Garthox

Is your fuse the inline MC4 at 20A and would you be fusing each string individually, or if using a branch "Y" piece rather on the input to the combiner box? Edit: I see you have just responded, clarifying

Congrats 🥳

Good day, Having made some progress in the week receiving some parts in. Last update, was confirming planned panel configuration of 2s2p Each panel specs; (Label image attached for future reference) 450w Voc = 49.3V Isc = 11.60A 2s2p would bring it up to 100v @. 24A rounding up. This falls within the MPPT range. Currently in hand are the Y-splitters and I also have 20A in-line MC4 fuses I have done the mock up in the DB with wiring of 6mm sq. Included are each + and - fused with 32A fuses Earth wire is on the image with paint, planned to run to an earth spike via conduit to the ground. The DB has terminals above the DIN rail, would it be best to run the surge protector earth and panels earthed to that same terminal or a seperate run to the same earth spike. Reading online was a bit of a debate with that one where lightning/earth leakage were discussed. Further details being: 32A fuse (positive) 32A fuse (negative) Noark surge protector (Ex9UEP-20) DC Breaker 500v (NB1-63DC) Earth wire to be sized still 6mm sq running +-19m maximum to the inverter in Would it be acceptable to house the main DB in the roof closest to the connection entering and the single MCB at the inverter should any work be needed. Would there be any benefit to swopping those positions and having surge protection closer to the inverter PV in? There should not be a need to change fuses, and work in the DB (unless there is an issue, so climbing in the roof for that is okay). Should the weather play along this weekend, my plan is to get the 4-off panels/rails etc all mounted on my dads roof. As always, any comments and suggestions welcome. Hopefully no glaring faults, but i will rectify as needed.

My parents Esener 3kw, and friends Must 3kw (which looks like the same as your Fivestar) are likely rebrands of the same unit. Others can comment. Check through the settings with this one, as the Must and Esener were identical in the settings (just the display look was different). Did you not get a hardcopy with the inverter purchase? chrome-extension://oemmndcbldboiebfnladdacbdfmadadm/https://www.mustpower.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/420-00342-00-PV18-1-3KW-VPM-off-grid-MPPT-T1.0%EF%BC%88NEW%EF%BC%89.pdf

Been away for work for quite a time....I have since gotten 3-off 450w mecer panels to be used for my dad's setup. I am thinking if it would not be better to run 2 strings of 2 in parallel. (4 panels total) as the input range for the inverter mpty is 30 to 120 volts (VOC 145) 3-off in series will not work, but the supplier told me a max of 6-off in parallel. Im thinking for their limited use, 2 strings of 2 in parallel is best as their roof faces NNW, so production would only start from about midday (slightly sooner) Any comments appreciated on my ramblings there.

Thanks, I had done some reading up and checked the maths and ended up changing to the max charge setting in the inverter.

Just close the loop on this question of mine. Which was the inverter maxing out at 27v no matter the initial settings used. I ran the inverter a few more days, but eventually took it in to be checked. The numbers weren't adding up from the kill-a-watt vs the inverterp display. They checked it out, and apparently didnt change anything. I reinstalled it and its operating as it should now. All in all, happy my folks have a setup working as needed. My next research will be suitable panels etc this month. Still need to do some reading up before ordering.

Thanks for this info, I've gotten a clone one for my folks, Esener branded 3kw, and Ive noticed this too. Basically with their small useage, it charges only at 580-650w from mains, and at only 3 amps, until 27v float then hovers it there. I've yet to see anything above 27v (float) The readings come from a kill-a-watt plug.

What is the max solar that can be added to this inverter. From a google search it seems 4000w, this can be around say 8 or 9 x 460w panels (please make sure on this and dont take number as correct) Panels will have the benefit of starting to save you from purchasing electricity, ROI starts. And you can potentially run through the day on the panels if you only need 600w. In terms of cost +-panels would be around 27k vs a battery of around 33k (takealot). Excluding install costs, which for panels can add up to a few bucks. What sort of roof layout do you have to mount the panels. If you have a north or East/West split (Make sure on a split because I believe this has 1 MPPT input). If I was in your position (I kind of am with my own setup) and I am opting next for adding solar panels before a second battery for the reasons above. Just my 2c

Thanks for the reply, yeah I was at my parents and the fans did run a little less last night. Very likely the first run was a bit more of a charge? Thanks for the info on the fans, I'm happy that what I'm seeing is normal for these (I only have my 5kw to compare and they are very different in operation). After some reading, it may also be with their minimal loads that the battery also hasnt got to the level to trigger a full/bulk charge. Watching amps, on a kill-a-watt plug. This was minimal at 3.1amps on charging. I suspect it was almost always at the float level. What I did see was that it was pulling 590-600 watts during this, which i thought to be high. Planning to run it for a few loadshedding sessions to drop the battery down and then choose to charge later and see if the thoughts on float are correct or not. All the while watching the watts and amps during the charging. As for the 20Amp setting, the two options are 20Amp and 30Amp and this isnt hardwired in. Making use of an outlet with a 20amp circuit breaker. I didnt want to set it to 30 just yet. Once I am happy with the setup, ill get it wired dedicated into the DB on a suitable CB for the 30amp charge cycle. This thread was helpful for me to get a good feeling on my parent setup so far. but I will monitor it some more

Good day all, I have gotten my parents an Esener branded 3kw inverter and lithium battery. (Same rebrand as the MUST). This is a 24v unit, that is planned for backups during loadshedding for their TV's and some lighting at night etc. Currently only charging from utilities with no solar input at this stage. My question, is. Has anyone had similar experience with the inverter fan. While charging the fan is turning on and off continuously. i.e. I haven't timed it, but say 30 seconds idle/off, on for 10 seconds and repeat. This was turned on an hour before loadshedding last night, and began to charge the battery. (Charging amps from mains is 20A currently) I'd like to confirm if this is normal operation for this of the fan running as described, if so then no problem. Once at float voltage (27.0v checked with a multimeter), I would think the fans would relax a bit while mains power the loads. As for the settings used, the breakdown is here in the table. Setting # Details Setting used 01 Output source priority UTI Utilities provide to loads first 05 Solar supply priority LBU Solar provides to loads first 10 Charger source priority SNU Solar and Utilities used at the same time 11 Max charging (Utility + solar) 80A Max Amps for solar + utilities combined 13 Maximum utility charging 20A Max amps from mains 14 Battery type LI Lithium battery 17 Bulk charge 28.2v 18 Float voltage 27.0v 19 Low DC cut off 22.0v 21 Battery stop charging when grid available 27.0v 29 Power saving mode Disabled 30 Battery equalisation Disabled

Managed to make some more progress this evening and get my inverter details, from solar asistant, accessed on the mqtt broker in my clean install of home assistant. I must say, it was a bit of a challenge, with the new to me home assistant and mqtt (first time using either). Looking forward to where this rabbit hole takes me. Next up will be to look at making a dashboard and getting that data useable/in graphs etc Further down the line, will be to eigher; get some neutral wires down to the light switches, and get some light switches or get some eachen switches, which i'll need to see how to flash with tasmota I am wanting to still have them easily useable by visitors, so ideally the switches will have a momentary on/off switch and not the touch panel, but its still early days.

I'll be receiving it tomorrow, they were not done with it before the long weekend.

I was able to get in some more progress for my system, making use of the public holiday and a Friday night with some pizza. Thursday, I needed to climb in the roof to run new network cables for 2-off cameras and to my inverter. With the size of the house (inverter and office on opposite ends) I wanted to bring my original router back to my PC desk and still keep wifi access available for the sunsynk logger. Made use of an old router I had as an access point for the logger as well as a connection point for the Pi to plug the RJ45 into. Turned off the power at the DB, shut down the battery and inverter (double checked voltages were 0) to wire in the Pi power at the disconnect. Connected in the RJ45 for the Pi for Solar assistant. Friday, I got my router/access set up and mounted on the side wall, ran its own lead for now (will have the electrician place a wall socket there when theyre back for panels eventually). Network cables all sorted and have the equipment all ready to go for the next step. Which will be getting solar assistant up and running and then connected to home assistant on my W.I.P server. P.S, Ill paint those walls one day, but thats not a priority for my just yet haha

Very nice installs @BruceK @suds7162

For my folks, I have ordered the 24v 3kw inverter and 1-off battery. to be a standalone backup unit (not wired in the DB). Hoping to receive by the weekend but the holiday may delay (inclusive of a mini DB with surge arrestor etc) I will report back once received and confirmed working.

Went to refresh to see new articles but then get redirected away, either from the main banner or via google Luckily other tabs I had open, allowed me to create this post. Could be an issue on my end

Beat me to it lol The question will need a bit more info for your use case. (I am assuming the question in your title is the one you want to know about and the thread is the typo) What are you trying to charge with what inverter? Which are the specs of the panels? For example, my 5kw sunsynk can accept around 14 panels vs the 3kw esener I am getting my folks (like 3 panels).

Agreed that households are not the majority. Of course there is the whole, balancing the economy/industry etc One aluminium smelter "Hillside consumes about 5% of Eskom’s electricity, about 1 205MW a year"

Congrats, I'm working my way to that point still. I only have my system as loadshedding backup for working at home. So technically with losses, my useage will have gone up 😅. But I am only 1 person in the house, so I run on fumes already.

The light I wanted to shed, seems that they will be already doing that now LOL I did see an article pop up on my google feed about a stage 11, likely that is due to the power station efficiencies. Though, that doesn't really answer your question. I have no clue. Instead of securing from neighbors, why not reduce the export to those neighbors?

Long overdue update, a few days after my system went live I had to travel for work for 6 weeks. 1st of March I mounted the backing board and mounted the inverter and battery prior to the electrical work by the supplier. Due to the small DB I had in place, this was a full replacement. Basically the whole house on essentials less the geyser and oven. No issues at all since install. Everything been working flawlessly with the house and updates when grid is lost and regained. For now, it is only set up as loadshedding backup, with the solar panels on order (Need to sort my one garage roof before the installer will work on there that currently has asbestos from being a very old house). I have received my Pi from SolarAssistant today and am keen to get that installed later as well. Will look to get my HomeAssistant running and then coupled to the PI XD Some pics of the previously unused side storage area now Roughly 1m x 2m, dubbed the Power Room.

There are installers from that area on this forum, that will answer. But my system (inverter and battery only to start) was purchased from the Power-Forum Store. and the installer (in PE) had no issues to quote/supply/install the rest. My installer assisted with registering the extended warranty.

The question of yours is a little vague as you can have panels, batteries and inverters in parallel. I am assuming you are meaning parallel inverters, but to be sure can you confirm.

Yes haha, but i now turn that off at the plug and ignore that clock for now