July 7, 20223 yr Hi all, We are completely Offgrid and I have successfully upgraded our setup to the following: - 48V / 5kva Victron Multiplus * 2 -- Giving about 8000W - 6600W of solar - Our controller can pull a max of 5800W from panels - Lead Acid batteries at 220Ah The biggest power draw item we have are the 150L * 2 water geysers and some pumps that go up to 2300W and only run during the day. We also would like to cook using electric during the day and eventually at night as well. Questions -- Is it realistic to cook entirely using our inverter/solar setup as long as we have enough solar or batteries of course? I estimate we won't go over 5000w being used on stove at any time. Any detrimental effects on inverter? the seller and installer were both advising me against pushing the two inverters that hard so now I am unsure. If you were in my shoes, what would you upgrade next and under R60, 000 - Would you upgrade the solar to 10,000w -- This will cost me about R40, 000 - Crucially - Would you get a bigger solar wattage, i.e 10, 000w total so that geyser elements (4000w total can run comfortably during the day) or would you buy a heat pump...or just save for batteries. - Would you upgrade the batteries? This amount will only get us about 10, 000kwh or so of hubble/pylon. - Have people here experimented with the Lithium Phosphate cells and is that some thing viable here in Africa i.e purchasing cells and making own batteries. All advice welcome!
July 7, 20223 yr 1 minute ago, GreenFields said: Personal take: Batteries, geyser blankets and geyser timers. If geyser is bought within the last 20 years blanket will have very little effect. Lagging in the pipes could help though. Are your current panels producing sufficient electricity as is? If no, get more panels. If they're producing more than you can use upgrade your storage.
July 7, 20223 yr Author Thanks @Speedster and @GreenFields. Lots of unused power when you look at whole day. We are only using about 1/4 of potential. But the power is not enough for peak times when we want to cook, charge battery, do geyser and run pumps. That's normaly around mid day. Already have geysers on timers and they are all new.
July 7, 20223 yr 4 minutes ago, CopperEagle said: Thanks @Speedster and @GreenFields. Lots of unused power when you look at whole day. We are only using about 1/4 of potential. But the power is not enough for peak times when we want to cook, charge battery, do geyser and run pumps. That's normaly around mid day. Already have geysers on timers and they are all new. Better / more storage will allow you to charge up the batteries whenever sun is shining and then use it when required, whether that be noon or midnight.
July 7, 20223 yr Why don't start by putting smaller and more efficient PTC elements in the geyser and re-evaluating the energy need after that? Sound like that's your biggest draw - 4000w.
July 15, 20223 yr Hi there, Although I have a different set-up, and still early in my journey, I am considering getting heat pumps for my two 150L geysers (lowers current and peak draw) as opposed to trying to cater for the existing electrical geyser load. Also, my third geyser (low usage) I swopped to a gas geyser - but not enjoying that too much - probably underspecced that, but at least I don't have 3 geysers to cater for... So my answer... I would look at a heat pump (x2) first. What are you tending towards? P
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