georgelza Posted March 25, 2019 Posted March 25, 2019 So see some people include this in builds... Why, what value does it bring to the party. G Quote
0 ___ Posted March 25, 2019 Posted March 25, 2019 22 minutes ago, georgelza said: Why, what value does it bring to the party. In a Victron setup, the inverter can push energy into the grid, and the ESS control loop can adjust the amount that it feeds into the grid. Now imagine you left your geyser and stove connected to the "Eskom side" because you don't care if it goes down when the grid is out. But today the grid is on and you have surplus PV... so you can push back power to the stove ad geyser instead of paying your supplier for it. But you have to know how much to push back. So what the Carlo Gavazzi meter does is it tells the ESS control loop how much power is coming from the grid, and then it increases feedback until it gets a zero reading. I believe you can also use the CG meter with other brands, I think @Elbow uses it with an Infini. The idea is the same, it acts as a grid limiter by informing the upstream inverter how much power it can feed in. Now the Victron inverters does have a second output and you can avoid all this nonsense by putting the non-essentials on the second AC output, but the transfer switch in the Multi is often limited to 50A or sometimes even less, but mostly... I find that it saves a lot of unnecessary rewiring, especially if the inverter is not installed close to the main DB. Quote
0 georgelza Posted March 25, 2019 Author Posted March 25, 2019 ... so only of value in a setup where you have a hybrid inverter, where you can push back to the grid, or where you have a Inverter and panels connected to the eskom side of say a inverted connected downstream to batteries. G ___ 1 Quote
0 Guest Posted March 25, 2019 Posted March 25, 2019 7 minutes ago, georgelza said: ... so only of value in a setup where you have a hybrid inverter, where you can push back to the grid, or where you have a Inverter and panels connected to the eskom side of say a inverted connected downstream to batteries. G Some PAYG meters charge you for pushing power back. So no, you don't want to do that. And then there is the danger part, you push power back and the guy working on the box at your connection in the street, gets a surprise. We have discussed this ad nausium before. Quote
0 georgelza Posted March 25, 2019 Author Posted March 25, 2019 Not to worry, I don't want to push power back. Still thinking all downstream from Inverter is what i want, just to determine how best to connect all, still won't mind down the line a Victron to be able to blend sources. G Quote
0 ___ Posted March 25, 2019 Posted March 25, 2019 46 minutes ago, The Terrible Triplett said: And then there is the danger part, you push power back and the guy working on the box at your connection in the street, gets a surprise. We have discussed this ad nausium before. But for completeness I must add... never confuse feedback with anti-islanding. It is possible to electrocute a line-worker even if you don't feed back... all you need to do is energise the line with a couple milliamps and fail to switch off when there is a grid outage. Because no grid-limiter is precise and because AC has this thing called a power vector, even with a grid limiter you are not automatically safe from electrocuting someone down the line. You must also always have anti-islanding (whether you feed in or not). georgelza 1 Quote
0 georgelza Posted March 25, 2019 Author Posted March 25, 2019 ok, so how do i auto isolate from grid ...when on solar or battery. and then auto switch back when grid goes live again. G Quote
0 Guest Posted March 25, 2019 Posted March 25, 2019 19 minutes ago, georgelza said: ok, so how do i auto isolate from grid ...when on solar or battery. and then auto switch back when grid goes live again. G And there it starts. After being on this site for years we see the questions building from one level to the next to the next ... I'll leave it for the axperts, sorry, experts to answer. Side note: A hybrid grid tied solution that is plug and play is so much easier for SWAMBO ... unless you are "a DIY'er with a finger on the pulse" kinda guy. (... and now the axperts, sorry, experts will shoot me down whilst forgetting you are in JHB and SWAMBO all alone in JB.) Quote
0 georgelza Posted March 25, 2019 Author Posted March 25, 2019 ... TTT did I just graduate to the next level of understanding ? ye how much finger on pulse i will be able to have is still to be seen, ye the Victron with supply sharing/blending will be a nicer solution, but alas, the bank account said take a hike... G Quote
0 Guest Posted March 25, 2019 Posted March 25, 2019 Just now, georgelza said: ... TTT did I just graduate to the next level of understanding ? Jip, you did. Thing is I do get the cost factor but if you are deadly serious with Victron equipment, deeply committed, then there are ways to shave the price. Like you said, panels and batts are one thing, and as I said, fit the loads to the batts, not the batts to the loads. I also said, generate savings with grid tied connection first, then with data proving it, buy more batts / panels. Adjust load shedding expectations accordingly. The core of the system, the inverter brains, that is the smile or WTF part after a few weeks / months. Me, I just don't like to sukkel anymore. Most of my equipment I never paid full price for, I shop damn hard. Quote
0 1Hallux Posted March 25, 2019 Posted March 25, 2019 Having the meter could be nice to see how much energy you are using generated by your setup. This one from RS has Modbus. You can read V, W, VA, power factor and a few other things. I'm sure it can be nicely integrated with a MQQT/Nodered/whatever setup. Only drawback it's limited to 40A https://za.rs-online.com/web/p/digital-power-meters/8718302/ Quote
0 georgelza Posted March 26, 2019 Author Posted March 26, 2019 my thinking, understanding.... with the CG, because it data connected to the VenusGX you will be able to get that data from the MQTT / subjects subscribe-able on the VenusGB and the CG is 60Amps. G Quote
0 Elbow Posted March 26, 2019 Posted March 26, 2019 20 hours ago, plonkster said: believe you can also use the CG meter with other brands, I think @Elbow uses it with an Infini It’s his intention to do so. Sparky here on Thursday, I’ll get the panels hooked up this weekend or next and then I’ll report back if it works as advertised. Quote
0 Elbow Posted March 26, 2019 Posted March 26, 2019 18 hours ago, 1Hallux said: This one from RS has Modbus. You can read V, W, VA, power factor and a few other things. I'm sure it can be nicely integrated with a MQQT/Nodered/whatever setup. Only drawback it's limited to 40A That is cute, cheaper than the Carlo Gavazzi ET112 and with a display. Quote
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georgelza
So see some people include this in builds...
Why, what value does it bring to the party.
G
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