Adding 2nd battery, help please

P

Paul2504

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There is always some curve ball in life that upsets the plans. Yesterday there is commotion in the street as the pre paid meter squad is ripping out meters out of the street box.

My neighbor who has the same system as me is one of the victims. The contractor handed him a pre paid meter and said plug this in, it should work.

Issue no 1

Non of his plugs would work to power this thing. The contractor is saying that he needs a direct to Eksdom plug. Like me his system is all on essential there is no split DB.

How do we fix this ?

Issue no 2

I have ordered a 2nd 120 amp battery. Please let me know if this is right.

Switch everything off

Connect red to red

Connect black to black

Connect communication cable

In my manual for the battery it states for ADS, set dip switches

0 off, off, off, off
1 On, off, off, off

Turn on inverter

Turn on batteries

Turn on PV

Turn on AC

Does this sound right to you.?

Thanks in advance.
 
Flick the switch back to Eskom, you should have a switch near your inverter that will have inverter, off and Eskom/muncipality.
 
Lupus said:
Flick the switch back to Eskom, you should have a switch near your inverter that will have inverter, off and Eskom/muncipality.
Click to expand...
This is fascinating to me. I thought when an inverter is receiving current from the grid, it’s just passing directly through the inverter. Is that not the case, and the inverter is somehow scrubbing a signal which Eskom is putting into the current which the prepaid meter is looking for?
 
Foxhound5366 said:
This is fascinating to me. I thought when an inverter is receiving current from the grid, it’s just passing directly through the inverter. Is that not the case, and the inverter is somehow scrubbing a signal which Eskom is putting into the current which the prepaid meter is looking for?
Click to expand...
It's highly possible, I've not got the issue with my meter and inverter but there have been cases where the box won't work unless it's a direct feed.
There should always be a cut off from the inverter back to grid.
 
Foxhound5366 said:
This is fascinating to me. I thought when an inverter is receiving current from the grid, it’s just passing directly through the inverter. Is that not the case, and the inverter is somehow scrubbing a signal which Eskom is putting into the current which the prepaid meter is looking for?
Click to expand...
Not a matter in and out, as the inverter has its own protection circuitry etc, so it might be jnterfering with the current in some way
 
Paul2504 said:
There is always some curve ball in life that upsets the plans. Yesterday there is commotion in the street as the pre paid meter squad is ripping out meters out of the street box.

My neighbor who has the same system as me is one of the victims. The contractor handed him a pre paid meter and said plug this in, it should work.

Issue no 1

Non of his plugs would work to power this thing. The contractor is saying that he needs a direct to Eksdom plug. Like me his system is all on essential there is no split DB.

How do we fix this ?

Issue no 2

I have ordered a 2nd 120 amp battery. Please let me know if this is right.

Switch everything off

Connect red to red

Connect black to black

Connect communication cable

In my manual for the battery it states for ADS, set dip switches

0 off, off, off, off
1 On, off, off, off

Turn on inverter

Turn on batteries

Turn on PV

Turn on AC

Does this sound right to you.?

Thanks in advance.
Click to expand...
On the second question, yes it does sound right, you might still have some spark though depending on how intelligent your battery is or isn't, don't be alarmed
 
Paul2504 said:
There is always some curve ball in life that upsets the plans. Yesterday there is commotion in the street as the pre paid meter squad is ripping out meters out of the street box.

My neighbor who has the same system as me is one of the victims. The contractor handed him a pre paid meter and said plug this in, it should work.

Issue no 1

Non of his plugs would work to power this thing. The contractor is saying that he needs a direct to Eksdom plug. Like me his system is all on essential there is no split DB.

How do we fix this ?

Issue no 2

I have ordered a 2nd 120 amp battery. Please let me know if this is right.

Switch everything off

Connect red to red

Connect black to black

Connect communication cable

In my manual for the battery it states for ADS, set dip switches

0 off, off, off, off
1 On, off, off, off

Turn on inverter

Turn on batteries

Turn on PV

Turn on AC

Does this sound right to you.?

Thanks in advance.
Click to expand...

Disconnect at fuse box before doing anything. I even removed the fuses.

The rest is correct. Depending on your setup, you might go parallel or in series.

Here is a photo of my second battery added before I got the proper longer cables to mount against the wall.
20240305_134633.jpg
 
Tantric Smurf said:
Disconnect at fuse box before doing anything. I even removed the fuses.

The rest is correct. Depending on your setup, you might go parallel or in series.

Here is a photo of my second battery added before I got the proper longer cables to mount against the wall.
View attachment 1766692
Click to expand...
Good point, it's called an Isolator for a reason.
 
Thanks for all the replies.

My existing battery goes to a big fuse box with a pull down handle for the disconnect, so I can isolate from the system and inverter, it also has it's own off switch. The reason why I want the second battery is that I just can't make it through the night on my 5.5 kw 120 amp battery. I can produce enough power for all my daytime needs and have an EV system for the geyser. I have a lot of trees in the street that block me out from around 3 pm and I only really generate from around 8:30 am with around 3.8kw at peak

Since installing in 2023 my average Eskom bill has been around 280-300 kw per month but just about all of that has been nighttime usage. Looking at buying pre paid from direct it looks like we will pay a bit more so I want to limit this to as little as possible.

Still not sure how to wire in this "direct box"
 
OK, does this help

My DB board goes to the changeover switch,
this then goes to an AVP, AC in and AC out
This then goes to a mini DB with breakers AC in and AC out
this then goes to the inverter

Would the AC in line be a direct connection ?
 
Paul2504 said:
Issue no 1

Non of his plugs would work to power this thing. The contractor is saying that he needs a direct to Eksdom plug. Like me his system is all on essential there is no split DB.

How do we fix this ?
Click to expand...
Buy a cheap plug and get an electrician to wire it directly on the Eskom circuit (before it hits the inverter).

I have mine set up near the inverter with the keypad plugged into it. Doing this will prevent it from going out of sync with the meter when Eskom goes down and comes back...

1000006809.jpg
 
Mike Hoxbig said:
Buy a cheap plug and get an electrician to wire it directly on the Eskom circuit (before it hits the inverter).

I have mine set up near the inverter with the keypad plugged into it. Doing this will prevent it from going out of sync with the meter when Eskom goes down and comes back...

View attachment 1766748
Click to expand...
Wow cool setup, #batteryenvy
 
Paul2504 said:
OK, does this help

My DB board goes to the changeover switch,
this then goes to an AVP, AC in and AC out
This then goes to a mini DB with breakers AC in and AC out
this then goes to the inverter

Would the AC in line be a direct connection ?
Click to expand...
Anything before the inverter is a direct connection, just go straight to the line that's feeding the inverter and tap there.
 
Foxhound5366 said:
This is fascinating to me. I thought when an inverter is receiving current from the grid, it’s just passing directly through the inverter. Is that not the case, and the inverter is somehow scrubbing a signal which Eskom is putting into the current which the prepaid meter is looking for?
Click to expand...
Why are you feeding the Meter with an Inverter? meter should be on the eskom side of the inverter
 
TheChamp said:
On the second question, yes it does sound right, you might still have some spark though depending on how intelligent your battery is or isn't, don't be alarmed
Click to expand...
I would make sure each battery is at the same voltage before paralleling them.
 
Mike Hoxbig said:
Buy a cheap plug and get an electrician to wire it directly on the Eskom circuit (before it hits the inverter).

I have mine set up near the inverter with the keypad plugged into it. Doing this will prevent it from going out of sync with the meter when Eskom goes down and comes back...

View attachment 1766748
Click to expand...

I have the same setup with meter :thumbsup:

Paul2504 said:
Thanks for all the replies.

My existing battery goes to a big fuse box with a pull down handle for the disconnect, so I can isolate from the system and inverter, it also has it's own off switch. The reason why I want the second battery is that I just can't make it through the night on my 5.5 kw 120 amp battery. I can produce enough power for all my daytime needs and have an EV system for the geyser. I have a lot of trees in the street that block me out from around 3 pm and I only really generate from around 8:30 am with around 3.8kw at peak

Since installing in 2023 my average Eskom bill has been around 280-300 kw per month but just about all of that has been nighttime usage. Looking at buying pre paid from direct it looks like we will pay a bit more so I want to limit this to as little as possible.

Still not sure how to wire in this "direct box"
Click to expand...

Yeah, all seems to boil down to "can I make it to sun-up?"

I'm in the same boat with needing more backup capacity. Right now only covering roughly half of the dark hours and unfortunately means more panels too. Just a matter of time.
 
Paul2504 said:
There is always some curve ball in life that upsets the plans. Yesterday there is commotion in the street as the pre paid meter squad is ripping out meters out of the street box.

My neighbor who has the same system as me is one of the victims. The contractor handed him a pre paid meter and said plug this in, it should work.

Issue no 1

Non of his plugs would work to power this thing. The contractor is saying that he needs a direct to Eksdom plug. Like me his system is all on essential there is no split DB.

How do we fix this ?

Issue no 2

I have ordered a 2nd 120 amp battery. Please let me know if this is right.

Switch everything off

Connect red to red

Connect black to black

Connect communication cable

In my manual for the battery it states for ADS, set dip switches

0 off, off, off, off
1 On, off, off, off

Turn on inverter

Turn on batteries

Turn on PV

Turn on AC

Does this sound right to you.?

Thanks in advance.
Click to expand...


Paul2504 said:
Thanks for all the replies.

My existing battery goes to a big fuse box with a pull down handle for the disconnect, so I can isolate from the system and inverter, it also has it's own off switch. The reason why I want the second battery is that I just can't make it through the night on my 5.5 kw 120 amp battery. I can produce enough power for all my daytime needs and have an EV system for the geyser. I have a lot of trees in the street that block me out from around 3 pm and I only really generate from around 8:30 am with around 3.8kw at peak

Since installing in 2023 my average Eskom bill has been around 280-300 kw per month but just about all of that has been nighttime usage. Looking at buying pre paid from direct it looks like we will pay a bit more so I want to limit this to as little as possible.

Still not sure how to wire in this "direct box"
Click to expand...
TLDR - that device is not the meter its the CIU - it needs a direct connection to communicate to the meter outside via the inverter it will not connect (or only connected when its in passthrough mode - hence the advise everyone is giving to have a direct plug.
if you not on prepaid it does not make a difference (unless you want to check your actual meter readings) but on prepaid you will need this to load.

as for prepaid being more expensive , yes it is slightly but depending on who your provider (municipality, Eskom direct etc) is - it can work out so much cheaper
 
Last edited:
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