Brendonvdh

Hi Greenfield. Thanks for the reply. Yes 1kw pump is overkill for my pool, it was installed by the previous owner. Even if I halve the electricity costs then payback is 4 years which is still attractive

Hi Scoobs Thanks for the reply. Yes agreed it does seem to have a good ROI and seems a no brainer considering I need to replace my AC pump. My only concern is there is some performance or reliability issue with a DC pump. I have googled for reviews etc and not found anything Was hoping to find a forum member here who had installed a DC pool pump and could share their results.

Hi Danie thanks for the response. I agree with your point about a house system if you have nothing. My current situation I have a small backup system for house (no solar) which is working fine, and need to replace the failing pool pump. It would be nice to know if these DC pumps actually work ok, similar to an AC pump with the same rating.

Hi I have a small pool (5m x 3m) and the AC pump is on its last legs. I am thinking of replacing with a DC Solar Pool pump system like this: https://tripplehydro-energy.co.za/store/500W-Spitfire-Solar-Pool-Pump-p486390423/?utm_source=googleshopping&utm_medium=shp&utm_network=x&utm_mobile=0&utm_creative=&utm_position=&utm_random=9500005138093320644&gclid=CjwKCAiAzp6eBhByEiwA_gGq5IddvU_2X7SrERwosRFxBYbBUV3L47WCvCTrK8FXB9xvCNwWNMT19xoCJ0gQAvD_BwE&utm_campaign=smart shopping - za (1)&utm_ad_group_id=962217&utm_campaign_id=1002462&utm_prod_id=486390423 Anyone installed something like this? Any advice or shared experiences would be appreciated A 1KW AC pool pump running 6 hours / day = R18/day R6750/year. So this system would pay for itself within 2 years so seems like a no brainer unless I am missing something? TIA

Just to give some feedback I contacted a local recommended electrician to get my inverter connected to my DB Took him about 2 hours , included a changeover switch and the wiring, inverter is next to the DB so not much wire needed Just connected my 3 light circuits, so it was fairly straightforward. He charged me R1950.

The mecer inverter would be fine if you just want a backup for your PC. It is very popular and works fine with the hubble battery. It's also probably quieter than the Axpert. The fan noise can be an issue. Have a look for the mecer inverter thread on mybroadband, it's discussed in detail. If you want to expand the system later, or connect to a DB, or connect solar, then the Axpert would be a better option.

Very good advice. I installed a similar system and it works perfectly. TV and lights stay on, makes load shedding much less annoying.

R11K in total I bought the inverter from geewiz for R2,549.00 - they also out of stock and the price has gone up. https://www.geewiz.co.za/load-shedding-solutions/188209-crystal-hybrid-1200va-720w-inverter-battery-charger-ups-intelligent-fan-modified-sine-wave-with-50a-pwm-solar-controller.html Its branded Crystal but is the same inverter. I think there are other online sellers who have it in stock. I also got the battery from geewiz for R7200 - also gone up now. I got 16mm battery cables and inline fuse (50A) from outdoor warehouse, and extension leads from takealot.

Just an update on what I actually ended up installing. There was no stock of the 24v inverter or the additional battery, so went with a 12v system: 1 hubble s-120 12v battery and 700w Must hybrid inverter https://www.solarwaysuppliers.co.za/product/must-1-2kva-solar-portable-inverter/ Total cost with fuses and wiring was R11K DIY install, I kept it separate from the DB. Connected TVs, Internet stuff and lights only. I ran extension cords from the inverter through the roof to our 2 x TVs.. Luckily I have open conduits to get the extension wires down to the TV so its all neat. Max load I have seen is 400W, lasts through 2.5 hours load shedding no problem. This cheap system works for us. The little inverter is actually very impressive for the price. Same functionality of the larger inverters. Will add a couple 160W panels next month just in case Eskom dies.

I have gone the opposite route. I cant afford 100K and couldn't justify a R45K+ 5kW system, so went with a basic 12v backup system for R10K 1 hubble s-120 12v battery and 700w Must hybrid inverter https://www.solarwaysuppliers.co.za/product/must-1-2kva-solar-portable-inverter/ DIY install, I kept it separate from the DB. Connected TVs, Internet stuff and lights only. I ran extension cords from the inverter through the roof to our 2 x TVs.. Luckily I have open conduits to get the extension wires down to the TV so its all neat. Max load I have seen is 400W, lasts through 2.5 hours load shedding no problem. This cheap system works for us. The little inverter is actually very impressive for the price. Same functionality of the larger inverters. Will add a couple 160W panels next month just in case eskom dies.

Sorry I replied before I saw your 2nd reply about the house wiring. So the risk of fire is the same, the legal requirement applies when directly wired. Got it. thanks,

Like these https://www.geewiz.co.za/long-run-ups-inverter-battery/5373-2400va-mecer-inverter-2x-100ah-batteries-trolley-8-hour-battery-life-kit-1440w-150-200-cycles.html I'm sure there is an internal fuse in the inverter, but why would it not also require an external fuse?

Thanks I just wanted to understand why. If you look at the smaller battery / inverter systems they don't use a battery fuse. Is there a certain size/amps where it becomes a legal requirement?

Hi All Please help me understand.. Assuming you have a single modern lithium battery / inverter setup: The battery has BMS and limits max output, and some also have circuits breakers Inverters has a fuse on battery input and/or over current protection Why do you need the external DC battery fuse? In what scenario would it be needed with this setup?

Yes I agree with this. There must be plenty general sparky's around that aren't "solar installers" that will happily do this job and charge the normal time and materials.

Hi Guys I am in the same boat as h4ns3n I will wall mount the inverter and battery, do all trunking, run the new AC cables back to the DB, Config the inverter, do the DC battery side cabling. I need a sparky for the AC side , put 2 plug circuits and all light circuits onto the inverter, and rest stay on Eskom. I have no expectation for them to config the inverter, or take any responsibility for the inverter/battery warranty. I just want the AC side to be correctly wired and compliant. I expect be charged for any parts they use for this, and their time, which should be 2 - 4 hours. If there are complications then I am happy to pay more for the hours they work. Surely a blanket R10K type quote for a "solar install" isn't applicable for this job?

Hey PRP I been stuck in this rabbit hole for the last week already. The more you look the more complicated it gets. I average about 13kw/day usage I started with plan for a budget 5kw backup system, best price I could find was about R45K installed, and was battling to justify the cost. In the end I have decided to go for a 3kW system, about R25K installed, which will cover our lights, internet, TV which ticks enough boxes for me. You use a lot more electricity than me so will get a ROI sooner A system that can save you 300-400kw/month is probably closer R100K I think? so ROI like 7 years @ R1200/month (by my very crude calcs.)

I am not aware of any reason not? If you know please let me know. It has all the basic features, and is R2K cheaper than growatt/axpert/voltronic

OK so after spending many hours in this rabbit hole I have decided not to go for a 5kW system I realised a 3kW system is like half the price and will backup 80% of what I would have done with 5kW A 3kW system is just much more bang for buck in my case. It will still cover all lights, TV, alarm, router, computers and alarm which is all I really need. and I can add solar later, it will be a smaller and simpler install, and a quicker return on investment. This is what I am getting: 2 x Hubble S-120 1.5kWh 12V 120Ah Lithium Battery R14000 https://www.geewiz.co.za/lithium-ion-batteries/153798-hubble-s-120-15kwh-12v-120ah-lithium-ion-lifepo4-battery.html 1 x MUST 3KW 60AMP/MPPT SOLAR HYBRID INVERTER R5500 https://www.solarwaysuppliers.co.za/product/must-3kw-60amp-mppt-solar-hybrid-inverter/ thanks everyone for the responses and tips so far. I will give an update once I got this system installed.

Thanks good to know.

I am electrically challenged so please excuse me if this is a dumb question I only got space in my DB for 1x2 pole breaker. From what I understand for inverter wiring there must be 2 breakers, 1 for each direction DB->Inv Inv->DB Must they be 2 pole breakers or is 1 pole ok? Do they have to be installed in the DB? ie could they be installed on the inverter side Obviously I would get an electrician to do the install, just wondering what the options are..

So assuming I get this build ... 5kW inverter connected to a single 5kW 0.5C battery only, (battery max output 2.5kW) What happens if the load exceeds 2.5kW during load shedding? Does the inverter switch off? and then while on grid power, what happens if the load exceeds 5kW Does the inverter pass through more than its 5kW limit or will it switch off?

Plan is to add panels within a couple months, starting with 2 or 4 and add when money is available.

It is perfect for me !!

Thanks I guess it depends what's more important: Being able to support more than 2.5kW load during load shedding and no PV or Having extra 1.5kW of storage Extra storage means more savings/quicker return on investment once I add PV, and I reckon we can manage with the 2.5kW load max.