Generator or Inverter for residential use?

[Saba'a]

see my update, also look at pylontech.

Yep getting 2 pylontechs. PV panels I might get but depends on cost for shipping plus mounting kit.

 

[wingnut771]

Yep getting 2 pylontechs. PV panels I might get but depends on cost for shipping plus mounting kit.

that dyness battery in @signates post above 10 year warranty is hard to ignore tho and cost is comparable to pylontech.

 

[Saba'a]

Hmm ... will they be around 10 years from now? Pylontech a known brand.

 

[TedLasso]

Busy speccing up a system with Lithium Ion Batteries. Since I can't afford to buy all the batteries at once, I will be adding one or two every year until I can get to maybe 20KwH of battery storage, I have a question:-

1. Do all batteries have to be from the same vendor? Right now, the Dyness batteries look good, but assuming , a while later, another battery is available and cheaper, I want to be sure to mix and match. I assume inverter has to support the battery in question.

2. Do battery capacities have to be same e.g. if I start with 5KwH battery, do I have to then always add the same capacity or can I have a combo of 5KwH, 2.5KwH, etc, etc? Is it the inverter that controls whether mixing/matching is possible?

Thx

 

[Lupus]

Busy speccing up a system with Lithium Ion Batteries. Since I can't afford to buy all the batteries at once, I will be adding one or two every year until I can get to maybe 20KwH of battery storage, I have a question:-

1. Do all batteries have to be from the same vendor? Right now, the Dyness batteries look good, but assuming , a while later, another battery is available and cheaper, I want to be sure to mix and match. I assume inverter has to support the battery in question.

2. Do battery capacities have to be same e.g. if I start with 5KwH battery, do I have to then always add the same capacity or can I have a combo of 5KwH, 2.5KwH, etc, etc? Is it the inverter that controls whether mixing/matching is possible?

Thx

If you go with a smaller battery it'll only scale to the smaller amount

 

[wingnut771]

Busy speccing up a system with Lithium Ion Batteries. Since I can't afford to buy all the batteries at once, I will be adding one or two every year until I can get to maybe 20KwH of battery storage, I have a question:-

1. Do all batteries have to be from the same vendor? Right now, the Dyness batteries look good, but assuming , a while later, another battery is available and cheaper, I want to be sure to mix and match. I assume inverter has to support the battery in question.

2. Do battery capacities have to be same e.g. if I start with 5KwH battery, do I have to then always add the same capacity or can I have a combo of 5KwH, 2.5KwH, etc, etc? Is it the inverter that controls whether mixing/matching is possible?

Thx

don't think the connections will be compatible between different makes. also what @Lupus said, capacities need to be the same to keep the bank balanced i would think but i'm no expert.

 

[Steamy Tom]

stick with one battery type

 

[flarkit]

Considering a 3kW inverter, to run our laptops, with the fibre + wifi routers and perhaps an 18w phone charger.

I'm considering either 2x200Ah Gel batteries, vs a PylonTech US2000B Plus 2.4kWh. Am I fooling myself thinking this will run the above for 4 hours of loadshedding?

 

[Sinbad]

Considering a 3kW inverter, to run our laptops, with the fibre + wifi routers and perhaps an 18w phone charger.

I'm considering either 2x200Ah Gel batteries, vs a PylonTech US2000B Plus 2.4kWh. Am I fooling myself thinking this will run the above for 4 hours of loadshedding?

You need to measure your load.
Assuming it's 500W (which is probably a high estimate for what you're running), for 4 hours you need 2kWh of capacity.
That pylon is rated for 80% DoD which gives you 1.92kWh of usable capacity.
So you're actually probably OK with that spec (given your load is probably under 500w?)

Ensure the voltage of your inverter is 48V given that battery.

2x200Ah will want a 24V inverter, and at 50% DoD will give you 2.4kwh.

 

[TheChamp]

Considering a 3kW inverter, to run our laptops, with the fibre + wifi routers and perhaps an 18w phone charger.

I'm considering either 2x200Ah Gel batteries, vs a PylonTech US2000B Plus 2.4kWh. Am I fooling myself thinking this will run the above for 4 hours of loadshedding?

It will run them like a champ.

 

[Messugga]

Considering a 3kW inverter, to run our laptops, with the fibre + wifi routers and perhaps an 18w phone charger.

I'm considering either 2x200Ah Gel batteries, vs a PylonTech US2000B Plus 2.4kWh. Am I fooling myself thinking this will run the above for 4 hours of loadshedding?

Depends on the number of laptops, their spec and what you're doing with them. There are laptops which run off of 30W and there are laptops which run off of over 200W.

 

[Speedster]

Depends on the number of laptops, their spec and what you're doing with them. There are laptops which run off of 30W and there are laptops which run off of over 200W.

And there are laptops with built in batteries that don't need an inverter

 

[TedLasso]

If you go with a smaller battery it'll only scale to the smaller amount

So if the first battery is 5Kw and second one is 3Kw then essentially, I only then get 6Kw of usable battery. I lose the 2Kw on the first one. Good to know.

Leads to another question then. Is it better to buy big batts .e.g 5Kw, or stick to smaller ones (which end up costing more e.g. 5 x 2.4Kw as opposed to 2 x 5KwH) I guess having multiple batteries leads to more complexity in wiring, etc but at the benefit of being more easy to replace dud batteries if that happens.

don't think the connections will be compatible between different makes. also what @Lupus said, capacities need to be the same to keep the bank balanced i would think but i'm no expert.

Good to know . Thanks never even knew that.

stick with one battery type

Thanks chaps. So I guess once you start with a brand stick with it. Feels like a Nikon vs Canon thing brewing up only for Sony to come and make you regret your investment in the other

 

[Saba'a]

So if the first battery is 5Kw and second one is 3Kw then essentially, I only then get 6Kw of usable battery. I lose the 2Kw on the first one. Good to know.

Leads to another question then. Is it better to buy big batts .e.g 5Kw, or stick to smaller ones (which end up costing more e.g. 5 x 2.4Kw as opposed to 2 x 5KwH) I guess having multiple batteries leads to more complexity in wiring, etc but at the benefit of being more easy to replace dud batteries if that happens.



Good to know . Thanks never even knew that.


Thanks chaps. So I guess once you start with a brand stick with it. Feels like a Nikon vs Canon thing brewing up only for Sony to come and make you regret your investment in the other

Thats tech for you.

 

[Saba'a]

How can this be R25 000 for 4.8 kwh but I was quoted 3.5kwh for R23 000?

The Sun Pays 4.8 kWh Lithium Ion Battery Pack

Features: LCD display LiFePO4 cells Low environmental impact Superior thermal stability High peak power rating Long cycle life Intelligent Battery Management System (BMS) BMS communication compatible with Sacolar and Growatt inverters RS485 BMS communication CAN bus (only available on client...

shop.thesunpays.co.za

 

[Sinbad]

Wow that cycle life is shocking.

My BYDs are good for 7000 cycles at 100 percent DoD.

 

[Saba'a]

Wow that cycle life is shocking.

My BYDs are good for 7000 cycles at 100 percent DoD.

Ah so nothing is for free.


Thanks, I couldn't understand how a 3.5kwh expensive vs 4.8kwh!

 

[Saba'a]

Wow that cycle life is shocking.

My BYDs are good for 7000 cycles at 100 percent DoD.

Cost? I need to buy 2 batteries and a pylontech 3.5kWh 48V was R23 000.

 

[Sinbad]

Don't know what the BYDs cost now, but a BBox with BMS and 4x2.56kwh batteries was about 90k last year

 

[flarkit]

Depends on the number of laptops, their spec and what you're doing with them. There are laptops which run off of 30W and there are laptops which run off of over 200W.

I've ordered a Kill A Watt meter, to measure the values. The idea is to continue working through a normal 4hr load shed. Any longer will require far more battery capacity than my budget allows