Advice on setting up a solar system

[sjm]

Hi everyone. I'm busy investigating setting up a solar system at my place. I have a few challenges, including the majority of my roof currently being taken up by my pool heating system, limiting the amount of space available for panels.

I currently use between 600 - 700 kwH per month and had been planning on around 7kw if panels, a Sunsynk 5/8 kW inverter and starting off with around 6kwH of lithium battery storage. I've had an installer out who's provided me with the following quotes (and is advocating I use EVO batteries).

I'm looking for guidance from more experienced forumites on the costs, the total panel sizes he's recommended and whether this is an install you'd take up?.

8kw Sunsynk inverter, 1 5.7kwH Evo battery



2x 5kw Growatt inverters, 2 x Evo 5.7 kWh batteries



The only info on the Evo batteries I have is what's on the attached spec sheet, I've been unable to find info online.



Installer has offered to swop out the Evo batteries for Hubble (which was my original choice) in six months time if I'm not satisfied with them.


Thoughts? Advice?

 

[WAslayer]

Only thing I would say, I'd be thinking twice about this installer who seems very adamant to push batteries on you that you do not want.. since when does the customer, who knows what they want, get told this is what you get and we can consider swap out in 6 months..?

What's it in for the installer..? Why is he so pushy on these batteries..? It shouldn't matter to him what batteries he is asked to install, but in this case it seems to matter, why..?

Have you asked him why..?

 

[sjm]

Only thing I would say, I'd be thinking twice about this installer who seems very adamant to push batteries on you that you do not want.. since when does the customer, who knows what they want, get told this is what you get and we can consider swap out in 6 months..?

What's it in for the installer..? Why is he so pushy on these batteries..? It shouldn't matter to him what batteries he is asked to install, but in this case it seems to matter, why..?

Have you asked him why..?

He says they're cheaper, can communicate directly with Sunsynk inverter without needing a Riot and are a better deal than Hubble, which is why he's offering to swop them out later if I'm not satisfied.

They're LiFePo4 rather than Hubble's Li-NMC, so my limited understanding is that from a chemistry perspective they're better than Hubble. I've never heard of them though and even more worryingly, can't turn up anything on a Google search (not even Alibaba listings).

 

[Mzezman]

Id say get 2 or 3 more quotes on a similar size/spec system. SolarAdvice has a nice website tool that you can use to spec systems on the fly and generate quotes. @mikehoxbig used them if I'm not mistaken. But get other quotes

The sunsynk is a very capable inverter and the battery matters less if its one of the known brands. Also comms to Hubble work fine on SS without a Riot, in fact a number of Hubble owners don't have / use a Riot.

 

[Heisenborg]

Dont skimp on a 5kw inverter. Get the 8kw

 

[chrisc]

R28k for an 8Kw inverter is a bit steep. Look on the Power Forum, you can get them a lot less. I paid R9k, admittedly 6 years ago

The MPPT circuit stopped working and I got it repaired by a firm in Epping

 

[sjm]

Id say get 2 or 3 more quotes on a similar size/spec system. SolarAdvice has a nice website tool that you can use to spec systems on the fly and generate quotes. @mikehoxbig used them if I'm not mistaken. But get other quotes

The sunsynk is a very capable inverter and the battery matters less if its one of the known brands. Also comms to Hubble work fine on SS without a Riot, in fact a number of Hubble owners don't have / use a Riot.

Thanks for the SolarAdvice tip.

Anyone have recommendations for Cape Town installers who I can get to quote me? Blouberg area.

 

[sjm]

R28k for an 8Kw inverter is a bit steep. Look on the Power Forum, you can get them a lot less. I paid R9k, admittedly 6 years ago

The MPPT circuit stopped working and I got it repaired by a firm in Epping

This is a Sunsynk 8kw, which is in the 32 - 32k range at the moment amongst other online shops. His price for the inverter (after VAT) is in line with what I'm seeing everywhere else

 

[SauRoNZA]

Only thing I would say, I'd be thinking twice about this installer who seems very adamant to push batteries on you that you do not want.. since when does the customer, who knows what they want, get told this is what you get and we can consider swap out in 6 months..?

What's it in for the installer..? Why is he so pushy on these batteries..? It shouldn't matter to him what batteries he is asked to install, but in this case it seems to matter, why..?

Have you asked him why..?

Well he has to support the product and if he believes one to be superior over another and less work overall then that’s perfectly reasonable.

And don’t know what the issue is it’s pretty normal for people to be offered products by preference of experience.

The six months isn’t pushing it, it’s simply sweetening the deal, pretty standard practise as well.

Would you prefer to be sold crap instead and them keeping their options to themselves because the customer wants what the customer wants?

 

[SauRoNZA]

R28k for an 8Kw inverter is a bit steep. Look on the Power Forum, you can get them a lot less. I paid R9k, admittedly 6 years ago

The MPPT circuit stopped working and I got it repaired by a firm in Epping

I think you need to take a look around at what the market looks like at present.

You aren’t getting anything (worth buying) for 9k.

Warranties have also extended dramatically along with pricing.

 

[WAslayer]

Well he has to support the product and if he believes one to be superior over another and less work overall then that’s perfectly reasonable.

And don’t know what the issue is it’s pretty normal for people to be offered products by preference of experience.

The six months isn’t pushing it, it’s simply sweetening the deal, pretty standard practise as well.

Would you prefer to be sold crap instead and them keeping their options to themselves because the customer wants what the customer wants?

6 months with a battery really isn't going to tell you anything of value in terms of whether the battery is doing what it's supposed to do, assuming you are not running the batteries to absolute discharge every time they are used and out of the best practices for the battery type..

 

[TheChamp]

I think you need to take a look around at what the market looks like at present.

You aren’t getting anything (worth buying) for 9k.

Warranties have also extended dramatically along with pricing.

Even 6 years ago I don't ever remember seeing an 8kW for R9k, 5kW would be more understandable, and that would have been a very good deal at the time since the prices have always been coming down.

 

[SauRoNZA]

6 months with a battery really isn't going to tell you anything of value in terms of whether the battery is doing what it's supposed to do, assuming you are not running the batteries to absolute discharge every time they are used and out of the best practices for the battery type..

I agree there, it’s just a sales pitch practise with the intent of it never happening.

 

[SauRoNZA]

Even 6 years ago I don't ever remember seeing an 8kW for R9k, 5kW would be more understandable, and that would have been a very good deal at the time since the prices have always been coming down.

Yup also figure there was some numbers confusion there.

 

[Speedster]

He says they're cheaper, can communicate directly with Sunsynk inverter without needing a Riot and are a better deal than Hubble, which is why he's offering to swop them out later if I'm not satisfied.

They're LiFePo4 rather than Hubble's Li-NMC, so my limited understanding is that from a chemistry perspective they're better than Hubble. I've never heard of them though and even more worryingly, can't turn up anything on a Google search (not even Alibaba listings).

Hubble's big pro, apart from price, is exactly that they are NMC (and hence 1C). I'm guessing these Evo's are 0.5C. It's not necessarily a problem, but something to be aware of.

I've personally just bought a bunch of Pylontech 0.5C units.

 

[killerbyte]

The trick with setting up a Solar System is to put your small rocky planets close to the sun, your gas giants after them and then some smaller ice planets.
The gas giants help to stop comets from hitting the smaller inner planets; especially the 3rd rock from the sun as it inevitably will get some inhabitants on it who decide they want to harvest the energy given off by their local star, and then use an internet forum to ask about how to do it.

 

[gotaway]

The trick with setting up a Solar System is to put your small rocky planets close to the sun, your gas giants after them and then some smaller ice planets.
The gas giants help to stop comets from hitting the smaller inner planets; especially the 3rd rock from the sun as it inevitably will get some inhabitants on it who decide they want to harvest the energy given off by their local star, and then use an internet forum to ask about how to do it.

Also, ensure there are at least two habitable planets giving inhabitants of these a place to flee to in the case of a planet wide cataclysm on any of the habitable planets.

And to OP: Get more quotes!

 

[Space]

in the past you needed 9 different sized polystyrene balls for the planets. now you just require 8......

 

[Mike Hoxbig]

Thanks for the SolarAdvice tip.

Anyone have recommendations for Cape Town installers who I can get to quote me? Blouberg area.

They install in Cape Town as well, and their site is a good guideline to spec your system.

Having said that you should choose a supplier/installer that will work for you.

After getting your estimate at SA, I would go to Power Forum store. Once you get a quote from them, they will recommend an installer. PF will likely be cheaper than anyone else.

The only 2 that I personally trust are PF and SA. Not saying that anyone else is bad, just that there's far more user testimonies online from these two and therefore likely easier to get support online. If you have the cash upfront, PF. If you require financing, SA. You should definitely get more quotes but use these as a benchmark...

 

[sjm]

Hubble's big pro, apart from price, is exactly that they are NMC (and hence 1C). I'm guessing these Evo's are 0.5C. It's not necessarily a problem, but something to be aware of.

I've personally just bought a bunch of Pylontech 0.5C units.

He said these were 1C, not 0.5C