Posted February 7, 20205 yr Hi everyone! My first post here so will do a quick overview of where I am then move on to where I want to go and to receive any and all advice, even if it is to tell me I am doing something stupid and need to fix it. Currently still living in a house thats technically sold and will be moving in to a new to me house soon where I need a good install. In 2016 I started out with an Ellies 1200w/2000va inverter system that powered a fileserver + internet + TV ect. One of the batteries exploded and I only sold the inverter second hand last week. In 2018 I then bought an ACDC 600w pure sine wave inverter with a smaller battery case and use the left over battery from the Ellies system which I managed to get properly charged after testing. Still running this system and it works great. It powers the internet (FTTH ONT + Mikrotik Router + 2 switches + Unifi AC wifi AP) + TV + Audio/Video Receiver + Sub + 2x Raspberry Pis + Xiaomi zigbee receiver. Here we are in 2020 and in the new house the Wife (yes in caps) and me wants our lives to be somewhat easier with all the loadshedding. I already explained to her we can only run a certain amount of devices at a time. I had to, because she had this idea that if we pay a huge amount we _must_ be able to use it as we have in the past. Well the expectation was set when I explained how much more the budget need to be if that is what she wants, but she quickly understood and so I think we are ready in that department. So, what I have planned so far, is this: Type of install: Hybrid, where I want to use Eskom when available mixed with solar power. Some devices only on Eskom.Inverter: After lots of reading, I really like the Goodwe GW5048D-ES inverter. I was going to go with an Axpert 5kva initially, but I think it will limit me and my plans.Batteries: Looking at the Pylontech US3000Panels: No idea yet What to power: Everything except below, or as much as possible at least. The following I want excluded: - geyser - oven - pool pump The stove is already on gas so that is win and there lots of braais including having wood heat in the winter. The plan: Phase1: After moving in, at least avoid load-shedding as much as possible no Solar yet. 1. Buy inverter and at least 1 battery (will try 2 if budget allows) 2. Get DB board rewired The thing is, I don't know what else I need here. I think I need a cutover switch but what else to go with the inverter and DB board install? Phase2: Here I need to choose, if I only bought 1 battery in Phase1, I either need a battery or initial set of panels. If I get the initial set of panels, I would like them to power the base load for the day which will be: + Internet + Wifi + network devices I suspect the panels need to start at +- 900-1200w as a start for the base load.Phase3: Add more panels so that I can also power the TV + Audio/Video Receiver + Sub and then 1 kitchen appliance like washing machine or dish washer or a small inverter aircon. Phase4: Need to have all of this certified in City of Cape Town. Ideally the requirements I need to do from Phase1 but need to try and get it signed off. I learned the hard way when selling a house that I don't want to retrospectively fix this again. Thank you for reading. Any advice please are welcome.
February 9, 20205 yr I'd suggest going through this threadhttps://powerforum.co.za/topic/2946-victron-grid-tied-setup-from-scratch/ . It is Victron specific but will give you a good idea of what is needed. I would recommend Victron to anyone who asked though.
February 11, 20214 yr Author Still waiting on my SSEG application from CoCT. But at least got a call from Elex Khanyisa (contracted by CoCT) that they will come and upgrade my pre-paid meter to be compatible with Solar installs. Fairly certain my current conlog wouldnt be happy with the Goodwe overshooting by 100-200w so this is good news. So the wait still continues to get panels installed, but had the installer do the inverter + batteries so long to survive the loadshedding of recent.
February 11, 20214 yr Author 39 minutes ago, Tariq said: just making sure, that you already have the inverter/batteries installed ? Yes. Wired all the way into the DB. Install was 2nd last week of January. Basically so that I can survive the loadshedding. The SSEG application is for the panels/generation of power. Without it, I know I can get fined. So waiting on that before installing panels.
February 12, 20214 yr How is the Goodwe treating you? Seems you did decent homework so it's love to know why you specifically chose that router? I'm asking as I'm in the market and leaning towards sunsynk, but open to be persuaded.
February 12, 20214 yr Author 4 hours ago, Speedster said: How is the Goodwe treating you? Seems you did decent homework so it's love to know why you specifically chose that router? I'm asking as I'm in the market and leaning towards sunsynk, but open to be persuaded. At the time, my options were limited to what was on the CoCT approved list of inverters. The GoodWe has been on there for a long time. Recently (after I already bought my inverter) the Sunsynk was added including I think the 8kW (speaking under correction). So I would probably now also lean to the Sunsynk side, so it is not just you. The Sunsynk gives you a few more great options, like 8kW version instead of the GoodWe at 4.6kW and also I think it supports a generator as another feed input. I don't have an AC-OUT-2 (non-essential) which I think victrons have and possibly the Sunsynk too. Oh don't forget, the Sunsynk support parallel mode, so you can have redundancy of higher capacity when you upgrade at a later stage. That said, my GoodWe is still on a very old version and it shows the battery SoC wrong from 89-100% (stuck at 89%) while charging. Other than that, it has worked flawless during loadshedding the past week. We had shedding at both 14:02-16:12 and again 22:01-00:18 on the same day and literally for us it was like the power never went off. One thing I was worried about, was the dish washer that run overnight for 3h15m on the eco mode session we prefer. The GoodWe with 2x US3000b pylontechs seemed to have powered it fine on top of the base load of the house, so that was the best news for me. The only thing I think I am still scared off to see what happen, is when the wife turns on her hairblower... So mostly good. But I think you won't go wrong with a Sunsynk and that is what I would go if I was starting now.
February 12, 20214 yr The pylontech is known to get stuck at 89% before quickly jumping to 100% SOC. Mine does the same and it's a known bug.
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