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Brand batteries vs DIY batteries

  • 11-09-2024 09:27PM
    #1
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 5


    Hi there

    I’m completely new here but was advised to come over from Reddit. I want to get Solar, specifically with ev night charging rates.

    I’ve got various quotes. The ones with brand batteries are expensive. The cheapest one at the moment is 9.7k for dyness 10k battery + 12panel system with a solis inverter.

    I also have a quote for 9.7k but for a 16k battery that’s DIY’d by the installer.

    I’m confused as to what should I go for. Another question I have is what do I need to sell excess solar power back to the grid? If I get the no name battery installed by a random person (non SEAI), can I sell to grid? Is there anything needed specifically to do this!?

    Finally, is this a good price? I saw some mentions of kits for 1800£ in NI but I know nothing of solar though I come from engineering background. Don’t want to mess wIth anything myself.

    Tagged:


Best Answer

  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2, Paid Member Posts: 9,237 ✭✭✭10-10-20


    Hi, the way that the question is put is a little tricky, but let me clarify one part first:

    I’m confused as to what should I go for. Another question I have is what do I need to sell excess solar power back to the grid? If I get the no name battery installed by a random person (non SEAI), can I sell to grid? Is there anything needed specifically to do this!?

    To export onto the grid and receive payment you need to have an NC6 form (or NC7 for larger inverter installs) completed and submitted to ESBn by the installing electrician. That electrician will typically be responsible for the wiring, installation, and configuration of the inverter. The inverter power will be the limiting factor in terms of what is your max export capability will be. Connecting into that inverter are the solar panels and batteries, but these do not strictly need to be installed by the same electrician who submits the NC6, but the NC6 does ask for details on the sizing of the solar and battery, so typically these need to be in place before the form is submitted. You could in theory use a smaller battery and solar install to commission the inverter and then later upgrade or change out elements around that.

    What I'm saying is that the battery could effectively be a DIY job (self-made), commercial high-end job, or a kit from some lad in a barn, but that somebody has to agree to attach said battery and solar to the inverter. So as long as you have an approved inverter installed and the NC6 has been accepted by ESBn, then you're free (within the rules at this point in time) to size your solar and battery according to your wishes.

    Questions in terms of pricing should be popped into the pricing thread - it's pretty active in that respect.

    Hope it helps.



Answers

  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 5 canc3r12


    This is tremendous help, thank you. So I imagine this NC6 form - the electrician has to have some qualificiation to submit this, I assume they would check this against some database of qualified Electricians etc. Meaning I can't build/connect this system myself and just export electricity. Thakn you



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 623 ✭✭✭idc


    You can do this on your own if system is off grid. But once your connecting to the grid you need to follow ESBNetworks rules. see more info on ESBN website Micro-Generators (esbnetworks.ie)



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2, Paid Member Posts: 9,237 ✭✭✭10-10-20




  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 81 ✭✭Borax2709


    In terms of aesthetics (I know, I know) would any of the DIY enthusiasts be comfortable comparing to any of the off-the-shelf?
    We are getting the inverter fitted to a Utility room - and we really only have "wall space" - so would need to wall mount a solution if we were to go that route. I'm not exactly overwhelmed by the "handsomeness" of any of the DIY stuff I've seen (mostly because the youtubers have garages/plant room setups where it's perfectly fine to be rugged).

    Has anyone self-built a solution that they're 'proud' to show off?



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,646 ✭✭✭SD_DRACULA


    I was in the same boat, plywood box was fine in the attic but not when I see it every day

    image.png

    It is a lot neater now but I don't have any recent pics, you get the idea though



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  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2, Paid Member Posts: 351 ✭✭mjatkey


    Hi, this is the Seplos DIY battery 10-15Kw, there a few guys that use them on here and a great range of video's (Off grid garage and Gary Meats). As I told the wife look at it as a "feature" a small hall table.

    image.png

    🌞 6.96kWp PV System. West Dublin🌞



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,607 ✭✭✭Ginger83


    Would this work with other batteries like a dyness?



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 177 ✭✭paddyman


    How about from a quality / longevity point of view. How do people think a Seplos kit with EVE cells would compare over time to a Pylontech / Dyness battery?.

    Would the cells in the branded battery be better or worse quality then the current EVE diy cells?.

    What are peoples thoughts?.

    Paddy



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 237 ✭✭on_the_roots


    In my opinion, from what I've seen with others, no real difference in terms of cell quality. Even Grade B cells on DIY batteries are just fine for PV storage.

    A really good point about DIY batteries is that you can easily source and replace/upgrade your cells at any time, they are pretty plug & play. A downside is that it requires quite a bit of fine adjustments here and there, so you gotta know a bit about some engineering aspects of LFP batteries and do some troubleshooting, to get the most out of it.



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