ErickvWyngaard

How much can you over-panel a 8kW Sunsynk? Currently I have 12 x 545W panels, 6 on each MPPT. These panels are all facing North-East. I would like to add more panels on my North-West facing roof. Today (I know it is almost the shortest day of the year) my maximums were 250V and 9.5A on each of the MPPTs If I parallel my two existing strings into one MPPT, I suspect I will get close to or maybe exceed 26A in the summer. Up to what point will the inverter clip an over current?

It seems like it is a heat issue. We've directed a big external fan at the inverter and now it seems to work better. The inverter temperature is only around 30 degrees, so I don't understand why it would limit the power.

I only had 2000W when the 12 panels was connected and the some of the two separate strings was 2500W. This was however not at the peak of the day. I will test it again today, but around 12:00 to see if there is a bigger difference.

It is in parallel. I don't think it has something to do with the new string. I have notice it before, but then the maximum power was about 2000W so it was limited at about the maximum and for a much shorter period of the day.

4 of the strings (8 x 410W) are wired on one set of wires and the other two strings (4 x 425W) are on a set of wires (he thinks it is 25mm). Point 1 on the image below is 2000W where it operates from about 10:00. At point 2 I've asked him to disconnect the 4 x 425W strings, then the power went down to 1680W At point 3 he put the 4 x 425W back in and removed the 8 x 410W and the power went down to 870W So the total does not add to the sum of the two strings

U1: 71.90 U2: 02.40 U3: 00.24 U4: 01.10 Where can I find the latest firmware?

It is a Axpert King 5kW There are 6 strings of 2 panels. Panels are 410W & 425W (the 4 new panels are 425W). Attached is the details of the mppt

Hi, My dad added 4 additional solar panels to his solar system yesterday. For a period during the day the PV power is not going above 2000W. I have notice this previously, however, then it was almost his maximum power so it was not as prominent. Between about 11:00 and 13:00 the power varies between 1500W and 2000W. For this duration, the batteries was being discharge almost the whole time, so it cannot be the maximum charge current setting. It was cloudy in the morning, hence the erraticness before 11:00, however, it did clear up later. Has anybody encounter something like this. Thanks

Not sure. I will tell him to get that done

Thanks Initially they had all the panels on 1 x 6mm^2 cable (maybe it was 10mm^2). I then suggested that they install a second cable, but that did not make a big difference. His panels are directly north with no shading. Below is his production for yesterday

He has a Axpert King inverter. it has 1 x 4000W MPPT. See details below on right. He has 8 panels (4 strings of 2). His panels are only at 18 degrees so his efficiency is very low. Yesterday he only got 1700W max out of the possible 3280W with no clouds. Below is the details of the existing panels. I am waiting for the details of the new panels

Hi, My dad had his solar system installed about 3 years ago. Currently he has 8x 410W Canadian Solar panels. He now wants to add more panels but can't get 410W panels. He has managed to get 465W panels though. 1. Does anybody know if there are still 410W panels available? 2. If not, can you mix 410W and 465W panels. Obviously the 465W panels will be at a lower efficiency. 3. If he add optimizers to his panels to increase the efficiency, what is the best optimizers to use. He has a Axpert 5kW inverter. Thank you

Thank you for the feedback. It seems like losing a bit of myself at the City Power office did something. This afternoon a technician phoned me and said he is on his why. When he got to my house he said that my wire to my meter has been stolen and he will replace it. I entered a tamper code and 10min later I loaded power. I'm really not sure what changed between this morning and this afternoon. I just praised the technician for his good deed.

I did go to the offices, at some point the manager just left and the guy behind the counter stopped talking to me, and I didn't want to waist my time any further so I also left. I took it up with my ward counselor last week, but nothing came from it. I don't use a lot of power. I've used about R200 from August last year. I still ad a bit of credits left, luckily only R28. I wanted to load more, and that is when I realized that I've been cut off. Thanks, I will send a message to 702 and maybe Jacaranda as well and see if there is somebody that can help resolve this

Good day. I stay in Randburg and is suppose to be getting power from City Power. I have have solar power and are on prepaid. Recently City Power has removed my circuit breaker without notifying me. After about 3 weeks of trying to understand what the reason was, I went to the City Power offices. They informed me that my circuit breaker was removed because I'm not using enough electricity. I now need to pay a penalty of R12000 to get reconnected. This is the same penalty you would pay if you had an illegal connection. Firstly, a warning to prepaid customers, you need to load electricity every month, otherwise you will be flagged as "non-vending" and City Power will disconnect you. Secondly, is this legal what they are doing? This feels like an illegal disconnection. Is there anybody that can give me advise on how to get reconnected without paying the penalty. Thank you

Thank you for the reply 1. The plug will be close to the inverter, within arms reach, so I don't think it is necessary to install a circuit breaker. I will probably set the charge amps to 2A AC (to charge a 200Ah @ 12V battery in 4 hours). With a maximum of 4A AC for load, even a 2.5mm2 cable will be sufficient. 2. Agreed 3. I know the 5kW Axpert King does automatic bonding, so chances are that the 1kW will also do it, but I will test it. What is the product code of the Omron relay that you are referring to Thanks

Hello My grandmother is in an old age home and I want to help her to get through load shedding. Her flat's DB box is in the hallway, so the easiest is to install a inverter that is powered from a wall socket. Based on available stock and price, we will be installing a 1kW RCT Axpert inverter. I will install separate red plugs for all the appliances that need to be on the inverter. This will prevent somebody to accidentally plug a high load appliance on the inverter. What is correct way to protect the "red plug" circuit? Obviously there must be a circuit breaker to protect against short circuit. There should also be an RCD to protect against earth leakage. The neutral on the output side of the inverter should be bonded to earth. Does this inverter do automatic bonding? If it does automatic bonding, I should be able to install a RCD on the output of the inverter without causing nuisance trips of the two RCD (on in the main DB and one on the output of the inverter). If not, what is the correct way to do earth leakage protection with this install?

Thanks. That is how I have it connected. All my loads are on essentials. My Essential Neutral is connected to Eskom earth (not through a breaker) and I have ELD on my Essentials before it goes to my main DB.

Thanks for the feedback. I have a Sunsynk inverter and have a neutral Earth bond. I don't have a RCD on the grid input of the inverter, so my neutral earth bond is permanent. If I install earth leakage protection I will have to use the Islanding signal function to make my bond. I don't see the reason for an RCD because it will only feed my inverter an not any plugs. Does the specification say that you need a RCD?

What is the SANS specification and best practice on earthing a solar system? Below is how my system is earth. Is this sufficient? Solar Panels All my panel frames (2 x 6) are linked on one 10mm2 cable to a 4ft earth spike far away from my inverter Batteries My batteries are earth with a 10mm2 cable on my Eskom earth. Should this be on a earth spike as well? Inverter My Eskom power goes through a circuit breaker into my inverter. There is no RCD on my inverter grid supply as I don't have any Non-essential loads (Is this a requirement). I have a RCD on the output of my inverter before my Main DB. My Eskom earth, Inverter output earth and inverter casing are all earthed on my Eskom supply. Thank you

@mikeblackburnHome Assistant has a easy integration with Sonoff. You can have a look at this video. There has been some changes with HACS since this video was released, but it should give you a good idea where to start. I've been using my TH16 on my geyser for almost two years now without a problem. I have a 2kW element in my geyser. If you have a smart circuit breaker you can do it as you describe above, but you will have to put in a second power supply for the sonoff TH16. Otherwise, if the circuit breaker switch off, the sonoff will also switch off and you won't be able to see the temperature

Thanks, I found it on the box

@Tariq, you are right. My geyser is still on a timer, so it never switches off based on temperature, although it will if it gets to hot. There is also a safety valve, and though it is not ideal to heat the geyser until the safety valve open, it is there to protect the geyser if it gets to hot.

Hi have recently installed an 8kW Sunsynk inverter. I am now trying to connect the Solarman app to the inverter. To do this the Solarman app ask me to connect to my house wifi and then after that I must connect to the Sunsynk wifi dongle. The dongle is listed an available wifi network, but if I try to connect it asks for a password. Does anybody know what the dongle password is or is there a different way to connect?

Hi Rich. below is a picture of a typical geyser element. The red arrow shows where your normal thermostat fits. You need to take out the original thermostat and replace it with the Sonoff probe. For this type of element, you will also need to put lugs on your Live and Natural wires going to the element, to make the electrical connection. With this type of element the lugs are part of the thermostat, so if you remove the thermostat, you loose your electrical connection. I hope this helps. If you have a different element or something is unclear you can send me a photo and I will try to assist.