PR3

Hi Gents, I've removed the CT from where it was and will put it in the consumer unit. It's a tight squeeze in there so I'd rather only do it once. @Crossy the images are what I got in the Sofar install kit. This is what I'm supposed to be fitting I expect. And the arrow should point towards the meter? Will bring inside house and put in an enclosure with 2 pole toggle switch I had handy.

Lol that's okay a bit of stress is a normal condition at this house, I was reading earlier this morning regarding power reflux and did wonder. So, up the ladder I set the Power reflux at 0 and the inverter wound down and made 0.03 kW despite the sun showing a little and 2 washing machines on. This was with the CT on or off. So I disabled the power reflux and back up to 1kw. I am going to have to do a bit more research in the manual and do a bit more experimenting tomorrow after sorting the gate and with nothing running in the house. Oh I bought another 420w panel when I went for 20metres of 1mm twin cable. Lots of self control. I put it with the other 3 next to the concrete mixer I "needed" earlier in the year hahaha. Cheers Gents PR3

Hi Gents, Well I wired the CT up. With the arrow pointing toward the meter feed in. Went to change the reactive settings to zero and just says fail every time. At the moment there is Reactive Enable or Reactive Disable. Under excited, utility or over excited. Reactive setting. The inverter is currently on....Reactive enable, under excited and *.** for settings. If I try to change anything I get a fail notice. I feel I've done everything right but I'm stumped for now. Meter reader doesn't come for 13 days yet so gives a bit of time. It'll l have to wait til a bit later in the day i got an iceing up aircon to deal with and the lekky gate is playing up...never a dull moment here. Cheers PR3

@007 RED Thanks so much for the detailed description of how to go about sorting the problem regarding no export and the setting up advice, so grateful. I been on Husband duty today so didn't really get much done with regards to the solar other than cursory glances to check performance and finding the CT device what came with it. The wiring is red and blue, I imagine the red is the +. It was a hazy sunshine day with a few patches of cloud around but still managed to move forward pretty much zero between 9am and 3:30 this afternoon. That felt like a result and is making me think about the next 4 panels. Anyhoo back to the CT clamp. I was hoping to fit it inside the house consumer unit but there's insufficient space to get the damned thing around the live cable. And I'm more than reluctant to start messing around with hot wiring. Only other place I can find access is the inspection/connection cover on the outside wall. The thing is.....its about a 20 metre run to the inverter once I've negotiated corners, obstacles and placed it in trunking. Will that sort of length affect the performance of the CT device runnning in 2 x 0.5 outdoor cable (i bought 8 metres today so i could still use that up to the switch maybe)? Otherwise I don't know. Also the switch used to isolate the clamp, should it be a 2 pole or is a single pole switch okay on the live (I guess) only reason I ask is that I have 2 single pole in stock. And ...lol...so many questions. To identify the live rather than the neutral would a clamp meter suffice? I think a beer is in order, not thirsty just a headache Lol. Cheers All the Best. PR3

Thanks for the heads up i was wondering how to deal with that and not lose the benefit of fitting it in the first place. The plan is to put on extra load; maybe 3 ACs for the days when he comes (usually 21 to 23 of the month) so we get to use the extra generated. I have a couple of weeks to play around and try find a solution provided we get enough sunny days. With the current set up we're likely to knock around 300 units off the bill once the second string is online and we don't go daft with the AC. This home has always been uncomfortably hot on the 2nd floor (despite fitting insulation) so..... if the solar only knocks a bit off a month once its all up and running; and we get to use both floors in comfort it's still worth it to be honest just for the convenience I notice Crossy and 007RED have a switch fitted to stop export. Not sure how it's configured and have yet to ask. But I suppose fitting one is likely a good idea. Main thing is as you so rightly mention is not to get nabbed. Cheers. PR3

Evening Gents, Happy to say as at 1pm today everything fired up smoothly. It's been overcast but in a few mins of sun I did see a max of 2.16kw. But it's been cloudy on and off all afternoon so didn't really observe too much backwards spinning action meter wise, although at one point it was doing rather nicely hahaha. I haven't played with any of the settings as yet. I notice there's a country code to input....haven't done that or set the time so need to do it. I logged into the inverter through the WiFi dongle and set it all up. Now as I understand it I must install Solarman on a device in order to monitor the inverter? I no longer see its WiFi signature when I search so can't see what's going on. I looked on apps and there's 5 to choose from. Would you kindly point me in the right direction @Crossy and @007 RED. Cheers in advance. Now to start thinking about the second string. Can't get to the steel work on this roof and the photos my wife has don't look particularly sturdy. Better get my thinking cap on for that. For now though it's time to put my drinking cap on and rehydrate/celebrate the outcome of the DIY project. ???? Back for part 2 soon. Cheers All

Hi All, Been a busy one today was hoping to get string 1 on line but not to be. Got it hooked up to the combo box 7 cells and 287vdc so it's around the 41 and change vdc as they suggest. Got the inverter wired from the box and all the earthing done too. Ran out of daylight to get the final connection done and feel safe and ran out of trunking anyway so it'll have to wait. Here's where I'm at tonight, tomorrow will fireworks or joy I expect. Fingers and toes will be crossed. All the Best. PR3

To be completely honest I have no idea. I have spent thus far around 85000 and there will likely be a bit more. I hope to generate around 20 units a day avge but that's down to the weather and there's no controlling that. If we say 15 units it's still a 3-4 year payback which isn't so bad. There are not many investment opportunities which would give 20+% per year interest so it's a good investment provided nothing breaks in the meantime of course. If i had a company do the work it would cost more, even in that case and for those what dont feel comfortable trying its not a waste considering the way things seem to be going. Fingers crossed nothing breaks I suppose. Cheers. PR3

@Chris.B Sorry; I realise you were referring to another post regarding roof styles.

Not sure of the nationality of the roofing materials but it's in Khon Kaen. Lol

Then went to try it out whilst putting the rails in. Actually felt quite sturdy sooo.... I have no images of the rails as things quickly got out of hand once they were fitted..Lol... Decided to try fit the front string of panels, was a mission as the panel brackets were for 40mm and mine are 35mm. Soooooo lots of cutting and grinding later have the 12 brackets ready. First panel was a bit of an ass twitcher but after that got into the swing of it and got cracking. 2pm and a storm moved in and drenched everything. Luckily 60 mins it was done. Note....tin roofs are slightly slippery when wet. But got fin8shed in time for the school run. Blanked the ends with some empty MC4 shells with plastic in the ends where the cable gland is. As an end note if I had a few baht for every kink I put in the steel roofing could probably afford to have a team fit them Lol. Oh...and panels are b***ard well heavy when lugging them around on your own. Unfortunately I'm getting dragged off to the inlaws for necessary Birthday Party so more delays till Sunday. Happy with the weeks progress I'm going to rehydrate did 3 sets of clothes in today need t9 replace the sweat with healthy beer ????????????. This is where I'm at for now. Cheers Gents.

That was Monday and Tuesday done. So today to further help I pit a few extra temporary supports in and decided to fit the rails.

So I put some fresh ones in

After that was to add to the scary bracketing which I uncovered behind a well placed ally cover. There were many like this and worse so better do something.

Hi All, I managed to get back on to the solar project Monday. Was still paranoid about the structure so set about making it feel safer. Originally there were large gaps between the purlins so I added a bit of extra support.

Well it is a hot climate so fluid intake is necessary to stay hydrated Lol. I checked all the panels this morning and the polarity is as marked on the outputs. I was wrong when suggesting the positive was the female it is in fact the male one. Good thing I checked again. So will still have to mess around with the combiner but not in the way I thought. The fitting will have to wait for now. I've lost my confidence in the roof construction so will be welding some extra sections in for strength, additionally 2 of the original roof supports where it bolts to the house are either missing or hidden will have to get my wife to contact them to find out which. So that along with two other urgent DIY jobs which have come to the fore are going to knock me back about a week or so. Will update as things start to move forward again. Cheers All. PR3

@Crossy Thanks for that Sir. I thought as much looking at the combiner that things weren't right. With these panels if i recall correctly it is the female which is the positive, therefore you'd expect a male on the PV input.....they females???? Not the end of the world I'll simply do some swapping around in the combiner panel and put the relevant coloured heatshink on to satisfy my OCD lol. A little disappointing as I bought a built up unit to avoid having to do it myself..oh such is life. Been a mixed day here; power went off at 1am and didn't come back till around 3pm. Had to wire my 5kv gennie into a domestic socket....(oh the shame I know) just to get some juice to the house. Things were running a bit odd so check the genie out put...L-E152vac and N-E 75vac....L-N 222vac. Anyways that's off topic sorry. Good news is the rest of the bits showed up today including nice new shiny crimpers, and mysteriously another pair arrived with 4 extra sets of jaws, told the missus I double ordered by mistake...just like the plasma cutter which I "thought" was a MIG welder ????..honest. Anyways crunch time is approaching now, next on the agenda will be trunking and earthing rod and straps (wire) Time for a beer. Cheers All PR3.

Oh yes one more thing, thanks for advising me to check polarity. It's a little confusing that the +polarity on the panels is the same as the ones for the + on the combiner unit, more than a little thought and planning is going to be have to put into the electrical planning. To be fair you can't easily touch the electrode on either but seems a bit topsy-turvy. Anyways back to beer. Cheers All

Thanks for the advise regarding roofs @Encid; I'm lucky (or not) with one of them as I can see the frame, that's why I'm worried Lol. The other one I only have images; it was built when I was stuck away for nearly 2 years in the Middle East because of COVID. We have spoken to the builders about our intentions and they insist it won't be a problem. However for me I don't really trust metal structures unless I welded them together myself. They're flat (5 degree pitch) roofs by the way; I'm sure they'll hold the panels but whether they'll support my heavy (90kg+) body at the same time is a worry. Maybe I should look at something to spread the load...or weld extra sections in for strength....oh what to do. So envious of the guys who have enough land to build a seperate array on a steel frame. On the progress front I received the spares to repair the combiner box and they send a set of spare fittings too which was nice. And my crimper turned up for the MC4 fittings. A slow day but in the right direction thankfully. @007 RED thanks again for your info. I was hoping to learn how to put it into the house consumer unit; maybe ill have to employ a local electrician to do it. I don't mind at all working on isolated electrical but the idea of undoing the incoming live cable to fit another in there is way way out of my comfort zone. At the same time I don't really want to involve the PEA for obvious reasons. Perhaps there's a way to connect to the house consumer unit another way, after all it's a grid tie so will not back feed without a supply...hmmmm. Ah well ill have a beer and ponder. Thanks Gents have a good weekend. Cheers. PR3

The shop I bought from had BQ and BlueSun. I had intended after much consideration to go with some BQ 390w mono half cuts @ 3800baht as they were shorter and I could squeeze more on the area. However they were 104cm wide which shot that idea. I ended up buying 420w mono half cut BlueSun ones as weight and width were a consideration also. The shop have other choices and are doing BQ 340w poly panels for 3000baht. They would have been ideal but not enough space to get the wattage as they're almost the same size as the 420w. Not sure if they're any good (bluesun) but I will know soon enough either way. Lol. Cheers.

Good Evening Gents, No progress to speak of today unfortunately I have been on husband duties going for lunch and shopping and such like. Thanks for the description of your set up @007 RED and also thanks to @Crossy for the technical advice. I will check each and every panel for polarity to ensure the correct sexed plug is on the corresponding cable. The PV4 cables I ordered are likely a little too long but they come assembled with plugs, for the sake of tidiness I'll likely cut them and fit new connectors hence buying the extras and the crimper, and having the tools allows a change of mind or future endeavours. @007 REDI perhaps should have used better description when asking how you connected the inverter to the MCB as I was wondering how you'd connected from the AC safety box to the house junction box? I must apologise about that; I feel guilty as you took the time to correspond in such detail. @Crossy I used the wrong description in an earlier post describing the item as a voltage regulator...its an adjustable over and under voltage/current protector. Will it still be okay going in the out? Has anyone any experience of walking on tin roof in terms of where to not stand, I'm genuinely a little nervous about it. Cheers Gents. PR3

Panel fitting kits just showed up too.???? Ordered some PV cables and 3 x 4mm for the inverter and connection to the property. And the termination crimpers too along with MC4 wrenches and 10 extra connectors. @007 RED when you connected the inverter supply cable to the MCB; would you kindly advise where you connected to? If you have an image or two that would certainly help. At this time just attempting to get my ducks in a row before starting the fitting part of this project. I'll measure up and go buy trunking tomorrow. And maybe a decent earth rod for the lightning arrestors. Cheers PR3.

Another arrival..its like Xmas.

I just spent 20 minutes writing a reply and it disappeared. Thanks for the information 007 RED. What you have done and others in the past as you mentioned is pretty much exactly what is intended. More bits arriving tomorrow hopefully. (Sofar 5KTLM and fitting kits for 12 panels) AC/DC Combiner box arrived today with a little damage. (Broken bulkhead MC4 connectors on PV1) Shop sending 2 built up replacement. Crossy, since I'm a novice with such things would you cast an eye over the wiring to see if it's correct. I just find it confusing that the inverter output will enter the "out" of the voltage regulator in it current configuration. Anyways that's about it for now. Back to man beatch duties and getting stressed about the fast approaching time of walking on the tin roof....oh the horror. Cheers All PR3.

Building a bigger and better system may very well be on the cards in the future. If the feed in rate was more attractive and not so bureaucratic I'd have probably gone in that direction to begin with. I see the cost of electricity is rising by 68 satang per unit next month, better get those panels up soon. Wonder if the feed in rate will rise along with it?