Solar PV Hints, Tips & Troubleshooting

MAULBROOK

Dose anyone know where I can sell a second hand 2 year old Solis inverter. Hybrid 5kw 4G. Any ideas?

Im just gauging the market, my replacement hasn't arrived yet. Im just putting out the feelers.

PMs welcome.

slave1

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SD_DRACULA

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117803682#Comment_117803682

Technically possible yes but Smart tariff that I could find is extremely poor and nowhere near some of the nice day/night meter rates some of the guys are getting on here.

I will try to phone them and find out

KCross

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117803682#Comment_117803682

As other said, its technically possible but most of the providers dont offer a standard day/night tariff if you have a smart meter.

Unless things have changed recently, if you have a smart meter you have to accept a smart tariff OR be on the standard 24hr tariff... neither of which are palatable if you have an EV or a heat pump as the smart tariffs on offer are rather highly priced.

e.g. A standard day/night rate from most providers is now around 16c/8c for day/night. Smart tariffs are in the region of 23c/24c/12c for day/peak/night. Thats a large gap there if you use alot of night rate.

Eletric Ireland do offer this smart tariff but that cheap rate is only for 2hrs and the other rates are still rather high relative to a standard 16c/8c day/night plan.

Day 08.00 - 23.00 22.98c per kWh

Night: 23.00 - 08.00 11.83c per kWh

Night Boost: 02.00 - 04.00 6.39c per kWh

Basically, the smart meters are really bad value and best avoided if you can. Keep your day/night meter for as long as you can!

graememk

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117804777#Comment_117804777

I would even play dumb and not even mention the smart meter, Just request a change to a day night, they might put it through on the system!

I seen a doc from the ESB that listed what the suppliers were being charged, for each type of meter, and how much it was per unit,

the 24 hr and smart meters had a flat unit rate for 24hrs where the day night had 2 different rates. It was in the EV board but cant remember what thread.

DennisZ

Hello everybody.

newbie question - is standard "ISKRA" meter *smart enough* to understand which way the current flows ?

my tiny setup (2.6kwp for now) is doing a bit of export today.

not expecting it to count exported power, but wonder if it is doing the right thing (stopping the counter i am guessing).

DennisZ

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117841791#Comment_117841791

just went to the meter box: yes, it is *smart enough* , there is an arrow indication the current direction. All good :)

fluffykre

Will Prowse been doing some great videos lately about solar pv and batteries (diy and bought). Really enjoy this one which is a payback breakdown based on the different element of his system. Those aliexpress diy battery look like a great return on investment.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m8R6TeTkb5k

He's laying panels on the ground and has come to the conclusion he does not need planning permission as the panels are laid on the ground angled using bricks. Smart way to increase an array.

graememk

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117843473#Comment_117843473

Yeah but he's in Nevada. Different country, different regs.

I'd still fill the roof (although mines on a shed, more space there, steel roof, easy install)

Guy that done mine, said he had a customer that was waiting to get a base for the ground mount installed, and with delays etc they went and done the inverter etc and just lay them on the ground until they could be properly mounted.

slave1

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117843473#Comment_117843473

I like his videos, the guy has come a long way from living in a van, he's earning serious cash now, a Tesla, Porsche and home, good luck to him. Love it when he talks about the government and his distaste to spending money

DennisZ

Another newbie question:

Do I have to notify ESB about my solar pv installation ?

KCross

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117845957#Comment_117845957

Officially yes. Its just a small, simple form (NC6) that says the instal is done and conforms to regulations and thats it. You dont need approval or anything.... its just a notification to tell them its done and meets regs and needs to be signed by a certified electrician.

MAULBROOK

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117845957#Comment_117845957

If its DIY then yes, if its grant installed then your supplier will take car of it.

irishchris

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117845957#Comment_117845957

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117846026#Comment_117846026

Just an nc6 but unless the form has changed in last few weeks you shouldn't need a signature, just fill in whichever electrician you are using to do final consumer unit hookup and send it off. Note though this has to be done before commencing works not after

worlds goodest teecher

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117763388#Comment_117763388

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117763527#Comment_117763527

Just getting look into this again. My error the electricity rates that I quoted were before 28.5% discount is deducted. My pv installer previously told me that I had room for 1, maybe 2, panels on the grid. With the way prices are increasing is it best to pay 300/600 to add panels now. I appreciate winter is coming.

AndyBoBandy

So I'm (finally) going down the Solar PV route, and have been quoted for at least a 4.7kW system with 5kWh battery.

This is a lot more that I previously thought I could get (2kW), so now the very real question comes up of what to do with excess generation..?

Part of my quote includes an Eddi hot water diverter. My question is should I be looking to invest in the following items to go in with the Eddi?

A. MyEnergi Harvi - the meter box is quite far from the hot water tank (on opposite walls of the house), so would a Harvi avoid the hassle of trying to link the meter box and the Eddi by cable?

B. MyEnergi Hub - Will I need this with just an Eddi (and Harvi)? and if I want to view the PV generation/house load/excess to Eddi & Battery on the app, would I need the hub? Would the hub/app also help me control what goes where on the fly? increase/decrease power to battery/hot water? Do I need the hub to get the app?

C. Depending on what sort of excess the Solar PV produces, if its worth it, I'd probably add a Zappi, so for the Zappi, is it more beneficial to have the Hub/Harvi/Eddi?

THE ALM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117868669#Comment_117868669

The hub you will need to view stats etc online and on the app, it will also be needed to update firmware so I would be recommending it.

You can extend the ct cable with a cat5 cable if this would get you from the eddi location to the consumer unit or meter box easier and with less cost. If you are looking at the Zappi as well would you be able to get the ct from this to the meter box/consumer unit easier?

AndyBoBandy

The Zappi would be replacing my Tesla charger, and it’s located only 2m away from the meter box, so could the Zappi then be the link as opposed to a Harvi?

Not exactly massive money though, coming in at £176 for the Harvi & the Hub with shipping*, and I do like the visual in the app. Does the hub connect to the solar inverter? via wifi? or how does it show the solar production?

Zappi will probably be sometime next summer anyway when I have a better idea of production/excess...

*are there any Irish places selling MyEnergi products, to reduce on the shipping?

championc

I hope you used the quotes thread to get a decent overall quote

THE ALM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117868860#Comment_117868860

With MyEnergi you need a ct connected to the grid supply so if the Zappi is only 2m from the meter box then running the ct cable (can connect 3 ct's to the zappi) from this to the meter box should be straight forward.

For solar production you then need to connect another ct to the solar feed to measure this so whatever would be handy in this circumstance whether it be from the Eddi, Zappi or getting a Harvi.

I'll pm you where I got my myenergi products.

AndyBoBandy

My inverter will be in the attic, and the Eddi in the room directly below the inverter, with the internal fuse box directly below in the hallway, so the solar feed will be going through the room with the Eddi anyway, so a cable CT clamp there will probably suffice?

The biggest distance and most awkward run would be from the fuse box to the Eddi, so I’m guessing that’s where the Harvi would make life easier?

Then to tie it all together, and to give me the visuals and app control, the hub just goes in beside my modem and connects to the Eddi wirelessly (and also the Zappi down the line?). Does the Harvi link to the hub, or only to the Eddi?

AndyBoBandy

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117869082#Comment_117869082

Yeah, €7,500 net for a 4.76kW system with 5kWh battery and an Eddi diverter, from the folks from Enniskillen who a lot of folk here seem quite happy with…

slave1

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117869122#Comment_117869122

Your Zappi will be 2m from Consumer Unit did you say, in that case it's easy to run the CT clamps to that and let that act as the Master, you will not need to invest in a Harvi (Harvi does not connect to Hub, just to it's Master - either Zappi or EDDI) then as the EDDI will Slave off the Master via radio waves.

I'd go ahead and get the Zappi now and be done with it.

If you're ever passing Athlone you're welcome to see it all in action

DrPhilG

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117869134#Comment_117869134

Those folks in Enniskillen should be able to supply the Zappi etc too. They did for me.

Prices are up a bit. Is that the max amount of panels you can fit? I'd drop one of the batteries and add more panels if possible.

AndyBoBandy

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117870359#Comment_117870359

It’s for 14 panels, but they’ll bring an additional 3 and fit them if there’s room!!

slave1

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117870366#Comment_117870366

You should be able to work out how much room pretty easily, if you can't measure your roof all you have to do is measure one tile/slate, then take a photo of your roof and zoom in on number of tiles/slates and work it out. That's how I did it and I was +-2cm in roof area

AndyBoBandy

I've actually got good access through the Velux windows in the attic, so once I find my measuring tape I'll go up and measure, and then work it out.

I've Velux windows front & back, so its the side roof that will hopefully take the most panels... and its SW facing, so will get the brunt of the sunshine..

AndyBoBandy

Going to pick up a MyEnergi hub tomorrow.

Debating whether to call the solar installer and get them to throw in a Zappi into my system..... If I do get the Zappi, that takes care of the CT clamp on the input to my meter (2m from charger location), but could that clamp also go on the input to my consumer board? downstream of the meter? (as if I don't get the Zappi now, the CT clamp on the feed into my consumer box could then connect directly into the Eddi right?), and also the Solar feed, as well as battery could also get CT clamped into the Eddi, which would be the master? 

The Eddi (located in the hot press below the area in the attic where the inverter/battery will go) will roughly be halfway between the Inverter/battery & consumer board (in the hallway just below the hot press), so if all 3 were CT clamped into it, there'd be no need for a Harvi, and then if/when I do go for the Zappi down the line, it'll just be a straight swap with my existing charger, and it won't need a CT clamp as it will know its own load, and integrate into the hub/app?

Can 3 CT clamps be wired into the Eddi?

Sorry for all the questions, its just that now I'm going for the Solar, and going for the MyEnergi products I want to make sure I know as much about them as I can do...

DrPhilG

Bear in mind that a lot of installers, including mine, aren't too hot at getting the CT configuration right. My guy had to come back and called myenergi support to talk through it.

slave1

I would not advise keeping your EDDI in the hot press, that place can get woeful hot