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Richard Mackay

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On 2020/01/02 at 11:04 PM, Energy said:

We built this for a client. Was very much plug and play. I have a few pics. This was for off grid. But the inveter is a hybrid. I'm very impressed with growatt.

Jay

 

 

 

 

Hey Jay/Energy very nice build. The only concern I have with that is it requires a RED LED light on the DB to indicate that it is live. Its a NRS requirement. Showed the pics to my father who is a EE and that was his only remark. He's been planning to build something similar over the last few weeks. Well done and great build.

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On 2020/01/01 at 8:34 AM, Quat Allah Al Shams said:

There are kits available for Lights,TV's,Routers only (modified sinewave inverters). I started with the 1200w model in my house and it manage to keep the lights,tv's,internet up for about 8hours +,they work well. There are some models with small external MPPT controller is you want to add a few panels

https://www.builders.co.za/Electrical/Inverters-%26-Solar-Energy/Inverters/Ellies-Power-Inverter-DC-600w-1000va-12v/p/000000000000395575?gclid=EAIaIQobChMI7da3iuLh5gIVhuh3Ch28NQjhEAQYAyABEgK5t_D_BwE

https://www.builders.co.za/Electrical/Inverters-%26-Solar-Energy/Inverters/Ellies-Power-Inverter-DC-1200w-2000va-24v/p/000000000000395576?gclid=EAIaIQobChMI7da3iuLh5gIVhuh3Ch28NQjhEAQYASABEgJ4pvD_BwE

 

FYI: I still have it and use it as a mobile power source like when going on holiday,fishing,etc

Thanks Q,

Yours is a good example of what is available. My first questions to the forum is:

1. Which of these kits are good value for money?

2. Can I do better by simple buying the separate parts and combining them myself?

3. Your requirements often keep growing. How many of these kits allow extra capacity to be added to the system?

I would definitely benefit from guidelines given by the older hands on the forum and so will some of my friends and family.

Thanks for all the good information on the forum.

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14 minutes ago, Goedman said:

Thanks Q,

Yours is a good example of what is available. My first questions to the forum is:

1. Which of these kits are good value for money?

2. Can I do better by simple buying the separate parts and combining them myself?

3. Your requirements often keep growing. How many of these kits allow extra capacity to be added to the system?

I would definitely benefit from guidelines given by the older hands on the forum and so will some of my friends and family.

Thanks for all the good information on the forum.

Hi

1: you get what you pay for

2: buying yourself you can choose what you want and where to buy from. The 2 units you mention do work but are not pure sine wave inverters. I have the 2000va unit running for about 3 or 4 yrs now with the same batteries , think i was just lucky with this

3: these systems cant really be upgraded

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53 minutes ago, Shockin said:

Hi

1: you get what you pay for

2: buying yourself you can choose what you want and where to buy from. The 2 units you mention do work but are not pure sine wave inverters. I have the 2000va unit running for about 3 or 4 yrs now with the same batteries , think i was just lucky with this

3: these systems cant really be upgraded

Thanks S,

Think I am going to start with a good battery, charge it from ESKOM and use a 24V inverter to supply a 3 point plug for now. Hopefully the battery and inverter can be used when I add panels and a charge controller later.

What do you think of two 12v 100Ah "Solar Deep Cycle Gel Battery" that they sell on Takealot for R2300?

I would like to keep as many of the components as possible when I upgrade to a bigger system later.

Any advice is more than welcome.

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47 minutes ago, Goedman said:

Thanks S,

Think I am going to start with a good battery, charge it from ESKOM and use a 24V inverter to supply a 3 point plug for now. Hopefully the battery and inverter can be used when I add panels and a charge controller later.

What do you think of two 12v 100Ah "Solar Deep Cycle Gel Battery" that they sell on Takealot for R2300?

I would like to keep as many of the components as possible when I upgrade to a bigger system later.

Any advice is more than welcome.

Hi

Firstly you need to work out what you want to run off this inverter and for how long, then you need to work out what power the load on the plug is going to draw

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6 hours ago, Goedman said:

Think I am going to start with a good battery, charge it from ESKOM and use a 24V inverter to supply a 3 point plug for now. Hopefully the battery and inverter can be used when I add panels and a charge controller later.

If you want to grow the system later than in my opinion when it comes to voltage of inverter 48V is more the magic voltage than 12 or 24V. Reason being you can use thinner cables from battery to inverter due to lower amps drawn on 48V. Also it is easier to grow the system later. The problem is you need 4x12Volt batteries from the beginning to get you going.

Also choosing inverter try go for a pure sine-wave as with modified sine-wave some of your electrical equipment might run hot and get damaged in the process. 

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10 hours ago, Goedman said:

1. Which of these kits are good value for money?

2. Can I do better by simple buying the separate parts and combining them myself?

3. Your requirements often keep growing. How many of these kits allow extra capacity to be added to the system?

I agree 100% with the above advise

1. The 1200w in my opinion but as mentioned its modified sine wave so NO fridge,freezer,etc just for basic needs TV,lights,internet

2. Yes you can most definitely do better by buying separate parts and combining yourself

3. As mention above also in my opinion also start with 48v pure sine wave inverter system much easier to grow might even handle everything you add later without any changers,except for more batteries for longer time

Edited by Quat Allah Al Shams
inverter type
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On 2020/01/02 at 10:46 PM, plonkster said:

Indeed. The basic needs start with lights, entertainment (TV, internet), but the very next thing I miss is coffee (and even a cheap percolator type thing needs a kilowatt or so). I also remember from the early baby days that infants don't care that the power is off (they are hungry NOW) and the ability to heat a small amount of prepared foot for exactly 17 seconds (but at 2kw) is incredibly useful. Anything more than this... and a small Cadac gas stove becomes much better bang for buck.

When planning that new kitchen think about a your hob (or at least one) being gas! (Recently bought a 'Defy plug in' stove that has different electric/gas hob combos. Really well designed and functional) 

Every time I get the gas ring out I'm amazed at the heat energy from LPG. 

So save the precious inverter 220V for other devices..

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On 2020/01/02 at 11:04 PM, Energy said:

We built this for a client. Was very much plug and play. I have a few pics. This was for off grid. But the inveter is a hybrid. I'm very impressed with growatt.

Jay

IMG-20190821-WA0053.jpg

IMG-20190821-WA0061.jpg

IMG-20190821-WA0048.jpg

IMG-20190821-WA0049.jpg

Hi Jay,

How is this unit doing? Are you still impressed with Growatt? I'm looking to assemble a lithium UPS for an older lady which is reliable, but not too expensive. This unit looks like a good option! Any advice for an alternative inverter/charger will be appreciated!

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1 hour ago, Richard Mackay said:

Every time I get the gas ring out I'm amazed at the heat energy from LPG. 

Its amazing, the scary part is just that it's no cheaper than electricity. Per unit of energy it has very similar costs, and the way the gas flame blasts heat on all directions makes it half as efficient at actual cooking. I consider this a minor issue though. Compared to the cost of upsizing an inverter and battery bank, and given the pleasure of cooking on gas, I have no problem recommending it. 

Edited by plonkster
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Dear All, 

I have had 8 deep cycle batteries and two inverters for several years now. The set-up has served me well. I however, are moving soon and currently have two options on the table and would value some advice.

Option 1:  1 X Goodwe 4.6KW inverter  + 1 X Pylontech US 3000 3.5KWH battery (Lithium Ion) + installation at just over R60K.

Option 2: 1  X 3000W, 24Volt, single phase Inverter, with AC Battery Charger & Charge Controller +  8 x 12V, 100AH, High Cycle batteries (I don't have brand names which I will obtain) + installation at just over R45K.

I stay alone, thus my needs are limited - but I do wish to power up a garage door motor, LED lights (whole house has LEDs), a digital piano, energy efficient fridge, a projector, computer, router and a few other small digital items (and obviously not all at the same time). My ideal is at least 4 hours of power at a time. 

Both systems will be solar ready for when I can later afford same. The installation would not involve an additional DB board and will be an automatic switchover. 

I would value your thoughts please on the best option and any other considerations which I should have. Although option one is slightly more expensive now it might be better in the long run?

Many thanks 

JP

 

 

 

 

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1 hour ago, Ninja Girl said:

Dear All, 

I have had 8 deep cycle batteries and two inverters for several years now. The set-up has served me well. I however, are moving soon and currently have two options on the table and would value some advice.

Option 1:  1 X Goodwe 4.6KW inverter  + 1 X Pylontech US 3000 3.5KWH battery (Lithium Ion) + installation at just over R60K.

Option 2: 1  X 3000W, 24Volt, single phase Inverter, with AC Battery Charger & Charge Controller +  8 x 12V, 100AH, High Cycle batteries (I don't have brand names which I will obtain) + installation at just over R45K.

I stay alone, thus my needs are limited - but I do wish to power up a garage door motor, LED lights (whole house has LEDs), a digital piano, energy efficient fridge, a projector, computer, router and a few other small digital items (and obviously not all at the same time). My ideal is at least 4 hours of power at a time. 

Both systems will be solar ready for when I can later afford same. The installation would not involve an additional DB board and will be an automatic switchover. 

I would value your thoughts please on the best option and any other considerations which I should have. Although option one is slightly more expensive now it might be better in the long run?

Many thanks 

JP

 

 

 

 

….obviously it is: I however, AM...not ARE moving....AfriEnglish is in full force again today :) Could you not find the edit button! Looking forward to your advice on the best solution. JP

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When the lights go out, I am fine, but cell phone reception gets pretty iffy. I guess either a lot of the cell tower batteries are old and load shedding is when you discover that they are actually buggered, or in heavy load shedding, they dont have time to recharge.

I figured out that our local tower has solar panels but dud batteries, because there was no reception at night, and the signal came back again at the exact time that my panels started making power again in the morning. In the evening it was ok for an hour or two, then no reception again. Reported it, I presume it is fixed now.

Edited by DeepBass9
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2 minutes ago, Richard Mackay said:

You can edit your post for a limited time so you can correct the grammar with little evidence..

Just explain how your your system is set up presently and then elaborate as to why you are investigating modifying it when you move..

Dear Richard, 

Thank you for the response. I am no expert, thus please do advise if do not answer your question properly. Currently the setup is two inverters split between 8 deep cycle batteries and it was done in the beginning years of load shedding. The electrician placed the lights on 4 batteries and the plugs on 4 batteries. He also installed a dedicated DB board for the setup and we have a small number of dedicated red plugs. In the event of a power failure the power also kicks in automatically. 

This time the one electrician suggested the lithium battery (which sounds like a good solution based on longevity). He will not do a dedicated DB board and all plugs will be on the inverter, except things like geyser, stove etc. Thus no more dedicated red plugs. The other option i.e. Option 2 is essentially the exact same solution as Option 1, but it is deep cycle batteries instead of the lithium approach. 

JP 

PS thank you for the editing advice :)

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5 hours ago, Richard Mackay said:

I guess your batteries are needing to be recycled if they were installed in beginning of load shedding (2008?)

Were the inverters installed at the same time? It doesn't sound like your load is heavy so I can't see why you have 2 inverters..

I agree two inverters were probably overkill for the current installation and yes the batteries are at end of life and are being replaced with exactly the same as before. Yes the inverters were installed at the same time.

However, I am moving to a new townhouse, so I am doing an installation from scratch now, thus I am looking for the best approach for my new installation. There is nothing existing at the new home. 

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10 hours ago, Ninja Girl said:

Option 1:  1 X Goodwe 4.6KW inverter  + 1 X Pylontech US 3000 3.5KWH battery (Lithium Ion) + installation at just over R60K.

This setup is a bit unbalanced. The 1 Pylontech will only allow for a constant discharge of 37Amp. During a power Failure you should ensure that loads are kept low. The electrician should ensure that the Critical loads stay below the limit of the battery. 

10 hours ago, Ninja Girl said:

Option 2: 1  X 3000W, 24Volt, single phase Inverter, with AC Battery Charger & Charge Controller +  8 x 12V, 100AH, High Cycle batteries (I don't have brand names which I will obtain) + installation at just over R45K.

Normally your 100ah batteries are not the best options around, If you can afford the Lithiums, you would be better off in the long run. 

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@Ninja Girl what inverters do you currently have? Will you be moving them with you?

 

the reason why I am asking this is that 

1. a pylontech US3000 is around R20000

2. A good inverter of 5kw is also around R20000 If you buy a Mecer it is around R12k 

Is the rest of the cost the installation, this sounds very steep, The Instalation and wiring and COC should not be that high. It will take a good electrician about half a day to split your DB and wire the inverter and batteries. At R500/ hour that is R2k plus say R2k for the certificate which is very high, plus around 2-3k for material depending on the distance from battery to db. I know people on this forum is going to kill me but charging more than R10k for a basic instalation is raping the customer. 

The extra money could buy you another US3000

just my 2c

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3 hours ago, Krokkedil said:

@Ninja Girl what inverters do you currently have? Will you be moving them with you?

 

the reason why I am asking this is that 

1. a pylontech US3000 is around R20000

2. A good inverter of 5kw is also around R20000 If you buy a Mecer it is around R12k 

Is the rest of the cost the installation, this sounds very steep, 

https://powerforum.co.za/profile/6102-ninja-girl/ If you reveal your location I'm sure there will be offers from those on this forum capable of doing this work

(Just add your location in your profile) 

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On 2020/01/12 at 8:16 AM, Krokkedil said:

@Ninja Girl what inverters do you currently have? Will you be moving them with you?

 

the reason why I am asking this is that 

1. a pylontech US3000 is around R20000

2. A good inverter of 5kw is also around R20000 If you buy a Mecer it is around R12k 

Is the rest of the cost the installation, this sounds very steep, The Instalation and wiring and COC should not be that high. It will take a good electrician about half a day to split your DB and wire the inverter and batteries. At R500/ hour that is R2k plus say R2k for the certificate which is very high, plus around 2-3k for material depending on the distance from battery to db. I know people on this forum is going to kill me but charging more than R10k for a basic instalation is raping the customer. 

The extra money could buy you another US3000

just my 2c

Thank you for the response Krokkodil:

ECCO 2200W is my current inverter and no it is not moving with me. 

The Lithium installation is:

To supply a Goodwe 4.6KW inverter = 23,898.60
To supply a Pylontech US 3000 3.5KWH battery  = 17,500.00
To install the inverter = 7,000.00
material required for the installation = 4,380.00 

And then VAT must still be added. 

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On 2020/01/11 at 7:34 AM, SuperStan said:

Hi Jay,

How is this unit doing? Are you still impressed with Growatt? I'm looking to assemble a lithium UPS for an older lady which is reliable, but not too expensive. This unit looks like a good option! Any advice for an alternative inverter/charger will be appreciated!

I am highly impressed with growatt. This unit is in high temperature African climate, I'm also shopping for one myself.

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On ‎2020‎/‎01‎/‎01 at 1:00 PM, Bobster said:

Now you can get to that situation, for a 4-and-a-bit hours JHB load shed for a relatively modest outlay. You're not saving any money on electricity, but you are a lot better off when load shedding happens. 

I fact I actually worked out that running a genny during load shedding to power the basics is by far more expensive than having a decent standby.

Petrol (or diesel for the Hulux guys) is far more expensive to run the genny than the grid power needed to recharge the batteries of the standby. AND IT'S MUCH QUIETER! 

Although the initial cost may be more than a decent generator, you will breakeven sometime, especially with the guaranteed amount of load shedding events is SA. 😉

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