phil.g00

It means the 3 phases get bridged at the incomer to the single incoming phase. 2 loops and 2 minutes work.

I'd suggest you do the sums and you'll quickly discover that it's far cheaper to convert these pumps to 1ph first. Don't throw good money after bad, 3ph only becomes a necessity when pumps get a lot bigger. ( 7.5kW +). But mostly 2/3rds of your investment is not doing anything when you not pumping, if that was a 1Ph system it could be smaller and save you a whack. The next thing to consider is that most, (not all) inverters can't handle pump starting current. The more affordable inverters being the first to be affected. Even the ones with enough low- down grunt will have to be over-rated to make sure they are up to the job. This applies both to 1ph and 3ph. If I were you at this moment in time I would consider looking at converting to a lower power 1ph pumps and pumping for longer, and finding out what savings can be had swapping over to 1ph supply. Then take your solar plans from there....

I have been considering something similar for a while now, so please report back on your progress. Longi is apparently the world leader in bifacial panels, and are (or becoming) partners with ZA's Artsolar. I predict if I ever do this, it will not be in the very near future. The reason I say this is I had a paid calculation done which relied on a high bifaciality factor. The bifaciality factor I chose was higher than mainstream values, with a view that when I got around to doing this, it would approximate a realistic value not a historical one. That said, let me try and explain what and why I did what I did. I am a believer that an MPPT should within its threshold be optimized. Because of the bifaciality factor of theses panels one side is more productive than the other. This means if your N-S vertical panels have their best side facing E then the morning peak will determine the MPPT size necessary. The afternoon peak will essentially underutilize that same MPPT capability. So I thought, what if I didn't line up the panels exactly N-S, but offset them so that the sun's arc favoured the afternoon peak (at the expense of the morning peak), so that both peak's were the same size. That way I could use a smaller (read cheaper) MPPT that was fully utilized at both the am and pm peaks. My thinking was that at noon production would be low, so I could possibly also add a north-facing string and achieve full utilization throughout the day. OK, so far so good. Except that knowing that this offset must exist, is quite different from trying to estimate what it is. So I contracted Charles Landau at solarpaneltilt.com and posed him with this question ( for a fee). This is an extract from his reply and I hope it helps in your own quest: Based on your information: Latitude 28.746 degrees South Panels mounted vertically (fence) Bifaciality factor 83.5% Calculation for the summer solstice The two sides of the fence will produce the same amount of power if the good side is oriented 315° from North, which happens to be exactly Northwest. Your situation is unlike any I've encountered previously, so unfortunately I don't have any intuition of what the result would be at a different latitude or different day of the year. To determine that would require a new calculation, and a new fee. This latitude approximates Kimberley or Ladysmith (KZN), the bifaciality factor I assumed was at the pinnacle of what could be achieved at the time, with the idea that this value would be commonplace by the time I got around to doing this. I chose the summer solstice as I figured this would be the day of the year that the peak disparity would be at its greatest. If this information is helpful good luck to you.

From the website sales warranty:

No. The combined positive and negative cabling length of parallel batteries should be the same so that voltage drops over cabling is the same. Which in turn means that parallel batteries are equally charged/discharged at the same rate. The same logic would apply to other parallel devices that are likely to draw high current during operation.

Municipality authorities won't know what is out there or what meters do what. So they'll read forums like this one to find out. Be careful what you post, you may be very lucky, don't advertise it. Get a 500W elcheapo chinese grid-tie inverter hook it up to single pane that you lean on your fence next the meter box. Trip your feed in breaker and watch the disc. If you are lucky keep shtum and don't tell the neighbours and switch off your inverter well before the meter reading dates.

This is the COCT bylaw. I am not a lawyer but it seems that if they supply you with a service they can get access to inspect that service. It also say they can seek information from you. I do not see this as a blanket right to invade your right to privacy, but limited to the provision of their service. However, my non-legal opinion after reading this is: It would be a stretch to interpret this bylaw to mean that COCT authorities can demand off-grid registration legally. Sure they can inspect their connection to ensure it's off-grid and they could ask you if you are connected to the grid. After that though, the details are not their business, no more than they could compel you to register if you were HIV+. It is a private matter that does not affect them. In fact, I would argue that is illegal under some or other information/privacy act for authorities to compile a database of people for things that have nothing to do with them. Electricity Supply By-law.pdf

Thank you for the data. I am not sure about this conclusion. In the light of this: but this does seem to be an issue: Please can you justify your conclusions.

Sorry, I'll have pass on this. This info will be needed by other people interested anyway.

Thank you, that tallies with what I have already. I'll have to have a think.

That's the Version of VRM or something it'll be the first 4 digits of the number on the chip inside either 2654 or 2655. All your units will be the same FW, they have to be to be in the same system. Look at the inverter product Id in the device list tab in VRM.

May I ask the FW version and where you are based?

If you can show you have enquired and shown the diligence of a reasonable man and you still can't find out, there isn't, even if there is.

If you feel intimidated, go ahead and comply. I am just saying my stance would be, unless it's a law, they can huff'n puff and then go swivel.

Nearly 30 years ago, there was a big hype about registering boreholes, fire and brimstone and imminent woe if you didn't. I was about to have mine dug at the time, so I phoned in. Without getting my name, I was told that I may be expected to provide water for any surrounding rural community. I said fine, what were they willing to subsidize my costs, they said not a cent. We left it at that. I didn't register, and nothing happened, I am not sure anything would have happened if I had. But I'd as soon as not be on a database somewhere. I think the same principle applies.