So seeing as this thing will pretty much be deemed illegal for JHB use and ultimately i would like to upgrade my solar down the line

what on the recommended list would you guys suggest that would be a suitable replacement?

Look at some pylontech batteries also.

4 hours ago, Launge said:

what on the recommended list would you guys suggest that would be a suitable replacement?

For hybrid the options seem to be Victron Multigrid/Multiplus-II, Goodwe (several models), or InfiniSolar.

TTT will tell you to consider a grid-tied unit (if you have a stable grid connection) and then look at Solis. For a GTI my goto recommendation is always Fronius. They are seriously nice and not that expensive for what you get.

Edited September 24, 20186 yr by plonkster

I am very happy with my Mecer / Axpert and will not change it till the horseman comes galloping in shouting that the British are coming....

This inverter is still the best value for money that one can buy.  I really hope that someone comes up with a permanent solution to the laws that this banana republic will accept. I will implement all the necessary steps once a legal solution is agreed upon.   

4 hours ago, Launge said:

So seeing as this thing will pretty much be deemed illegal for JHB use and ultimately i would like to upgrade my solar down the line

what on the recommended list would you guys suggest that would be a suitable replacement?

Look at some pylontech batteries also.

Until JHB gets on par with CoCT, I would stikc with off-grid solar if I was you. 

Yes, as Plonkster said, is what I would have suggested with your Axpert as a pure UPS ... but only if it was not for the silly regs JHB has got.

1 hour ago, GVC said:

shouting that the British are coming

Reminds me of this scene in an old favourite game of mine.

The fronius looks like a champ of an inverter but i think the goodwe would be more in line with my price range.

Definitely looking to go with a hybrid inverter.

why go grid tied when your still at the whim eskom power failures.

Unless im getting myself confused

 

Edited September 24, 20186 yr by Launge

If things get really bad, in Johannesburg, I'll replace my Axperts with Goodwe's. Till then, I'll keep what I have since it's already achieved ROI 

I had  5 Mercer/ Axper   5 k inverters (old once) and now added 10 more

but cant start the unit up they come up whit an error code 71

that is firmware incompatible and i have to upgrade to the same firmware

i can find the file to upgrade

but cant find a program to help me with the upgrade 

it anybody that can help with it don't get any answers out of [email protected] 

where i bought the units from  so i will not recommend them for you products as there is no after sale service

j

J

2 hours ago, st hellena said:

I had  5 Mercer/ Axper   5 k inverters (old once) and now added 10 more

Hi St Helena. Must say, that is a lot of inverters. May I ask what you use them for? All of them in Parallel? The reason i ask, to my knowledge you can only connect 9 in parallel. 

Either @Chris Hobson or @Coulomb should be here soon and should be able to help you with the firmware. 

Just as Info: http://www.voltronicpower.com/oCart2/files/manual/Parallel-installation-AxpertKS+MKS-4K-5K-20141014.pdf This document says 6 units in parallel,

http://www.voltronicpower.com/oCart2/files/brochure/Axpert_MKS(PF1)_DS.pdf this one says 9 units in parallel. 

2 hours ago, st hellena said:

I had  5 Mercer/ Axper   5 k inverters (old once) and now added 10 more

Wow, 15 Axperts. Impressive.

2 hours ago, st hellena said:

but cant start the unit up they come up whit an error code 71that is firmware incompatible and i have to upgrade to the same firmware

Not necessarily all of them need to be updated. For example, 73.00 will parallel with 72.40 and 72.60/61. See my parallel compatibility post (AEVA forum).

I note that you can't parallel more than 6 machines (on one phase or three) with firmware before 72.70; from 72.70 onwards, you can parallel up to 9 machines (e.g. three each on three phases). If you do need to parallel more than 6 machines, you'll have to update past 72.60. If many are already at 72.70, you could update or backdate some to 72.70. 73.00 has "compatibility code" that allows it to talk to machines with the older pre-72.70 CAN bus protocol (used internally to keep the machines "on the same page").

Quote

 

i can find the file to upgrade

but cant find a program to help me with the upgrade 

 

Everything you need is in the upgrade zip file; there will be a Windows executable in there. Read the installation instructions carefully. Sorry, you have to chase back a few links to get to the instructions, as the patched firmware has been updated many times, and we don't want to repeat the instructions over and over.

Quote

... so i will not recommend them for you products as there is no after sale service

This is sadly very common. It's one of the prices you pay for inexpensive machines. That's part of the reason for forums like this, so we can choose the inexpensive machines if we wish, and still figure out how to use them effectively.

Please tell us how many of those 15 machines you intend to use at once, what they will power, and so on, how many phases and panels. Just for curiosity. If your loads are constant enough, such as computer servers, you could probably power them all at once by partitioning your loads, if that's practical.

1 hour ago, Jaco de Jongh said:

Hi St Helena. Must say, that is a lot of inverters. May I ask what you use them for? All of them in Parallel? The reason i ask, to my knowledge you can only connect 9 in parallel. 

Either @Chris Hobson or @Coulomb should be here soon and should be able to help you with the firmware. 

Just as Info: http://www.voltronicpower.com/oCart2/files/manual/Parallel-installation-AxpertKS+MKS-4K-5K-20141014.pdf This document says 6 units in parallel,

http://www.voltronicpower.com/oCart2/files/brochure/Axpert_MKS(PF1)_DS.pdf this one says 9 units in parallel. 

 Hi 

I run my workshop and house off grid not connect to grid at all

yip i was told only afterward that i can only connect 9 units

so i will have to split it  in to two systems with a the same battery bank

the black once with out names units are running now for two years already

J

 

Edited September 28, 20186 yr by st hellena
spelling mistake

57 minutes ago, Coulomb said:

Wow, 15 Axperts. Impressive.

Not necessarily all of them need to be updated. For example, 73.00 will parallel with 72.40 and 72.60/61. See my parallel compatibility post (AEVA forum).

I note that you can't parallel more than 6 machines (on one phase or three) with firmware before 72.70; from 72.70 onwards, you can parallel up to 9 machines (e.g. three each on three phases). If you do need to parallel more than 6 machines, you'll have to update past 72.60. If many are already at 72.70, you could update or backdate some to 72.70. 73.00 has "compatibility code" that allows it to talk to machines with the older pre-72.70 CAN bus protocol (used internally to keep the machines "on the same page").

Everything you need is in the upgrade zip file; there will be a Windows executable in there. Read the installation instructions carefully. Sorry, you have to chase back a few links to get to the instructions, as the patched firmware has been updated many times, and we don't want to repeat the instructions over and over.

This is sadly very common. It's one of the prices you pay for inexpensive machines. That's part of the reason for forums like this, so we can choose the inexpensive machines if we wish, and still figure out how to use them effectively.

Please tell us how many of those 15 machines you intend to use at once, what they will power, and so on, how many phases and panels. Just for curiosity. If your loads are constant enough, such as computer servers, you could probably power them all at once by partitioning your loads, if that's practical.

the system is three phase

i had a   10kw three phase wind generator before but it is not compatible and that is how i stumbled on to the Axpert units because you can add on afterwards

the house and garage are all three phase 

the house do not have any hot water geyser as each tap has its own geyser build in the it

so instant hot water and no power draw if you don't use it

 

1 minute ago, st hellena said:

the system is three phase

i had a   10kw three phase wind generator before but it is not compatible and that is how i stumbled on to the Axpert units because you can add on afterwards

the house and garage are all three phase 

the house do not have any hot water geyser as each tap has its own geyser build in the it

so instant hot water and no power draw if you don't use it

 

thanks will read thought it a lot of help already  now for the next stage