Help size Invertor and Battery setup

[Ecco]

Hi guys,

I have a generator, Ryobi RG-6900K Generator 5500W. This runs pretty much everything i need to run in my house during loadshedding. Fridges, lights, TV, Aircon etc. Geysers and pool pump is off, and i dont use the kettle, airfryer Microwave. Have a gas stove.

I want to move to an inverter and battery setup instead of the generator. Can you learned folk help me spec what i need? Solar panels not an option at the moment. Should ideally cover me for 4 hours of loadshedding. If a trolly option is viable this might be preferred as I may move house next year and want to take it with if i need to. Approx price for setup will help.

Thanks

 

[PsyWulf]

Well you've already got the Generator bit done,so you could utilize the same wiring and changeover to switch or add an ATS with a 5Kw inverter+battery setup
Esquire has these ATS on sale

 

[TheChamp]

Look for something like this, it won't be enough to do what your generator was doing with aircon and stuff but it will be a good start and you can add a battery.

Get it wired properly to connect to the same changeover/plug you used for your generator. You will of course have to make sure everything heavy is switched off before you power it on.

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[Dimpie (JIGSAW)]

how long is a piece of string

 

[Ecco]

Look for something like this, it won't be enough to do what your generator was doing with aircon and stuff but it will be a good start and you can add a battery.

Get it wired properly to connect to the same changeover/plug you used for your generator. You will of course have to make sure everything heavy is switched off before you power it on.

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Thank you. How would I know how many batteries to add?

For what it's worth I think that generator was pushing out close to all it could while we used it.

 

[Ecco]

how long is a piece of string

What additional information would I need to provide to size this thing?

 

[TheChamp]

Thank you. How would I know how many batteries to add?

For what it's worth I think that generator was pushing out close to all it could while we used it.

You will need to find out what kWh you use during the loadshedding stage with all the appliances you have mentioned, your battery's usable capacity should be equal to the kWh you get plus at least 25% for efficiency and losses.

Also check the model of the battery used and take note of the specs pertaining to whether it can be upscaled as well as the availability on the market.

 

[Ecco]

You will need to find out what kWh you use during the loadshedding stage with all the appliances you have mentioned, your battery's usable capacity should be equal to the kWh you get plus at least 25% for efficiency and losses.

Also check the model of the battery used and take note of the specs pertaining to whether it can be upscaled as well as the availability on the market.

I thought the usage would be easy to infer from the generator.

 

[Ecco]

Do I call out an installer that can work out the usage?

When loadshedding starts, I don't use any of these items - Geysers, pool pump, vacuum cleaner, washing machine, dish washer, microwave, kettle, toaster. I use lights (all LED, mind you quite a few), plugs to charge phones, TV's (3) and a few small things like routers, aircons x 3 (the big culprit).

 

[PsyWulf]

I thought the usage would be easy to infer from the generator.

If you are maxing out a 5.5Kw generator you'd need 22Kwh battery storage for 4 hours minus overheads (so 25Kwh)

Though based on your usage list you shouldn't be maxing it out

My house is about 400w per viewing area,add a bit more for fridges and lights

Best is to measure/have it measured

 

[Ecco]

If you are maxing out a 5.5Kw generator you'd need 22Kwh battery storage for 4 hours minus overheads (so 25Kwh)

Though based on your usage list you shouldn't be maxing it out

My house is about 400w per viewing area,add a bit more for fridges and lights

Best is to measure/have it measured

Thanks this is helpful

 

[TheChamp]

I thought the usage would be easy to infer from the generator.

You would think so but not really, the generator is a 5.5kW, you don't know what it's instantaneous power draw is at any point while it's running, it could go up to 5kW when you aircon does it's thing and drop back to 2kW or something. You cannot get anything from that, unless for simplicity you want to assume that you use 5.5kW for the 4hrs of loadshedding, that would be 22kWh.

You will need at least 4 of those for 22kWh.

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[W@P]

Thank you. How would I know how many batteries to add?

For what it's worth I think that generator was pushing out close to all it could while we used it.

If you were using the generator to the max you would have needed to fasten it to the floor or something. They start walking when under that kind of load.

 

[TheChamp]

Do I call out an installer that can work out the usage?

When loadshedding starts, I don't use any of these items - Geysers, pool pump, vacuum cleaner, washing machine, dish washer, microwave, kettle, toaster. I use lights (all LED, mind you quite a few), plugs to charge phones, TV's (3) and a few small things like routers, aircons x 3 (the big culprit).

This is how you calculate your kWh

Take the power rating of an appliance and multiply it by the duration in hours used, do this for all appliances used and add everything up.

eg.

10 lights @ 15W each, on for 4hrs = 15W x10 x 4hrs.
PC @ 100W on for 4hrs = 100W x 4hrs

Do the same for everything that is on for whatever time duration and add everything up to get your total energy consumption, note that some things are not on for the full 4hrs but for whatever amount of time you use it for.

 

[PsyWulf]

I thought the usage would be easy to infer from the generator.

Not really,since you're guessing
Anything from 400w to 2500w sounds exactly the same,2500-4000 similar and 4500-4800 it sounds like it's dying

 

[Ecco]

Thank you for the valuable input guys. Really appreciate it. Will have to call someone out to check the usage then - or get some sort of meter

 

[jezzad]

how long is a piece of string

Double the length from the middle to the end

 

[lkswan747]

how long is a piece of string

About this long.

 

[leon.davibe]

Look for something like this, it won't be enough to do what your generator was doing with aircon and stuff but it will be a good start and you can add a battery.

Get it wired properly to connect to the same changeover/plug you used for your generator. You will of course have to make sure everything heavy is switched off before you power it on.

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leroymerlin.co.za

70k for a 5.5kw and an axpert is really overpriced

 

[leon.davibe]

Do I call out an installer that can work out the usage?

When loadshedding starts, I don't use any of these items - Geysers, pool pump, vacuum cleaner, washing machine, dish washer, microwave, kettle, toaster. I use lights (all LED, mind you quite a few), plugs to charge phones, TV's (3) and a few small things like routers, aircons x 3 (the big culprit).

You can check the power meter take a reading live for 4 hrs as if load shedding

Check meter again at the end
For difference in units

Now you have an idea of battery size absolute minimum without losses

Then check the labels watt of all the devices you want to use at the same time now you have a minimum watt rating for the inverter

Essentially you know a 5kw will power the stuff you want cause that is the rating of your genny

If you want to skimp on budget you can see the total watts of devices will fit a 3000w

Also pay attention to charge rate you have to be able to recharge the units you used in 4 hrs