Solar for Beginners [ask your questions here]

elgicko

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122601992#Comment_122601992

For info you need at least 6 x optimisers for the Huawei setup! If they can't get that right at design phase, do you really want them on your roof?

https://support.huawei.com/enterprise/en/doc/EDOC1100163578/45c7d98f/optimizer-technical-specifications

elgicko

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122612661#Comment_122612661

You are only eligible for 0% VAT at time of installation on both hardware and install costs, assuming going through SEAI registers company.

If you leave it now and get battery installed later, it will cost you, Battery cost + 23% VAT, installation cost will be + 13.5% VAT.

graememk

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122641939#Comment_122641939

Only need 6 optimisers for a "long" string

10 panels wouldn't be considered a long string, I suppose you could even split it up into 2 5 panel strings on each mppt.

As for the VAT, it doesn't have to be an SEAI registered company. But it does have to be part of an PV install to get it on the batteries too.

Option of building your own too as the kits out there are very good too.

newhouse87

Would 1250 cash for 5kw dyness battery be worth getting now from supplier/installer who is doing cash deal for everything else.

Wasn't planning on adding battery as fit payments v good at moment but would it be much dearer to add at later date? Dont have cheap rate to charge at night though.

tommythecat

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122640830#Comment_122640830

I've updated several times with no issues. The only thing is every time I open the app it says there is a firmware update available but when you click in there isn't one.

mjatkey

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122642357#Comment_122642357

Thanks, and is there a procedure for updating (if needed), disconnect from inverter, power down etc?

tommythecat

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122642587#Comment_122642587

No I just made sure that I did it in the middle of the day when the battery wasn't being drawn on. It's pretty quick.

mjatkey

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122642627#Comment_122642627

Perfect, thanks.

GhostInTheRuins

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122641939#Comment_122641939

Thanks for the info I’ll bring that up with them. How many panels counts as a “long string” though?

graememk

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122651700#Comment_122651700

Once you start pushing 600v VoC that's when optimisers could come into play to oversize the string. And depending on panels is 12ish panels per string.

Long strings are generally more for 3 phase inverters too. (With strings up to 50 panels long)

MarkN

posted in wrong thread, apologies

Cal04

Question about battery please

.have a 5 kw battery which I charge between 2-6 am..power shower on for a total of 30 mins this morning and oven on for about 4 hours. Would that bring the battery down to about 20%? Only worried that something is wrong and ot didn't charge last night plus its very overcast here today.

10-10-20

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122679451#Comment_122679451

Hi, do you have access to a graph on the inverter which shows the battery state, that's the best way of answering that question to be frannk.

But yes, that sounds around ball-park for a power shower (pumped only and not electrically heated) and an oven would be around 0.8kWh. So 20% remaining sounds about right.

Cal04

Just looked at inverter graph. High consumption between 9 and 12, thank you so much.

tommythecat

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122679451#Comment_122679451

Yes it would. Definitely sounds about right.

grenadot

I am in the process of planning a home storage battery installation for my solar PV system and would appreciate some advice on choosing between two options: the Huawei battery (LUNA2000 model) and the Duracell battery (Dura5). While Huawei has been on the market since 2018, Duracell is relatively new to this field.

If anyone has personal experience with either of these models, I would be extremely grateful for any feedback on their performance, reliability, and overall experience. Any guidance or recommendations that could assist me in making the right decision would be sincerely appreciated.

Thank you very much in advance for your time and assistance!

PS:

DuraCell5 -

https://www.duracellenergy.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/Dura5-Datasheet-V5.2-UK-web-PD.pdf

Huawei: -

https://solar.huawei.com/ie/professionals/all-products/LUNA2000-5-10-15-S0

graememk

Pure drive rebranded as Duracell recently.

So they aren't exactly new.

Huawei you can only use Huawei batteries.

Grumpypants

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122679451#Comment_122679451

Yeah, remember it's only really 4kw if you don't go below 20%. So an oven using 800w an hour for 4 hours plus shower would be about right.

jwhat

Where do people get their panels from? I want to diy one or two, and i'd like to find some irish suppliers.

Quazzie

Has anyone used the Renusol Console+ Tub for ground mount installations? Any issues with it? Any drawbacks. Looks a nice tidy system from the outside

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122696809#Comment_122696809

Eastern/EWL, Kellihers, Midsummer, National Electrical Wholesalers.

mcmorrowg

Hi, I have a 6kw PV system with 6kw invertor S5-EH1P6K-L, its max PV rating is 8kw, the panels are leapton 400w.

Can I add 5 additional 400w panels from another manufacturer as I'd like to increase the size to 8kw or do you have use Leapton?

10-10-20

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122708339#Comment_122708339

Hi - it depends. Depends on the input MPPT Vmax voltage of the string as well as the power rating. Have a look and see what the voltage is reading on each string. They don't specifically need to be the same brand but you should then try match the panels to the original ones as best you can so that they power and voltage ratings are the same.

newhouse87

What's highest kW inverter allowed for 7.92kw array? Installer offering 5kw or does it matter, heard of clipping on good days.

10-10-20

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122709171#Comment_122709171

It's 25A, so around 5.7kW.

Clipping isn't really a bad thing, people have a psychological concept of it being a significant loss when it really isn't. Any of the "loss" suffered during Summer will be made up in Winter when the value of a self-generated kW is greater to you.

https://energyd.ie/dc-over-sizing-pv-solar-in-ireland/

eefums

Hi, I'm considering a solar PV installation for my home. We have high electricity usage, averaging 12,000 kWh per year, as we power a large house (with OFCH/open fire) and a granny flat heated with electric heaters. During winter (Oct-March), our usage increases by about 400-500 kWh per month, and I'm unsure if a solar PV system would suit our needs, given the lower sunlight during those months.

I need to see immediate savings on bills, as I can't afford high energy costs alongside the solar installation, meaning any immediate savings have to offset the cost of the installation if this makes sense?

Here's our usage breakdown over the past year (Oct-Oct):

• Oct 23: 720 kWh
• Nov 23: 1200 kWh
• Dec 23: 1250 kWh
• Jan 24: 1250 kWh
• Feb 24: 1200 kWh
• Mar 24: 1050 kWh
• Apr 24: 820 kWh
• May 24: 680 kWh
• Jun 24: 540 kWh
• Jul 24: 700 kWh
• Aug 24: 840 kWh
• Sep 24: 900 kWh

We're based in the east of the country with an average annual solar generation per kWp of 885 kWh (south-facing roof, 30° pitch). I'm considering a 6kWp system (16 panels), but I estimate I'd get around 3,500 kWh annually, primarily in the summer. What production could I realistically expect from Oct to March?

Additionally, I'm curious about the benefits of battery storage. If I install 2x5kWh batteries (for 10kWh capacity), I estimate about 300 kWh per month could be stored and used at night rates (assuming night time rates are roughly half those of day time this would be the equivalent of 600kwh at my day-time rate). Would this offer a worthwhile payoff, (roughly halving my winter increase usage costs)?

I'd appreciate feedback from anyone with a similar setup or usage, particularly regarding system sizing and financial returns. I cant quite get the calculations straight in my head. Thank you!

10-10-20

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122728236#Comment_122728236

we power a large house and a granny flat with electric heaters

Is this statement correct in that you heat both the granny flat and the large house with electric heaters, or do you have a large house with another form of heating (but with a high energy demand) AND a granny flat with electrical heaters?

Because if you're heating the large house with electric heaters (like heating element ones) then you should have a look at this thread for pointers to an A2A (air to air) heating unit, or even an A2W (air to water) to shift that huge heating demand to a more efficient source. Effectively electric bar heaters provide a 1:1 ratio of heat to input energy, while A2W or A2A should provide 3:1 or greater effectiveness.

And I'm not suggesting that you DIY it either, these are just examples of where people here have moved beyond the more established sources of heat.

A2A:

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058374501/mitsubishi-srk-zs-wf-5kw-air-to-air

A2W:

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058371492/my-diy-installed-vaillant-arotherm-plus-is-now-live

eefums

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122728367#Comment_122728367

We have OFCH and open fires in the large house and electric heaters for the granny flat. Sorry if that wasnt clear.

graememk

This is a very good estimate of monthly output of a solar array, put in your location, kW of panels and what direction and slope.

Anything you use directly will save you at your day normal rate, export is 18-25c so even without battery you'll see a reduction in bills.

Load shifting with a battery is another saving on top of it.

con747

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122728540#Comment_122728540

https://re.jrc.ec.europa.eu/pvg_tools/en/tools.html