Small solar advice (5KVA hybrid system)

[denmendez65]

Blending is using 100% solar and when thats not enough, adding/blending in battery/grid power. The cheapies would just cut off solar if load is too much and switch to battery/grid therefore wasting solar.

This is what mine did. It would supply the load with Solar only until not enough. Then use both solar and battery. If battery drained to a predetermined level and solar not enough then it would switch to grid and use both grid and the little solar left to charge the battery. Dont know if thats what "blending is".

My cheap 2kW fivestar inverter I had before would do that also.

 

[denmendez65]

Anyway, no one is making it so its a moot point.

Yet...I think we will move to 72 soon enough.

 

[NR7]

You can change element to 2KW for a R100. That way you still have spare capacity on a 5kW for other loads.

A problem I saw is that when the fridges+freezer ramp up with the rest of the house that's on the system, I would have 2000w spare to cover a single high draw device, such as the airfryer/kettle/toaster/microwave/washing machine which is fine, but if I add a geyser it's a problem.

To make the system capable of 5000w plus a 2000w geyser, I'd need a bigger inverter. Then if it runs off battery I need a battery that can supply more current so it has a knock-on effect


Any advice on keeping an eye ahead for the future. Is it easy to add a second battery? Or a second inverter with another battery?
Panels seem to be easy to add later when you're starting with only 3kwp

 

[denmendez65]

You can change element to 2KW for a R100. That way you still have spare capacity on a 5kW for other loads.

As long as they don't connect the kitchen to it and maybe use a manual transfer switch for LS to connect the kitchen to the inverter. But probably passthrough will take care of any overloading until the substation blows up and they dont know the power has gone.

 

[denmendez65]

A problem I saw is that when the fridges+freezer ramp up with the rest of the house that's on the system, I would have 2000w spare to cover a single high draw device, such as the airfryer/kettle/toaster/microwave/washing machine which is fine, but if I add a geyser it's a problem.

To make the system capable of 5000w plus a 2000w geyser, I'd need a bigger inverter. Then if it runs off battery I need a battery that can supply more current so it has a knock-on effect


Any advice on keeping an eye ahead for the future. Is it easy to add a second battery? Or a second inverter with another battery?
Panels seem to be easy to add later when you're starting with only 3kwp

Passthrough should take care of any overloading. Only during power outages will it be a problem. Just make sure you have a large enough AC cable for the inverter. Go with 10mm2 eve if though a 6 will be fine. Future-proof it for a larger inverter.

 

[wingnut771]

This is what mine did. It would supply the load with Solar only until not enough. Then use both solar and battery. If battery drained to a predetermined level and solar not enough then it would switch to grid and use both grid and the little solar left to charge the battery. Dont know if thats what "blending is".

My cheap 2kW fivestar inverter I had before would do that also.

Blending is using all available solar and then topping up from other sources if load is higher than solar power output.

 

[wingnut771]

A problem I saw is that when the fridges+freezer ramp up with the rest of the house that's on the system, I would have 2000w spare to cover a single high draw device, such as the airfryer/kettle/toaster/microwave/washing machine which is fine, but if I add a geyser it's a problem.

To make the system capable of 5000w plus a 2000w geyser, I'd need a bigger inverter. Then if it runs off battery I need a battery that can supply more current so it has a knock-on effect


Any advice on keeping an eye ahead for the future. Is it easy to add a second battery? Or a second inverter with another battery?
Panels seem to be easy to add later when you're starting with only 3kwp

Your fridge/freezer/house uses 3000W?

 

[denmendez65]

Your fridge/freezer/house uses 3000W?

A normal kettle 2kW, Microwave 1,7kW. You can only run one of these at a time with 3kW available. Not counting the Dishwasher, Washing machine, Airfryer, Iron etc. I live with a 3,6kW inverter. Trust me, you can only use 1 item like that at a time. And I dont have the luxury of Passthrough.

 

[NR7]

Your fridge/freezer/house uses 3000W?

Worst case scenario peaks when starting up after a no power no water area outage (like 2 weeks ago).

1580w peak with kitchen+dining area due to two fridges, freezer, cameras to the outside with their backup power etc.
680w for the startup of lounge and bedroom with 75" TV + DSTV + Soundbar + subwoofer + Switch 2 and PS5 controller docks charging + another camera with its backup power.
Also got a Jojo pump running on that circuit that peaks at 800w.

Leaves room for one high draw item up to 2000w (kettle/microwave/washing machine/airfryer).


I don't know enough about passthrough, first time hearing that. I was under the impressed a 5kw inverter supplies 5kw max from whatever combination of sources.

If the system could switch between running the geyser off excess solar panel power or grid if insufficient sunlight (ie. no battery drain else I'd be short at night) then that would be perfect but it sounds complicated for an installer to set up and I don't think there would be too much excess solar power with only 6 panels compared to the 10-16 panel setups the guys in the solar thread run.

 

[wingnut771]

Worst case scenario peaks when starting up after a no power no water area outage (like 2 weeks ago).

1580w peak with kitchen+dining area due to two fridges, freezer, cameras to the outside with their backup power etc.
680w for the startup of lounge and bedroom with 75" TV + DSTV + Soundbar + subwoofer + Switch 2 and PS5 controller docks charging + another camera with its backup power.
Also got a Jojo pump running on that circuit that peaks at 800w.

Leaves room for one high draw item up to 2000w (kettle/microwave/washing machine/airfryer).


I don't know enough about passthrough, first time hearing that. I was under the impressed a 5kw inverter supplies 5kw max from whatever combination of sources.

If the system could switch between running the geyser off excess solar panel power or grid if insufficient sunlight (ie. no battery drain else I'd be short at night) then that would be perfect but it sounds complicated for an installer to set up and I don't think there would be too much excess solar power with only 6 panels compared to the 10-16 panel setups the guys in the solar thread run.

Yes, but once things have settled they would be using a fraction of that so I wouldnt even bother worrying about it. So it looks like 800W pump, 500W TV, 300W for fridges = 1600W leaving you 3400W spare.

 

[denmendez65]

Yes, but once things have settled they would be using a fraction of that so I wouldnt even bother worrying about it. So it looks like 800W pump, 500W TV, 300W for fridges = 1600W leaving you 3400W spare.

Don't forget efficiency.

 

[denmendez65]

If the system could switch between running the geyser off excess solar panel power or grid if insufficient sunlight (ie. no battery drain else I'd be short at night) then that would be perfect but it sounds complicated for an installer to set up and I don't think there would be too much excess solar power with only 6 panels compared to the 10-16 panel setups the guys in the solar thread run.

With 3000W of panels, you are guaranteed to never charge those batteries for as long as the geyser is running. 2kW plus the 1600W means you will be draining the battery and eventually running off the grid. Hard to save anything if the grid will still be used during the day.

You would need more panels. Managing your load, etc. It becomes a complicated rabbit hole.

 

[isie]

A problem I saw is that when the fridges+freezer ramp up with the rest of the house that's on the system, I would have 2000w spare to cover a single high draw device, such as the airfryer/kettle/toaster/microwave/washing machine which is fine, but if I add a geyser it's a problem.

To make the system capable of 5000w plus a 2000w geyser, I'd need a bigger inverter. Then if it runs off battery I need a battery that can supply more current so it has a knock-on effect


Any advice on keeping an eye ahead for the future. Is it easy to add a second battery? Or a second inverter with another battery?
Panels seem to be easy to add later when you're starting with only 3kwp

wtf you got freezers that voted in apartheid?

 

[isie]

This is what mine did. It would supply the load with Solar only until not enough. Then use both solar and battery. If battery drained to a predetermined level and solar not enough then it would switch to grid and use both grid and the little solar left to charge the battery. Dont know if thats what "blending is".

My cheap 2kW fivestar inverter I had before would do that also.

No Blending is using both AC and DC sources at the same time to use on the load

So load is 5KW - PV is 3 KW
cheapy will take 2KW from battery if battery is not able to provide 2KW (or if no battery) cheapy will take 100% from the grid and take pv to charge the battery or if no battery or battery is full you loose PV potential

An inverter that blends will take 3kw from PV and 2KW from Grid (if battery can provide it will take a percentage from there as well) - so your grid usage is less

 

[isie]

You can change element to 2KW for a R100. That way you still have spare capacity on a 5kW for other loads.

Disagree with doing this as it will take so long to heat up (i tested cause like you said cheap as chips to get a 2kw element) but if going 5kw then ya its your only option

 

[NR7]

wtf you got freezers that voted in apartheid?

Not even close. Two Hisense fridges (one bought last year) and one Defy freezer, all "A" energy rating and still being sold today.

Guess it's just the compressor starting up high, running power is low.

 

[denmendez65]

No Blending is using both AC and DC sources at the same time to use on the load

So load is 5KW - PV is 3 KW
cheapy will take 2KW from battery if battery is not able to provide 2KW (or if no battery) cheapy will take 100% from the grid and take pv to charge the battery or if no battery or battery is full you loose PV potential

An inverter that blends will take 3kw from PV and 2KW from Grid (if battery can provide it will take a percentage from there as well) - so your grid usage is less

If I go with your version of blending vs how I understood Wingnuts one, then no. I don't think mine did that type of blending. It would use PV, if not enough, then PV and battery until the battery is drained to whatever level you set. Then switch to supply the load with 100% grid. Available PV that's left as the sun goes down then only charges the battery. You could say it is a good option to have PV and a grid blend to supply the load until the PV is gone.

You still use all the PV on the cheapies, though, as the PV was still used to charge the battery until it completely disappeared, then, depending on your settings, it would charge the remaining amount from the grid or wait for the sun the following morning to finish off the charging.

 

[denmendez65]

Disagree with doing this as it will take so long to heat up (i tested cause like you said cheap as chips to get a 2kw element) but if going 5kw then ya its your only option

More like 1,7k with a plumber. Unless you're happy to DIY the geyser element yourself. You won't find me in the ceiling doing that stuff

 

[wingnut771]

If I go with your version of blending vs how I understood Wingnuts one, then no. I don't think mine did that type of blending. It would use PV, if not enough, then PV and battery until the battery is drained to whatever level you set. Then switch to supply the load with 100% grid. Available PV that's left as the sun goes down then only charges the battery. You could say it is a good option to have PV and a grid blend to supply the load until the PV is gone.

You still use all the PV on the cheapies, though, as the PV was still used to charge the battery until it completely disappeared, then, depending on your settings, it would charge the remaining amount from the grid or wait for the sun the following morning to finish off the charging.

Of the axperts, only the king version does blending.

 

[Lupus]

Of the axperts, only the king version does blending.

Nope my old one blended solar, battery and grid where needed.