Load shedding starts I contact an installer ... he arrives with a bunch of panels an inverter and a couple of batteries ... the installation is complete and we find it has nowhere near the capacity to keep the lights on ... lets not focus on that issue.

The inverter is a 5 KVA Axpert unit with 4 x AGM batteries and a couple of solar panels on the roof.

The question ... what would be the easiest and most cost effective method to turn it from a standby system into a energy saving solution? 

My thoughts ... firstly a means to monitor the system ... once we have a few graphs with solar input and power output ... only then can we look at a solution.

Do we replace the inverter with a hybrid system and increase the size to an 8 kw.

DO you install bigger batteries? 

Increase the PV system? 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

How many panels and what size (Watts) each?

1 hour ago, isetech said:

 the installation is complete and we find it has nowhere near the capacity to keep the lights on ... lets not focus on that issue.

 

 

Probably a good idea actually focusing on this issue.

You mentioned 4x AGM batteries in play. Battery specs and ah rating?

Do you mean literally they can't carry the load for lights or was that just a saying meaning they can't carry the load for all things at a point in time?

What sort of load exactly?

Good day @isetech, I am no expert and my system is not up yet, but there are many very knowledgeable members on the forum and you should read as many of the different subjects as possible and you will find quite a bit of information to help. However since I did the homework before making my selection I suggest you follow these steps:

1. It is important to understand that improving your setup by just changing the inverter, which already costs you a bit, or adding panels or batteries is not the right way to go about it. Whatever you change or add you must consider the system as a whole in terms of what you want to achieve, and within your budget. Most important do you want to be off-grid, fully or with grid support for charging the batteries on cloudy days.

2. What is your average daily/monthly usage both mid winter and mid summer, if you are on prepaid power this is easy to record. 

3. Record also your day versus night usage, and it better if you can coordinate what time the sun catches the panels until it loses sunlight.

4. What do you want to run at night, you should do all the heavy load usage in daytime, if possible.

5. What geyser do you have.

6. What are the specs of the equipment you now.

7. Once you have this together put all it out on the forum and speak to Steve at the Powerform Store. I am sure Steve can be of great assistance, both supplying compnents at good prices and recommending a relaible installer.

I am thinking generally ... there are many systems out there were people are sitting with load shedding solutions ... like a UPS type setup ... I dont want to replace the entire system ... just make better use of it when there is no load shedding and not waste time feeding back into the grip.

My thoughts are firstly to upgrade the Axpert inverter to a hybrid ... or fit a grid tied inverter next to the Axpert.

Once the batteries are fully charged ... the idea is to utilise the 3 kw of power the panels are producing at midday ... for example switch the geyser on to make sure it is hot for the evening shower ... run the pool pump etc ... basically plan the usage a little better.

From what I have read ... it wouldnt pay to increase the battery capacity due to the high outlay cost even though most of the power is used in the evening.

The panel dont need to be changed ... they produce enough power for now. 

The comment about the system not being big enough to keep the lights on ... basically what I am saying is ... its not a total off grid system ... but rather a system designed to keep a few things running during load shedding.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Hi I'm not following why you need a 8kw hybrid or grid tied inverter since you have no interest in feeding back to the grid.

There are many 5kw axperts some of them can blend pv and grid. We don't know if you have one of those.

We also don't know if you have 100ah or 200ah agm batteries. 

 

Also if you must upsize the inverter the axpert max comes in 7,2kw and 8kw varieties and it can blend pv and grid. It cannot feedback to the grid which is the appeal to some.

Edited September 16, 20214 yr by Buyeye

i know a lot of people are running Axpert's. when I had these inverters, seemed like there was no place that you could turn to for questions, except forums, no specific place to get firmware updates, has this now all changed.

13 hours ago, isetech said:

I am thinking generally ... there are many systems out there were people are sitting with load shedding solutions ... like a UPS type setup ... I dont want to replace the entire system ... just make better use of it when there is no load shedding and not waste time feeding back into the grip.

My thoughts are firstly to upgrade the Axpert inverter to a hybrid ... or fit a grid tied inverter next to the Axpert.

Once the batteries are fully charged ... the idea is to utilise the 3 kw of power the panels are producing at midday ... for example switch the geyser on to make sure it is hot for the evening shower ... run the pool pump etc ... basically plan the usage a little better.

From what I have read ... it wouldnt pay to increase the battery capacity due to the high outlay cost even though most of the power is used in the evening.

The panel dont need to be changed ... they produce enough power for now. 

The comment about the system not being big enough to keep the lights on ... basically what I am saying is ... its not a total off grid system ... but rather a system designed to keep a few things running during load shedding.

Well to go off-grid is crazy expensive, which is where the battery upgrading would come in first.

You are right however, to let the additional power be used to power the geysers etc. That is exactly what I do.

Home assistant uses solcast to figure out the estimated PV production for the day. If it is really high, for me that is above 18kWh for the day, then the pool pump will turn on at 9am which is when the production is then also usually enough to power the house + pool pump + send any additional power to the batteries for charging.
When the batteries reach 100% and go standby, the 1st geyser turn on, when it is done, the 2nd go on about 30 seconds after 1st ended. If they never turned on because well production was just too low, they will turn on around 5pm for the evening bath and shower that starts after 6pm. All of this completely automated but it did take me some time to fine tune and tweak it to this point to make it work perfect and cater for most different situations in our household.

On good days, this means we use only about 2kWh from eskom and the rest from PV, which I think is great considering only have 3.9kW panels but do have 14kWh batteries of which we use about 50% over night leaving plenty for load-shedding even the next morning before solar generation kicks in.

 

 

The main advantage of a hybrid BI-DIRECTIONAL inverter like SunSynk is not the ability to feed into the grid and receive "credits" for it but instead, the ability to supplement the non-essential loads with extra solar power when available. This allows you to start with a smaller inverter, which does not cover the full house load and still use it's capacity to maximum benefit and cost saving.

I found just what I need ... a smart DB ... I have been hunting the net and found 2 products. 

I have been following this product with interest.

https://www.youtube.com/c/KinCony

 

Then I found this product ... just the setup I need for my customers ... the only problem ... made in the USA and they dont respond to emails. 

 

https://support.span.io/hc/en-us

 

 

 

The batteries installed on site a 240 amp/hr AGM's 

 

 

Just when we thought stage 4 load shedding was a bitch ... the joke of the week has to got to 

https://www.news24.com/fin24/companies/south-africa-to-prioritise-electric-cars-says-ramaphosa-20211026

Edited October 27, 20214 yr by isetech

28 minutes ago, isetech said:

I found just what I need ... a smart DB ... I have been hunting the net and found 2 products. 

I have been following this product with interest.

https://www.youtube.com/c/KinCony

 

Then I found this product ... just the setup I need for my customers ... the only problem ... made in the USA and they dont respond to emails. 

 

https://support.span.io/hc/en-us

 

 

 

The problem with there devices, if they are not SABS approved, you won’t be able to get COC, if properly scrutinised and if you get one, might have a problem with the insurance, if an electrical fire happens. 

Toyota Hybrid, ICE engine whahaha, EV......