Current setup is Goodwe ES, 2 strings of 6x325W Risen panels, Freedom Won 10/8. This system is really under panelled, especially when weather is margingal. One string faces North, one East. I have lots of East/West facing roof, not so much North. I'm in Randburg, Gauteng.

So what I want to do is

1) Replace the North facing string with 550W or thereabouts panels.

2) (optional) move the 325W panels that are currently facing North to face East.

(1) would mean using the existing wiring and mountings. The MMPT can take it, and I understand that you are installing panels and not running or configuring the inverter. I've lived with that inverter since 2019 and I can control it. What I want to do now is to give myself a bit more production on days when the sun is shining but not at it's shiningest.

(2) would mean some extra wiring and mountings.

So please consider this a request for quotes. You can come and inspect if you want. DM me. I think you should be able to give a price for (1) because all the wiring, the circuit breakers, the mounting brackets are already there. You're just going to take the old panels off and mount the new ones.

DMs please. We don't need to clog up the forum with our hagglings and my answers to your questions.

Edited April 1, 20251 yr by Bobster.
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So the job is done, including an updated COC for the PV system. I was put in touch with a guy who does installations but also modifications to existing systems, even cleaning panels if that's what you want.

Before I had 2 strings 6 * 325 JA panels. One string faced N, one E. I don't have a lot of N facing roof so...

1) The N array was replaced with 5 * 585 W Canadians.
2) 4 of the 325 panels from the N array were moved to the E array
3) The installer bought the other 2 panels from me.

It was a good upgrade. On sunny days the system produces significantly more power, but not for long as the battery charges early.

But consider yesterday. Some person we do not need to name here left the pool timer in the "on" position (not "auto") after backwashing the pool on Sunday. So the pump carried on running until about 18:00 before the problem was noticed. Not unexpectedly the battery hit the 40% reserved mark over night. I had anticipated this, but the weather app on my phone was telling me it would be a nice sunny Monday so I thought I won't panic, there is no loadshedding, it's going to a nice bright morning, I will be OK.

But when the morning came it was overcast. But now I'm getting better production in adverse conditions, so from about 7:30 the battery was charging, not that fast, but faster than it would have before the upgrade. And that's why I did this upgrade, not for the sunny days but for the overcast days.

Interesting thing: When demand is high, the inverter uses both strings. When demand is low it sticks almost exclusively to the E facing string, presumably because of the high voltage because there are 10 panels in series.