Power inverters for home use in South Africa roundup - February 2023

Similar problems the voltage on lead acid have a larger variance when put under load so could be even worse.
That was my point. Voltage sag is a thing under load, even worse with shitty cable or if you have your battery far away from the inverter. I would do my own tests and see what my loads drop the volts to, then set cut off around there, maybe set bat low warning slightly higher so you know when its low and don't use heavy loads?

Anyway, the question was about comms I think, which at the end of the day doesn't actually do anything about low cut off. All it might do is limit charge during top balancing and over temp imho.
 
True, but what if you don't have a fancy battery, what if you have this:
View attachment 1476331
or this?
View attachment 1476335
I'm not sure what you trying to get at, if you getting a solar system with a 30k or more inverter you not going to use dumb batteries.
I the case of the Mecer style inverter those don't have a SOC cut off option they run until the battery is empty, target voltage.
 
Some batteries have a shunt built in, i know the shoto does

So it's 4 lights can give an indications of the SOC
Coulomb Counter, but rather just get something that works Victron :p
Even a victron works with voltages for charging , the shunt isn't used to control charging


imo victrons come with good documentation and is simplistic pasted together items to form a system that easier to set up
 
I'm not sure what you trying to get at, if you getting a solar system with a 30k or more inverter you not going to use dumb batteries.
I the case of the Mecer style inverter those don't have a SOC cut off option they run until the battery is empty, target voltage.
I'm not sure myself.
 
I'm not sure what you trying to get at, if you getting a solar system with a 30k or more inverter you not going to use dumb batteries.
I the case of the Mecer style inverter those don't have a SOC cut off option they run until the battery is empty, target voltage.
Even the overpriced victrons don't use the the shunt to determine charge cut-off

And would wager that the battery communication is just making the battery SOC indicator on inverter more accurate

And that all devices just use the voltage
 
Even a victron works with voltages for charging , the shunt isn't used to control charging
It will target a voltage for charging but use the SOC as a target for discharge, the bit difference between Axpert type and Victron/ Sunsynk. The SOC target discharge is a huge tool in SA with load shedding.

imo victrons come with good documentation and is simplistic pasted together items to form a system that easier to set up
Arn't all complex systems a collection os simple concepts working in concert. Yes Victron bring is to the user in a comprehensible and useful format and thats why I would recommend it. To ask just anyone to change the settings on an Axpert is a tall order, I have to sit there with the manual reading the chinglish twice, then double check the internet to confirm it is what I think it is. Hence Victron brings value to its users, you don't need to call out a tech every time you want to make a change.
 
What happens when you feed back into the grid?
I don't have this enabled ,no panels yet

Any devices between the inverter and your power meter will absorb excess energy ie geyser stove etc

Reducing your pull from eskom
If no load your neighbour gets sold electricity municipality got for free
 
Ummm, I included the pic because King inverters have the screen at the bottom.

Does yours blend power?
No panels yet , from what i understand hybrids will blend as long as the inverter has not entered the overload/bypass state ie connecting the load directly to the grid
 
I don't have this enabled ,no panels yet

Any devices between the inverter and your power meter will absorb excess energy ie geyser stove etc

Reducing your pull from eskom
If no load your neighbour gets sold electricity municipality got for free
Worse than that if you have a modern meter you paying the municipality to give your neighbours free electricity as the charge in both directions.

If you have one of those old spinning disk meters you may be able to run it backwards but don't get caught.

For my system I used an external meter before the prepaid meter to stop feeding back thorugh the prepaid meter.

victron-critical-loads-diagram.png
 
It will target a voltage for charging but use the SOC as a target for discharge, the bit difference between Axpert type and Victron/ Sunsynk. The SOC target discharge is a huge tool in SA with load shedding.


Arn't all complex systems a collection os simple concepts working in concert. Yes Victron bring is to the user in a comprehensible and useful format and thats why I would recommend it. To ask just anyone to change the settings on an Axpert is a tall order, I have to sit there with the manual reading the chinglish twice, then double check the internet to confirm it is what I think it is. Hence Victron brings value to its users, you don't need to call out a tech every time you want to make a change.
Yeah, Sunsynk etc you can set SOC values for when you want things to happen, I remember now.
 
I don't have this enabled ,no panels yet

Any devices between the inverter and your power meter will absorb excess energy ie geyser stove etc

Reducing your pull from eskom
If no load your neighbour gets sold electricity municipality got for free
Can't you do it from your battery?

I have a spinny disk meter, I want to know if this "Axpert" can spin it backwards.
 
What if he was asking that question from a lead acid point of view?
Yea other batteries have better SOC graphs making it easier to do the cut-off on voltage

Now yes even then sag is a think

Most of these axperts handle it like this

ie they adjust the cut-off voltage based on load

Ie lighter load higher voltage
Heavy load lower voltage

ie as per image
 

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No panels yet , from what i understand hybrids will blend as long as the inverter has not entered the overload/bypass state ie connecting the load directly to the grid
Take the word "hybrid" with a gigantic ton of salt in this industry, especially if it's an Axpert type, although your one has a grid setting (does it work? how can it without a CT coil to measure the current?), we don't know if it can blend solar with grid.

CT coil
Split-Core-CT-CTSA016-2-e1629375547216.png
 
Can't you do it from your battery?

I have a spinny disk meter, I want to know if this "Axpert" can spin it backwards.
From what i understand the spinny meter can spin backwards

So in theory you could use at night what you have pushed back into the grid during the day

I assume

If your bill is extremely low i can imagine inspectors can pop around to come check

And you will promptly receive a digital meter that can't,
 
From what i understand the spinny meter can spin backwards

So in theory you could use at night what you have pushed back into the grid during the day

I assume

If your bill is extremely low i can imagine inspectors can pop around to come check

And you will promptly receive a digital meter that can't,
From what i understand this is a clone that might have amendments so how much axpert it still is i don't know

ie this isn't just a rebranded axpert, they amended the design

But this is where the salt comes in lots of it
 
I have a digital prepaid so no backwards shite is ever gonna happen
 
From what i understand the spinny meter can spin backwards

So in theory you could use at night what you have pushed back into the grid during the day

I assume

If your bill is extremely low i can imagine inspectors can pop around to come check

And you will promptly receive a digital meter that can't,
Yes, I know it can turn backwards.

My bill is extremely high from running aircons 24/7 in durban so want to spin it backwards during the day to offset the night-time use. Just don't spin it back into negative numbers.

They can come and check and what will they find? That I'm using solar? Is it a crime to have a low bill?

Anyway, this is durban. They can't even replace globes in streetlights.
 
Yes, I know it can turn backwards.

My bill is extremely high from running aircons 24/7 in durban so want to spin it backwards during the day to offset the night-time use. Just don't spin it back into negative numbers.

They can come and check and what will they find? That I'm using solar? Is it a crime to have a low bill?

Anyway, this is durban. They can't even replace globes in streetlights.
From what i gather some municipalities push back isn't allowed

So it's kinda like sars
The moment you claim back or pay to little , they may rain down on you
 
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