Solar, inverter, battery thread

[satanboy]

...compact battery that charges 5× faster than the industry average, and lasts for 10 years of pretty much everyday use.

 

[satanboy]

Collab with City of Cape Town and Red Bull South Africa, launching the first stand-alone MINI solar-powered EV charging station at the V&A Waterfront in CPT

 

[SauRoN]

View attachment 35675
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Collab with City of Cape Town and Red Bull South Africa, launching the first stand-alone MINI solar-powered EV charging station at the V&A Waterfront in CPT

But is it free? Or at least cheaper than the R2.73 per kWh you’d be paying at home?

 

[satanboy]

EcoFlow DELTA Portable Power Station

Buy EcoFlow DELTA Portable Power Station at the lowest price in South Africa. Check reviews and buy EcoFlow DELTA Portable Power Station today.

za.ecoflow.com

 

[biometrics]

My latest City of Cape Town municipal account, electricity for the period 15 Feb to 14 Mar:

36 kWh for R82 ex VAT. Then there is the base charge of R185 and VAT.

Total = R307

Compared to just before my solar install, 15 Dec to 17 Jan:

406 kWh

Total = R1,280

I could get my 1 kWh average daily usage to less if I dropped my 50% SoC to 45% or 40% but I don't mind using a bit of the grid. I like having a set-and-forget setting of 50%.

 

[biometrics]

So roughly a R1,000 a month saving. With the 18% increase next month it will be a roughly R1,200 saving and with next year's 12% increase it will be a roughly R1,300 saving. I predict the increases after next year will be typically 8% a year.

So break even is when? Excuse these rough numbers, just trying to get an idea:

Year 1: R1,200 x 12 = R14,400
Year 2: R1,300 x 12 = R15,600
Year 3 (8% increase plus feed-in): R1,400 x 12 + R3,600 (see below) = R20,400
Year 4 (8% increase plus feed-in): R1,500 x 12 + R3,600 (see below) = R21,600
Year 5 (8% increase plus feed-in): R1,600 x 12 + R3,600 (see below) = R22,800
Year 6 (8% increase plus feed-in): R1,700 x 12 + R3,600 (see below) = R24,000
Year 7 (8% increase plus feed-in): R1,800 x 12 + R3,600 (see below) = R25,200
Year 8 (8% increase plus feed-in): R1,900 x 12 + R3,600 (see below) = R26,400
Year 9 (8% increase plus feed-in): R2,000 x 12 + R3,600 (see below) = R27,600

R198,000 after 9 years. System was R210,000.

Feeding back to the grid which is going to be around R1/kWh. I probably have 20+ kWh/day I could feed back (in summer anyway). And lets say none in winter. Make it roughly 3,600 kWh/year or R3,600/year.

 

[Rudolph Hart]

You also need to calculate the value of having power 24/7 and being able to live your life without stressing about Eskom’s gangsters dictating when you can live.

 

[biometrics]

You also need to calculate the value of having power 24/7 and being able to live your life without stressing about Eskom’s gangsters dictating when you can live.

Of course. I kind of have now forgotten it ever was an issue!

My calculations above aren't very accurate and also doesn't include several variables and changes to feed-in or basic fees etc etc. But roughly it will pay for itself in under ten years, which I'm happy with.

 

[biometrics]

Decided to drop my SoC to 40% and the grid trickle from 20W to 10W to see how low I can get my grid usage. I don’t have the ESP app anymore but my inverter send me a notification when the grid dis/connects so I’ll still be aware in case I need to adjust it.

 

[biometrics]

See I get 4W from my 7kW panels for the full moon.

 

[satanboy]

 

[biometrics]

Worst production day yet with the rain. Only 3.4kWh so far today. I need about 12 kWh a day.

 

[biometrics]

Only 3.8 kWh produced today, 1/3 of what I need. Makes you think...

So I either have to triple my panels (7 kW to 21 kW) or my battery storage (10 kWh to 30 kWh; 7 kW panels can produce a lot on sunny days).

 

[Tinuva]

Thats why I am doing this for today

Sent from my Pixel 4 using Tapatalk

 

[satanboy]

Only 3.8 kWh produced today, 1/3 of what I need. Makes you think...

So I either have to triple my panels (7 kW to 21 kW) or my battery storage (10 kWh to 30 kWh; 7 kW panels can produce a lot on sunny days).

Bifacial Solar Panels (if you are running out of space).
More batteries seem to be the easy answer (storage, for rainy days, but expensive)

 

[biometrics]

Had my first inverter shutdown today when the SoC reached the 15% shutdown. I tried lowering the shutdown to 10% but it didn't switch on again. So googled and found out it will only turn on again at the 30% restart. Grid is back so we have power. But I've tweaked the settings for this continuous rain and load shedding to:

Preferred minimum SoC: 50% (it will use the grid if available when reaching 50% but use battery when not)
Shutdown: 15% (my installer recommended a maximum 85% DoD for my Magneto batteries)
Restart: 40% (inverter won't use battery after a shutdown until it gets here)
Low: 40% (inverter will charge battery from the grid if it goes below this, this was 30%)

I'd rather have power than not so I'm accepting I will use some grid under these conditions.

That is how I understand it anyway. What settings are you using? @Tinuva @Spizz @SauRoN

 

[biometrics]

I see I'm getting about 1 kW from PV which is being used to charge the battery, it's not using the grid. How can I get it to use the grid as well to charge the battery, it's only at 25% atm. Want to pump some grid into the battery...

 

[SauRoN]

Had my first inverter shutdown today when the SoC reached the 15% shutdown. I tried lowering the shutdown to 10% but it didn't switch on again. So googled and found out it will only turn on again at the 30% restart. Grid is back so we have power. But I've tweaked the settings for this continuous rain and load shedding to:

Preferred minimum SoC: 50% (it will use the grid if available when reaching 50% but use battery when not)
Shutdown: 15% (my installer recommended a maximum 85% DoD for my Magneto batteries)
Restart: 40% (inverter won't use battery after a shutdown until it gets here)
Low: 40% (inverter will charge battery from the grid if it goes below this, this was 30%)

I'd rather have power than not so I'm accepting I will use some grid under these conditions.

That is how I understand it anyway. What settings are you using? @Tinuva @Spizz @SauRoN

Yup you’ve got it all right.

Mine are set to 30% across the board reserve and shutdown at 15% is forced by the batteries.

Obviously percentages will vary for different people and use case and number of batteries.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

 

[biometrics]

Interestingly the PV is being used to charge the batteries and the grid is used for the house.

 

[biometrics]

I see I'm getting about 1 kW from PV which is being used to charge the battery, it's not using the grid. How can I get it to use the grid as well to charge the battery, it's only at 25% atm. Want to pump some grid into the battery...

Found on powerforum:

Untick use timer and tick grid charge and it will force that battery to charge from the grid