Solar for Beginners [ask your questions here]

graememk · 05-09-2025 03:21PM

Stuck Thread bump

jkbah · 07-09-2025 11:31AM

Hi there. Total newbie. Can I please ask, I want to charge my battery just at night using ev rate. I think we have just set this up....

Is there a way to stop the battery recharging during the day using solar. I want to buy my electricity at the EV rate and sell whatever the house doesn't use during the day at the export rate. Hope this makes sense. Basically I want to stop excess going to battery and have it going to grid. So I want to prioritise

1 house consumption

2 export to grid

3 battery charge.

Can this be done?

Screenshot_2025-09-07-12-29-35-937_com.ginlongsolis.jpg

mjatkey · 07-09-2025 06:04PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123793163#Comment_123793163

Hi, yeap simple to do all of that.

Set the work mode of the Solis to Feed in Priority, make sure Time of Use is enabled, then set your Charge and Discharge times and current setting (charge at 100Amp).

So Charge times will be your EV window say 2am to 6am, we discharge also after 10pm any excess in the battery, just need to do a bit of math to calculate how long to set discharge window for.

With the Solis set to Feed in Priority, once any house load is satisfied all other PV will go straight to grid, if you have a large house load and PV isn't enough, battery will get used.

Like wise once sun goes down battery will run the house load.

Thanks

CatInABox · 09-09-2025 12:37PM

With the Fogstar v4 builds, do you guys update the firmware on yours, or just leave it as is?

mjatkey · 12-09-2025 11:09PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123798897#Comment_123798897

Haven't updated any of my Seplos BMS to date not had any reason too as all 3 batteries I have have performed reasonable well.

mjatkey · 12-09-2025 11:16PM

Newbe question:

If my ineverter is in discharge mode at 30Amp and the house draws more than the 30Amp will the battery supply any current past the 30A or the grid?

I thought it should be the battery up to what ever c rating it was capable of but it appears not on one of my Solis inverters?

Thanks

graememk · 13-09-2025 08:19AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123811785#Comment_123811785

Solis discharge mode is a flat discharge at x amps, it ignores the house load. Normal use you don't need it set.

mjatkey · 13-09-2025 02:36PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123812121#Comment_123812121

Thanks graememk, so it looks like I need to change my discharge strategy, currently because I have large capacity I've been starting at 8pm and discharging to 1.55am at lowish amps. Need to do it later with higher current going forward.

Masala · 13-09-2025 11:23PM

hi all. Am a bit worried

I have a 35 yr old house with slate roof and am worried that putting on 10++ panels could leave me witg damage and possible leaks. Thoughts??

Also…. I have no space in my attic for an engineer to get in there and put in a whole panel etc I have no floor to stand on and no wall space for a ‘unit’ to hold fuse boards etc Can this be put externally and what are the cons on same???

Many thanks…..

PatMurphy021987 · 15-09-2025 02:59PM

Hi everyone,

I am quite new to this, I live in a 3-bed semi-detached house with a hip roof in Dublin 12, and I’m exploring solar power. I’m looking for rough guide prices for the supply & installation of the following:

• Solar panels (around 10-12 panels)
• Optimisers (if needed for shading or roof layout)
• Inverter
• Battery
• Eddi (Hot Water)

If you’ve recently done this (or got quotes), could you share ballpark costs (material + install) or links to good quotes in Dublin or nearby?

Also, any tips on what to watch out for (warranties, roof suitability, shading, grant-eligibility, etc.) are very welcome.

Many thanks

Solar-Lplate · 18-09-2025 11:54AM

Solar newbie … Question regarding Hybrid Inverters. I am getting a panels only installation (no battery initially, but they said "battery ready system" for later addition of the battery if I decide to at a later date)

Is the Sigenergy "Sigen Hybrid 5.0 SP" the same as the "SigenStor EC 5.0SP"? I was quoted in the proposal for the

"SigenStor EC 5.0SP" but the kit has arrived and the box says "Sigen Hybrid 5.0 SP".

Which one do I need? Which one is better?

Many thanks,

Peter.

daveville30 · 20-09-2025 07:10PM

Can you mix and match panels seen a few for sale cheap could you get the same brand and get two 450w and four 260w or do they all have to be the same wattage

Cheers

con747 · 20-09-2025 07:19PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123835567#Comment_123835567

AFAIK the lower panel will drag the higher one down to it's wattage. Open to correction though.

graememk · 20-09-2025 07:54PM

Yeah it will be reduced to the output of the smallest panel.

*It is the current it's pulled down to so possibly you could parallel 2 small panels together in the string to bump up it's current. Really depends on the specs of the panels.

With panels being cheap, usually still not worth it

NinjaTruncs · 28-09-2025 08:52PM

I've a Solis inverter that wasn't connected to WiFi for a few weeks, everything else was working fine except the internet. Is there anyway to get the data I missed synced to the app? Thanks.

Markus Antonius · 30-09-2025 09:34PM

Are any users here completely off grid? Is it feasible to do during the winter months or too awkward to manage?

ECO_Mental · 01-10-2025 09:07AM

@Markus Antonius All depends if you have an EV and or a heat pump, if you a have either during the winter months and even during the summer (if you have an EV) then it would almost be impossible. If you have an average electricity usage and use gas for heating etc and you have a big enough battery 30kWh+ you should be able to be fairly self-sufficient.

I built this website a few months ago to investigate this as I was scoping out a battery for myself. I have an EV and a heat pump and the best I can to is 25% self-sufficient. If you have a smart meter and a years worth of data (ESBN HDF file) upload it to the website and it will calculate per half hour over the past 12 months. You can adjust the battery size inverter size etc. It will then simulate that battery. You can go through day by day over the past year also to see where it works or not.

I think its accurate enough. It also has a scenario where it force charges and discharges to maximise the feed in tariff

https://homebatterycalc.netlify.app/

Markus Antonius · 01-10-2025 01:59PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123866600#Comment_123866600

Wow, this looks like an incredibly useful resource, thanks so much. Don't have EV or heat pump, house heated with a solid fuel range and oil burner for the radiators.

Just getting solar system set up with 16x 420W panels, 16x 320Ah batteries and an 8K hybrid inverter. Apart from an electric oven/ kettle, which would be used infrequently enough, can't think of anything that would trouble us for energy even in the winter. Will get the system set up and put the data into your website after a year and see. Would even be willing to supplement with a generator if needed.

Maybe the biggest argument against would be the inability to sell back to grid in the summer months.

ECO_Mental · 02-10-2025 09:44AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123867580#Comment_123867580

With the pinergy FIT rates people are making money not alone having zero energy bills so id think serious about not getting a grid connection.

JPA · 02-10-2025 10:46AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123867580#Comment_123867580

You could produce 2 kWh from PV some days in December and January, you'd be mad and bringing hardship on yourself.

Markus Antonius · 02-10-2025 02:06PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123869601#Comment_123869601

While a very good rate, isn't it only returned as credit? So likely evens out then in the winter.

ECO_Mental · 02-10-2025 02:35PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123870706#Comment_123870706

No...they will send you cash if you have enough built up, you have to leave a reserve €200 i think. There was a poster here who just got sent €1200 and that wasn't his first payment this year from pinergy

unkel · 02-10-2025 09:55PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123870800#Comment_123870800

Me. Got over €1400 into my bank account this week. Have had many payments from Pinergy since I joined them 25 months ago.

My total annual energy bill, including my electricity bill, driving 4 EVs and my gas bill, is negative. And before anyone thinks I live in a mansion, I live in a small semi detached house in an estate in Lucan. Panels everywhere though.

CatInABox · 03-10-2025 03:31AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123872148#Comment_123872148

How many panels, just out of curiosity?

JohnySwan · 03-10-2025 07:42AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123872148#Comment_123872148

Same, 2 EV's and electric heating, annual bill is negative.

unkel · 03-10-2025 10:06AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123872394#Comment_123872394

44. They are everywhere. Going down a bit next month though but hopefully still have 38

Markus Antonius · 03-10-2025 11:52AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123872148#Comment_123872148

Looks like you've drained their bank accounts:

https://search.app/?link=https://www.rte.ie/news/ireland/2025/1002/1536541-pinergy-job-cuts/&utm_source=dsdf,,sh/x/discover/m5/4&utm_campaign=dsdf,,sh/x/discover/m5/4

unkel · 03-10-2025 01:38PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123873576#Comment_123873576

Different company ;-)

kig · 03-10-2025 03:56PM

We have a Huawei Solar system (Inverter and 5kw Battery). A few months ago our area had a power outage, and I discovered that I cannot use the power in my battery if the grid is down. To be able to use it Huawei have advised me to get a Backup Box, they retail at €500-600, but I am struggling to get anyone to quote me to install it. One company did reply, but they don't do Huawei and wouldn't touch the system for fear of negating the warrentee, but he did say that all I needed was a 'change over switch', about €200-300 fitted.

Does anyone know about these things, and may be able to give me some advice?

JohnySwan · 03-10-2025 04:29PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123874514#Comment_123874514

Huawei system requires the back up box. Changeover switch won't work with it and even if it did, I highly doubt you would get it fitted properly for less than 500.

Solar for Beginners [ask your questions here]

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