Hallo , can someone please advise me on the following I have phoned sunsynk and freedom won but both offices seems to be closed already.

I have a 5KW sunsynk inverter with 1 x 5KW freedom won lithium battery installed with no panels yet (coming soon). System has been running for 2 months and performing excellent, power stays on during LS and charges when the grid is back.

1. Installation was done by a local electrician. Battery connected to inverter , inverter connected to DB (excluding stove/geyser and pool pump). Sunsynk apps works everything seems perfect. Now a friend of mine is on the verge of installing the same in his house he got a quote from another electrician for about R9500 installation fee that includes a separate DB, breakers , surge protection etc etc. Now my question is , is this needed either for performance of for warranty purposes? What are the requirements from sunsynk and freedom won in terms of warranty? Do they require any specific method / type of installation else the warranty will be voided?

2. My installation was done without the CT coil - again is this needed either for performance of for warranty purposes?

3. Last question - on the power forum store is see the 545W JA solar and 545W Canadian solar panels are basically the same price. Which is better or better for my system? Due to money constraints I can only start with 8 panels and buy some more later - will this be ok ?

Thanks for anyone taking the time to read through the wall of text

Heya, welcome to the PF community! I know how frustrating that must have been but hope we can help you come to a solid conclusion...

1. Speaking from experience, most places will refuse warranty claims without CoC and relevant protections like a surge arrestor etc. This includes fuses on the battery lines and a combiner box with fuses and an isolator, any good sparky would make sure these safety precautions are in place. Plus, with all this protection etc, it's a lot easier to mark a warranty claim as valid...

2. Most systems will either have a CT coil or a DIN power meter, as part of the monitoring systems. I am not too certain about Sunsynk but I have seen inverters that will not give you stats on the grid connection without a CT coil/DIN power meter.

3. Depends on the specs of the MPPT. I think the info below is the MPPT spec for the 5kW Sunsynk:

If that is correct then either one should be fine, as you can see they have the exact same specs and should be within the MPPT limit: 49.75 x 8 = 398V

So it becomes more of a personal choice, I know Canadian has a great reputation but I haven't heard anything about the JA so it should be fine either way...

 

Edited December 22, 20222 yr by Psy

1 hour ago, suboktraws said:

Hallo , can someone please advise me on the following I have phoned sunsynk and freedom won but both offices seems to be closed already.

I have a 5KW sunsynk inverter with 1 x 5KW freedom won lithium battery installed with no panels yet (coming soon). System has been running for 2 months and performing excellent, power stays on during LS and charges when the grid is back.

1. Installation was done by a local electrician. Battery connected to inverter , inverter connected to DB (excluding stove/geyser and pool pump). Sunsynk apps works everything seems perfect. Now a friend of mine is on the verge of installing the same in his house he got a quote from another electrician for about R9500 installation fee that includes a separate DB, breakers , surge protection etc etc. Now my question is , is this needed either for performance of for warranty purposes? What are the requirements from sunsynk and freedom won in terms of warranty? Do they require any specific method / type of installation else the warranty will be voided?

2. My installation was done without the CT coil - again is this needed either for performance of for warranty purposes?

3. Last question - on the power forum store is see the 545W JA solar and 545W Canadian solar panels are basically the same price. Which is better or better for my system? Due to money constraints I can only start with 8 panels and buy some more later - will this be ok ?

Thanks for anyone taking the time to read through the wall of text

1 - you don't need to separate the DBs but you DO need surge protection and cutover switches / devices between the DB and the inverter. Moreso when you get solar. I am assuming you have a battery cutoff switch between the Inverter and the battery? These are all crucial components for your COC and covers you in the event of a fault / claim

2 - Im not sure if its needed when you dont have solar as the functionality is to export excess solar and the CT stops this. I would have it installed nonetheless

3- As @Psy mentioned - at that level its much of a muchness on which panels. 8 should be fine at that W rating for each MPPT. You don't want to exceed the 425V else the mppt will blow

Thanks for the info. Ok so the panels answer is clear.

CT coil is clear this needs to be installed as the panels are coming soon.

On the warranty question, I stay on a farm, eskom direct customer , house was built in 1960. There has never been a COC, do you think I should get an electrician to issue a COC? Advice seems to point that at least surge protection, cut off switch and a COC is needed to help if any warranty claims do arise in the future? The electrician did mention that once I get the panels he will install a isolator switch to switch off the panels, So do you need a switch between panels and DB and between battery and inverter?

There is no switch between the battery and the inverter just the wiring straight from the battery to the inverter. I was told that the battery and the inverter has its own protection hence no need for additional protection etc.

Appreciate the feedback

The CT should go in especially if panels are planned. Without that you cannot supply power to your non-essentials without exporting to the grid. Even without solar, you may want to support non-essential loads from battery, if you have time-of-use rates.

Great will get that installed

Another question - if the surge protection is to protect your equipment from an eskom supplied surge for whatever reason, what happens if you go off the grid? Can solar also give you a power surge? Do you not need surge protection if your are off grid?

Yes, you can have surges on solar and can use protection on the solar and battery lines.

The inverter itself can help protect against AC surges by disconnection and switching to battery.

1 hour ago, suboktraws said:

Great will get that installed

Another question - if the surge protection is to protect your equipment from an eskom supplied surge for whatever reason, what happens if you go off the grid? Can solar also give you a power surge? Do you not need surge protection if your are off grid?

You mean if you're permanently and completely off-grid? Then maybe you don't.

Most modern hybrid inverters are usually connected to the grid, even if not actively drawing power from it. And any inverter that could feedback into the grid is required to match grid voltage and phase (often they disconnect if things get too hairy, but certainly on my inverter the disconnect can be overridden). So I would say that your inverter could get damaged or that appliances on the backed up circuits could (anything on the non-essential side is exposed directly to the grid). 

My installer put surge protection in place on the input and output sides of the inverter. Also lightning protection on the inputs from the panels.

Edited December 22, 20222 yr by Bobster.

There are two kinds of "needs" in this thread. One is the compliance requirements of area in which you live. The other is your own safety needs.

I know which I value more.