Hi Everyone,

So at the beginning of last year we purchased a house that had an inverter system already installed. The system consists of 1 x Axpert 5kVA Inverter + 8 x 105aH Deep cycle batteries. I bought the ICC software and got it up and running to so i could learn more about my usage and also allow my home automation platform to get stats from the inverter so i could automate different thing based on power outages / load shedding etc.

I am wanting to add solar to the system so I can not necessarily go completely off grid, but at least use Solar to power my household during the day, pool pump included. With the pool pump running, my average load is around the 1,3kW mark. I asked local installers for pricing on a solution and was told that i have to have 4Kw Solar installation as that is what the inverter and batteries require - nothing smaller can work.

Is this true? I would have assumed that i could start out with something to handle my average load instead of having to go to the max size?

Any advice would be greatly appreciated!

1 hour ago, Skefda said:

asked local installers for pricing on a solution and was told that i have to have 4Kw Solar installation as that is what the inverter and batteries require - nothing smaller can work.

yeah that is NOT true.

I am not sure if the axpert's mppt has a minimum requirement for charging, but i can almost guarantee you that you can start with 1/4 of what that 4kw they recommend. 

 

please give us the model number of the axpert.

Edited February 19, 20205 yr by stoic

2 hours ago, stoic said:

yeah that is NOT true.

I am not sure if the axpert's mppt has a minimum requirement for charging, but i can almost guarantee you that you can start with 1/4 of what that 4kw they recommend. 

 

please give us the model number of the axpert.

I've attached a pic from the side of the unit. Hopefully this gives you all the info you need.

Much appreciated!

6 hours ago, Skefda said:

I've attached a pic from the side of the unit. Hopefully this gives you all the info you need.

The sticker is always helpful. You inverter is older; like mine, it is limited to 60 A of solar charge current into the battery, so around 3000 W. I have 3200 W connected to one of mine without problems, but I would not connect much more, certainly not 4 kW.

You can certainly start small, like a few strings of panels (each string 3S of 60-cell panels, 2S of the more common 72-cell (or 144 half-cell) panels).

4 hours ago, Coulomb said:

The sticker is always helpful. You inverter is older; like mine, it is limited to 60 A of solar charge current into the battery, so around 3000 W. I have 3200 W connected to one of mine without problems, but I would not connect much more, certainly not 4 kW.

You can certainly start small, like a few strings of panels (each string 3S of 60-cell panels, 2S of the more common 72-cell (or 144 half-cell) panels).

Thanks Coulomb. Now I just need to find someone in my area to supply and install that won't try and take me for a ride!

19 minutes ago, Centurionsolar said:

Hi Skefda,

Please get in contact with me, we deal with a vast amount of dealers every day, so if you give me your area I should be able to point you in the right direction.  My number is on your ICC box

 

Kind Regards

 

Johan

 

Thanks Johan. Will be in contact soon!