Options for Grid-Tied System

gotaway

gotaway

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I'm looking at solar/inverter options to give my grid-based electricity usage a hair cut.
Have done the following already:

Two solar geyser, and the electric geyser is permanently switched off.
Gas stove
All lights are LED based

The idea is to give the grid usage a bit of a hair cut. I have seen internet-based marketing blurb of solar inverters (Solis specifically) that will provide electricity up the the spec of the inverter (limited by panel supply), and the balance of electricity requirements being pulled from the grid. According to the blurb, for a 2kw system the first 2kw comes from the inverter, and then anything over that is being pulled from the grid...

The problem is that everywhere else I enquire about such a system, people either do not know about something like that or they blatantly laugh it off.

So, do these types of things exist, or is it just pure pie in the sky? Are there other brands doing the same?
 
I buy everything from Sustainable
Chat to Zeke there

He is the expert guru

Solis Mini 1.5kW Grid Tied Solar Kit - Sustainable.co.za

<p style="text-align: left;">The Solis MINI range of grid-tied inverters are the perfect partner. They're compact and visually appealing which is important for installing in homes, but under the hood there's also very efficient and reliable performance.</
www.sustainable.co.za www.sustainable.co.za

I also wanna go grid tied, Im not interested in batteries for now
 
There are plenty options to choose from, I would get something slightly bigger than 2kW though, my experience is that the difference in price between smaller models does not make sense when looking at feature expansion.

www.livestainable.co.za

Kodak 3kW Grid Tied Inverter - LiveStainable

Buy Kodak 3kW Grid Tied Inverter - 4G single-phase inverters integrate DRM and backflow power control function, that could suitable for smart grid requirements.
www.livestainable.co.za www.livestainable.co.za
 
Yes and go dual MPPT

This way you can have 1 bank of solar panels facing in 1 direction and another bank facing another direction
or 2nd bank can run a small wind turbine, VAWT is what I would go for
 
Pineapple Smurf said:
I buy everything from Sustainable
Chat to Zeke there

He is the expert guru

Solis Mini 1.5kW Grid Tied Solar Kit - Sustainable.co.za

<p style="text-align: left;">The Solis MINI range of grid-tied inverters are the perfect partner. They're compact and visually appealing which is important for installing in homes, but under the hood there's also very efficient and reliable performance.</
www.sustainable.co.za www.sustainable.co.za

I also wanna go grid tied, Im not interested in batteries for now
Click to expand...
Yikes, the price of that is steep, for that kind of money you can get a super-hybrid which will suit the OP's use case far better.
 
RonSwanson said:
Yikes, the price of that is steep, for that kind of money you can get a super-hybrid which will suit the OP's use case far better.
Click to expand...
Agree. Going Grid Tied with good quality stuff does come at a price as oppose to giving Alibaba search results etc. :thumbsup:
 
RonSwanson said:
Yikes, the price of that is steep, for that kind of money you can get a super-hybrid which will suit the OP's use case far better.
Click to expand...

Pineapple Smurf said:
Agree. Going Grid Tied with good quality stuff does come at a price as oppose to giving Alibaba search results etc. :thumbsup:
Click to expand...
I can get the same inverter, with 6 x 285W JA Solar PV panels, brackets and cables, etc for about R20,500 locally?

Staying with the intention to give grid usage a hair cut, I do not have much leeway, as I'm using about 11 units per day. So it is really easy to over-spec the system.
 
Pineapple Smurf said:
Agree. Going Grid Tied with good quality stuff does come at a price as oppose to giving Alibaba search results etc. :thumbsup:
Click to expand...
You don't have to trawl Alibaba for a Sunsynk 3.6K, last time I checked they were around 16-17k at the powerforumstore..
 
ab-user said:
I can get the same inverter, with 6 x 285W JA Solar PV panels, brackets and cables, etc for about R20,500 locally?

Staying with the intention to give grid usage a hair cut, I do not have much leeway, as I'm using about 11 units per day. So it is really easy to over-spec the system.
Click to expand...
That does not sound bad at all.
 
Remember grid tied means when the power goes off, you'll lose power as well. Hybrid would allow you to function off grid
 
ab-user said:
I can get the same inverter, with 6 x 285W JA Solar PV panels, brackets and cables, etc for about R20,500 locally?

Staying with the intention to give grid usage a hair cut, I do not have much leeway, as I'm using about 11 units per day. So it is really easy to over-spec the system.
Click to expand...
My usage is about the same as yours, I got a 5K Sunsynk, then again I had different objectives.

What happens to the solar power when your utilisation exceeds 1.5kW? Does it switch everything over to the grid, or does it blend solar and grid?
 
RonSwanson said:
You don't have to trawl Alibaba for a Sunsynk 3.6K, last time I checked they were around 16-17k at the powerforumstore..
Click to expand...
Very nice, but it is overspecced for what OP wants, he just wants to tap into the grid to go Grid Tied
I think
Look, I have been and still am drinking so maybe I have gone off topic here
 
ab-user said:
I can get the same inverter, with 6 x 285W JA Solar PV panels, brackets and cables, etc for about R20,500 locally?

Staying with the intention to give grid usage a hair cut, I do not have much leeway, as I'm using about 11 units per day. So it is really easy to over-spec the system.
Click to expand...
I just see this now, damn that is a good price :thumbsup:
 
Lupus said:
Remember grid tied means when the power goes off, you'll lose power as well. Hybrid would allow you to function off grid
Click to expand...

I was going to ask why the OP wants to go grid tied, considering we live in South Africa where mains supply is not even questionable, it is terrible.
 
I hear you guys asking why

But I too want grid-tied

Reason? Load shedding isn't really that often and when it does happen I have computers, routers, ONT, lights and whatever else running on my Mecer2400VA Inverter with truck batteries.

Grid-Tied is merely for daytime running costs when the sun is shining and ESKOM is on, you want to run the pool pump, the washing machine, the dishwasher, the vacuum cleaner. etc

After that, at sunset, the stove is gas etc. You can save a busload of money going Grid-Tied. I never wanna buy batteries and keep exchanging them every 5 years fore new ones. Too expensive
 
Pineapple Smurf said:
I hear you guys asking why

But I too want grid-tied

Reason? Load shedding isn't really that often and when it does happen I have computers, routers, ONT, lights and whatever else running on my Mecer2400VA Inverter with truck batteries.

Grid-Tied is merely for daytime running costs when the sun is shining and ESKOM is on, you want to run the pool pump, the washing machine, the dishwasher, the vacuum cleaner. etc

After that, at sunset, the stove is gas etc. You can save a busload of money going Grid-Tied. I never wanna buy batteries and keep exchanging them every 5 years fore new ones. Too expensive
Click to expand...
But you'll be doing that with the mecer? Also with the hybrid you'll be saving even with Eskom on still. Just with it you'll have piece of mind when the power does go off you'll run off the solar and it'll tap into batteries when needed.
 
Pineapple Smurf said:
I hear you guys asking why

But I too want grid-tied

Reason? Load shedding isn't really that often and when it does happen I have computers, routers, ONT, lights and whatever else running on my Mecer2400VA Inverter with truck batteries.

Grid-Tied is merely for daytime running costs when the sun is shining and ESKOM is on, you want to run the pool pump, the washing machine, the dishwasher, the vacuum cleaner. etc

After that, at sunset, the stove is gas etc. You can save a busload of money going Grid-Tied. I never wanna buy batteries and keep exchanging them every 5 years fore new ones. Too expensive
Click to expand...

This. And tongue in cheek, I need to offset the apparently imminent ‘connection charge’.

Also, I already have a thirsty 8kva gennie for dark hours/days.
 
ab-user said:
This. And tongue in cheek, I need to offset the apparently imminent ‘connection charge’.

Also, I already have a thirsty 8kva gennie for dark hours/days.
Click to expand...
What type op power meter you have , prepaid or old spinning disk type?
 
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