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Everything posted by Crossy
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Solar power, can it be done DIY?
Crossy replied to Sophon's topic in Alternative/Renewable Energy Forum
That is how I would interpret the description in the manual. They only way to find out if it really does work like that would be to test it. -
It looks OK. Don't worry about the power monitor thingy, with a grid-tie inverter the energy goes both ways anyway. Do check the sex of your MC4 in and out connectors, it's not totally clear in the photo but the IN end should be the opposite sex to the OUT end.
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Next is the feeling of relief when it all lights up and doesn't go bang. Check your panel connection polarity with a meter before plugging them into the inverter (NOT after it fails to start up), then check them again! Do be aware that your panel strings get up to full voltage with a surprisingly small amount of light, there's not much actual power but they can bite pretty hard! Then the feeling of money flowing into your beer fund as the meter starts creeping backwards
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Solar power, can it be done DIY?
Crossy replied to Sophon's topic in Alternative/Renewable Energy Forum
Sort of. The spec. you show says that if you run your inverter between 110% and 150% full load it will shut down after 10 seconds. Exceed 150% full load and it shuts down after 5 seconds. The idea being that it can support brief overloads such as motor stating surges. What happens between 100% and 110% is indeterminate, it may or may not shut down after 10 seconds, this "gap" is to ensure that it WILL run at 100% indefinitely regardless of manufacturing tolerances. Your 5.5kW unit running at 6kW is running at 109% and is in the "unknown" area, it may run ok, it may shut down after 10 seconds or 10 minutes (more likely on overheat). It is generally accepted as "unwise" to design your system to run the inverter at maximum power regularly or for extended periods anyway. If you actually have the above loading pattern you need a bigger inverter or a gas water heater. -
Growatt SPF5000ES Offgrid 9kw DIY Solar Project
Crossy replied to Pink7's topic in Alternative/Renewable Energy Forum
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And, importantly in my case, so is Madam as she authorised shelling XXXXXX baht on my pet project. ????
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I'm afraid I have no idea about education visas, although it does seem that they have become harder to get due to abuse ???? You could get married ???? A Thailand Elite visa might be a little more attractive https://www.thailandelite.com/
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Growatt SPF5000ES Offgrid 9kw DIY Solar Project
Crossy replied to Pink7's topic in Alternative/Renewable Energy Forum
Difficult. I would say the actual DC=>AC "inverter" itself, is going to be the most highly stressed area, certainly any mains charger should see little use, with the MPPT controller being sort of in the middle. The only way to be reasonably sure would be to follow the online user groups and see what failures other users are seeing. but with an off-brand unit that may not actually be much of a user base. -
Growatt SPF5000ES Offgrid 9kw DIY Solar Project
Crossy replied to Pink7's topic in Alternative/Renewable Energy Forum
IF you plan on going for an off-brand inverter (which will likely be just fine) and IF you may want to expand in future then I would get two inverters now, then they are guaranteed to work together. For Growatt I would be less worried but even they will change the design sometimes likely with no guarantee of backwards compatibility. EDIT Yes, I know I sound like a broken record, but Thai Contractors and Asean Now members can be like computers. You have to punch information into both of them (very, very, very old joke). -
Growatt SPF5000ES Offgrid 9kw DIY Solar Project
Crossy replied to Pink7's topic in Alternative/Renewable Energy Forum
No I'm using Sofar units, @Bandersnatchis a Growatt man, he should be able to answer any queries. -
Growatt SPF5000ES Offgrid 9kw DIY Solar Project
Crossy replied to Pink7's topic in Alternative/Renewable Energy Forum
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Growatt SPF5000ES Offgrid 9kw DIY Solar Project
Crossy replied to Pink7's topic in Alternative/Renewable Energy Forum
Is there a downloadable manual, that will could might throw some light on exactly what this inverter can and cannot actually do. The data page certainly indicates bi-directional grid connection. But ... -
Growatt SPF5000ES Offgrid 9kw DIY Solar Project
Crossy replied to Pink7's topic in Alternative/Renewable Energy Forum
My understanding is that the Growatt CAN "blend" as you say, up to the maximum rating of the inverter. The whole area of "hybrid" inverters is incredibly muddy and careful reading of specs and manuals is required. Some units which are described as "hybrid" do indeed simply switch to bypass, rather than running in a grid-supplemented mode. -
Replacing Safe-T-Cut with individual RCBO Breakers
Crossy replied to MJCM's topic in The Electrical Forum
Sadly, you have to stick with the 20A rating as it has to protect the cable. If you still need the full rating of both circuits you will have to find where the circuits join, split them then run a new neutral for the now isolated circuit. -
Growatt SPF5000ES Offgrid 9kw DIY Solar Project
Crossy replied to Pink7's topic in Alternative/Renewable Energy Forum
It's an off-grid hybrid (it can't export to the grid). -
Solar power, can it be done DIY?
Crossy replied to Sophon's topic in Alternative/Renewable Energy Forum
I reckon you're good to go, hopefully I've not missed the fatal flaw. It always takes me a few minutes to interpret these "graphical" diagrams, I can interpret an ISO standard drawing quickly but the graphics suffer from "too much information" which confuses my aging and pre-programmed brain. -
Replacing Safe-T-Cut with individual RCBO Breakers
Crossy replied to MJCM's topic in The Electrical Forum
OK, any half decent sparks would know, but anyway, a potted guide. You will need:- A multimeter (or at least a battery and test lamp) A long wire that will reach from your breaker board to the appliance/outlet you want to protect. What to do:- Mains OFF Connect your long lead to the neutral at the appliance. Disconnect all the neutrals at the breaker board. Identify which neutral has continuity with your long lead. Repeat as necessary for each neutral you want to identify. Put the neutrals in the correct RCBOs Reconnect the other neutrals and the neutral tails from the RCBO to the neutral bar Turn OFF all the breakers. Turn ON the mains Turn on your RCBOs (with luck they'll stay on) Turn on the other breakers one at a time - hopefully the RCBOs will stay on (see below if they don't) If turning on a breaker trips an RCBO there is a shared neutral, the easiest fix is to move the other circuit to the RCBO too. Finding the share is, er, fun. -
Growatt SPF5000ES Offgrid 9kw DIY Solar Project
Crossy replied to Pink7's topic in Alternative/Renewable Energy Forum
Ah, not wishing to coin a phrase but - Maybe You Think too Mutt! Like many things, if you keep finding better solutions you will never actually buy anything ???? -
Quelle surprise!
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If it regularly changes your IP address (some sort of ultra-secure mode) that would not surprise me at all.
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Yeah. My biggest issue was a "not inexpensive" (no COD) item that was flagged as "delivered" by the seller as soon as he handed it over to his "delivery partner". He did actually send tracking info when I messaged him, but it still took 3 days when Kerry would have been next (or even same) day as the collecting office was the same as our local office.