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KevinM

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About KevinM

  • Birthday 21/05/1966

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    Involvement in renewables
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    https://www.phoenixcontact.com/online/wcm/connect/zaen/web/main/solutions/subcategory_pages/Solar/c24ecfca-a303-433a-bda4-4d9a3fd7031c?presentationtemplate=pxc_design/pt_layer_video

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  1. Thank you for the info system32. Jay-Dee please let me know how you progress. Are you still using the Axperts or is the Sunsynk for a different system.
  2. As I understand it the ICC system is only designed to work with Aspert based systems and won’t work with Sunsynk/Deye. Do you even need it? I have been having similar issues with my dual 5KW Mecer Axperts. Ever since the ICC to SMH upgrade last year things have gone haywire. I have replaced one Axperts MPPT in January and shortly after that my 3 Pylontechs BMS blew. I have since received one of the batteries back from repair. It took a month! A month later and I I!m still waiting no for the other 2. I am thinking about getting an 8KW Deye or Sunsynk. Maybe you could tell me something - does it switch off when we have load shedding? This anti islanding makes me a bit nervous and I’m concerned that if the grid stops then the whole system stops suppling load even with batteries. Thanks
  3. I have been running a dual Axpert 5KW system for three years with 3 X Pylontech US3000(b) and 21X335W JA (7KW) panels. I was really hoping that the inverters would do me for 7 years which is essentially break-even from a financial aspect. Our average usage is 35KW/day of which 70%+ comes from the sun. So that works out to about R1800 savings/months. The system is self-installed and cost R180000. (For those trying to figure out the math's here, keep in mind that in six years price/unit will have doubled) The Axpert' started to give hassle's late last year and I had to replace one of the MPPT's. System was running at half mask for about 2 months. It has not been the same since then. ICC/SMH, off grid/on grid, battery management it’s all just not working like it used to. In March 2022, during a clear sunny day and no-load sheading all three batteries BMS's blew. I returned them to my supplier who sent them in for repairs. I got one battery back about three weeks ago. I'm still waiting for the other two! Solar and Inverter warehouse (thanks Carl and Gary) were kind enough to loan me a second battery in the meantime. But what is worrying me is what caused the Pylontech batterie's to fail in the first place. Without an answer on what blew all three of the Pylontechs’ I have become somewhat suspicious of the Axpert based machines. Three years’ service is undesirable. Sure, at times they were running at around 7 or 8 KW together for a few hours during full sun but It’s a 10KW system. I am now seriously considering replacing them with an 8 or 16KW Deye or Sunsynk. Here are my reasons: 1) The continued use of the Axperts' may degrade my expensive Pylontech batteries prematurely and possibly invalidate the 10-year warranty. 2) Deye/Sunsynk use IGBT’s as their engines versus less robust mosfets in the Axpert. 3) The Deye/Sunsynk carries a 5-year warranty, Axpert at best is 2 years to my knowledge. 4) Should you go over specification in the Deye/Sunsynk during a power outage, they apparently trip, the Axpert just keeps going until external delayed action of the CB's trip at 32A or the 100A battery CB trips or the battery itself trips. This can so easily happen when a cloud appears. 5) No monthly fee for 3rd party remote access and control for the LiFePO batteries. Being a Hybrid and bidirectional it is true that the Deye/Sunsynk is in a different league compared to the Axpert type off grid inverter but does come at near double the price KW for KW. From the onset I have noted that the Sunsynk seems to be well supported locally in South Africa whereas the Deye only has "word of mouth" support. Hardware-wise they are the same unit. Keith Gough, CEO of Synsynk has done a fantastic job of marketing Sunsynk. And their HQ office in SA is in Randburg. Sunsynk does however come at a around a R5k premium over the Deye. I would appreciate any comment regarding my analysis but also if the extra price of the Sunsynk is worth it over the Deye. Also, should I be looking at 1 X 16KW unit or 2 X 8KW units or is 1 X 8KW enough. This considering that the arrival of electric vehicles is imminent?
  4. 3 X Pylontech US3000 install between June and December 2019. All "were" running without any notable degradation until 12th April 2022 (last week). No notable degradation at all. 1000+ cycles average. FYI the three batteries are now all in at the Pylontech repair centre for failed BMS's? I don't want to say anything yet but watch this space! Happened during peek sunshine 12H44, no load shedding, no lightning and using about 6000W. 2 X Axpert 5000, 3 X Pylontech US3000 system and 21 X 335W Panels (150V). High end type 1 and 2 surge protection on panels and grid.
  5. Hi all I have a system with 2 X Axpert inverters in parallel. One of the inverters MPPT has popped. I would like to purchase a new unit and have the faulty unit sent of repairs. Unfortunately Inverter and Solar warehouse no longer sells this kind of inverter. Does anybody know if the SMD LynX 5000-48 AxpertKS-MKS-4K-5K (my one) is compatible with the MECER 5KVA/5KW PF1 64V CHARGER/ 48V DC Mecer. I can get one from CShop.co.za for R9000. I would really appreciate any input or alternative suggestions. Kevin Mann
  6. Hey Coulomb

    Just want to touch sides with you and thank you for all the assistance you gave me during my solar set up 2 1/2 years ago.

    Within the first few months of completion, my system was upgraded to look like this

    2 X parallel smd lynx 5000-48 Axpert inverters

    From 1 X 3000 Pylontech to  X3

    from 12 went to 21 (7X3) solar 335w JA panels

    Centurion solar SMH P3 software

    Apart from some initial minor software issues the system has run near perfectly for 28 months.

    The total system cost was around R180K (US$10K). Cost savings have averaged R60/day (US$3.3) with a total of R50K (US$2.8K) to date. So I will probably have another 6 years left to complete pay-back. This is not including an expected average increase of electricity of 15% pa. On top of that my 4,5KVA genny is getting rusty 🙂 

    Daily generation is around 23KW/day in winter and 31KW/day in summer. PV can hit a high of 7,8KW on a decent spring day and the record solar generation was 40KW on the 3rd of October 2021.  

    What's more is I don't even know when we have load shedding or power outages due to the systems UPS like facility.

    Once again thank you for your assistance in every aspect of this successful project.

    Kevin Mann

      

     

    1. Coulomb

      Coulomb

      Thanks for the kind words.

  7. We need the rain but boy is it hammering my solar production. from 25KW/day to less than 6!!! I have been prioritizing keeping the battries charged from the little solar available for load shedding. Paired 5KVA Axperts 18 335 W JA 2 X 3,5KW Pylontech
  8. In short and simple layman's terms; VA is what power you put in and W is what power you get out. A VA rating will always be higher than the W rating due to losses in the conversion. It is often indicative of a systems efficiency regarding AC.
  9. What I cant believe is that if the battery trips - say goodbye to your inverter if the panels are active. Attached are the inverter details.
  10. What I cant believe is that if the battery trips - say goodbye to your inverter if the panels are active.
  11. Hi all, a "friend of mine" recently received his 2 Axpert 4KW/5KVA inverters. To cut along story short , he installed the 2 in parallel, powered up on the Pylontech battery and began doing the settings. Each inverter has 6 X 335W panels making 12 panels altogether. All was going well until he inadvertently powered down the battery bank before powering down the panels - BANG!. Neither inverter will power on and trips the 100ADC overload as soon as the battery is powered up. Is this repairable? These things are brand new? The Pylontech is working but its almost as if there is a dead short from the Axperts' side.
  12. Thanks Coulomb, your response regarding separate panel circuits for each inverter has answered a pressing question. I agree with you in that I have had my reservations about the high Voc that may be generated in ideal conditions. My supplier warned me against taking the 350W Canada half cell units for this very reason. Hence I chose the 330W JA panels which I got at a really good deal of only ZAR 1750ea incl vat (about Au$ 180ea). I'm expecting delivery of 12 on the 2nd May and the rest later, so I'm pretty much stuck with them. I think I'll play this one by ear as my north facing roof is ideally suited for exactly 21 1X2meter panels (chimney gets in the way of a 22nd panel). On top of that I'm running a 20m 3 core 6mm2 armored cable which is at its limit of 46A using one core as a common negative. I want to avoid purchasing another cable if I can help it so going in at a lower voltage will add cost. (The cable was left over after I hopelessly over ordered for the AC side other wise I would have used a 6mm2 4 core). Coulomb, I noted that you're from Brisbane which means we're along similar latitude (Johannesburg). With winter fast approaching how do you find the solar generation on a cold clear winter day compared to a hot clear summer day?
  13. Thank you very much for the your 3 answers SilverNodashi. I'll take your advice with the current design which your answers to 1 and 3 confirm. On question 2, I've got some never been used 230VAC T1&2 SPD's that have been lying around for a while, what's the worst that can happen? The T1 is made to take a higher powered surge but is slower than the T2 which can't handle the peak of a large surge. As I understand the theory correctly these things only work or self destruct when there is a voltage surge - or am I missing something?
  14. Hi All, I'm currently awaiting my 21 X 330W/48V panels, 2 Axpert 4KW inverters and 2 PylonTech Lithium Ion 3.5kW - apparently there is a shortage country wide. In the mean time I'm installing the infrastructure. This is a DIY project on a tight budget and looking to minimize grid use. Although I am a sparky by trade and know Mr Voltare', Mr Ampere' and Mr Watt quite well, I've never done this before so I'm very much a newbee. I have a few questions that have come up during this installation exercise that I'm really battling to get answers to so if anyone could help with advice it would be appreciated. Question 1: The 21 panels will be connected in 7 array sets of 3 panels per string (144V and 7A per string in optimal conditions). The inverters will be paralleled as master and slave. Can I parallel out all 7 arrays and share the panels output equally between the 2 Axperts or should I dedicate say 3 arrays to the master and 4 to the slave? Question 2: Can I use AC surge protection Type 1 and 2 (SPD) 220V AC, for the panels (144V DC)? Question 3: Would normal insurance cover an installation like this under home owners?
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