Battery low, cloudy day, no grid

[Speedster]

This is a key example of size your system appropriately. Ideally you'd have more battery, but we know what costs are like for that, so your real options are:

More panels. Or a generator. Or go without. I'd add more panels, always size system for winter/worst weather.

I also have 10kw/hr of battery, but I have 14kw of panels now, so even in the worst weather (like yesterday), my system charges at higher rates than i use, and I end up fully charged at the end of the day regardless of what the weather is doing.

Back to your case - I'd probably lean towards turn off the system if it gets any lower than 5%, 5% is fine for Lithium, but I wouldn't go lower.

Longer term - add more panels for additional generation.

If this happens once in a blue moon best is just to suck it up. Unless you're loaded, then upsize your generation and storage.

 

[Heisenborg]

My soc stays 100% till we get over the circus show

 

[itareanlnotani]

If this happens once in a blue moon best is just to suck it up. Unless you're loaded, then upsize your generation and storage.

Adding a generator will be <10k, adding more panels same same. I think thats viable for quite a few people with existing setups.

Eskom isn't going to get better, so the "once in a blue moon" will turn into regularly, so rather prepare...

 

[Spizz]

Adding a generator will be <10k, adding more panels same same. I think thats viable for quite a few people with existing setups.

Eskom isn't going to get better, so the "once in a blue moon" will turn into regularly, so rather prepare...

Yep, it’s an impending feeling of doom with Eskom. But I’ve no where to put more panels unfortunately as I’m surrounded by neighbours trees on 3 sides and my north facing section of roof is already utilised.

Need to look at the possibility of a generator.

 

[Spizz]

My soc stays 100% till we get over the circus show

I bumped it up from 30 to 40 previously and then to 45% yesterday due to the 12 hours loadshedding over a 16 hour period. Just as well I did as that 6% low this morning would have been 1% if I hadn’t.

 

[itareanlnotani]

Yep, it’s an impending feeling of doom with Eskom. But I’ve no where to put more panels unfortunately as I’m surrounded by neighbours trees on 3 sides and my north facing section of roof is already utilised.

Need to look at the possibility of a generator.

Gennie is straightfoward to do, get one which can be turned on remotely, as the Victron has generator output to turn on when needed.

I'd look into a Diesel one,with avr (as shitty power isn't going to work with the inverter).

Yeesh, pricing has gone up (go rand!), 20k for AVR diesels now. Some examples below, no preference, just googled for something roughly appropriate for you

SUNERTEC SILENT DIESEL GENERATOR STG-6500 |

Your complete household convenience store. Home appliances, electronics, health products, kitchen essentials & groceries delivered nationwide. gadgetshub.site

gadgetshub.site

MAC AFRIC 6.5 kVA (5 KW) Standby Enclosed Type Diesel Generator - 220V Single Phase - Adendorff Machinery Mart

A diesel-powered electricity generator. The engine is enclosed in a sound-shielded cover, making it ideal to provide backup power to a home or small business. diesel Electric (keyed) start Enclosed design

www.adendorff.co.za

MAC AFRIC 6.5 kVA (5 KW) Standby Diesel Generator | Adendorff Machinery Mart

An open-type-design diesel generator that allows for easy maintenance. Perfect for supplying electricity to remote locations! Diesel Electric (keyed) star Better cooling

www.adendorff.co.za

With those - do what thy will. Your inverter will be a happy chappy.

If budget is an issue:

MAC AFRIC 2.8 kVA (2 KW) Standby Petrol Generator with Electric Start | Adendorff Machinery Mart

A petrol-powered generator built with key features and a compact design, accompanied with an electric start to avoid those unnecessary pull starts. The ideal generator for outdoor enthusiasts and small appliances. Petrol Electric (keyed) start Air-cooled

www.adendorff.co.za

With this - will work, but don't set the inverter to pull more than 1.5KW out, and remember, petrol goes stale after a few months, so you need to test/replenish..

 

[soulie]

Be A Man .turn it off .

 

[AchmatK]

My probleem today was that I had loadshedding from 10pm to midnight and then again from 2am to 6am. Batteries switched off at 5:45 at 10% but today is better and already producing over 6kw from solar.

 

[Spizz]

Be A Man .turn it off .

No chance, cruising now

 

[Spizz]

My probleem today was that I had loadshedding from 10pm to midnight and then again from 2am to 6am. Batteries switched off at 5:45 at 10% but today is better and already producing over 6kw from solar.

It was a shocker yesterday. Rain and cloud all day, then loadshedding schedule was…

2pm to 6.30pm
10pm to 12.30am
12 midnight to 2.30am
4am to 6.30am.

Note the overlap between Friday schedule and Saturday schedule which meant another 4 and a half hour slot in a row after the afternoon one.

Next is midday to 2.30pm and then 8pm to 12.30 am. I hope the grid comes back sometime today to get a decent charge as the sun is hiding again

 

[B-1]

Gennie is straightfoward to do, get one which can be turned on remotely, as the Victron has generator output to turn on when needed.

I'd look into a Diesel one,with avr (as shitty power isn't going to work with the inverter).

Yeesh, pricing has gone up (go rand!), 20k for AVR diesels now. Some examples below, no preference, just googled for something roughly appropriate for you

SUNERTEC SILENT DIESEL GENERATOR STG-6500 |

Your complete household convenience store. Home appliances, electronics, health products, kitchen essentials & groceries delivered nationwide. gadgetshub.site

gadgetshub.site

MAC AFRIC 6.5 kVA (5 KW) Standby Enclosed Type Diesel Generator - 220V Single Phase - Adendorff Machinery Mart

A diesel-powered electricity generator. The engine is enclosed in a sound-shielded cover, making it ideal to provide backup power to a home or small business. diesel Electric (keyed) start Enclosed design

www.adendorff.co.za

MAC AFRIC 6.5 kVA (5 KW) Standby Diesel Generator | Adendorff Machinery Mart

An open-type-design diesel generator that allows for easy maintenance. Perfect for supplying electricity to remote locations! Diesel Electric (keyed) star Better cooling

www.adendorff.co.za

With those - do what thy will. Your inverter will be a happy chappy.

If budget is an issue:

MAC AFRIC 2.8 kVA (2 KW) Standby Petrol Generator with Electric Start | Adendorff Machinery Mart

A petrol-powered generator built with key features and a compact design, accompanied with an electric start to avoid those unnecessary pull starts. The ideal generator for outdoor enthusiasts and small appliances. Petrol Electric (keyed) start Air-cooled

www.adendorff.co.za

With this - will work, but don't set the inverter to pull more than 1.5KW out, and remember, petrol goes stale after a few months, so you need to test/replenish..

You don't need to go big on the generator. If the battery gets low and weather is miserable just plug in the generator, fill the tank and let it run till its empty. Most times you will only need a few litres to get the batteries to where the sun can keep them topped off. 2kw is plenty for most installs.

 

[AchmatK]

It was a shocker yesterday. Rain and cloud all day, then loadshedding schedule was…

2pm to 6.30pm
10pm to 12.30am
12 midnight to 2.30am
4am to 6.30am.

Note the overlap between Friday schedule and Saturday schedule which meant another 4 and a half hour slot in a row after the afternoon one.

Next is midday to 2.30pm and then 8pm to 12.30 am. I hope the grid comes back sometime today to get a decent charge as the sun is hiding again

I had my worst December pv day yesterday with only 18.6kWh generated. Previous December daily low was 26kWh on 27 December 2021.

 

[Spizz]

I had my worst December pv day yesterday with only 18.6kWh generated. Previous December daily low was 26kWh on 27 December 2021.

That’s quite a drop. I did 15kWh in PV yesterday but our daytime loads are quite heavy with washing machines and also tumble dryer during this weather (laundry for wife’s restaurants), so the battery managed to struggle to 70% at one stage but that was the highlight of the day. Hitting the heady heights of 14% at the moment as we keep critical loads to a minimum and hope the sun breaks through at some stage.

 

[Kosmik]

You don't need to go big on the generator. If the battery gets low and weather is miserable just plug in the generator, fill the tank and let it run till its empty. Most times you will only need a few litres to get the batteries to where the sun can keep them topped off. 2kw is plenty for most installs.

Yeah I wouldn't go for more unless you really want to. A small portable genie of 2.8kva is plenty to power a light load to feed your batteries and if you need to do stuff around a large yard, you can just wheel it around. Asc to fuel, buy same as your car, if it gets to old, dunno it in your tank and buy fresh. It's just a stop gap.

 

[B-1]

Yeah I wouldn't go for more unless you really want to. A small portable genie of 2.8kva is plenty to power a light load to feed your batteries and if you need to do stuff around a large yard, you can just wheel it around. Asc to fuel, buy same as your car, if it gets to old, dunno it in your tank and buy fresh. It's just a stop gap.

Petrol in a proper sealed jerry can is good for probably a year. Its when you have it in the generator when you should use it within a month or 2.
If you know how many hours you need to run you just add that much fuel and let it run dry.
So add say 2l start it up at 6pm and by 10pm its run out of fuel and charged the battery's 8ish kWh.

 

[soulie]

Petrol in a proper sealed jerry can is good for probably a year. Its when you have it in the generator when you should use it within a month or 2.
If you know how many hours you need to run you just add that much fuel and let it run dry.
So add say 2l start it up at 6pm and by 10pm its run out of fuel and charged the battery's 8ish kWh.

you can buy fuel stabilizers for long term storage .containers must be full with little air .i keep the small 5 litre metal ones in storage for a good few months and use one completely at a time .

 

[Magnum]

I Feel you man.

 

[B-1]

you can buy fuel stabilizers for long term storage .containers must be full with little air .i keep the small 5 litre metal ones in storage for a good few months and use one completely at a time .

You also add octane booster if you think the fuel is old. But I don't think we have a problem with storing it too long in SA.

 

[itareanlnotani]

Yesterday with mine - rainy overcast all day. It took till 10am to charge my batteries, can you believe it 10am! Not the usual done by 7-8am... Sies!

Thankfully the "Grid*" giveth

*(9.5KW on the other roof with an 8KW Sunsynk). 4kw odd on this roof, but it barely gets a chance to do anything, as the other roof basically feeds all its excess in, and the pv basically turns off once charged...

2 systems, no grid, more than enough PV, and (barely) enough battery

 

[richjdavies]

For me this really makes me feel there should be more LPG generators for this situation.

E.g. have LPG geyser or cooker and just use the same gas to the once a year electricity generation...
Either that or a little stirlng heat engine, you could heat with wood, gas, whatever...