Gavin286

Thanks for the reply. I'm not sure if its the voltage. Below are the specs, and when the drop occurred - 10:15am...

Hi folks, I noticed that the PV output drops to around 120w as soon as the batteries are charged even when the load is requiring power that PV can supply. I do understand if its a design thing, I just want to understand why it happens. It's only been doing this after adding another 15 panels. When it was only the 5, the system didn't do this. See attached pic. Thanks!

Thanks very much. It seems like the top end is not more than 60c. My inverter is an 8kw with the 3 fans that is heard above almost everything else in the house 😅 Thanks for the re-assurance!

Hi folks, As per the screen shot, are these temps in the acceptable range? The inverter is indoors with a ceiling extractor fan.

5.1Kwh so I think 0.5c Correction - they are 1c

We have a Magneto inverter (which is a rebranded Deye) and Magneto batts. Apparently Makro is starting to sell the products in the very near future, with approved installers to assist with installation.

Just to conclude on the settings I've been told, with 2 batts of the same brand and spec: "master batt": dip switches 1-4 off. Slave batt: 1 ON 2,3,4 off. I have yet to test extensively wether these are the correct settings, but its what I've been told, so take it with a grain of salt.

Thanks everyone for the replies and the help. At the moment I am waiting on the electricians to fit the additional panels during the course of the week. That will allow me to get an accurate gauge on after sunset batt-only run times. This is all a massive learning curve for me as I admittedly went into this type of thing without much knowledge, only the advice that was given.

Over the weekend I Googled around but didn't find anything remotely helpful. The technician at Magneto responded to my messages this morning from over the weekend and advised on the correct jumper settings. I didn't notice any changes within the system but I'll take his word. The 200ah was manually set.

Both batts seem to be discharging at the same rate / percentage, as well as charging seems to be correct. The voltages are slightly out even now and then but between charge / discharge cycles they balance correctly. Note that both batts are brand new and are installed at the exact same time - last week Thu to be precise.

Hi guys, thanks for the reply. Pics attached. Its a Magneto (Deye) 8kw inverter

Hey folks I had an additional 5.1kwh batt added to my system which now in theory is 10.2kwh, however it seems like the length of time I can run is still the same as it was with just the 1 batt? A very rough estimation is about 10% usage an hour IE down to 80% from a 100% charged batt during the evening load shedding slots. I’m getting the same with the second batt added. Surely the run time should be longer? As in less used? Or am I misunderstanding how the 2nd batt has added it’s value to the system? Thanks!

The second display idea would be awesome! Plug in an RJ45 to external display - 100m easy, and a single cable for power and data...

I'm inclined to think the same re the "standard" comms.

Can I not just plug the inverter straight into my network switch for comms instead of the RJ45 to USB or RS232 to USB? I already have the wifi dongle and would like to keep Solarman functional.

Thanks very much, I'll look into it!

Morning everyone, Is there a way to display the inverter screen remotely? I use Solarman and that obviously is updated only every 5 minutes or so. I'm hoping for something that can mirror the inverter info as quickly as its built in display. Thanks!

Hey folks, I've been quoted on adding 40kA surge arrestors for AC and DC. Can someone recommend what to purchase, and just have the electrician install it for me? Thanks very much!

If you're wanting to go the heat pump route, I would recommend Fourways Online. They were very helpful and interested in helping me even though I didn't end up buying anything from them. Here is a link to what I was looking at: https://fourwaysonline.com/product/12kw-alliance-inverter-swimming-pool-heat-pump/

That is a very good suggestion. We were considering a heat pump but decided against it BEFORE we had funds available for more panels, so we put in traditional water solar for the pool already...

Gerrie you nailed it! I checked this morning and they do indeed have this exact profile - thank you! https://herholdts.co.za/pi15341/valsa-40-x-40-top-%26-side-slots-profile-6.6m.html if anyone is interested.

Thanks everyone for the replies and suggestions. I do have an element based geyser but with a solar heat exchanger so it uses minimal power to keep temps. But to have it running permanently on PV for that slight requirement is a good idea!

Hey everyone I’d like to find out if it’s a good idea to mix mounting kit brands / types. I have 5 panels that somebody installed, but with wanting to add additional panels, their quote is crazy expensive. I was thinking of doing the mounting myself and having them do the wiring. The attached pic is the profile of the existing kit that I thought it was SolarFrame but doesn’t seem to match exactly. Note that I can only fit another 5 panels next to the existing installation so the look of the kit should be negligible? Perhaps someone knows which kit this profile matches? TL;DR. Can I mix PV mounting kits. Thanks for the help everyone!

Hi everyone, We are making a move to have a total of 20x 455w panels with 2x 5.1KWh batts. We thought this would be the best way to compensate for cloudy days to still be able to charge and provide the load with power. Nominal load during the day (house only) 350w, 1,3kw (with pool pump on), spikes with an additional 2kw when the kettle boils, which is often On sunny days when batts are charged and the load is only 3,000w for example, and the panels are producing 9,000w is there any way of making use of the "wasted" power? Any chance of feeding back to grid in JHB? Thanks so much!