Solar for Beginners [ask your questions here]

Manion

Hi,

What is the significance of getting a Dual Voltage LV/HV Battery? I just noticed the battery I'm getting is Dual voltage but most folks have low voltage for domestic purposes. Is there any advantage of one over the other?

Thanks.

graememk

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119800775#Comment_119800775

I seen the data sheet for a dual voltage recently.. weco?

The high voltage is just 4 of them in series.

Manion

Ah, so it's a configuration thing.

Paul Kiernan

Orientation - All South or half SE, half SW?

I have a large rectangular flat roof which is 45 degrees off South. I can fit all panels facing South by staggering them at 45 degrees to the roof edge or I could have one string facing backwards (which is SE) and the other facing the side (which is SW).

Former gives me most overall energy but latter might get more balance from morning to evening?

Appreciate any thoughts!

unkel

Whatever is cheapest. Don't spend a cent on systems that tilt or otherwise alter the way the panels go easiest on the roof. Unless you absolutely have to.

Plaster all your roofs with panels if you can do so cheaply! Any orientation is fine if you have loads of space

MAULBROOK

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119804495#Comment_119804495

Go with all aspects if you can afford it. OK don't bother with North

unkel

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119806693#Comment_119806693

North at a typical angle in a good area of Ireland generates about 50% of south. So if you are short on space on your other orientations, by all means do go north too. Or if you can get your hands on reasonably priced, cheap or even free panels. That's exactly what I will be doing next.

Magpie2

Hi all, I'm in the process of getting quotes and trying to work my way through all the info here! There are two systems that I'm looking at, if anyone has experience with these brands I'd love to get some feedback on these options in terms performance, reliability, after sales service with the manufacturer etc? 

Option A. 12x jinko panels (5kW), Sonnen hybrid inverter (4.6KW) AND 10KW battery

Option B. 12x trinasolar panels (5kW) Fronius inverter (5kW) plus 7.7kW BYD battery.

Would really like to have as much information back from the system as possible and to be able to control its operation to optimise for time of year and even weather if possible so any information there would be greatly appreciated.

We have a smart meter but the information the energy companies are promising to give supply seems to be very poor so am considering installing a second smart meter (Fronius 63-a) with option B to provide better information, if anyone has experience doing that I would love to hear about it too.

Thanks everyone, and I hope this isn't covered elsewhere already, I did a good search but can't be sure!

buffalo

We had a power cut yesterday. I was aware the panels/battery wouldn't power the house in that scenario, but I didn't realise the panels wouldn't even charge the battery. Nearly two hours of daylight, wasted! 😥

unkel

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119824187#Comment_119824187

No such issue with an offgrid system. Not that I'm promoting that though 😀

ELM327

Yes, you'd need a differently configured system to either generate in a power outage and or use the battery.

Dozz

Hi All

My eddi seems to be drawing a good bit of power from my battery in the evenings (when no solar production is taking place).

Is there a setting to stop this from happening anywhere?

bullit_dodger

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119825077#Comment_119825077

What can happen is that if the "export threshold" is too low (0 watts), your eddi can start to get onto the house load.

If you go into the settings and change the export threshold to (say) 100 watts , then the eddi will only start to use when your exporting more. Often changing the timeline to (say) 30 seconds too helps.

Hellrazer

So Im getting my install tomorrow - solar as a service which I posted about earlier in the quotes thread.

10 panels + water diverter -4kw system.

Is there anything I need to ask / know about before the installers leave?

Any tips or tricks that other people can share?

Thanks

Dozz

Thanks for that.

Are those settings in the inverter or the eddi?

bullit_dodger

On the eddi.

Select "Settings", then "Advanced" , then enter passcode (usually "0000") and then "Supply Grid" and scroll down.

There is a export threshold and export delay, Try changing them to say 100w and 30 seconds for starters and see how you get on. If that solves your problem.... rock on. If not, try upping the values. To say 300w and 60 seconds. (just to see if it goes away, ideally you want the export threshold as low as you can, but sometimes you may need to have it higher than normal)

MAULBROOK

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119825308#Comment_119825308

Make sure they setup the app for monitoring the setup.

Hellrazer

So few issues found today during install.

Consumer unit has no RCD on it so I now need to find a RECI to do that - the installers wont fit one as its not part of their remit.

Tails need upgrading but thats not essential until I go for an EV - theyre 6mm and they want 10mm.

Copper pipes in hot press arent "bonded" - Havent a clue what that means. They did a loop test and that was in his words "completely up to spec"

So panels are installed, inverter installed - they wont commission until other issues fixed.

Manion

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119828267#Comment_119828267

Your piping isn't properly earthed is what it means. It sounds like you've a big issue with your electrics. I'd just get the tails upgraded now. In a couple years the regulations might have changed again.

https://www.expertelectrical.co.uk/news/what-is-the-difference-between-an-rcd-and-rcbo/#:~:text=An%20RCBO%20is%20a%20type,caused%20by%20the%20short%20circuit.

unkel

Bonding means connecting all metal parts together that are not supposed to carry electricity but could possibly do so if there were a fault. Like metal cabinets, metal pipes, wires, etc. So if there is a fault, all these will act as one big conductor and if at least one of them is earthed (which should be the case!), there is a path to ground, so no risk of getting electrocuted (by having current go through your body).

And yes it is in the remit of any electrician to check if your house is up to scratch for any install. If not they won't connect. So it looks like they were doing their job right, although it obviously means extra costs to you that you weren't expecting...

randombar

Hi Lads,

This may be a dummy comment but how do I join the two of these?? Thinking a T and bolt or something?

https://capture.dropbox.com/xQdOCtxcaxWdCQB0

Thanks,

Gary

cobham

Still working things out... good solar coming off roof now and wash machine on so power is being taken from roof and from battery and 10 w going off to grid. Does it make any difference in efficiency to run the wash machine in daytime compared to evening when battery would supply all energy but then be empty overnight? Why is the 10 w going off to the grid? We still await smartmeter and a provider for a decent night rate to recharge battery or an EV.

slave1

Always better to consume PV as it is being generated, you will have ~8%-9% losses in AND out of the battery so for every 1kWh you store you will likely only get roughly 80% "back"

randombar

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119828761#Comment_119828761

Night rate is better than smart meter FYI.

Maybe cancel the order for the smart meter!!

cobham

Thanks for replies. I thought the smartmeter was inevitable and part of getting solar done but now I realise we have the old style meter so will delay. I did not not think we could get a D/N meter now and presume it would mean removing the old meter so 'swings and roundabouts'.

unkel

Yes it's a stupid situation we are in. We all should really get a smart meter soon and pay the real cost of electricity. And be paid the real cost of electricity when we export (sell back to our providers), it would be for the good of the environment

Paul Kiernan

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119832199#Comment_119832199

Have you a meter that goes backwards?

randombar

You’re in the best situation where the meter will go backwards. Drive on id say!!!

micks_address

hey folks - it looks like i might be getting my invertor and battery fitted next week.. along with eddi as it hasnt sold... any specific things i need to ask for during the installation? im going to bring up the potential to run a socket from the invertor for backup purposes.. re running solar when power outage ive heard its usually not done by installers who are processing the grant as it can complicate things?

unkel

Must of use just wired a socket right beside the inverter as an EPS (emergency power supply). Cheap and cheerful solution. If / when the grid goes down, just run an extension reel from the socket to wherever you need the power in the house. There are of course much fancier solutions out there, but they will cost ya (and probably have very little benefit unless we start getting major outages)