure, exactly which model inverter has those abilities, is considered reliable, and is in the price range (lets say not more than R15k), now that's what i need more advice on

Haha yes, but that is why i post here to get some advice! So my thoughts behind initially going PV only and no battery is the price for say a 5kw/h litium battery is +-30k then it can charge during day and discharge at night, but because of DOD maybe only 3kw/h of the battery is usable, so if put simply, 30k expense = 3kw/h savings every night. But if I put even half of that 30k that a battery would cost into PV say 4 x 540w @ 4k each so 16k, they would during sunshine produce more than 3kw/h thus translating into bigger savings per day for money spent. Is my logic in this correct?? Yes i will def get a battery or two when funds allow as it is a big part of the system, but can't purchase everything together.

No im not planning on exporting, just to draw what is not supplied PV and at night at first, when budget allows I want to get a lithium battery yes so I can draw from grid as few as possible! Ha ha thanx, i see it is n money hungry game this yes 🤑

Will the inverter turn off if receiving no grid power even though it is mid day and have PV power? Or do you mean at night or like on a cloudy day?

Good Day guys, i've been lurking a while reading up on ideas, finally time to join! I've been thinking of adding solar to my house for some time now, but postpone every time, now this stage 6 loadshedding is pushing me to have to do something! The goals for my system is as follows... Goal 1 : My wife (100%) and me (50%) work from home, so not to be without electricity during working hours. Goal 2 : I think the same as every south african is to save on that ever increasing eskom bill. Goal 3 : Not to have to sit in the dark when loadshedding is in the evening. Household only 2 people and we are quite power aware, try our best to not turn on high load items simultaneously and so on. Al 3 goals don't have to be achieved with the initial install as the budget forces to achieve them step by step. So for my plan to achive goal 1, I was thinking of getting a 5000w hybrid inverter and say +-2kw worth of PV. As far as I calculated that should keep me running the essentials during work hours while loadshedding, and even when not loadshedding my first 2kw comes from PV and whatever extra from the grid. So the inverter wil need to have that ability, and in doing so starting to partly achive goal 2 as well. Then as funds allow i want to keep adding PV until the inverter is maxed thus working more and more towards goal 2. I will also then do my best to use higer load items during sunshine hours to minimize use from the grid in the evening. Once that is done i will save towards adding batteries for my needs to achive goal 3. After taking the above into consideration i need some advice on... 1. Does my plan for achieving the goals sound correct or did I miss something maybe? 2. I would love to buy a Deye/Sunsynk as my first inverter but since that is priced out of budget at the moment, what other inverters can I consider that has the capabilities I need and is reliable at a reasonable price? 3. The roof I plan to install the PV on i calculated to be at +-26°, will that be fine to install flat on? ( I am in North West) 4. Any other advice or tips will be much appreciated! Thanx for taking the time to read! I look forward to gaining valuable knowledge on the forum!