Infini 10kWh 3-phase

[Richwost]

Does anybody have experience in this inverter?

I need a 3-phase inverter and this one has been suggested. However I feel in my bones that it may be "old" Infini, or is that nonsense? The new 4kW inverter being "new" Infini. 

Many thanks...

[SilverNodashi]

It's a nice inverter but keep in mind it gives 3.3Kw per phase, which may, or may not be enough. 

[Chris Hobson]

Hi Rich 

The topology is the same. Within the understanding one is single phase and one is 3P.

Chris

 

[Richwost]

Many thanks both of you.  I am still a Lithium man and I am heading in the direction of Blue Nova OR Tesla Powerwall 2.  Between 12-15kW.

My problem is my DB.  It is wired 3-phase.  If I go Blue Nova, then I need a 3-phase inverter.  3.33kW per phase sounds about right.  If I go Tesla, then I do not need any inverter - it is built in - but they do not do three phase.  So I would have to rewire the DB.  That is a big job, but it can be done in a week by my colleague.  (By the way, I built the house!!)

I am not going the solar route at this stage, so I remain a "Solar Athiest"!!  The Solar panels would have to be far from the house for a variety of reasons, which defeats the purpose.  I have "fairly" reliable Eskom and a very good diesel generator.  Between these two, the batteries will be charged.  

If in the future I want solar panels, they will be placed on my shed 500m from the house and the power fed into the underground cable next to the shed, which comes down to the house.  But not for now.

At around R50k to get the Infini 10kW 3-phase, that is the more expensive route with Blue Nova Lithium.  The Powerwall 2 is more expensive, but then I have to rewire the DB and there is no need for the inverter.

Thats my story - and my dilemma.  Blue Nova Lithium plus 3-phase inverter OR rewire DB and Tesla Powerwall 2.

What say you guys?

[pilotfish]

6 minutes ago, Richwost said:

My problem is my DB.  It is wired 3-phase.

It is only a problem if you have 3phase equipment such as borehole pump, aircon etc - the vast majority of 3phase houses that I come across dont have any 3phase equipment so it would be no problem to bridge the 3 phase to make it single phase which would take about 5 minutes (provided that your inverter can cope with the load).

If your requirement is for backup only then you could use a 3 phase changeover switch, where the grid supplies the 3 phases as normal, but a single phase inverter supplies only those phases that you wire into the inverter side of the changeover (so you could elect to power up any of 1/2/3 phases that you choose).

If you do have 3 phase equipment then the changeover switch discussed above could be placed after the 3 phase equipment, again only powering up the circuits that you require.

 

[Chris Hobson]

Hi Rich

On 2017-6-13 at 1:54 PM, Richwost said:

My problem is my DB.  It is wired 3-phase.  If I go Blue Nova, then I need a 3-phase inverter.  3.33kW per phase sounds about right.  If I go Tesla, then I do not need any inverter - it is built in - but they do not do three phase.  So I would have to rewire the DB.  That is a big job, but it can be done in a week by my colleague.  (By the way, I built the house!!)

I have wanted to contact you and ask a few questions. Do you have a genuine need for 3 phase (pumps etc)? If you have 3 phase kit could one use a single phase alternative?

If you can have single phase then I would recommend going single phase. That 3.3kW per phase is a bind.

On 2017-6-13 at 1:54 PM, Richwost said:

 I am still a Lithium man and I am heading in the direction of Blue Nova OR Tesla Powerwall 2.  Between 12-15kW.

I am not going the solar route at this stage, so I remain a "Solar Athiest"!!  

Buying an inverter and Lithium batteries and then not putting a solar array on is like buying a Bugatti Veyron and then taking the wheels off and using it a  simulator. Far from reducing your electricity usage you  are going to increase your usage and will have what amounts to a very expensive UPS.

On 2017-6-13 at 1:54 PM, Richwost said:

If in the future I want solar panels, they will be placed on my shed 500m from the house and the power fed into the underground cable next to the shed, which comes down to the house.  But not for now.

The big 3 phase inverters can accommodate PV array voltages of nearly 1000V DC so one's losses could be minimised by bringing  PV power to the house from the shed in a relatively thin conductor rather than mounting the inverter in the shed and bringing the power via the existing underground cable which I presume is at 380V AC.

I would recommend putting your inverter in a convenient centralised location near where the bulk of the energy will be used.