Hi Everyone,

I am wanting to upgrade from my present 4Kw Mecer (Axpert) Inverter to possibly 7.2kw or 8kw Inverter, however pricing between the Synsynk and the Axpert Max are huge in comparison.

link to the Axpert Max and it's description  https://www.sustainable-energy-solutions.co.za/products/rct-axpert-max-8k48-8kva-8kw-48v-hybrid-inverter?variant=39989541732510&currency=ZAR&utm_medium=product_sync&utm_source=google&utm_content=sag_organic&utm_campaign=sag_organic

the Sunsynk 8kw and it's description https://www.solar-shop.co.za/sunsynk-deye-hybrid-inverters/281-sunsnk8kwip65.html?sfdr_ptcid=13151_617_517404875&sfdr_hash=9f593acb851207207a4cf6cfcc1f856b&gclid=Cj0KCQjwnueFBhChARIsAPu3YkSs_hxCcMFvoT1JsYhxFlrVFSHFPpMsImgNoB083gGLmpRipARxWCgaAmWAEALw_wcB

I am told of Axpert not being the best there is however, using @Coulomb Kettle firmware for my present Mecer (Axpert) Inverter to co-inside with my two B100 Revov batteries has been working very well indeed, as well using @Solar Assistant monitoring software I am leaning towards the Axpert Max.

Your thoughts and advice will be greatly appreciated

Regards

1 hour ago, Kawaman said:

using @Coulomb Kettle firmware for my present Mecer (Axpert) Inverter ... has been working very well indeed,

Bear in mind that there will almost certainly not be patched firmware for the Axpert Max. And Voltronic seem to be very determined never to fix their premature float bug.

@Coulomb Thank you for the heads-up on Axpert. Sunsynk it is then.

Hi @87 Dream

Very interesting comment for the Max and thank you for that. I already have two brand new B100 Lithium 5.2 Kw Revov batteries, so from that side, I'm all good. If possible, please share your Max settings with regards to Source Priority etc. I would like @Coulomb to view and comment as well,(if you are OK with that) is there a good warranty that goes with the Max?

Thank you for the Great reply

Thank You @87 Dream

Much Appreciated

@87 Dream That is quite impressive and equally impressive after sales service for your clients. So, in all fairness to compare the two Inverters namely: Sunsynk and Max King 8Kw, the pricing configuration structure for the Sunsynk is pricier due to it being Hybrid, IP65 has its own software with WIFI, it is impressive indeed. On another thought, I already have SolarAssitant with PI connected to the Revov batteries and Mecer (Axpert) 4 Kw along with WatchPower. To pay the extra cash for the Sunsynk would be viable if I stayed on the coast at the sea due to it being IP65. The warranty however is impressive compared to the Max King.

Your thoughts @Coulomb

Thank you for the detailed Pics 

Kawaman

Thank You @87 Dream make perfect sense. I like the Sensei bit @Coulomb 🤣🤣

4 hours ago, Kawaman said:

Your thoughts @Coulomb

Sorry, I know nothing about the SunSynk inverters, and little about the Maxs except that they appear to be Axpert 5 kW models but with extra power. And teething problems, since they are a new model, and break new ground for the manufacturer. For example, it must be quite a challenge to get 8 kW through printed circuit tracks.

@87 Dream very interesting explanation on the Max capabilities and to be honest it is an eye opener for everyone. For me, price wise, makes perfect sense.

I personally, at present, using the Mecer (Axpert) with @Coulomb lithium firmware upgrade and I have had no issues since 2015. Now using a PI Raspberry SolarAssistant as well for monitoring all I need is the 7.2Kw or 8Kw Max King to upgrade to.

Thank You @87 Dream for your explanation and the Hyundai/Kia theory, brings to mind the Japanese Toyota back in the 60s, now look at Toyota today. the Maxes will get there too if not already.

Hi There @87 Dream.

I need to ask a question seeing you are a Solar Installer and a good one too. I was chatting with a friend of mine  and he warned me about compliant Inverters for the City of Cape Town (COCT) I will attach the list they permit us to purchase/use etc. Approved inverter and equipment ito NRS 097-2-1 (2021 06 18).xlsx (capetown.gov.za) COCT link to the PDF https://www.capetown.gov.za/Family and home/Greener-living/Saving-electricity-at-home/going-solar

I'm not sure (confused really) as to whom these compliant Inverters refer to, Business? Corporate? or all Residential included. At present I have my Mecer (Axpert) 4Kw Inverter installed in 2015 and my COC was done 3 years ago, now I'm not sure if any attention was was made to the make of my Inverter by the person involved in the Solar Dept.at COCT, it being a Mecer and is mentioned in the list but it's not their required model Mecer? Perhaps that's why I have a COC now? I don't know.

My query is, if I want to upgrade to the RCT-AXPERT MAX 8K-48V would I be in serious trouble? Meaning, should an Inspector arrive, he/she looks at my system and goes on to say my Inverter is not compliant, he/she gives me 7 days to remove it along with a 10K fine. Utterly confused.

I am now looking at a Sofar Hybrid Inverter Buy Solar Inverters | Best Prices Online | Buy Now (solaradvice.co.za) because there are quite a few mentioned on the Compliance List. Should I go down that root? I have no idea how reliable Sofar Inverters are.

Please, some advice would really put my mind at rest.

Regards

Confused

Thank you @87 Dream

@87 Dream

OK! Shoo,

My first and foremost I would think, to actually contact a person involved with Solar at COCT and discuss my upgrade and allow me to listen to his/her response, possibly test their integrity on the subject at full strength with regards to such, as you explained, my COC is on their registrar and to upgrade to a higher Kw should not be an issue...?

Let me proceed with this and will update you as I receive answers, I will request an email explaining, or breakdown of residential requirements. My biggest challenge however is getting through to a person and this person hopefully answers their phone.🤦‍♂️ 🙄 

@87 Dream

Fantastic news!

I have two B100 5.2Kw Revov Lithium batteries already, sold my deep Cycle lead Acids December last year, so basically need to up the 4Kw Inverter and more Solar Panels.

Thank you for the certificate 🤝 the manual and added information you can send to [email protected] this will be my ammo to COCT

I will stay in touch

On 2021/06/17 at 3:47 AM, 87 Dream said:

From my experience installing MAXs is that they share the same type of menu options etc as the 5kw type machines. Except a few more options like timed output source priority. However, to truly get the best out of them & even the 5kw units they need to be attached to some clever source of monitoring software through a Raspberry Pi.

This makes the Axpert Max & any Axpert for that matter a much more serious contender in the market for the price range. The MAX has the ability to blend power from sources. The MKSII 5kW does not have this ability. The King 5kW & VMIII can also blend power. The VMIII, MKSII, MKSIII & MAX 7.2 & newer 8kW can also run during the day with only solar without batteries & feed the load directly with PV. Quite a dark magic trick 🤣

I offer these types of machines in my Installations because I really have seen the quality improvement over the time period that they have been around & they are proving to last in the field.

Reminds me a great deal of the Kia & Hyundai car brands from South Korea. 15years ago these cars were rough & they were at the affordable segment. Look at the major improvements over the years in terms of quality & design. These units are now not only affordable but also improving in quality.

87

Hi 87, is there any news with regards to the new max models, the max II?

How do this inverters performe at max power? If you tray to use 8000w for example.

I am building a new house and was thinking about the max 8kw model with 18 jinko 530w panels, 9 on every pv input and a 20kw lithium battery, grid connected but I have understand that the old max models are going to use 2A from the grid to charge the battery when it is empty. From the manuals from the new max II models I have understand that you can now set it to charge only from solar.

Would the max II be a good candidate or would it be better to use 2 VMIII or the new VMIV in parralel with the same 18 panels, total 9600W?

The max 8kw is limited to 8000w total in panels, would it be to much to over size the pv too 9600w?

I am afraid that these inverters strugle with max power.

Thanks

1 hour ago, 87 Dream said:

If you drove a half ton Bakkie everyday with half ton loaded in the bin it will also struggle over time & not last.

In conclusion: better to get 2 X 5kW Axpert MKSIII. Otherwise, you need to get creative with your MAX 8kW installation in terms of energy use. Remember when the Grid is available & you overload the machine it will go into Bypass mode. So become a glorified Conductor. 

To put this entire discussion into perspective, your main switch breaker on your DB box is 63A. So this equates to +-15kW of potential energy in your entire home. 2 MAX in parallel sufficiently deal with this energy without issue no matter what you do. I also don't know anyone using completely everything in their home all at the same time. 

87

Thanks for your reaction 87...

 

Right now we live in an appartment and here in Portugal we have a main breaker from the grid supplyer of 6.9kw, if you try to pull more it will trigger the breaker and I have to turn on the breaker again. This is happening from now and then when we are cooking (induction stoof) when we turn on the water heater:)

 

My main concern is that at our new house we will have 2 hot water heaters installed in serie, on days with less sun only one of them will work, each one is 1.5kw. Then we will have air conditioning that will cool and heat the house, 4 bed rooms, kitchen, living room, dining room and office and the normal stuf in the kitchen, induction stoof, dishwasher, oven, micro wave and the washing machine in the loundry. Outside we will have a water pump in the well to water the garden of about 1kw and a swimming pool pump of about 1kw.

 

What would you recomend for this kind of house? Still 2 x 5kw Axxpert MKSIII or MKSIV?

 

Thanks

2 minutes ago, Jsengxx said:

Thanks for your reaction 87...

 

Right now we live in an appartment and here in Portugal we have a main breaker from the grid supplyer of 6.9kw, if you try to pull more it will trigger the breaker and I have to turn on the breaker again. This is happening from now and then when we are cooking (induction stoof) when we turn on the water heater:)

 

My main concern is that at our new house we will have 2 hot water heaters installed in serie, on days with less sun only one of them will work, each one is 1.5kw. Then we will have air conditioning that will cool and heat the house, 4 bed rooms, kitchen, living room, dining room and office and the normal stuf in the kitchen, induction stoof, dishwasher, oven, micro wave and the washing machine in the loundry. Outside we will have a water pump in the well to water the garden of about 1kw and a swimming pool pump of about 1kw.

 

What would you recomend for this kind of house? Still 2 x 5kw Axxpert MKSIII or MKSIV?

 

Thanks

 

2 hours ago, 87 Dream said:

The costs involved to fit a smaller geyser element & also a smart switch are quite affordable. Element at +-R600 & the Smart WiFi breaker +-R750. Will reduce the load considerably from 3.5kW to maybe more like 1.5kW or even 2kW. Allows for all your loads to be fitted in a smart way.

20kWh of battery is plenty good especially with such a lot of PV. Even on a low light day you will record some decent amount of watts in your roof.

87

 

Does the Axpert MKSIII or MKSIV have the ability to blend the power from Sources?

 

Thanks

9 hours ago, 87 Dream said:

Yes the MKSIII does have this ability yes. I have no experience with the MKSIV, unfortunately. I would definitely go with 2 X 5kW inverters or if you can afford 2 X Max even better. However, one Max I think might be too light for such an enterprise.

87

Will probably go for the new 2xMKSIV in parallel, they are rated at 5600W giving me a total of over 11kw of power and 20 jinko 530w panels, 5 in serie and 2 in parallel for each inverter giving me a total of 10600w, 5300W per inverter (well within the specs of 6000W per inverter).

 

Thnaks for the help

Anyone wanting more info on the Axpert Max II (8KW) you can have a look at Voltronic Power Off-Grid Inverter Axpert MAX II

Product brochure/datasheet - Axpert_MAX II_(8KW)_DS.pdf (voltronicpower.com)

I note that the Max II has CANbus communications to batteries whereas it looks like the Max I does not.  The following is from the Max II user manual. 

Quite impressive indeed. I wonder what price it would be selling for? Very curious.

Hi

There are more that one code that City of Cape Town use when it comes to inverters.  They are sans 10142 and NRS 097.

The list of inverters by City of Cape Town is list that has type test certification under the NRS 097.  Any person/company can put there inverter on the list of City of Cape Town if they can prove that the inverter has type test certification under the NRS 097

Any grid tied inverter (grid-tied means inverter that is connected directly to the DB board iraspectable if you feedback or not) must be an inverter that has type test certification under the NRS 097 this means the inverter must be on the approved inverter list of City of Cape Town.

The only inverter allowed that can be directly connected to the DB board without the inverter being on the approve inverter list of City of Cape Town is a UPS inverter.

A inverter will only be accepted if the inverters conforms to the applicable SANS code for UPS systems.  

The other system is an alternative supply system  - no need to use an approve inverter at all and the completely off-grid system which is not connetect to the internal wiring of your premises aklso no need for an approved inverter.

The above is applicable all SSEG installation in the City of Cape Town area

On 2021/06/06 at 6:18 PM, 87 Dream said:

Hi Kawaman I hear what you saying about the difference in pricing of these two different inverters. I have installed the Max in quite a few homes now & the work around for the premature bug from what I have found is to set the Source priority to timer. On the inverter you can setup timers for source priority. I am also using solar assistant & this is also especially useful. 

Rather spend the extra $$$ on quality batteries. The one particular client is now on his way to wanting a further max to power all phases of his 3 phase home. It still blends power & can handle 2 MPPTs. During loadshedding during the day the batteries are not even touched. Even at low light levels it's blending & making use of what it can from the sun.

The Max is actually in the right hands pretty impressive.

87

 

Hi. How can I get hold of you