Solar advice required,

[HowTo]

Hi all
Need advice on Solar equipment? Very basic system no Eskom tie in.

1) Want to run Solar Panels to a Solar Inverter. ( 5KW)
2) Solar Inverter also need too carge Battries. (Aprox. same rating or above 5KW rating)
3) Battries give me enough power for 1.5 days.
My aim is to supply 2 Fridges, TV and wifi routers, wifi cameras supply and router fiber and laptop.
Own DB board with Earth Leakage.
Run 220VAC via surfix cable to plug points, with Ellis multiplug. (All covered with plastic trunking)

Solar Inverter has enough inteligence, App availbel to monitor system. (graphs etc.)

Use geyser for washing dishes. Timer on early morning and evening.
Using gas for shower and gas hop for cooking.

 

[itareanlnotani]

Sunsynk Inverter 5kw. 22k ish
Hubble if you want low end battery. 5kw. around 22-25k incl. per battery. Freedomwon if you want to go up a notch, with increasing cost.

I'd go with 8 or 9 x 545w panels on the roof to go with that. - probably another 30k odd.

Mounting, installation and bits n bobs another 20-30k depending if you need CoC etc.

Don't go axpert or clone (mustek etc), as those aren't NRS certified, and are illegal to use in most locations. They are cheap, but I wouldn't buy one.

Budget at least 100k unless you want to start small - eg one inverter, and one battery. Then later add solar pv, then later add more batteries (of the same exact brand)...

 

[HowTo]

Sunsynk Hybrid Inverter looks good​

Solar Charger

• Maximum PV Array Power: 5500W
• MPPT Range @ Operating Voltage: 120VDC ~450VDC Want to get close to 450VDC
• Maximum PV Array Open Circuit Voltage: 450VDC most Panels are approx 50VDC/panel so you need to get 9 Panels in series Spec sheet says 425 volt comes down to 8 Panels? 425/50=8 and a bit
• Maximum Solar Charge Current: 100A
• Maximum Efficiency: 97%

• Solar Input
  • Max power input – 8800W
  • Max V DC input – 500V DC
  • Max current input – 18A + 18A
  • MPPTs – 2 Could you use one Panel array and use the other on a later stage?

 

[HowTo]

Sunsynk Inverter 5kw. 22k ish
Hubble if you want low end battery. 5kw. around 22-25k incl. per battery. Freedomwon if you want to go up a notch, with increasing cost.

I'd go with 8 or 9 x 545w panels on the roof to go with that. - probably another 30k odd.

Mounting, installation and bits n bobs another 20-30k depending if you need CoC etc.

Don't go axpert or clone (mustek etc), as those aren't NRS certified, and are illegal to use in most locations. They are cheap, but I wouldn't buy one.

Budget at least 100k unless you want to start small - eg one inverter, and one battery. Then later add solar pv, then later add more batteries (of the same exact brand)...

Budget at least 100k unless you want to start small - eg one inverter, and one battery. Then later add solar pv, then later add more batteries (of the same exact brand)... Smaal meaning using ESCOM power to charge battries and use in times when Escom sheds us in darkness.

 

[itareanlnotani]

Budget at least 100k unless you want to start small - eg one inverter, and one battery. Then later add solar pv, then later add more batteries (of the same exact brand)... Smaal meaning using ESCOM power to charge battries and use in times when Escom sheds us in darkness.

Sure.

I don't know your budget, your requirements in terms of power usage, so you'll need to provide more info really.
If you don't have much to spend, start by getting some load shedding power with battery+inverter.

If you want to start low - buy an inverter, and some battery. That can then provide power when Eskom doesn't.
Then at a later stage when you want to spend more money, add panels, and more batteries.

I'd suggest spend the money on a decent inverter. Deye / Sunsynk seem to be in the sweet spot pricewise and featurewise. Lots of happy people runnng them in SA.

I have a Victron (had several in fact), and a Sunsynk. I've also had a Growatt.

Next I'd buy generation so you can start removing yourself from the Eskom teat.

You'll need to know how much roof space you have. How much power you think you need (in terms of peak power to run things - (so you can size your inverter for your needs), and in terms of longer term power to run things over time - ( so you can size your battery requirements).

 

[itareanlnotani]

Sunsynk Hybrid Inverter looks good​

Solar Charger

• Maximum PV Array Power: 5500W
• MPPT Range @ Operating Voltage: 120VDC ~450VDC Want to get close to 450VDC
• Maximum PV Array Open Circuit Voltage: 450VDC most Panels are approx 50VDC/panel so you need to get 9 Panels in series Spec sheet says 425 volt comes down to 8 Panels? 425/50=8 and a bit
• Maximum Solar Charge Current: 100A
• Maximum Efficiency: 97%
• Solar Input
  • Max power input – 8800W
  • Max V DC input – 500V DC
  • Max current input – 18A + 18A
  • MPPTs – 2 Could you use one Panel array and use the other on a later stage?

Look at the VoC voltage for the panels.
Look at the amps. Voltage cannot be exceeded or the inverter will lose its magic smoke and be unhappy, as will your wallet.

Give yourself at least 10-15% headroom for over the VoC voltage, and thats your max.

Eg if it says 450v DC max, I'd plan for 400v max panel DC voltage.

Series - voltage + voltage
Parallel - amps + amps.

You also want to bear in mind efficiency ratings for the inverter. It will be most efficient at a certain voltage, so thats where you want to aim your panel voltage for.

On the Sunsynk 8KW, best efficiency is around 380-400v or so, so thats where you want to sit.

While its nice to know and work out yourself, if you speak to an installer they will advise you on the best setup for your roof, and inverter etc.

There are a few variables so best to either know what you're doing, or ask someone who knows to spec out.

 

[Gaz{M}]

2 Fridges, (4kWh/day)
TV and (0.5 kWh/day)
wifi routers, (0.25 kWh/day)
wifi cameras supply and (2.4 kWh/day)
router fiber and (0.25 kWh/day)
laptop (0.5 kWh/day)

Total: 7.9kWh/day x 1.5 days = 11.85kWh at 75% DOD you need 15kWh of batteries, so R75k roughly for batteries.

 

[itareanlnotani]

2 Fridges, (4kWh/day)
TV and (0.5 kWh/day)
wifi routers, (0.25 kWh/day)
wifi cameras supply and (2.4 kWh/day)
router fiber and (0.25 kWh/day)
laptop (0.5 kWh/day)

Total: 7.9kWh/day x 1.5 days = 11.85kWh at 75% DOD you need 15kWh of batteries, so R75k roughly for batteries.

Sounds reasonable to me.

Sprinkle in 1 inverter, and you have a good recipe there

 

[Koosvanwyk]

2 Fridges, (4kWh/day)
TV and (0.5 kWh/day)
wifi routers, (0.25 kWh/day)
wifi cameras supply and (2.4 kWh/day)
router fiber and (0.25 kWh/day)
laptop (0.5 kWh/day)

Total: 7.9kWh/day x 1.5 days = 11.85kWh at 75% DOD you need 15kWh of batteries, so R75k roughly for batteries.

4kWh/day is a lot for two fridges, unless you are running mid 2000 technology

 

[HowTo]

One of the fridges Samsung A++ other one Defy A+

Samsung A++ Energy Consumption296 kWh/year

I will contact one of the installers to explain my setup I want.

 

[TedLasso]

Seems high, did you actually measure it? Of course, you may have a big fridge.

My two Samsung inverter fridges - same model - collectively use about 1.6kWh a day - data from my home assistant.

 

[HowTo]

Last request installers that are here on the East-Rand