Vernonstanley

Yes, it is possible to add solar panels to your existing setup with a Lifepo4 battery and inverter charger. However, you will need to make sure that the solar panels you choose are compatible with your battery and charger, and that you have the necessary components to connect them.
Here are the steps you can take to add solar panels to your setup:
Check the specifications of your Lifepo4 battery to make sure it can handle the charging voltage and current of the solar panels you want to add. Also, check the specifications of your inverter charger to make sure it can handle the charging voltage and current from the solar panels. Choose a solar panel or panels that are compatible with your battery and charger. Look for panels that have a voltage and current output that matches the charging specifications of your battery and charger. Purchase a solar charge controller that is compatible with your battery and charger. The solar charge controller will regulate the charging voltage and current from the solar panels to prevent overcharging your battery and damaging your charger. Install the solar panels and solar charge controller according to their instructions. You will need to connect the solar panels to the solar charge controller, and then connect the solar charge controller to your battery and charger. Monitor the charging process to ensure everything is working properly. You should see the solar panels charging your battery and the inverter charger converting the battery power to AC power. Remember to be cautious and follow the instructions carefully when making any changes or modifications to your electrical system.

New poster but been reading up a lot on this forum for insight into solar.
One thing I can say is that solar is extremely complex. Initially I thought I would give it a DIY go because I am a very handy person and do a lot of things around the house myself through self education, trial, error and eventually success. However, solar has proven to be on another level for me and a very expensive "experiment" for a DIY enthusiast, so I would rather leave it to the experts.
A little bit of background: Single, small simplex unit of 88sqm, work from home full time, very low electricity usage (My bill is usually around R350 - R400 pm). What I basically need is a system to power all of my essentials which would include:
Full time
One PC or a TV/Sound system (not run simultaneously) A ceiling fan Fridge Router + ONT for internet Charge a phone or something similar Occasionally:
At night it will be 2x 10w LED flood lights On the odd occasion switch on an airfryer/microwave/washing machine/dishwasher/kettle for a limited time Non-essentials like the geyser/oven/stove will not be connected to the inverter/solar system.
After a lot of research I have decided to go with a 5kw solar system (Initially I looked at a 3kw system, but many guys who I spoke to advised against it saying the components are sub par etc - better spending more and going 5kw). I received two quotes at around the R88,000 mark which will include the following:
5kw Deye/Sunsynk inverter 5kw Shoto/Dyness battery (Dependent on what stock is available) 5x455w Longi/JA/Canadian solar panels (Dependent on what stock is available) All accessories, installation and COC included It might be slightly overkill for what I want to use it for, but the area where I live has had 2 days of electricity in the last week. With stage 6, COJ are unable to keep up with the amount of calls, break downs, cable theft etc, so we sit for around 2 days without electricity, and one day with electricity. So the cycle continues on and on.
My questions:
Will the 5x455w panels be sufficient to power the system for non-essentials throughout winter/summer if we experience prolonged periods of breakdowns from COJ/Eskom? My roof is ideal and has sunlight most of the day on sunny days. I can get the same system with a Luxpower SNA5000 for R11,000 cheaper. I feel that it is worth it going for Sunsynk/Deye based on what I have read, but I would like to know if it is not overkill for what I am looking for and potentially worth it to save the R11,000? Thanks in advance for the advice!

I have a small basic 12V inverter charger setup with a Lifepo4 battery. I would like to add 200W of solar panels to my setup. Can it be done?
The inverter charger has no other connections other than AC and DC in and then AC out
Please help?

I have my current raspi solar assistant directly connected to my Lead Acid battery terminals with their supplied DC to USB power supply.  Can I do the same on my Hubble AM-2 battery, or will it interfere with the BMS, or is the raspi current drain negligible in this regard?🤔

Correct. Two wires come from the street to the connection point at your house. The neutral is usually already earthed at the transformer, so the neutral serves as both neutral and earth (it is combined in other words, hence the C).
An earth spike is installed nearby and a cable goes from the earth spike to this same connection box on the back/side of your house. Neutral is then bonded to earth at this point, and then from that point onwards earth is a separate conductor (hence the S in the moniker).
So TN (terra neutral), C (neutral and earth combined initially), S (but separate after the bonding point).

The SANS (South African National Standards) 10142-1 regulations dictate the electrical installation requirements in South Africa. According to these regulations, electrical panels must be connected to an earth electrode system that is separate from the earth electrode system used for the main earthing of the building. This separate earth electrode system must consist of one or more electrodes, such as ground spikes, that are driven into the ground.
Regarding your question, if your home's earth is connected to the utility earth and a ground spike, you can use this existing ground spike to connect the electrical panel. However, it's always advisable to consult with a qualified electrician to ensure that the installation meets the relevant safety regulations and standards.

The SANS (South African National Standards) 10142-1 regulations dictate the electrical installation requirements in South Africa. According to these regulations, electrical panels must be connected to an earth electrode system that is separate from the earth electrode system used for the main earthing of the building. This separate earth electrode system must consist of one or more electrodes, such as ground spikes, that are driven into the ground.
Regarding your question, if your home's earth is connected to the utility earth and a ground spike, you can use this existing ground spike to connect the electrical panel. However, it's always advisable to consult with a qualified electrician to ensure that the installation meets the relevant safety regulations and standards.

Hi! Yes, it is possible to have the DEYE 8kW inverter run in off-grid mode while still being connected to the grid. Hybrid inverters like the DEYE 8kW are designed to operate in both off-grid and grid-tied modes, and allow you to switch between the two modes as desired.
To have the DEYE 8kW inverter operate like an Axpert type of inverter, you need to set the inverter to "standalone" or "off-grid" mode, which will prevent it from following the grid voltage and instead allow it to function as an independent power source. In this mode, the inverter will charge the batteries using its own internal charger, and will use the stored energy in the batteries to power the load. The inverter will switch to grid power only when the batteries are depleted and need to be recharged.
To switch to off-grid mode, you can refer to the user manual of the DEYE 8kW inverter, which should have instructions on how to change the operating mode.

Hello, I'm calling from Italy, I have a problem with the storage batteries. I have a growatt sfh 5000 inverter and CFE 5100 batteries.
The batteries cannot hold the voltage and therefore shut down. ever happened to anyone? The system is new, everything went well for a month and then it's under the problem.

As a first step you could change your grid settings - hit the down-arrow and on Grid Settings pg2 you could set the parameters within which the inverter will operate and allow the grid to pass through. I've got mine set at 230V +/- 10%, in other words, between 207V and 253V. In theory that is the SA grid standard (but theory and practice mostly diverge), but the Deye will as a default allow lower voltages, I think down to 192V, up to ... something higher, I forget what.
Outside of those voltages the inverter disconnect from grid and run from solar or battery.
Beyond that there are other settings on your inverter than can achieve the "SBU" operation for you. Basically under the System Work Mode, select "Zero Export to Load,"  and under the time-of-use settings, in all time slots set the battery minimum state of charge as low as the battery's specs allow/dictate. Otherwise, if you want to approximate the "SUB" mode, set the battery's minimum desired SOC to 100%.
Unfortunately I have no idea how to avoid the blending of power that the Deye will do. You may never get it to work exactly like the Axpert, which will swap over completely to utility once solar is not enough. Unless someone else knows better.
 

Is it possible to have the Deye (8kw) inverter running in off-grid mode, but still with grid connected? I know it is a Hybrid inverter, but I see on the graphs that it "follows" the grid supply and that voltage varies quite a lot. I would like to have it operate it like an Axpert type of inverter and only "switch" to grid once it is needed. Any setting that I missed that could have it operate in that way?