Hi All

 

Moved to cape town and my inverter is not on the approved list. there is a way to get it approved with additional hardware, but seeing if anyone is interested in buying it from me and then I just get a new inverter instead. It originally cost me 44000. I am willing to take 25000. Lets discuss. It is still sitting in the box I transported it down with and is kind of heavy, so don't want to take it out again by myself.

 

Item: EasySolar 48/5000/70-100 – 230V-MPPT 150/100 With CGX

Age: 5 years

Price: 15000

Payment Method Accepted: EFT

Warranty: one year remaining

Packaging: cardboard box

Condition: good

Location: cape town

Reason: moved, not compatible on its own with the city

Shipping: at your discretion

Collection: if you want to

Link: https://www.pikaled.co.za/product/easysolar-48-5000-70-100-230v-mppt-150-100-with-cgx/

Edited October 29, 20241 yr by SvenA
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OK, from where I am standing, your inverter cannot feed into the grid, so it does not need any approval, maybe some others can comment before you get rid of the inverter, as far as I figure it, the approval is there to ensure that equipment that could feed power back to the grid adheres to certain guidelines, since your inverter, as far as I am aware is not designed and cannot feed power back to the grid, there should be no reason no to use it and no reason to require approval.

@TaliaB, @WannabeSolarSparky, can you comment on my thoughts here, please?

 

28 minutes ago, Kalahari Meerkat said:

OK, from where I am standing, your inverter cannot feed into the grid, so it does not need any approval, maybe some others can comment before you get rid of the inverter, as far as I figure it, the approval is there to ensure that equipment that could feed power back to the grid adheres to certain guidelines, since your inverter, as far as I am aware is not designed and cannot feed power back to the grid, there should be no reason no to use it and no reason to require approval.

@TaliaB, @WannabeSolarSparky, can you comment on my thoughts here, please?

 

it should be able to feed back into the grid, from the manual on the unit:

4.4 ESS – Energy Storage Systems: feeding energy back into the grid When the product is used in a configuration in which it will feed back energy into the grid it is required to enable grid code compliance by selecting the appropriate grid code country setting with the VEConfigure tool

11 minutes ago, SvenA said:

it should be able to feed back into the grid, from the manual on the unit:

Ok, thanks, I don't know the unit and didn't think it could, does it by default feed to the grid side? and is it similar to the way Sunsynk/Deye do it, by using a CT to determine how much power comes/goes to the grid? or does it need to be enabled specifically for this. I suppose if it feeds power to the "non-essential side" as Sunsynk & co use, it would need approval, if it does not by default do this and everything is connected to the backed up side, then I still think it should be ok to use, but that's my opinion, ymmv 🙂

Just now, Kalahari Meerkat said:

Ok, thanks, I don't know the unit and didn't think it could, does it by default feed to the grid side? and is it similar to the way Sunsynk/Deye do it, by using a CT to determine how much power comes/goes to the grid? or does it need to be enabled specifically for this. I suppose if it feeds power to the "non-essential side" as Sunsynk & co use, it would need approval, if it does not by default do this and everything is connected to the backed up side, then I still think it should be ok to use, but that's my opinion, ymmv 🙂

https://www.victronenergy.com/media/pg/Energy_Storage_System/en/configuration.html#UUID-44102771-a07a-55eb-b676-772c0d78e5fa there is a section about feed in excess solar power

Thanks @SvenA, it seems, looking at the linked document, that the grid feed is similar to the way Sunsynk & Co. do it, but of course it can be turned off, so I still would think that if its turned off and the loads to be supplied are only connected to the output of the inverter, there should be no issues using it in the CoCT area, but I guess, one would have to get confirmation of this...

I guess you'll need an anti-islanding device added to get approval. The older easysolar/Multiplus units does not have built in anit-islanding like the Multiplus2 and other, newer generation Victron inverters.

10 hours ago, Kalahari Meerkat said:

OK, from where I am standing, your inverter cannot feed into the grid, so it does not need any approval, maybe some others can comment before you get rid of the inverter, as far as I figure it, the approval is there to ensure that equipment that could feed power back to the grid adheres to certain guidelines, since your inverter, as far as I am aware is not designed and cannot feed power back to the grid, there should be no reason no to use it and no reason to require approval.

@TaliaB, @WannabeSolarSparky, can you comment on my thoughts here, please?

 

These are the application types.

GRID-TIED SSEG

GRID-TIED HYBRID SSEG

STANDBY SSEG

OFF-GRID

For the 2 x Grid-Tied applications, you must use an inverter approved by the City of Cape Town.
For Standby and Off-Grid applications, inverters on the City of Cape Town’s list cannot be used. (I understand this may seem inconvenient; it’s part of the process.)
If you need some power from the grid, you should apply for the Standby SSEG application. If you are completely off-grid and don’t require any grid power, then you will apply for the OFF-GRID application.

https://www.capetown.gov.za/City-Connect/Apply/Municipal-services/Electricity/apply-for-authorisation-to-install-a-small-scale-embedded-generation-system

13 hours ago, TaliaB said:

These are the application types.

GRID-TIED SSEG

GRID-TIED HYBRID SSEG

STANDBY SSEG

OFF-GRID

For the 2 x Grid-Tied applications, you must use an inverter approved by the City of Cape Town.
For Standby and Off-Grid applications, inverters on the City of Cape Town’s list cannot be used. (I understand this may seem inconvenient; it’s part of the process.)
If you need some power from the grid, you should apply for the Standby SSEG application. If you are completely off-grid and don’t require any grid power, then you will apply for the OFF-GRID application.

https://www.capetown.gov.za/City-Connect/Apply/Municipal-services/Electricity/apply-for-authorisation-to-install-a-small-scale-embedded-generation-system

Doesnt standby SSEG Means it only works when the city power stops....which appears to be against the main reason I got solar, to avoid paying the ever increasing fees eskom charges. 

So had someone quote me about 25000 for a voltage and frequency relay to make this work. So currently I am looking to sell and get something else as the new inverter could cost just as much, perhaps find a 2nd hand one here rather. Maybe even a swap deal.

https://herholdts.co.za/pi64308/victron-anti-islanding-relay-ufr1001e/?gad_source=1&gclid=Cj0KCQjw3vO3BhCqARIsAEWblcAg-9Jlr0R2s0dpPd5lhTSSxDaPVI0GjOxRjvWgAg39wcRmpLbm1w8aAmwXEALw_wcB

 

This is what you need. And no it's not advertising for anyone, this was the first one my Google search spew out.

 

Dropped price to R15000 if anyone is interested