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Wintonmartin
Site Supporter
I've sold a pin to fund solar panels.
Had a few quotes and everyone seems to be offering LONGI panels.
Any recommends/issues I should be looking out for?
My budget was just for panels only but it seems pointless to not get a battery. Again, solax has been quoted on 2 quotes. Are they anygood?
Thanks
Had a few quotes and everyone seems to be offering LONGI panels.
Any recommends/issues I should be looking out for?
My budget was just for panels only but it seems pointless to not get a battery. Again, solax has been quoted on 2 quotes. Are they anygood?
Thanks
I think a few of us have Solax Systems, iv not had any issues my self, originally had 1 5.8kw battery but bought another to make a total of 11.6kw just so don't have to worry about what time we have evening meal so much (in summer months) panels aint doing much at all at the moment but looking forward to them coming alive again next spring 
Iv contacted Solax support a few times and have been impressed with the quick reply's and help they provide which is super important if things do go wrong (nothing has gone wrong just user error LOL)
Iv contacted Solax support a few times and have been impressed with the quick reply's and help they provide which is super important if things do go wrong (nothing has gone wrong just user error LOL)
Wintonmartin
Site Supporter
That's good to hear. I'm certainly gravitating to towards them. My dad has just had a similar system installed but the wiring installation side was a bit poor and they had to come back a couple of times.
A seller who didn't quote solax said theyre limited on the number of batteries you can add. I'm reading online you can add 4 x 5.8? Seems like a decent amount to me.
What panels do you have @russdx1 ?
A seller who didn't quote solax said theyre limited on the number of batteries you can add. I'm reading online you can add 4 x 5.8? Seems like a decent amount to me.
What panels do you have @russdx1 ?
That’s correct so the first battery is a master 5.8kw then you can add up to 3 5.8kw slaves. Just the one 5.8kw did us well last summer but we had to be careful what we used in the evening so it lasted whole night, with two of them we shouldn’t have to be as careful.
The panels they used are are 12x evolution elite 400 black panels.
The panels they used are are 12x evolution elite 400 black panels.
Energy companies paying you not to buy their product.
Anyone else think that something is not quite right here and there is more to this then meets the eye.
With climate lockdowns announced yesterday in Oxford which will no doubt spread around the world we are truly living in crazy times.
Well at least we've signed a deal with USA to import shale gas. I know. WTF.
Anyone else think that something is not quite right here and there is more to this then meets the eye.
With climate lockdowns announced yesterday in Oxford which will no doubt spread around the world we are truly living in crazy times.
Well at least we've signed a deal with USA to import shale gas. I know. WTF.
It is worth working out what you use daily on electricity. What your peak load would be (kettle, oven and washing machine) and the amount you use in the evening and night.
I believe the best advice is to get the most amount of panels you can. Then ensure your storage deals with the peaks and also through the evening and night. Without batteries, you will likely lose 50% of what you generate. You can sign up to export this but on a lower rate to your import, ~5p.
I believe the best advice is to get the most amount of panels you can. Then ensure your storage deals with the peaks and also through the evening and night. Without batteries, you will likely lose 50% of what you generate. You can sign up to export this but on a lower rate to your import, ~5p.
This thread is 56 pages long, and it has already covered the differences between energy generating and energy distributing companies.
Like others have said the energy companies we deal with are just resellers, they don't produce any energy at all, simply buy it at the (crazy) market price in advance and then re sell to us hoping to make a tiny profit along the way. Its the global market screwing us over not the local energy companies, they know there is probably not enough to go around at peak times so are trying to incentivise people to use less buy paying them not to use it...Sorry, didn't have time to read 56 pages as too busy trying to keep warm
It was mostly about the “more to this than meets the eye” comment. There is 56 pages worth, you surely can’t want more.Sorry, didn't have time to read 56 pages as too busy trying to keep warm
So, I have a 2.2kw(gonna add an extra string this year so probs upto 3.6kw) on roof of pinshack with a 4kw solis inverter. I also have a solar diverter to heat water via immersion heater by using energy that would of been normally exported to grid.
What can I retrofit to have batteries and charge them from solar and/or AC. Seems like there are many options.
Anyone else done this?
Cheers
Kev
- Joined
- Jul 21, 2011
- Messages
- 3,573
It's a shame that the National Grid isn't in house. I think last time i looked 60% was owned by some Australian company.
I would say if youre looking into adding another string check the specs on your inverter for the MAX input per string and overall total and aim for that if you can, its a waste in summer but getting as much capacity as you can will be better for winter, and you can usually add more in than the rated output of the inverter, i.e. my 3KW inverter can take a max of 3.5KW per string and 3.99KW overall. With a 4KW inverter you would ideally need to setup with a current clamp on the power connection between your meter and consumer unit so that you limit export to a max 3.6KW/16Amps.
For Battery storage mine is like you want with a separate solar inverter and battery inverter and is fairly easy to add if you buy the commercial stuff, you just wire the inverter into the mains and then the batteries connect to the inverter including a communication cable and then you need a current clamp as above between your meter and consumer unit which the inverter uses to see when you are exporting which then diverts power to the batteries.
One thing to be aware of if you the Immersion diverter is how they will work together, Ive got one but its preconfigured to only start when it sees an export above 300watts and the inverter tried to keep export to 0watts so the battery gets filled up first and then the immersion diverter starts working once the battery gets nearly full.
But instead of getting a separate battery inverter Im not sure if its more effiecent to use a hybrid inverter as I dont know if they do DC to DC conversion for the power from the solar panels to the battery of if they go DC to AC to DC.
Ive got a Sofar ME3000 and they recommend Pylon Batteries to use with it and its all pretty much plug and play and it matches my Sofar Solar Inverter, no idea if Solis do just a separate battery storage inverter that matches what you have at the moment, Im also using a DIY battery with cells from AliExpress so not sure if say if its a good inverter or not as I dont seem to get the rated power storage and effieciency for my cells and not sure if thats the inverter, the BMS Im currently using although that is getting changed or the wiring as I think I'm getting a lot of resistance in the cheap cable I was using so currently upgrading that side of it.
I used this website for information when looking about, not sure they have the best prices but they tend to have all the datasheets and manuals on the information page for the inverters and they have a section dedicated to storage.
Midsummer Wholesale
Midsummer Wholesale - suppliers of PV panels, inverters and system components to solar installation companies
midsummerwholesale.co.uk
thanks for the info man thats useful. Solis do have a matched charger/inverter so I may go down that route but not sure if better just to go for a dc charger. Pros and cons for both I supposeI would say if youre looking into adding another string check the specs on your inverter for the MAX input per string and overall total and aim for that if you can, its a waste in summer but getting as much capacity as you can will be better for winter, and you can usually add more in than the rated output of the inverter, i.e. my 3KW inverter can take a max of 3.5KW per string and 3.99KW overall. With a 4KW inverter you would ideally need to setup with a current clamp on the power connection between your meter and consumer unit so that you limit export to a max 3.6KW/16Amps.
For Battery storage mine is like you want with a separate solar inverter and battery inverter and is fairly easy to add if you buy the commercial stuff, you just wire the inverter into the mains and then the batteries connect to the inverter including a communication cable and then you need a current clamp as above between your meter and consumer unit which the inverter uses to see when you are exporting which then diverts power to the batteries.
One thing to be aware of if you the Immersion diverter is how they will work together, Ive got one but its preconfigured to only start when it sees an export above 300watts and the inverter tried to keep export to 0watts so the battery gets filled up first and then the immersion diverter starts working once the battery gets nearly full.
But instead of getting a separate battery inverter Im not sure if its more effiecent to use a hybrid inverter as I dont know if they do DC to DC conversion for the power from the solar panels to the battery of if they go DC to AC to DC.
Ive got a Sofar ME3000 and they recommend Pylon Batteries to use with it and its all pretty much plug and play and it matches my Sofar Solar Inverter, no idea if Solis do just a separate battery storage inverter that matches what you have at the moment, Im also using a DIY battery with cells from AliExpress so not sure if say if its a good inverter or not as I dont seem to get the rated power storage and effieciency for my cells and not sure if thats the inverter, the BMS Im currently using although that is getting changed or the wiring as I think I'm getting a lot of resistance in the cheap cable I was using so currently upgrading that side of it.
I used this website for information when looking about, not sure they have the best prices but they tend to have all the datasheets and manuals on the information page for the inverters and they have a section dedicated to storage.
Midsummer Wholesale
Midsummer Wholesale - suppliers of PV panels, inverters and system components to solar installation companies
Cheers
Kev
So that's what the letter on electricity bills means, see page 17 in the pdf.
www.gov.uk
Electricity Supply Emergency Code
An outline of the process for ensuring fair distribution of electricity rationing during a prolonged electricity shortage.
Who's got a Solis set up and uses the Solis app?
Finally got my batteries and inverter installed but doesn't seem to be working correctly. I know it's not been that sunny recently but when the sun is shining and the PV is producing say 1.6Kw, with nearly everything switched off, bugger all is going to the batteries
Finally got my batteries and inverter installed but doesn't seem to be working correctly. I know it's not been that sunny recently but when the sun is shining and the PV is producing say 1.6Kw, with nearly everything switched off, bugger all is going to the batteries
It's the job of the inverter to work out excess energy and divert it to the batteries. If the inverter / batteries are both not showing any error codes and appear to be online etc.. Sounds like it might be some configuration somewhere. I no the solax inverter has quite a bit of config on when the battery should be charged and by how much etc.. (defaults did the job for me though)Who's got a Solis set up and uses the Solis app?
Finally got my batteries and inverter installed but doesn't seem to be working correctly. I know it's not been that sunny recently but when the sun is shining and the PV is producing say 1.6Kw, with nearly everything switched off, bugger all is going to the batteries
Who's got a Solis set up and uses the Solis app?
Finally got my batteries and inverter installed but doesn't seem to be working correctly. I know it's not been that sunny recently but when the sun is shining and the PV is producing say 1.6Kw, with nearly everything switched off, bugger all is going to the batteries
Did you do a DIY install or have someone install it for you.
If done for you I would contact the installer and ask them to sort it out.
If DIY have you installed a current clamp near the meter so the inverter knows when youre exporting energy so it can start putting it in the battery, not sure on the Solis but on my Sofar there is a picture on the LCD showing the grid and how much power is coming in/going out currently.
Ah yes, also make sure the clamp is facing the right direction (super important lol)
I was going to mention that, but if the clamp was on the wrong way round it would keep putting energy into the battery when pulling from the grid and quickly ramp up to the maximum wattage of the inverter until the battery was full as it would see the incoming energy going into the battery as export and try to put more and more in, and then drain the battery during export from solar as it thinks youre pulling from the grid.
Have heard of people getting this wrong with Immersion diverters where when they turn them on they just ramp up to max power.
Yup it's the exact mistake I made when setting up the immersion diverter, it kept kicking in when I was importing not export lol. Least it was a quick fix!
I use solis app but just for my solar array - would be intresetd to know what you are using for you battery chargring - hybrid inverter or additional solis charger?Who's got a Solis set up and uses the Solis app?
Finally got my batteries and inverter installed but doesn't seem to be working correctly. I know it's not been that sunny recently but when the sun is shining and the PV is producing say 1.6Kw, with nearly everything switched off, bugger all is going to the batteries
Cheers
kev
Apparently a 'professional' install but getting them to come back and check the system is proving difficult.
Thankfully they haven't been paid yet.
Guess this is the clamp, wouldn't know if it was on the right or wrong way though
Schematic for the PV array. This was installed 10 years ago.
And this is the schematic for the inverter / battery install
Hard to tell with that clamp, what are the words on the front? Is there an arrow?
Just remembering back to when I setup my battery inverter and the clamp worked could work both ways round, the process for inital setup was to turn off solar and turn on some appliances so that I was pulling in power from the grid and then turn the inverter on so that it could work out the direction of the CT clamp, I think it also does this when the power is turned off and on again but I have locked the direction in the settings so it never changes.
There is also sometimes an arrow printed on the top of the bottom of the clamp and I think it should normally be installed with the arrow pointing towards the meter/grid connection.
I would do a search for the model number and download a copy of the manual for it and check the settings.
Just had a quick look for a Solis AC/DC Inverter and found model RAI-3K-48ES-5G and in the manual for that one it says the CT clamp arrow does point towards the Meter/Grid connection.
There is also sometimes an arrow printed on the top of the bottom of the clamp and I think it should normally be installed with the arrow pointing towards the meter/grid connection.
I would do a search for the model number and download a copy of the manual for it and check the settings.
Just had a quick look for a Solis AC/DC Inverter and found model RAI-3K-48ES-5G and in the manual for that one it says the CT clamp arrow does point towards the Meter/Grid connection.
