Richard Mackay

Congratulations! You might be eligible for a prize as the one and only.. I asked this question on this and the 4x4 forum. Nobody put up their hand!

Am I understanding you correctly that you have opted to feed back into the grid legally?

To check a diode one usually uses a multimeter. The resistance selection can be used and one should get a difference when the test leads are reversed. Often mutimeters have a semiconductor resistance selection option (indicated by a diode symbol). This will provide a higher voltage on the test leads to make the diode (or transistor) junction conduct better. A diode normally will fail short circuit or open circuit.

How old are the batteries? And do you know what their capacity is presently?

Hi simpy, Good luck with your venture. You need to be more specific of which country you're from. Location does make a big difference since applications tend to be specific to the place you are located at.

I hope this isn't too boring a subject for youall! I queried the term 'netmeter'. (My understanding of this is being charged the same for electricity that you consume as well as credited for feeding back into the grid) I obviously got this wrong! Here's the response: Netmetering - most simplistic explanation I've heard: What you push back into the grid, you must use again in the evenings i.e. grid becomes your battery. The costs to be able to do that i.e. the daily charge + bidirectional meter, makes it very unattractive option for us. Normally this is over a pre-agreed

No one rushed to answer this one (and me being suspicious) I posted this on another local forum and the Terrible Tripplett responed: Does this mean that even if you are a registered SSEG CoCT cannot buy your excess power due to the national contact they have with Eskom ?? Correct. Until the Constitution is changed, or it is gazetted, no-one but Eksom is allowed to sell power to anyone. If you are grid-tied, and do go the feedback route, you have to netmeter over 1 year, you owe them some, they owe you nothing. That is about to change ... how, we will have to see. My suggestion

It seems these questions aren't easy to answer.. Is there ANYBODY out there (in SA) that has successfully registered as a SSEG and is prepared to share info about it?

Thanks! And please clarify what the deal is with feed in (briefly): There 's the once off bill of R12k for the meter. Then there's a monthly bill for the pleasure.. But what about the FIT (and what do they charge for them to supply electricity)??

Is this option is the one where you pay a monthly fixed amount and it allows your system to feed back into the grid (for which you get a credit)?

This depends on the inverter. They have different capabilities..

Are you wanting that 'retro' look ??

This forum must be the biggest in RE in South Africa but correct me if I'm mistaken.. So having said that I find the lack of interest in electrical power utilities disappointing. We are nowhere near being able to do without the grid without a massive outlay of capital which only the obsessed will pursue (not the prudent!) It seems to me that everyone with a PV panel, inverter & battery has a pipe dream of going off grid so takes little interest in the utilities. I beg to differ!

Interesting! Do you have one of these installed? DC switching isn't a pushover (and switchgear is hard to find) so it's good to see a real live solution!

Look like there has been some progress: https://ewn.co.za/2020/10/17/ipps-vital-for-energy-led-economic-recovery-in-sa-says-wc-government I'm not sure quite what this means for us micro SSEGs..