Peter le Roux

I had it in my signature but didn't realise signatures aren't visible on mobile. 5.6kWp of panels, 2 x 5.3kWh Sunsynk LiFePO, 8kw Sunsynk. I have access for remote monitoring and the geyser is switchable remotely with a CBI Astute. I suppose that's my question - is an idle overnight discharge enough to keep the battery happy with no major loads for two weeks? Or not something to be worried about?

I'm looking forward to a nice two week holiday but was wondering what the best practice is for my solar installation - if I understand properly, lithium batteries prefer to be cycled rather than storing at full charge for extended periods. Do I need to worry about this for a two week holiday where there will be minimal loads on my system (expect 1-2kWh/day consumption when the house is empty) or it not really applicable to LiFePO batteries?

Yesterday was a bad day for solar but with the help of a constant load this afternoon and some cloud edge effect in the morning I managed 6,5x installed wattage for production today. some nice peaks at 6+kW this morning from my 5,5kWp array:

Is the HVAC 24000W or 24000BTU? 24kW is enormous for a home AC. 24000BTU is more like 8-10kw which is still more than your capacity but closer to being workable

You need to use the 'true'/sidereal/solar direction and not the magnetic direction

In theoretical terms, direct solar heating of your water with a solar geyser is more efficient because you are turning solar radiation straight into hot water without the intermediate steps of AC->DC->heat in the element. BUT once your water is hot, there is nothing else that you can use that solar geyser for. If you add extra panels, once you have heated your water, you can use the solar panel to charge batteries or run other appliances in your house.

It can be cut. The granite installers use a water-cooled diamond saw to do the cuts. Very dusty and messy job but it is quick. Depending on the location, they might need to remove the counter top and replace and re-do the epoxy joints once they are done

This looks interesting, thanks. I've got some IP-rated enclosures and it looks like the soldering and setting of the voltage should be fairly straightforward

I've been given an old Siemans 48W solar panel (so old they were still making things like this in America) and am wondering what I can use it for. We have fitted MC4 connectors on it, and I had it briefly fitted to my office inverter trolley but it doesn't provide nearly enough power to charge the battery in any useful way. Uses I'm thinking of: - trickle charging the gate motor battery when the power is off - what hardware would I need for this? - USB charger for camping - would something like this work- https://reliablestore.co.za/products/30-40-50-60-100a-mppt-solar-controller-lcd-solar-charge-controller-accuracy-dual-usb-solar-panel-battery-regulator?variant=36606693736609&sfdr_ptcid=28846_617_662110040&sfdr_hash=680a62365e473703887e7ff560a846aa&utm_campaign=gs-2018-11-23&utm_source=google&utm_medium=smart_campaign ?

You'll also need the hardware and mounting rails for your solar panels- this depends on the location (roof, freestanding), the type of surface (tiles or roof sheeting) and whether you have a good angle already or need a frame to adjust the angle

About R115k so far. But with the Rand doing it's thing, prices are changing all the time. I'm budgeting about R30k for the installation based on previous quotes

Hi, having watched how well our office has been working for the last two years with a solar installation, we've bitten the bullet and started purchasing components for our home installation. Monthly consumption for a house of 3 is about 400kWh, resistive geyser, gas stove. Roof is well insulated. We've order the following: Sunsynk 8kW inverter Sunsunk 5.32kWh battery 12 x JA 460W panels All the bits and pieces should arrive by the middle of June. One question - I want to be able to heat the geyser while the sun shines (5.5kWp should charge the battery pretty quickly) - is it preferable to use the auxiliary output on the inverter, or put it on the main inverter supply and use a timer (I have a CBI Astute) to switch it on? We use most of our hot water in the evening so I'm hoping to cut our mains use for the geyser to practically 0. the plan is to monitor the system for a few months and then decide whether more panels or more batteries are the most important first upgrade