Hello Everyone,

I am new to solar and wanted to know if someone could clarify the below for me, please.

I currently purchased a 5.12kva battery and Sunsynk 5kva inverter. My DB has been split into non-essential and essential DB's, for the non-essential I only have the oven and geyser on as we have a gas stove. The essential DB is connected to the load port of the inverter. I am planning to go solar now and wanted to know if someone could please explain to me how the non-essential will save me power as it's not connected to the load port when we have load-shedding we only use essential as non-essential is not connected to the inverter. I would like to use the geyser on the solar/battery/grid during the day to save power. I also heard that the hybrid inverter is designed so that you must not use non-essential but I am not sure of that.

 

Non-essentials are connected between your grid connection and the inverter and if setup on the inverter, it can feed back towards the non-essentials. However, when the grid goes, the non-essentials can no longer receive power from the inverter since the inverter is following safety regulations and switches off any feeding of power when there's no power detected on its incoming. Some people get past this by connecting their non-essentials to the AUX port on the inverter and program the inverter to feed power to the AUX port under certain conditions, eg. when the battery is full or above x%. Other people put all their non-essentials on the load circuit and use timers or relays to only power those devices at certain times/conditions or to disconnect them under certain conditions. It all depends on your own specific needs.

I wonder why the non essentials were not connected to the inverter non essential output. This way one as done one would not have the saving of running non essential from PV during the day time. 

This is purely an installers problem and not related to the inverter used. 

One of the may features of SunSynk inverters is that it can push back solar or battery generated power to the "grid" and "non essential" loads. As @p_i has said the "grid" must be available, and not loadshedding. Another requirement is that the CT coil be installed correctly on the house side of the municipal / Eskom meter.

Edit.. Note, the "grid" connection on the inverter is bi-directional, and can feed power backwards to non-essential loads, up to the CT coil. If there is not enough solar / battery power, it will receive power inwards from the grid to feed essential and non-essential loads. If during the day, and solar is available, but not enough, the inverter will "blend" solar and grid to maintain the loads. The inverter does not "switch" between solar and grid, but blends the maximum solar available. During loadshedding, the inverter will blend battery and solar for essential load, but non-essential loads will not be fed.

Edited September 26, 20232 yr by TimCam

If I under right you want your geyser as part of your essentials . Best then. Is try look or have your geyser test to find out what wats heating element is installed in your geyser . 

If like most 150L there's an 4kw element then it leave only 1kw power for house appliances at night  so just switching on an micro or kettle will cause the inverter to shut down.

So this the reason for why  geyser are on non essential line on 5kw setups .

What some do is install an 100l geyser and have an 2kw element installed with an smart geyser timer allowing you to operate your geyser from Android app and run the geyser mid day say from 11:00 till 14:00 but this only really works if you are 2 or 3 and all shower  as heating up an geyser from an 5 kw battery at night is going to drain your battery . 

Thank you for the information guys it makes sense what you are saying.😀

Where does the CT connect when I'm using auxiliary port for non essential load