Good day all,

I have been browsing the forum for quote some time while beginning to have a garage built (and eventually get solar going).

Pretty set on the solar setup that would work for myself = Sunsynk 5kw, 1x 5kw battery to start. This will initially be to get through load-shedding. then Solar panels will be added and eventually when that's dialed in. I would look at more storage. I am sure that is how it'll likely pan out.

What I would like to ask about is the following;

1. In the attached picture, this represents my planned garage/workshop for projects, on the far left.
   1. The garage roof design will be a single slope from right to left in the image. for me that will be the north facing direction. The main reason for that will be to have solar panels on there in future (as well as being cheaper than extending the roof pitch as it is now (east/west).
   2. With this in mind, on the far right in the kitchen, where the yellow highlight is, is the current DB location.
   3. I was initially considering to put the inverter/battery etc in the garage. But the more i think about it. It may be easier to rather place this in the little room called "existing laundry room" it is only about 1.2m wide by maybe 3 in length.

If I do end up going this way, I can look at a washing machine in the bathroom and dishwasher in the kitchen to free up that space.

No rush, as the garage needs to be built before I can move in there. And only then would solar plan get started (for now, that is the priority).

Not sure it would make any difference, but this is in PE.

Any comments welcome, on why I shouldn't go that way or even consider something else?

If the existing Laundry Room is to be used, remove or plug all water points and drains, and make sure there is no damp, and decent air flow.

Welcome to the forum, and soon to power independence.

34 minutes ago, TimCam said:

If the existing Laundry Room is to be used, remove or plug all water points and drains, and make sure there is no damp, and decent air flow.

Welcome to the forum, and soon to power independence.

Yes, definitely will be the plan. I will have a look to see about airflow.

Don't want to risk high temps. Fortunately, that side of the house doesn't get direct sun, which would be another positive for this plan.

 

Haha, thanks. Power independence, I like that.

After some back and forth discussing with the minister of finance (me), I have saved up and ordered a 5kw Sunsynk inverter with the sunsunk 5kw battery from the power-forum store.

 

I'm located in PE, does anyone have recommendations for installers this side that I can reach out to?

I'll be able to get the inverter and battery mounted up, but would like to leave the wiring to the proffessionals (isolators etc)

 

Later, once I have saved up some, I'll get some panels but the short term is to schedule an install likely early Jan so long. To start making it through loadshedding periods to start.

Use a sunsynk approved installer.

You can find one at the following link.

https://www.sunsynk.org/approvedinstallers

 

 

 

 

 

 

2 hours ago, Garthox said:

After some back and forth discussing with the minister of finance (me), I have saved up and ordered a 5kw Sunsynk inverter with the sunsunk 5kw battery from the power-forum store.

 

I'm located in PE, does anyone have recommendations for installers this side that I can reach out to?

I'll be able to get the inverter and battery mounted up, but would like to leave the wiring to the proffessionals (isolators etc)

 

Later, once I have saved up some, I'll get some panels but the short term is to schedule an install likely early Jan so long. To start making it through loadshedding periods to start.

Can suggest WattsUp Electrical. They installed my Deye that I bought from a third party. Technically solid and above board, but admin response time can be slow. Guess they're a bit busy.

1 hour ago, Superfly said:

Good to have you on board.. my humble advice is prioritise the panels - they get you through load shedding during the day and charge your battery for night time power outage. 

Yeah, panels will definity be in the future. I need to redo my old garage wall, so planning to raisethat side to change its roof to north facing. As soon as its done, ill get some panels on there.

1 hour ago, GreenFields said:

Can suggest WattsUp Electrical. They installed my Deye that I bought from a third party. Technically solid and above board, but admin response time can be slow. Guess they're a bit busy.

Okay thanks, I'll check them out.

Hi All,

I am happy to report I have received my battery and inverter that was ordered late in December. One step closer  

Went for the 5kw Sunsynk Inverter and 5kw battery. The whole house will be on the inverter for now and I'll manage the loads.

I've gotten a quote from an installer, and want to make sure there are no key items missing from this list before I pull the trigger and get this started.

Planning to first get in the battery and inverter while I sort my single garage roof repair in the next month and then put up 8 panels there as soon as possible after that.

Below was the items on the list. I do note that trunking isn't listed so far. Any comments or additions that might be worth doing now are welcome.

 

Description	QTY
JA 460W Mono MBB	8
4mm2 single core 25m red	1
600v Protection box, 2 inputs 16A Isolator type ii SPD	1
KETO Battery disconnect 160A fuse	1
Earth Neutral bridge box for AC protection box	1
End Clamp+ 30-50mm silver	6
Middle clamp+ 30-50mm silver	9
Viosole Bracket m10	15
Solar fastener for steel substructure 80/50mm	15
Varisole - End Cap 41x35 rail single	4
Varisole - Rail connector for 41x35	4
Varisole - Mounting rail 41x35 x 2225mm	12
MC4 Connector Twin Pack	8
4mm single core PV DC Cable (25m)	1
K&N Single phase AC Switch Disconnect	1
PV on roof and hazard Labels	1
25mm2 single core HVDC Cable 1m pair	1
25mm2 by M8 ring terminal lug	4

On 2023/02/01 at 12:26 PM, Garthox said:

Hi All,

I am happy to report I have received my battery and inverter that was ordered late in December. One step closer  

Went for the 5kw Sunsynk Inverter and 5kw battery. The whole house will be on the inverter for now and I'll manage the loads.

I've gotten a quote from an installer, and want to make sure there are no key items missing from this list before I pull the trigger and get this started.

Planning to first get in the battery and inverter while I sort my single garage roof repair in the next month and then put up 8 panels there as soon as possible after that.

Below was the items on the list. I do note that trunking isn't listed so far. Any comments or additions that might be worth doing now are welcome.

 

Description	QTY
JA 460W Mono MBB	8
4mm2 single core 25m red	1
600v Protection box, 2 inputs 16A Isolator type ii SPD	1
KETO Battery disconnect 160A fuse	1
Earth Neutral bridge box for AC protection box	1
End Clamp+ 30-50mm silver	6
Middle clamp+ 30-50mm silver	9
Viosole Bracket m10	15
Solar fastener for steel substructure 80/50mm	15
Varisole - End Cap 41x35 rail single	4
Varisole - Rail connector for 41x35	4
Varisole - Mounting rail 41x35 x 2225mm	12
MC4 Connector Twin Pack	8
4mm single core PV DC Cable (25m)	1
K&N Single phase AC Switch Disconnect	1
PV on roof and hazard Labels	1
25mm2 single core HVDC Cable 1m pair	1
25mm2 by M8 ring terminal lug	4

Inverter protection. 

AC surge protection 

Breakers and change over switch

On 2022/12/22 at 7:28 PM, TiaanSmit said:

Use a sunsynk approved installer.

You can find one at the following link.

https://www.sunsynk.org/approvedinstallers

 

 

 

 

 

 

Does that affect warranty? I'm doing a DIY but getting an electrition to do the coc. I know he has installed a lot of sunsynks but is not on the list. 

Not sure if it does. Cannot see that it will if the device is installed by a qualified electrician 

Long overdue update, a few days after my system went live I had to travel for work for 6 weeks.

1st of March I mounted the backing board and mounted the inverter and battery prior to the electrical work by the supplier.

Due to the small DB I had in place, this was a full replacement. Basically the whole house on essentials less the geyser and oven.

 

No issues at all since install. Everything been working flawlessly with the house and updates when grid is lost and regained.

For now, it is only set up as loadshedding backup, with the solar panels on order (Need to sort my one garage roof before the installer will work on there that currently has asbestos from being a very old house).

 

I have received my Pi from SolarAssistant today and am keen to get that installed later as well.

Will look to get my HomeAssistant running and then coupled to the PI XD

Some pics of the previously unused side storage area now Roughly 1m x 2m, dubbed the Power Room.

I was able to get in some more progress for my system, making use of the public holiday and a Friday night with some pizza.

Thursday, I needed to climb in the roof to run new network cables for 2-off cameras and to my inverter. With the size of the house (inverter and office on opposite ends) I wanted to bring my original router back to my PC desk and still keep wifi access available for the sunsynk logger. Made use of an old router I had as an access point for the logger as well as a connection point for the Pi to plug the RJ45 into.

Turned off the power at the DB, shut down the battery and inverter (double checked voltages were 0) to wire in the Pi power at the disconnect. Connected in the RJ45 for the Pi for Solar assistant.

Friday, I got my router/access set up and mounted on the side wall, ran its own lead for now (will have the electrician place a wall socket there when theyre back for panels eventually). Network cables all sorted and have the equipment all ready to go for the next step. Which will be getting solar assistant up and running and then connected to home assistant on my W.I.P server.

P.S, Ill paint those walls one day, but thats not a priority for my just yet haha

Managed to make some more progress this evening and get my inverter details, from solar asistant, accessed on the mqtt broker in my clean install of home assistant.

I must say, it was a bit of a challenge, with the new to me home assistant and mqtt (first time using either).

Looking forward to where this rabbit hole takes me.

 

Next up will be to look at making a dashboard and getting that data useable/in graphs etc

Further down the line, will be to eigher;

• get some neutral wires down to the light switches, and get some light switches
• or get some eachen switches, which i'll need to see how to flash with tasmota

I am wanting to still have them easily useable by visitors, so ideally the switches will have a momentary on/off switch and not the touch panel, but its still early days.

 

Edited May 1, 20233 yr by Garthox

After what feels like an eternity with these panels taking up space in my lounge (too many project, not enough hours in a day). I finally got it right to install them on to my roof this weekend.

Panels are afixed - and the wiring to follow. At least that I can do solo.

Busy mounting an allbro box at the end of each string for the joins to be made before entering the roof.

 

Achieved a good milestone with my system, of completing my panel installation with the wiring. All finally connected and generating.

Being later in the afternoon and overcast, the graph on the Solar assistant was all over the place with me testing the system putting on the kettle etc

Happy so far with this progress.

Starting to re-read info in preparations when I'm back home now that I have purchased a second battery from Voltex at a cant pass up price.

From the Sunsynk manual - The diagram below shows the layout, this is clear. But this same document does not specify cable lengths.
From another reference, all lengths are to be equal.

I recall reading its good practice to keep all cable runs to equal length, the cable lengths from the breaker to each battery (Positive and Negative).

Could someone confirm there is no issues if I order and use the same length for that connection (Breaker to positive and negative on the batteries).

The below was a paste from a source in that thread.

On 2021/08/22 at 9:27 PM, Warwick Chapman said:

Positive and negative cables from battery to bus bar simply serve to close the circuit and there is no need for them to be the same length at all.

The oft-mentioned statement above that they should be as short as possible is basically applicable to any cable anywhere in any system - if it is longer than necessary, then losses - however marginal - will be higher. 

Likewise, a positive and negative from the busbar to the inverter or charge controller also do not have a requirement to be the same length.

3 hours ago, Garthox said:

Starting to re-read info in preparations when I'm back home now that I have purchased a second battery from Voltex at a cant pass up price.

From the Sunsynk manual - The diagram below shows the layout, this is clear. But this same document does not specify cable lengths.
From another reference, all lengths are to be equal.

I recall reading its good practice to keep all cable runs to equal length, the cable lengths from the breaker to each battery (Positive and Negative).

Could someone confirm there is no issues if I order and use the same length for that connection (Breaker to positive and negative on the batteries).

The below was a paste from a source in that thread.

The inverter cannot see if one cable is longer than the other. It only sees the voltage received. The normal quote is just to ensure one does not use a 1m positive and 5m negative as it is bad practise. There is already a higher volt drop on the negative due to the BMS even when cables are the same length.

11 hours ago, Scorp007 said:

The inverter cannot see if one cable is longer than the other. It only sees the voltage received. The normal quote is just to ensure one does not use a 1m positive and 5m negative as it is bad practise. There is already a higher volt drop on the negative due to the BMS even when cables are the same length.

Thanks Scorp - Ill do a measurement check but Id estimate the lengths once added would be something line 400mm long and 1000mm.
Safe to say, this will be on my project list soon :)

1 hour ago, Garthox said:

Thanks Scorp - Ill do a measurement check but Id estimate the lengths once added would be something line 400mm long and 1000mm.
Safe to say, this will be on my project list soon :)

If best solution is what you want make the positive the longer cable due to the extra voltage drop on the negative due to switching on BMS and also some have a fuse.

5 hours ago, Scorp007 said:

If best solution is what you want make the positive the longer cable due to the extra voltage drop on the negative due to switching on BMS and also some have a fuse.

Shot, I'll keep this in mind