Solar, inverter, battery thread

[biometrics]

@Spizz what is that geyser control thing you mentioned on another forum?

 

[Spizz]

@Spizz what is that geyser control thing you mentioned on another forum?

GeyserWise. Works a treat once you get used to the habits of the solar and the routines in the house.

 

[biometrics]

GeyserWise. Works a treat once you get used to the habits of the solar and the routines in the house.

Can you definitively see it saving power? Or is it more about demand and battery management?

 

[biometrics]

So after going to and fro with complications and options, it seems I'm ending up with a 8kW Sunsynk outside under the braai afdak with a rack mount battery (wall mount batteries don't have a SP rating, the Sunsynk is SP65). Getting the final proposal and quote tomorrow, then I pull the trigger.

 

[Spizz]

Can you definitively see it saving power? Or is it more about demand and battery management?

My electricity was working out about R3,000 to R3,150 a month pre-paid. In the first complete month I have had to measure it since installation my electricity was R2,000 and I still had a few units left. This month is on track to be the same or even less now that I have worked out our routines.

 

[biometrics]

My electricity was working out about R3,000 to R3,150 a month pre-paid. In the first complete month I have had to measure it since installation my electricity was R2,000 and I still had a few units left. This month is on track to be the same or even less now that I have worked out our routines.

Who installed it for you? Plumber, electrician or solar installers?

 

[biometrics]

My electricity was working out about R3,000 to R3,150 a month pre-paid. In the first complete month I have had to measure it since installation my electricity was R2,000 and I still had a few units left. This month is on track to be the same or even less now that I have worked out our routines.

Which model do you have? How do you control it?

 

[Spizz]

It was installed by a plumber. Can’t remember the model offhand, I’ll have a look in the morning.

You can set the maximum temperature that the geyser will heat to and you can monitor it by interacting with the GeyserWse panel. So for example in my house my wife and kids are evening shower people so by the time they are finished the hot water is gone so I have it set to turn on at 4am and heat up from the grid so I can shower at 6 when I wake up.

But this is just my case scenario. Of course you can alter your habits to suit the sun but I like a morning shower so I don’t mind drawing from the grid at that time.

 

[biometrics]

It was installed by a plumber. Can’t remember the model offhand, I’ll have a look in the morning.

You can set the maximum temperature that the geyser will heat to and you can monitor it by interacting with the GeyserWse panel. So for example in my house my wife and kids are evening shower people so by the time they are finished the hot water is gone so I have it set to turn on at 4am and heat up from the grid so I can shower at 6 when I wake up.

But this is just my case scenario. Of course you can alter your habits to suit the sun but I like a morning shower so I don’t mind drawing from the grid at that time.

Cool. We have two houses each with a geyser. I'm a morning shower person next door after the sun has been up, so I can use the free solar electricity. Housemate uses the main house early evening, so again I could use free solar electricity.

How long for it to heat to 60C?

 

[Spizz]

Cool. We have two houses each with a geyser. I'm a morning shower person next door after the sun has been up, so I can use the free solar electricity. Housemate uses the main house early evening, so again I could use free solar electricity.

How long for it to heat to 60C?

Tough question and will depend on the size of the geyser and the sunshine. On cloudy days I don't get much above 40 so will boost a bit manually but on nice sunny days it gets up pretty fast. Hard to quantify because it also depends how hot it was in the first place. But also if you are using a geyser each then your water will no doubt still be hot from the day before. But even then I set a timer anyway to hit 55 before I wake up. It it's at 52 in the first place it will hit 55 and then switch off automatically and monitor within the timer in case it drops to 54 for example.

 

[satanboy]

>10 years ago I installed a solar geyser. My monthly electricity bill reduced by R400 per month

 

[biometrics]

Tough question and will depend on the size of the geyser and the sunshine. On cloudy days I don't get much above 40 so will boost a bit manually but on nice sunny days it gets up pretty fast. Hard to quantify because it also depends how hot it was in the first place. But also if you are using a geyser each then your water will no doubt still be hot from the day before. But even then I set a timer anyway to hit 55 before I wake up. It it's at 52 in the first place it will hit 55 and then switch off automatically and monitor within the timer in case it drops to 54 for example.

Which model have you got?

 

[Spizz]

Which model have you got?

GeyserWise Delta T 220v

The panel is this one...

ITS 2m2 High Efficiency Collector ITS Flat Plate Collector for Solar Water Heating

Flat plate solar collector technology is one of the oldest and most widely used technologies in solar water heating panels.

itssolar.co.za

There's a good FAQ on that page and plenty of info. This one is for up to 150 litre geyser but they have bigger depending on the capacity of yours.

 

[satanboy]

GeyserWise Delta T 220v

The panel is this one...

ITS 2m2 High Efficiency Collector ITS Flat Plate Collector for Solar Water Heating

Flat plate solar collector technology is one of the oldest and most widely used technologies in solar water heating panels.

itssolar.co.za

There's a good FAQ on that page and plenty of info. This one is for up to 150 litre geyser but they have bigger depending on the capacity of yours.

I had the Tube Collector

​

 

[biometrics]

GeyserWise Delta T 220v

The panel is this one...

ITS 2m2 High Efficiency Collector ITS Flat Plate Collector for Solar Water Heating

Flat plate solar collector technology is one of the oldest and most widely used technologies in solar water heating panels.

itssolar.co.za

There's a good FAQ on that page and plenty of info. This one is for up to 150 litre geyser but they have bigger depending on the capacity of yours.

Oh I see it's the whole thing with a panel on the roof. I was just thinking of a timer.

 

[Spizz]

Oh I see it's the whole thing with a panel on the roof. I was just thinking of a timer.

It looks like a conventional PV solar panel but it's not. It actually has water inside it and it known as a collector. So a pump is needed and non returnable valve etc.

 

[biometrics]

It looks like a conventional PV solar panel but it's not. It actually has water inside it and it known as a collector. So a pump is needed and non returnable valve etc.

Had one at my previous Melkbos house. For now solar electric plus geyser timers will do the trick.

We have two geysers, I use the one once a day and housemate the other once a day. Rest of the time it's unused so wasting electricity.

I'm a bit tired of all the stuff I had to do here, so solar water can wait for now.

 

[SauRoN]

Had one at my previous Melkbos house. For now solar electric plus geyser timers will do the trick.

We have two geysers, I use the one once a day and housemate the other once a day. Rest of the time it's unused so wasting electricity.

I'm a bit tired of all the stuff I had to do here, so solar water can wait for now.

CBI Astute is the way to go then if sticking with normal electric geyser.

Mine goes on just after sunrise and off again at sunset which sees very minimal non-solar use.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

 

[Spizz]

Had one at my previous Melkbos house. For now solar electric plus geyser timers will do the trick.

We have two geysers, I use the one once a day and housemate the other once a day. Rest of the time it's unused so wasting electricity.

I'm a bit tired of all the stuff I had to do here, so solar water can wait for now.

Yep, if you have your own geyser serving only you, you know your routines and when you need hot water.

 

[Spizz]

I was meant to have my solar array install started today and of course it's raining