Generator or Inverter for residential use?

[buyeye]

Have you given Steve a call from powerforumstore? He is usually up to speed on any new developments in the industry.

If it's not coming anytime soon, just get 3x 8k Sunsynks.

That's 100k.

 

[RonSwanson]

That's 100k.

Yebo, but it's also a whopping 26.4kW. If that's too much, opt for 3x 5.5kW @ R63K for a total of 16.5K.

 

[wingnut771]

Yebo, but it's also a whopping 26.4kW. If that's too much, opt for 3x 5.5kW @ R63K for a total of 16.5K.

How many kW is the 3 phase version?

 

[Speedster]

One word on taking advice from a store and their sales team. They will guide you to what they sell and or make the most profit. This will not always be the best for your particular needs.

Can't comment on the Mecer/Axpert inverters but just looking at the specs they do not come close to the sunsynk. If you intend to be as independent of the grid as possible and only want to start small, the sunsynk can be scaled up fairly easily and you could even start with the 3.6kw sunsynk inverter and parallel a few more as funds become available. It's very intuitive and easy to configure with the colour touchscreen display.

It's a true hybrid that can blend multiple sources such as grid, generator, batteries, solar and even a micro inverter or wind turbine. This alone sets it miles apart from the Mecer.

Support is also getting much better.

Being able to communicate properly with the lithium bms is also another advantage.

Thanks. This helps!

2 things, Mecer/Axpert can't feed back to the grid and can't blend power. Only the Axpert King can blend but still can't feed back to the grid.

The place I'm moving to doesn't have the revolving meters, and I don't think Tshwane does feedback to the grid anyway. Could be wrong on that though.

Apart from the advantages mentioned by others, the Sunsynk is a fire-and-forget solution. I have never owned an Axpert-type, but from my research, it seems to me that people need to fiddle with them all the time. That's great if you have the capacity for it, I don't, I need something that works well, all the time, with minimum fuss and bother.

Yup, I'm looking to launch and leave.

The Axpert / Mecer are not compliant to use in Cape Town, as they don't pass NRS 097-2.1

There is a list of approved inverters; they are not listed (or weren't last I checked).
So, if you are installing in CPT, and want to be legal, you need to purchase an inverter that complies with the regulations.


Most muni's will have similar regulations.

http://resource.capetown.gov.za/documentcentre/Documents/Forms,%20notices,%20tariffs%20and%20lists/Approved%20Photovoltaic%20(PV)%20Inverter%20List.pdf

So, don't buy unless you are going to use in a purely offgrid scenario.

I'm in Tshwane.

I highly doubt the 3 phase version will be 3 times more expensive than the single phase one tho.

Internationally it's about the same price as the 5.5kW single-phase.

How many kW is the 3 phase version?

10kW


Here's what I looking at: https://www.sunsynk.org/product-page/on-grid-string-inverter-1

 

[itareanlnotani]

Only needs to be certified if one wants to feed into the grid. For pure off-grid situations Axpert is fine, just get one that blends or else you loose a lot of pv production.

I believe I covered that -

The Axpert / Mecer are not compliant to use in Cape Town, as they don't pass NRS 097-2.1

There is a list of approved inverters; they are not listed (or weren't last I checked).
So, if you are installing in CPT, and want to be legal, you need to purchase an inverter that complies with the regulations.


Most muni's will have similar regulations.

http://resource.capetown.gov.za/doc.../Approved Photovoltaic (PV) Inverter List.pdf


So, don't buy unless you are going to use in a purely offgrid scenario.

 

[Speedster]

Here's what I looking at: https://www.sunsynk.org/product-page/on-grid-string-inverter-1

Biggest drawback it seems it only has one MPPT. I guess for the price I could add a standalone MPPT for a second string?

EDIT: Doesn't seem to by hybrid. Back to square one.

 

[Speedster]

What is your guys' suggestion for a 3-phase hybrid inverter solution?

 

[wingnut771]

Biggest drawback it seems it only has one MPPT. I guess for the price I could add a standalone MPPT for a second string?

EDIT: Doesn't seem to by hybrid. Back to square one.

You can have multiple strings on one MPPT tho.

 

[itareanlnotani]

Thanks. This helps!

The place I'm moving to doesn't have the revolving meters, and I don't think Tshwane does feedback to the grid anyway. Could be wrong on that though.

Yup, I'm looking to launch and leave.

I'm in Tshwane.

Internationally it's about the same price as the 5.5kW single-phase.

10kW


Here's what I looking at: https://www.sunsynk.org/product-page/on-grid-string-inverter-1

Tshwane also requires grid connected inverters to be NRS certified. (page 3)

http://www.tshwane.gov.za/sites/business/Bylaws/Draft%20ByLaws/28.%20Proposed%20Embedded%20Generation%20Policy%20to%20support%20and%20formalise%20procedure.pdf

Are you served by Eskom or Muni?

How about you explain what you're trying to achieve, and more importantly, what your budget is, so we can recommend solutions. Location also helps, as legality of on/off grid is different in different area's.


i.e. Let us know things like - I have a 3 phase setup, and i'm trying to reduce costs. Or I want to go offgrid. Or I want battery backup for Loadshedding...

The budget will let us know what sort of solution you should be looking at.

 

[thehuman]

10kw 3 phase split between 3 is like 3.3kw per phase , 3 x 3kw or 3x 5kw could be better ?


Read somewhere axpert type inverters have a solar bug , sometimes stop charging from solar for a while for no apparent reason.

 

[Speedster]

Tshwane also requires grid connected inverters to be NRS certified. (page 3)

http://www.tshwane.gov.za/sites/business/Bylaws/Draft%20ByLaws/28.%20Proposed%20Embedded%20Generation%20Policy%20to%20support%20and%20formalise%20procedure.pdf

Are you served by Eskom or Muni?

How about you explain what you're trying to achieve, and more importantly, what your budget is, so we can recommend solutions. Location also helps, as legality of on/off grid is different in different area's.


i.e. Let us know things like - I have a 3 phase setup, and i'm trying to reduce costs. Or I want to go offgrid. Or I want battery backup for Loadshedding...

The budget will let us know what sort of solution you should be looking at.

As I mentioned 3-phase in Tshwane, served by CoT (i.e. not Eskom). Want to work towards being as grid-independent as possible, but keep the grid-tie for bad weather or general backup. Meters are some form of new installation, don't have the exact model numbers, but could be the smart meters that Tshwane is busy rolling out. What else do you need to know?

 

[RonSwanson]

What is your guys' suggestion for a 3-phase hybrid inverter solution?

3x 3.6K Sunsynks. That'll give you similar output (10K plus) and 3 MPPTs

Edit: Oops, looks like the 3.6K is an on-grid one, not hybrid.

 

[itareanlnotani]

Honestly, I would revisit whether you actually need 3 Phase. While you can go 3 phase offgrid, it is quite a bit more expensive to do so, as there aren't really standalone hybrid inverters.

Single phase inverters can be installed to supply on 1 of the phases.
eg if you wanted lighting or certain plugs (like fridge) on a separate circuit.

Depending on your budget I would look at that first.

 

[Speedster]

Honestly, I would revisit whether you actually need 3 Phase. While you can go 3 phase offgrid, it is quite a bit more expensive to do so, as there aren't really standalone hybrid inverters.

Single phase inverters can be installed to supply on 1 of the phases.
eg if you wanted lighting or certain plugs (like fridge) on a separate circuit.

Depending on your budget I would look at that first.

And if the house is wired with all three phases?

EDIT: I see there are GoodWe ET range which might work

 

[RonSwanson]

As I mentioned 3-phase in Tshwane, served by CoT (i.e. not Eskom). Want to work towards being as grid-independent as possible, but keep the grid-tie for bad weather or general backup. Meters are some form of new installation, don't have the exact model numbers, but could be the smart meters that Tshwane is busy rolling out. What else do you need to know?

As @lsheed_cn has suggested, what exactly in your home uses 3 phase electricity?

 

[Speedster]

As @lsheed_cn has suggested, what exactly in your home uses 3 phase electricity?

You'd think people can read. I'm moving into a home that has a three-phase installation... I didn't put it there.

 

[RonSwanson]

You'd think people can read. I'm moving into a home that has a three-phase installation... I didn't put it there.

Sure, it may seem that way but you still do not understand either.
If you do not have anything that uses 3 phase power and you are only using appliances that use one of the phases in anycase, then the phases are already split, so why complicate your life by looking for a 3 phase inverter?

Edit: let me simplify it, do your plugs in the home look like this?

or like this:

 

[MongooseMan]

My house has 3 phase, when solar was installed we just used a single phase and everything was fine.
I can get the installer to give more info if required.

 

[Speedster]

My house has 3 phase, when solar was installed we just used a single phase and everything was fine.
I can get the installer to give more info if required.

And put all the circuits on 1 phase from the db?

 

[itareanlnotani]

You'd think people can read. I'm moving into a home that has a three-phase installation... I didn't put it there.

Bolded parts bolded for my convenience.

Honestly, I would revisit whether you actually need 3 Phase. While you can go 3 phase offgrid, it is quite a bit more expensive to do so, as there aren't really standalone hybrid inverters.

Single phase inverters can be installed to supply on 1 of the phases.
eg if you wanted lighting or certain plugs (like fridge) on a separate circuit.

Depending on your budget I would look at that first.

PS - we're trying to help you. Less of the say... snark, and more of the hey, i don't understand, what should i be doing, would help