WernervH

Please rate/critique my installation. I'm not a sparky, but will get an electrician to certify it. I spent many hours researching on this forum how and what, and why and how again.. eventually decided to bite the bullet and do it. My biggest fear was/is earthing - I ended up running an earth (6mm) from the outside DB/incomer to the inverter, and then back from the inverter to the house DB - without them touching a long the way, reason was the inverter does it's own earth-neutral bond when inverting, so that the EL can still work.

Hey @Scarlock The setup I'm busy with is very similar to yours, with to-a-T the same equipment. My setup however is slightly different, I have mains going into a Changeover switch (eskom/gennie). I want to change it so that it goes ESKOM/Gennie Changeover > PV connected Multiplus II > House DB. Did you ever get answers to your questions? Below is the changeover, what's additional here, is SPD's and a time-delay/AVR controlling a contactor, from the contactor it goes to the Main DB, right behind this wallbox. So I want to change it that goes from the contactor, to the PV connected inverter, and then back to the mains db...

I have exactly such a device! - mine set to 5 minutes. But thanks for the explanation, there are indeed many plug surge arrestors here, almost all my equi - perhaps too many on too few circuits for those few ms's.

@TaliaB You mentioned you can understand when Eskom is restored - please will you explain why? - As I have this issue, every now and again, my EL CB will trip when Eskom power is restored, at first I thought it's my fridges, but it happens very randomly (sometimes months apart). I do have a Victron Multiplus powering my light circuit (DB Lights breaker > INVERTER > All LIGHTS (positive) - they all share neutral, with "ground relay" on, not sure if that's a cause. Some threads suggest it's the sensitivity of CBI breakers (which I have). Any suggestions? Sorry for hijacking the thread, but could be related.

@Don Thanks for your input - legend! I'll do some tests over the weekend, since I can control my geyser remotely, I'll record the meter with with solar feed-in, high/low current draw and guage what the meter does - will provide feedback. @GreenFields So I'm not too worried about feeding back, besides Victron Multipluses having built-in anti-islanding (flexing a bit 😉 ), I have a Clearline Trip-Connect with a 3 phase (I use it to break L,N) contactor - it was installed as a surge & voltage protector - it's wired in such as way that if the mains (coming to the my house gives issues (i.e dips below 180v) to disconnect from the grid instantly, and only reconnect after incoming power is stable for 5 minutes - while not true anti-islanding, it works pretty well as a unintended side effect of installing building surge protection. Living on a farm, (or anywhere in SA at this point) - I'd advise in getting building/property wide surge & voltage protection.

YES PLEASE!!

@suds7162 @Don I have a follow up question, the old disk-style meters, would they slow down or reverse, or would they simply count any current (meaning I pay double) I guess a more detailed metering examples would be: 1. Slow-down = my pool pump & lapa fridge is not connected to my grid-tied system, but is after my meter, would extra watts go to the pool pump/fridge? 2. Reverse = when all my local needs are met, and power leaves my property past the meter, would it reverse? (even if I don't get reimbursed, I still use Eskom at night for suplimenation, so it would never reverse into a negative per se) 3. No net-metering = Any current, ingress or egress is counted towards the meters consumption? The meter, it does not have the "reverse stop"-gear symbol, it's made in 1989, and not made in China: