Boast about your latest purchases here...

[ChrisF]

10 minutes ago, capediver said:

Just about the neatest setup I seen...

8kW Sunsync hybrid inverter

24 x 385W panels

20kW lithium recycled Revov battery pack (split into 4 units...)

DB split into Essentials for Loadshedding (plugs, lights and some light load items) and the Full Eskom

All packaged into a neat Mainframe cabinet on wheels

 

That is a monster system 👍👍

[capediver]

3 minutes ago, ChrisF said:

That is a monster system 👍👍

I like it...up to 85% off grid and running down to 60% SOC during winter and still coping....if we see a run of clear skies for a few days during winter, we drop down to 40% just to recycle the batteries a few times and that will get us through the longest loadshed Eskom can throw at us...

A few years ago, I was like Nah...it's never going to get that bad, I travelled in Africa a few years where most of the places I worked had jennies and never relied on state supply.....now, I'm thinking OK... I got a few squares left on the roof, not quite N facing and I got a battery bay open...hmmmmm...$$$$ but worth it......100% self supply -----already there with water (borehole and tx plant)....sheeezzz....!!!

[ChrisF]

8 hours ago, capediver said:

I like it...up to 85% off grid and running down to 60% SOC during winter and still coping....if we see a run of clear skies for a few days during winter, we drop down to 40% just to recycle the batteries a few times and that will get us through the longest loadshed Eskom can throw at us...

A few years ago, I was like Nah...it's never going to get that bad, I travelled in Africa a few years where most of the places I worked had jennies and never relied on state supply.....now, I'm thinking OK... I got a few squares left on the roof, not quite N facing and I got a battery bay open...hmmmmm...$$$$ but worth it......100% self supply -----already there with water (borehole and tx plant)....sheeezzz....!!!

 

The drawback of a small townhouse ....

 

It would require a complete, and difficult, rewire to get the DB from the kitchen to the garage.

 

Over the last 8 years we did the following :

 

1. 12V lights, with pv and battery.  It was initially done as a backup system.  Works so well we dont use eskom lights any more.

 

2. Grundfos pv pool pump.  Stunning technology .... until the shaft wore out and we could not get a spare rotor .... spare panels left on the roof ....

 

3. Gas kooker top

 

4. Solar geyser.

 

5.  Then the battery box for the tv during loadshedding .... now connected those spare panels to suppliment this box, in order to work on the computer during load shedding.

 

6. Last year we installed an Enphase system.  Micro.inverters AT each solar panel, immediately feeds 220V to the DB.  This solves the space issues in a townhouse ... but without batteries it shuts off during loadshedding.  Good for reducing your eskom bill, but not aimed as a loadshedding solution.

[warick_wrx]

8 hours ago, capediver said:

Just about the neatest setup I seen...

8kW Sunsync hybrid inverter

24 x 385W panels

20kW lithium recycled Revov battery pack (split into 4 units...)

DB split into Essentials for Loadshedding (plugs, lights and some light load items) and the Full Eskom

All packaged into a neat Mainframe cabinet on wheels

 

This passes as a proper install. Nice !

[The Ouzo]

11 hours ago, capediver said:

Just about the neatest setup I seen...

8kW Sunsync hybrid inverter

24 x 385W panels

20kW lithium recycled Revov battery pack (split into 4 units...)

DB split into Essentials for Loadshedding (plugs, lights and some light load items) and the Full Eskom

All packaged into a neat Mainframe cabinet on wheels

 

you get my stamp of approval.

 

[capediver]

11 hours ago, ChrisF said:

 

The drawback of a small townhouse ....

 

It would require a complete, and difficult, rewire to get the DB from the kitchen to the garage.

 

Over the last 8 years we did the following :

 

1. 12V lights, with pv and battery.  It was initially done as a backup system.  Works so well we dont use eskom lights any more.

 

2. Grundfos pv pool pump.  Stunning technology .... until the shaft wore out and we could not get a spare rotor .... spare panels left on the roof ....

 

3. Gas kooker top

 

4. Solar geyser.

 

5.  Then the battery box for the tv during loadshedding .... now connected those spare panels to suppliment this box, in order to work on the computer during load shedding.

 

6. Last year we installed an Enphase system.  Micro.inverters AT each solar panel, immediately feeds 220V to the DB.  This solves the space issues in a townhouse ... but without batteries it shuts off during loadshedding.  Good for reducing your eskom bill, but not aimed as a loadshedding solution.

DB is still in the same place, they just split it into two...there was enough space in the kitchen cupboard where it is to add a smaller separate one....then ran a few wires from the DB to the inverter...and back..no electrician but it seemed pretty simple, biggest part was separating out the circuits...the original DB wasn't well marked...

Oh, also all downlights to LED (huge savings on consumption of standard 12v incandescents ...PITA!!!),  garden lights onto daylight and timer switch and geyser elements changed to PTC units also on timers...

[ichnusa]

On 7/12/2022 at 8:48 PM, capediver said:

Just about the neatest setup I seen...

8kW Sunsync hybrid inverter

24 x 385W panels

20kW lithium recycled Revov battery pack (split into 4 units...)

DB split into Essentials for Loadshedding (plugs, lights and some light load items) and the Full Eskom

All packaged into a neat Mainframe cabinet on wheels

 

Do you run a farm off this system? 😁

 

I have 2 Revov batteries- they are great!

Edited July 14, 2022 by ichnusa

[Dexter-morgan]

I am in a Townhouse, got a 3kva(2400W), Full sine wave inverter with 2 x 100AH batteries(in series), split the DB my self, the only things that are not on back-up power is the Geyser and Oven, we have a gas hob, We can just not use the electric kettle(when we are in a hurry) and the Microwave together and so far I have not even got to 50% of the batteries capacity, the smart inverter has a battery conditioning cycle which is quite cool, All of my light in the house are LED between 5 watt for Bedside lamps and 9watt for ceiling lights, the best money I have spent in ages, we don't even know when the  power goes out, the lights flash for a split second and a beep.

Edited July 14, 2022 by Dexter-morgan

[Eddy Gordo]

2 hours ago, Dexter-morgan said:

I am in a Townhouse, got a 3kva(2400W), Full sine wave inverter with 2 x 100AH batteries(in series), split the DB my self, the only things that are not on back-up power is the Geyser and Oven, we have a gas hob, We can just not use the electric kettle(when we are in a hurry) and the Microwave together and so far I have not even got to 50% of the batteries capacity, the smart inverter has a battery conditioning cycle which is quite cool, All of my light in the house are LED between 5 watt for Bedside lamps and 9watt for ceiling lights, the best money I have spent in ages, we don't even know when the  power goes out, the lights flash for a split second and a beep.

Awesome, thanks. This is the info I was looking for.

So I have a 1kva invertor since yesterday. I havent tested the capacity yet, but the plan is to run the wifi and 2 computers from this. I do eventually want to upgrade to a bigger system along with solar panels. 

Do you power you fridge, dishwasher and washing machine as well from you system?

[Dexter-morgan]

1 minute ago, Eddy Gordo said:

Awesome, thanks. This is the info I was looking for.

So I have a 1kva invertor since yesterday. I havent tested the capacity yet, but the plan is to run the wifi and 2 computers from this. I do eventually want to upgrade to a bigger system along with solar panels. 

Do you power you fridge, dishwasher and washing machine as well from you system?

Yes, the wife actually used the washing maching and Dishwasher at the same time, with the 55" TV and a few lights the system was sitting at 80% but as the dishwasher's heating cycle completed, the load went down.

Just watch out for the smaller inverters, normally they have modified sine wave.

[ChrisF]

1 minute ago, Eddy Gordo said:

Awesome, thanks. This is the info I was looking for.

So I have a 1kva invertor since yesterday. I havent tested the capacity yet, but the plan is to run the wifi and 2 computers from this. I do eventually want to upgrade to a bigger system along with solar panels. 

Do you power you fridge, dishwasher and washing machine as well from you system?

 

My tv, media box, wifi and dstv decoder draws 91W.  Been running this off a 500W Victron for the last few years.

 

The laptop is power hungry ... especially when I start photo editing and make that graphics card work.

 

Proper test still to be done, but initial indications during start up .... The KikrCore, NUC PC, 32'' screen drew about 80W ..... will be testing what this draws during a proper Zwift ride.

 

 

Eddy the bigger issue is the charging current of your inverter system .... with these long and multiple loadsheds the recharge time of the batteries is the weak point of most of the small systems  (exactly why I now use pv to top up the battery during day time load shedding)

 

 

"Motors", i.e. fridge, washing machine, dishwasher, these are hard on inverters .... you need a very good sine wave unit, and it must be able to handle a significant starting current.  

[Eddy Gordo]

Yeah, my plan eventually is to have plenty solar panels, so that I can run off it during the day and batteries at night. I already have lights sorted. Biggest concern is the large appliances. Might even look into a gas powered fridge if things get really bad.

[Eddy Gordo]

2 hours ago, Dexter-morgan said:

Yes, the wife actually used the washing maching and Dishwasher at the same time, with the 55" TV and a few lights the system was sitting at 80% but as the dishwasher's heating cycle completed, the load went down.

Just watch out for the smaller inverters, normally they have modified sine wave.

The one I have now is a modified sine looking to power 2 computers and the wifi router

[Steven Knoetze (sk27)]

Thinking a "off grid" thread might be a good idea.........

[Mongoose!]

Some very nice $ystem$ here must say!  

I started with this very small UPS…  ( Gizzu 8800Mah Mini UPS Dual DC)- just to keep my wifi up and running during load shedding.

So Easy to install – plug the unit into the normal wall plug and it has two 12V outlets (one for my “fibre box” and one for router)

After 2.5 hours of load shedding there was still like 75% battery left.

R1099 at Takelot but saw price slightly increased since I bought it

 

 

[thebob]

Getting this back onto topic. Not a fully new bike, but a new front triangle under warranty with the new "lightweight" Bontrager Line 30 Elite carbon wheelset