GrootBaas' Solar

[Mike Hoxbig]

That will be Friday after the panels go up.

But loadshedding hit few minutes ago, had to check the app to confirm if that's in fact the case.

Congrats and enjoy. The solar police phase will begin and your family will love you for it...

 

[Mzezman]

Congrats and enjoy. The solar police phase will begin and your family will love you for it...

No light for you, it’s using 150w

 

[Katelknaap]

All went well I think! Team of 4 guys were here around 11:00 and they finished around 15:00.

Everything is done except for the panels. They did the brackets and rails as well, so should be hopefully a quick one to finish up on Friday.

My garage is quite neglected, so this is a nice upgrade to it!

Edit: That db board you see in the picture is a secondary one for the outside buildings. The main db is right behind this wall in the kitchen.


Will take pics of the roof tomorrow.

Nice! The panels are quick if the brackets and rails are up already. This weekend will be fun.

 

[GrootBaas]

Picture of the roof as it currently looks like. I see they did crack a tile or two, but seems like it was siliconed again.

On the picture there seems to be a curvature in the roof towards the lower right side of the picture - I think this is just the way the photo came out.

Sunshine today and tomorrow, and then once the panels are up, the weather changes a bit over the weekend...

Need to figure out the best way to manage the geyser during loadshedding periods. I wanted to keep the geyser on essential to ensure the solarpump works during the day when there is loadshedding. If only loadshedding was at fixed times it would've been so much easier to set the geyserwise system to not switch on the element during loadshedding. Going to be trial and error figuring out the best way to do this.

 

[GrootBaas]

It's killing me. Have the dishwasher, washing machine and pool pump running at the moment. Girlfriend has a heater on next to her desk. Sun is out. Panels only coming tomorrow.

 

[GrootVoet]

Picture of the roof as it currently looks like. I see they did crack a tile or two, but seems like it was siliconed again.

On the picture there seems to be a curvature in the roof towards the lower right side of the picture - I think this is just the way the photo came out.

Sunshine today and tomorrow, and then once the panels are up, the weather changes a bit over the weekend...

Need to figure out the best way to manage the geyser during loadshedding periods. I wanted to keep the geyser on essential to ensure the solarpump works during the day when there is loadshedding. If only loadshedding was at fixed times it would've been so much easier to set the geyserwise system to not switch on the element during loadshedding. Going to be trial and error figuring out the best way to do this.

I can not see your picture, please share again if you do not mind.

 

[sAnD-mAn]

. If only loadshedding was at fixed times it would've been so much easier to set the geyserwise system to not switch on the element during loadshedding. Going to be trial and error figuring out the best way to do this.

Get a Sonoff Loadshedding detector . I see Tuya makes one as well

It will shut down your geyser when loadshedding hits, and you can always switch it on via the app if you want to override it

Don't get the "kit" - you'll need something that can handle a geyser power draw . I.e. a higher amp capable smart switch

 

[Greglsh]

Get a Sonoff Loadshedding detector . I see Tuya makes one as well

It will shut down your geyser when loadshedding hits, and you can always switch it on via the app if you want to override it

Don't get the "kit" - you'll need something that can handle a geyser power draw . I.e. a higher amp capable smart switch

Can the Sonoff Loadshedding detector control Astute smart controllers? I have 3 of them controlling the 3 geysers on the property. I don't really want to change these but I prefer this over the Tuya one if it will work.

 

[sAnD-mAn]

Can the Sonoff Loadshedding detector control Astute smart controllers? I have 3 of them controlling the 3 geysers on the property. I don't really want to change these but I prefer this over the Tuya one if it will work.

No personal experience, but I did find this

63A & 100A Sonoff compatible Smart Breakers

Hi Guys I found smart breakers that run on the Sonoff ewelink software and work 100% with Home Assistant without flashing Tasmota using the Sonoff Plugin. I was running Sonoff's with SSR's wired up to them but these are much neater and the lower power one has a power meter built in as well. https...

powerforum.co.za

"The Asute switch works with the Smart life and CBI Home app and not with the eWeLink app"

SmartLife app is the Tuya platform, and Sonoff runs off eWelink

If the info here is correct, then Astute is Tuya based - and I have seen the Tuya Loadshedder kit here which should work for your application

Smart Loadshedding Detector | Tuya Smart Home

Smart WiFi Loadshedding Detector, detects when there is loadshedding then, switches on your inverter & switches off high-current appliances like geysers.

tuya-smarthome.co.za

 

[PsyWulf]

Can the Sonoff Loadshedding detector control Astute smart controllers? I have 3 of them controlling the 3 geysers on the property. I don't really want to change these but I prefer this over the Tuya one if it will work.

Astutes are tuya based so if you need a single-app type solution that's your goto

If you use something like HA you can bridge between Sonoff and Tuya stuff

 

[GrootVoet]

Can't you pull it together with something like Google Home?

 

[Greglsh]

Will have a look at doing it through HA


As a side question where is Africo Solar in Durban and can you buy from them directly?

 

[DawieZA]

Heya Boston neighbour. Looking forward to some more feedback on the install when the panel are up and loads of photos.

 

[Mzezman]

Can't you pull it together with something like Google Home?

this could be a low cost low complexity solution

 

[GrootBaas]

Still waiting on them to arrive with the panels...going to be significantly upset if it doesn't happen today.

 

[GrootBaas]

All done about an hour ago. Quite happy with the layout on the roof.

They guys did crack quite a few tiles today but did glue them again. I guess these old roof tiles are a bit of an issue. I really hope I don't have any issues when the rain comes.

When they switched it on, it was 15:30 and it still pulled a decent amount of watts from the sun.







I see they changed my settings to this:

 

[Mzezman]

All done about an hour ago. Quite happy with the layout on the roof.

They guys did crack quite a few tiles today but did glue them again. I guess these old roof tiles are a bit of an issue. I really hope I don't have any issues when the rain comes.

When they switched it on, it was 15:30 and it still pulled a decent amount of watts from the sun.

View attachment 1570780

View attachment 1570784

View attachment 1570782

I see they changed my settings to this:

View attachment 1570786

Nice - hopefully tomorrow and sunday are good sun-days and you can see the true benefit and start to tweak

 

[abudabi]

They guys did crack quite a few tiles today but did glue them again. I guess these old roof tiles are a bit of an issue. I really hope I don't have any issues when the rain comes.

You and me both. I gave them spares whilst they were installing so I'm waiting for the rain to arrive up here in JHB with baited breath.

 

[sAnD-mAn]

All done about an hour ago. Quite happy with the layout on the roof.

They guys did crack quite a few tiles today but did glue them again. I guess these old roof tiles are a bit of an issue. I really hope I don't have any issues when the rain comes.

When they switched it on, it was 15:30 and it still pulled a decent amount of watts from the sun.

View attachment 1570780

View attachment 1570784

View attachment 1570782

I see they changed my settings to this:

View attachment 1570786

Excellent

I would relook at those settings

When the sun is generally at its brightest, between 9AM and 5PM, they have set your batteries to be at 100%,

Ideally set them to 55% during this time so that you can maximise solar consumption during the day, and use solar to charge from 55% to 100% instead of Eskom

 

[GrootBaas]

Excellent

I would relook at those settings

When the sun is generally at its brightest, between 9AM and 5PM, they have set your batteries to be at 100%,

Ideally set them to 55% during this time so that you can maximise solar consumption during the day, and use solar to charge from 55% to 100% instead of Eskom

Wait, I have to think about that. Are you saying that at the moment it will solar charge to 100% during those hours (grid charge is unticked) but instead of utilizing the battery together with solar, it will use solar first and grid second for consumption and just keep the battery at 100%? By setting it to say 55% it will mean consumption is coming from 1- solar, 2- battery (if needed but only down to 55%) and only 3- grid (if more is required). So as consumption exceeds pv it pulls from battery first, and when consumption drops below pv it will just charge the battery again.

I think that's what you are saying and that does sound like a better config. Less pv will go to waste during the day and rather grid charge in a next time slot after the sun has weakened (if necessary).