Huawei Hybrid solar system

podgeandrodge

Getting some solar quotes at the moment and a company called *** who regularly pop up as ads in the Indo , about to provide quotes for Huawei Hybrid solar system.

Anything to be concerned about? I recall reading couple of years ago something to do with Huawei batteries?

Do people recommend a different brand?

Thanks.

10-10-20

Get more than one quote would be my advice. Part of the concern around the Huawei was the vendor lock-in in regards to the battery. Plus I think it's also a HV (400/500v) battery as opposed to a 48/50v unit - which in fairness is where the technology is going anyway.

graememk

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122033977#Comment_122033977

The Huawei batteries are 48v batteries with a boost converter, nothing special at all, possibly lighter cables.

10-10-20

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122034491#Comment_122034491

Let's be specific here: the batteries within the enclosure are natively 48v, but the interconnect between the battery DC-DC converter and the inverter is ~350v to 560v DC, and that's fairly different to native 48v DC batteries due to the hazards associated with HV DC. So for a future customer's perspective, my point stands as the batteries do differ from the common 48v standard. Would you agree?

graememk

They totally differ. And to me it's a negative without any positives.

Id prefer the lower voltage, high current of the traditional batteries (and more choice) than extra hardware in the battery itself to boost the voltage to 350-500v.

They don't get any more power out of the battery either.

Yes, I agree it's a disadvantage to have a high voltage battery.

10-10-20

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122035651#Comment_122035651

I think we're in agreement then. 😂

podgeandrodge

Ok, not understanding much of the double dutch comments above 😀

But had call with installer, who was at pains to explain to me that the higher cost of a "hybrid" inverter compared to standard inverters was:

1. not only can you divert solar to battery but you can convert cheap night grid electricity to the battery so that you can then use that cheap electricity during the day
2. that this is why the hybrid inverters dearer, as you can charge battery from the grid even during winter when no solar power and use that next day.

I had a look at the solar quote analyser and my quote was a bit dearer alright - 12x435w panels, and a 5kwh HYBRID inverter/battery coming out at €11k after grant.

Am I right in saying that non hybrid inverters can still divert solar power to a battery, but only hybrid can take power from the grid and divert to the battery? Is that it in a nutshell?

Question - is HYBRID and taking really cheap night electricity into battery to use during the day worth the extra cost.

thanks!

curioustony

@podgeandrodge There is no one size for all answer to this question. It depends on the supplier, the plan, the FIT rate, the size and orientation of your solar, the inverter ability to dump excess (optional), how much electricity you use, when you use it, and how much storage you have.

For me, yes, 100%. Small solar system, good supplier plan use ~7 MWh a year and have not put my hand in my pocket for over 2 years now.

10-10-20

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122039200#Comment_122039200

The installer is not wrong with those assertions, @podgeandrodge. I think the deciding factor here is the cost, but I would make that decision only after seeing additional quotes for a similar system. It's a buyer's market out there at the moment - there are more installers than you can shake a 20ft rod at.

podgeandrodge

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122039354#Comment_122039354

Thanks @10-10-20 I had just added another question to previous post to make sure I have this right - "Am I right in saying that non hybrid inverters can still divert solar power to a battery, but only hybrid can take power from the grid and divert to the battery? Is that it in a nutshell?" ta

PCDub

No, non hybrid or string inverters can't charge a battery from solar or grid. Hence string inverters typically a third the cost of a hybrid.

podgeandrodge

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122039421#Comment_122039421

So everybody with a solar panel system and a battery has a hybrid inverter?

Sorry if getting confused here!

10-10-20

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122039429#Comment_122039429

Correct. It's a poorly named term, but a hybrid is a solar inverter with a battery charger attached.

PCDub

In general yes when dc coupling. There are a few who have a non hybrid string inverter just to capture the solar and then fit a second battery inverter, ac coupling, such as the me3000. But as said mostly yes a hybrid is more common and is arguably the recommended setup for most users who want the simplest cleanest setup.

curioustony

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122039429#Comment_122039429

Yes.

String and micro inverter convert DC to AC

Hybrid inverter can also convert AC to DC.

Battery store is DC, solar panels produce DC. Grid and house are AC.

bullit_dodger

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122039447#Comment_122039447

As curioustony/10-10-20 says above, that's it in a nutshell - and I can see why people new to this game would be confused.

You can think of it this way. A standard inverter (non-hybrid) can work with solar panels only, while a hybrid inverter actually has all the functionality of the standard one, in addition it has the ability to charge/discharge a battery. (Under the hood it's actually two separate inverters inside the same box, but that's a side point)

Because it's got extra hardware in there to do that additional work, hence the extra expense. Now if you don't need/want a battery, you could in effect not buy the more expensive hybrid makes/models, and just get a standard inverter.

But….and there are differeing opinions on this (depending on the household - how much you consume/export/etc) but a battery as long as you don't pay crazy money for it, is generally a wise buy.

podgeandrodge

Thanks all. Very interesting, as the installer in this case really convinced me that the extra 2k cost compared to lots of other quotes I'd get was down to the hybrid nature. But I would have been comparing to other battery inclusive quotes so they are like for like.

Here's the quote for €11k (13k before grant):

System Hardware
Solar Panels
Jinko Solar Co., Ltd.

5.220 kW Total Solar Power

12 x 435 Watt Panels (JKM435N-54HL4R-B)

3,744 kWh per year

Inverter
Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd.

4 kW Total Inverter Rating

1 x SUN2000-4KTL-L1

Battery
Huawei

5 kWh Total Battery Storage

1 x Luna2000-5-S0

Smart Power Sensor
Smart Power Sensor, Weight (cables included)-1.2 kg, Type of electrical network - 1P2W

1 x DDSU666-H

lau1247

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122039728#Comment_122039728

Your quote is on the high side.. you should get a few more quotes. In my own case I got 18 x 435w, 5Kw Inverter, 10kwh Battery, Power Sensor and 4 Optmisers for 13.2K after grant.

You can plug it into this rough guide website to get an idea whether you are in the right ballpark.

http://davidhunt.ie/solar/

podgeandrodge

Thanks all.

That quote analyser - seems to be coming out with figures that are always a good bit lower than the quotes that people are putting up here (including mine).

bullit_dodger

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122042827#Comment_122042827

You say that, and yet when I go to the quotes thread and look at a recent message on the quotes thread.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122038989/#Comment_122038989

And plug those details into the quote analyser - it shows me.

I didn't write the analyzer, but it's proven to be a fair estimate for the state of the market. Shop around, you'll get close to it.

Note: For smaller systems, it's harder to reach the recommended price. There are various reasons for this such as it costs roughly the same amount to get two guys out in a van to put 10 panels on a roof as it does 12 panels etc etc

podgeandrodge

Thanks @bullit_dodger i had been looking specifically at these few quotes, which were more around the 12 panels system like I was looking. They seemed a lot dearer than the analyser, but I may have been doing it wrong! (comment #502 in the quotes thread, but can't link it as it seems to mess it up)

podgeandrodge

Ok, gonna try and get some cheaper quotes!

bunderoon

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122052984#Comment_122052984

It's quite possible that when the sale person interacts with you, that they try and gauge your depth of knowledge on the subject. And if they sense its not that much, they lump on another 1-2k onto the price. I'm convinced this is the case with the loads of quotes that are given. Now that you are armed with some great info (the great replies you got), you can be more specific in what you want and maybe the replies will have more fairer numbers.