gallderhen

I was looking at the MLT Oasis manual, and I saw this section: I've always wonder how does this physically work/look? Are there 2 sets of cables connected to the batteries (one set from the inverter/charger and one from the mppt)? -G-

Doesn't a hybrid also blend power? (i.o.w if you have 2Kw load, and your PV panels only give 1Kw, it will blend the other 1Kw from the grid to give you 2Kw output) Where as the other off-grid and grid-tied does a complete "switch-over" and pulls 2Kw from the grid if the PV panels or batteries can't give that amount? -G-

But won't the inverter stop charging before the batteries reach 100% as (if I read it correctly) their absorption voltage is higher than lead acid? -G-

Ah, nevermind, got my answer here: https://powerforum.co.za/topic/2111-blue-nova/ The charger will most likely never charge it to 100% SOC. -G-

Sorry to hijack the thread a bit, but can you put LiFePO4 Batteries (like these 2x12V of these: https://www.bluenova.co.za/mobile-power-series/) on that mecer inverter? -G-

As far as I can remember, the electrician didn't say anything about a timer-switch when he explained to me why the geyser wasn't switching on (while pointing to the connections in an outside connection-box), so I can only assume he didn't see a timer switch or there wasn't one. -G-

Same with me. When I lived in Randburg, one morning I had freezing-water only (during winter) and thought the thermostat on the geyser died. Got an electrician out who eventually found the problem at the ripple-relay that never switched the geyser back on again. Bypassed it and all was well again. -G-

Hi, If you have an Empire Hexing prepaid meter, you can hit 808 + enter to get the power-draw at that very moment (like when the poolpump and the washing machine and the tumble dryer and the geyser is running at the same time). Otherwise try to borrow a power-meter like Efergy or Owl from someone, hook it over the main power cable in your DB and start measuring. Just know that you only measure over that particular cable, unlike mine where I have 3 DBs distributed on the property and thought that City Power was shafting me -G-

Hi, Does anyone have any experience with Osaka 120Ah batteries (like these Osaka 120Ah ) ? I would like to use 2 on a Mecer 2400VA UPS, so they won't be discharged on a daily basis, only during load-shedding, -G-

Hi, Yup, still happy. In winter it reaches around the 60-65 mark if you only shower once a day, otherwise if you shower morning and evening, you'll have to kick in the electrical side each morning. In the summer it maxed at about 77 I think. For a 150L geyser it was in the region of 20k. If you live in Jo'burg or Cape Town, a normal solar-geyser makes more sense, since it can heat up alot more than these solar-panel driven ones do. The reason my parents went for this is they live in the northern part of Pretoria, so an EV-tube geyser would have gone beyond the 85 limit and triggered the escape-valve on a regular bases. -G-

Question: Given that units are taken care of properly, how often really is it the MPPT in a hybrid that goes first before any other component? -G-

With regards to the geyser, About 6 months ago, I installed an evacuated-tubes split-system solar geyser in our house. The tubes sit outside on the roof, one pipe goes from the geyser to a 12v pump, from the pump it goes up to the roof into the tubes-system, and from the tubes it goes back to the geyser (how the guy explained it to me). Also on the roof is a small 12v solar panel. So what happens is, when the 12v solar panel gets enough sun light, it powers the pump that pumps the water from the geyser into the tubes sitting ontop of the roof. The tubes warm up the water by transferring the heat they captured from the sun, to the water, and the warm water goes back into the geyser. This summer I've seen the geyser hit temperatures of 80C (before we let out some water as to not trigger the pressure valve installed), and during winter it goes up to about 65 maybe 70. In winter, we have to use the element from 4am to 6am if we want to shower in the morning, but during summer we hardly use the element at all. With regards to savings, our electricity bill has dropped from 30-35KWh per day, to 15-20KWh. I'm figuring the system will pay for itself in 4-6 years. We went with a split system (where the geyser is inside the house) because we get some heavy hail storms in our area, so if the hail does come down on us, tubes will be the only parts that would need replacing. Hope this helps -G-

Question regarding a guesthouse, Would it make more sense to go pv-solar for day-time loads, and Eskom at night with a very large generator as backup for loadshedding, and only swap over to batteries for night-time loads when the total costs of a battery bank, is less than you would spend on Eskom? -G-

PS can a bi-law be contested? Or if CoCT does decide to start taxing grid-connected and off-grid systems, is there a recourse to contest the bi-law? -G-