Mitker

If this could be of any use for someone looking into the topic : - We got in touch with a sales representative who asked 'the engineer'. After a while, we received an answer to our question : "yes" (it can manage Sodium-Ion batteries). I personally would have loved a somewhat more documented answer going further into the settings flexibility, but I guess we should be happy with that - The SPF-5000ES has been discontinued and is replaced by the SPF6000 ES Plus

Pristine installation (and the whole room too actually), congrats ! Interesting info From our contacts with Growatt Thailand, we've been told the SPF-5000ES isn't produced anymore, having been replaced by the SPF-6000ES. As for our question about the Sodium-Ion battery compatibility of their products, they're "consulting with the engineer" and we're still waiting for the answer. Meanwhile, I'm digging into the specs of the 6000 to check if it fits our needs on the other aspects of the project. Looks like this compatibility question, that seemed quite basic to me, isn't that obvious after all 😉

thanks. Good suggestion

I'll put them on my search list

I plan to go in 2 steps. But the 2 solar sets, including their ESS, would always, at a given time, be similar and communicate. The first step would rely on limited ESS packs based on current battery models. Given their low storage capacity, I see them more like a solar UPS than a full off-grid system The second step would go full mode with a final choice of battery type. It would mean significantly upscaling the initial ESS units (keeping the original type), or replacing them entirely by adopting another type available in the future (possibly the sodium I mentioned). (I wouldn't run two types of batteries at any stage, for ease of management) Therefor, my question about the Growatt inverter being able to manage the Sodium-Ion battery type.

Thanks for the info. I didn't know about this type. Indeed, low density is not an issue. However, one of the main advantages I see with the sodium type is that they don't rely on lithium (concerns in terms of sourcing channels and environmental impact).

I'm starting collecting the components of my DIY off-grid hybrid solar system. 2 sets x (10x440W panels + hybrid inverter + 25kWh ESS 48V) Panels, fittings and cables have been delivered. I'm now in the stage of selecting the inverter model. I'm thinking about 2 Growatt SPF-5000ES off-grid inverters, since the feed-backs seem generally positive and the price is attractive, given the functionalities. My choice is not final since I could find only a few local sellers on the net with very small volume of units sold (not too reassuring). But getting back to the topic… While reading about the batteries models on the market and in development, I got the feeling that sodium-ion type may become, in a near (?) future, a great solution for fixed storage systems; seems to tick so many boxes. I'm not about starting a discussion about the validity of such an assumption, but rather just taking it as an hypothesis in my search for an inverter. I may start with a small scale ESS with the types commonly offered on the market today (LiFePO4, AGM…), keeping the option for a significantly larger ESS pack within a few years, possibly adopting the sodium-ion type if they keep their promises meanwhile. Reading the Growatt user manual, I found that the settings allow for a "user-defined" battery type choice ("USE" in the list of choices at point 5 of the UM). No more info is provided about the parameters involved. Does it mean that this item could efficiently and safely manage sodium-ion batteries in the future, were the correct charging parameters set manually ? Is this "user-defined" option flexible enough ? Any advice/experience would be appreciated (about this model or another, reasonably reliable, that would explicitly cover this option). Thanks 😉

was he the smartest guy around, he'd deserve the same fate in my opinion

In two instances, the flight path, if accurate, shows a full U turn, with the first one happening early and lasting quite a stretch. Not the typical pattern of an air shuttle. I'm not an expert, but I'm surprised it isn't even mentioned, since a technical concern could have prompted an attempt to return to BKK, before dismissing the move. Of course, it could be just the pilots obliging some passenger request to fly over a specific spot or anything as innocuous as this, but checking if any exchange happened with the control at that moment would be interesting imho