bushman10 Posted January 8, 2016 Share Posted January 8, 2016 2 x 5 kW Schneider RL5000s inverters 10 kWp Solar Array (40 panels) (The above is for a Grid Tied System that will feed back to muni) 10 kW Victron Quattro 48V Inverter 8 x 180Ah Batteries (The above is for backup power) Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
___ Posted January 8, 2016 Share Posted January 8, 2016 You can't go wrong with a Victron Quatro (if you can afford it, in fact, buy it now while it's still R17 to the Euro!). I'm not familiar with the rest though... just (one of!) the local Victron fanboys here :-) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted January 8, 2016 Share Posted January 8, 2016 Here is the other Victron fanboy. Why not get only the Victron, expand it to do all for you? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bushman10 Posted January 8, 2016 Author Share Posted January 8, 2016 As I understand it the Victron has a challenge in dealing with multiple solar arrays of different sizes and Schneider does not. Although I have a total of 40 panels they will be in different clusters at different distances due to multiple pitches on my roof. There is one cluster of 6 then another cluster of 16 then a cluster of 10 then another cluster of 8. Apparently it is called "Multi Point Power Tracking". Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bushman10 Posted January 8, 2016 Author Share Posted January 8, 2016 The batteries are 8 x Monbat 180 Ah 12V Deep Cycle batteries Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted January 8, 2016 Share Posted January 8, 2016 I understand differently: https://www.victronenergy.com/blog/2013/11/15/synchronizing-multiple-mppt-15070-charge-controllers-2/ And then there is this one: https://www.victronenergy.com/inverters-chargers/easysolar And this: https://www.victronenergy.com/upload/documents/Datasheet-EasySolar-3000VA-EN.pdf Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bushman10 Posted January 8, 2016 Author Share Posted January 8, 2016 Thanks. I will go back to my supplier. I clearly have a bit more homework to do Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted January 8, 2016 Share Posted January 8, 2016 Bushman10, Plonkster is the best advice to get here first. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
___ Posted January 8, 2016 Share Posted January 8, 2016 TTT, I don't necessarily agree. If you are primarily going to use your power directly during the day, and the Victron is there purely for backup (of some circuits, not all), then using a GTI is the better option.If on the other hand you intend to store more of the energy and use it at night, then go with a pure Victron setup. One has to remember though that the Victron (at least in Cape Town and maybe some other places) is not an approved grid-connected inverter, so even if you go the whole way and install a hub-1 system, I don't think this is the way to go here.Yes, you can synchronise multiple Victron MPPT controllers, but the Victron controllers aren't cheap, so it adds costs. Many GTIs have more than one MPPT (I know some Sunnyboys have two), so that is a clear advantage here. The fact that the Victron integrates so easily with other equipment through the use of GFPR (grid frequency dependent power reduction) means it can integrate with many GTIs from other manufacturers. There is even an assistant you can use to feed the Victron with a variable voltage (up to 5 volt) on one of the analog inputs, and use that to adjust your charging current. This means that with a bit of simple circuitry you can prioritise solar power, so that the Victron never charges the battery with more power than is available from your GTI. Also do a bit of math on those batteries. Multiply the Ah capacity times the voltage (to get a Wh figure) and multiply that with the number of cycles to 50% DoD (for a lifetime kwh figure). Divide the cost of the battery through that. If it isn't at least 10% cheaper than buying from the grid, then a system like this where the Victron is purely a backup, and the GTI is for cost savings, is probably better.Another thing I wonder about these days: I know Victron also made a GTI at some point, but I rarely see them advertised or used these days. It seems Victron made friends with Fronius for this bit... :-) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted January 8, 2016 Share Posted January 8, 2016 Thank you Plonkster. There I learn some more! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted January 10, 2016 Share Posted January 10, 2016 Plonkster, you know about this device from Victron? https://www.victronenergy.com/upload/documents/Brochure-Solarswitch-SAL064122020-02-1103-EN_web.pdf Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
___ Posted January 10, 2016 Share Posted January 10, 2016 I was unaware of that device, but I see what it does is allow you to change your configuration between hub-2 and hub-3, to use the Victron lingo.Hub-2 has the PV power coming on on the output of the Multiplus/Quatro. Some of it goes into the house, some of it into the batteries, and the rest goes backwards through the Multiplus/Quatro to the grid.Hub-3 has the PV power coming in before the Multiplus/Quatro. I'm not sure what the advantage is of doing it this way, and consequently I don't understand why you'd reconfigure to hub-3 when the grid is on... why not just run hub-2 all the time? There probably is a reason, and I'll have to go study that material :-) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted January 10, 2016 Share Posted January 10, 2016 Maybe bushman10 needs the device to connected the Victron with the GTI? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
___ Posted January 11, 2016 Share Posted January 11, 2016 Maybe bushman10 needs the device to connected the Victron with the GTI? No. You just wire your GTI to the output of the Quattro, and configure the PV assistant, and you should be done. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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