The start of my new 'Off grid' Solar install.

[Pink7]

1 hour ago, Crossy said:

 

Not really, if you have grid power just arrange the wiring to supply the heaters from the grid.

 

Otherwise add inverters, the Growatt 5kW units will surge to 10kW so a couple of those in parallel would do the trick, you may also want to add a shower priority switch, whichever heater goes on first gets the supply, the other has to wait until number one is finished. 

Looks like i have 2 lines already to main supply for the 2 heaters. so the plan must be to get rid of that 9kv issue by access them only to grid. Should i have a separate box for that? I guess the main breaker box feed same power to all breakers?

 

Pink

[Pink7]

9 minutes ago, BritManToo said:

It's only gone mad once.

Daughter was using an electric iron late at night, power went off, inverter screamed with red lights.

Fault 05 = op short or internal overheat. Not sure why it would overheat using 1,600W at night, but lots of extensions used as well so could have been a short. Turned everything off, turned everything on and all working again. Now banned from using the iron after dark, mainly 'cos I don't want to fiddle around in the dark.

 

Apart from that no problems.

 

Like @Crossy no need to wire your heavy duty items through the inverter. Both my shower heaters, air-con and a kitchen double socket still on the grid supply.

At that time of issue you was on ac power or battery? There is a 5ooo watt limit right? 

 

Pink

[BritManToo]

3 minutes ago, Pink7 said:

Looks like i have 2 lines already to main supply for the 2 heaters. so the plan must be to get rid of that 9kv issue by access them only to grid. Should i have a separate box for that? I guess the main breaker box feed same power to all breakers?

 

Pink

No need, all the black fuses on the left are grid, all the Nano fuses are inverter.

[BritManToo]

3 minutes ago, Pink7 said:

At that time of issue you was on ac power or battery? There is a 5ooo watt limit right? 

 

Pink

Was on battery, had plenty of battery power left.

I'm thinking she shorted the extension socket, hard to tell, Thais admit nothing but the data record showed 1,650W draw before the fault occurred, and only the iron uses 1,600W in this household.

[Pink7]

17 minutes ago, BritManToo said:

No need, all the black fuses on the left are grid, all the Nano fuses are inverter.

Thanks for that info, great

 

pink

[Pink7]

On 5/13/2022 at 10:54 AM, BritManToo said:

Update:

In the middle of CM pollution my 9x 330W panels maxed out at 1.7kW.

Now we're in monsoon and the air is clear my 9x 330W panels max at 2.6kW.

 

pollution Vs monsoon ...........

 

 

 

That's a 30% loss of sunlight due to air pollution. 

Due to the monsoon clouds, I actually end up producing the same amount of electricity.

Amazing Thailand.

Edit wrong post

 

Pink

[Pink7]

On 3/31/2022 at 3:27 PM, BritManToo said:

Not much point as I am now generating more power than I can store.

By 1:30-2pm the battery is full and the inverter is stepping down the power to just what I am using. Then at 3pm the solar panels are in shadow and just produce 300-500w until 5pm when the light has gone.

 

 

Before the heavy smog hit I was peaking at 2.25kW.

But again, by 12:30pm I had nowhere to store the extra power.

 

How you get this data from your inverter? Is there some generic software? Im 100% pc and % phone so im not really into apps.

 

Pink

[Pink7]

1 hour ago, BritManToo said:

No need, all the black fuses on the left are grid, all the Nano fuses are inverter.

Btw i forgot to ask you what do i need for split up/wire the ac out from inverter to the needed wires to each breaker. 

 

Pink

 

 

[Pink7]

8 hours ago, Pink7 said:

Btw i forgot to ask you what do i need for split up/wire the ac out from inverter to the needed wires to each breaker. 

 

Pink

 

 

You have separate busbars for the solar breakers?

[BritManToo]

14 hours ago, Pink7 said:

Btw i forgot to ask you what do i need for split up/wire the ac out from inverter to the needed wires to each breaker. 

 

Pink

I purchased a fully loaded Nano consumer panel (around 200bht).

Put the MCB (double red) and neutral block in my existing panel.

AC+ to top of double red MCB, AC- to extra neutral block.

The +distribution bar runs along the bottom of all the coloured Nano fuses.

 

The only real effort is identifying the neutral wires and transferring them to the new neutral block.

[Pink7]

What dimension do you have for your battery cables? Did you make them or buy them ready?

 

Pink

[KIngsofisaan]

This has to be the most excellent post ever.

 

Lots of smart folks working together, helping each other, providing solutions!

 

Bravo!

[BritManToo]

1 hour ago, Pink7 said:

What dimension do you have for your battery cables? Did you make them or buy them ready?

 

Pink

I purchased some welding cables that supposedly are good for 150A for a couple of hundred baht.

https://www.lazada.co.th/products/bonya-5-10-15-20-35-sq-mm-pvc-i941732067-s8357498400.html

 

They need ferrules to install in the inverter and breakers ....... didn't have any so cut the copper ends off some heavy duty copper connectors (I already had a box of them), then hammered them round the ends of the cables.

https://www.lazada.co.th/products/lang-80pcs-copper-battery-cable-connector-terminal-open-lugs-wire-terminals-i2999368032-s10997827809.html

 

You can also use 4mm single cable (good for 25-32A) then just wire them in parallel to get the amps you need. 4 in parallel will let you draw 100-125A from your battery pack (about 10bht/m). Available from any local DIY store at 10bht/m, places like Lazada want silly money for this.

[Pink7]

Thanks for great info BritManToo. Little by little im soon ready to get this up. 

 

Pink

[sezze]

2 hours ago, BritManToo said:

I purchased some welding cables that supposedly are good for 150A for a couple of hundred baht.

https://www.lazada.co.th/products/bonya-5-10-15-20-35-sq-mm-pvc-i941732067-s8357498400.html

 

They need ferrules to install in the inverter and breakers ....... didn't have any so cut the copper ends off some heavy duty copper connectors (I already had a box of them), then hammered them round the ends of the cables.

https://www.lazada.co.th/products/lang-80pcs-copper-battery-cable-connector-terminal-open-lugs-wire-terminals-i2999368032-s10997827809.html

 

You can also use 4mm single cable (good for 25-32A) then just wire them in parallel to get the amps you need. 4 in parallel will let you draw 100-125A from your battery pack (about 10bht/m). Available from any local DIY store at 10bht/m, places like Lazada want silly money for this.

Battery started cables are a good cheap source also , available anywere , for a few 100 baht .

[Crossy]

8 hours ago, sezze said:

Battery started cables are a good cheap source also , available anywere , for a few 100 baht .

 

Yeah, I have 35mm² vehicle battery cable on the high current bits.

[Pink7]

On 2/19/2022 at 1:39 PM, BritManToo said:

 

What type wire and what wire gauge you used for ac in/out?

 

Pink

[BritManToo]

1 hour ago, Pink7 said:

What type wire and what wire gauge you used for ac in/out?

 

Pink

All 4mm single insulated from my local builders shop @ 10bht/m.

[Pink7]

On 2/22/2022 at 5:28 PM, BritManToo said:

How is your panels taking very strong wind? I might expose my first row if panels for some more air than others for less shadowing.

 

Pink

[Pink7]

On 4/12/2022 at 8:52 AM, Crossy said:

For a new/used price comparison you can get new EVE 105Ah LiFePO4 cells from Shenzhen Luyuan Technology Co., Ltd. on AliBaba for USD 60 a piece plus shipping (pack of 4). 

https://www.alibaba.com/product-detail/4pcs-EVE-105AH-LiFePO4-LFP-3_1600191337976.html

 

Shipping would probably be another USD 100 on 4 of them, then add duty at 10% and 7% VAT (both on the CIF value).

 

Looking at other solar energy fora Shenzhen Luyuan Technology Co., Ltd. have a good reputation for actually supplying what they say they will.

 

Compare that with the used 200Ah cells at USD 44 each, free shipping and no duty / vat.

 

You make your choices and pay your money. If you have the coin to drop then new of course, but for those of us who are poor...

 

Just under 3 Grand US ++ for a new 300Ah x 48V pack, time to start putting my 1Baht coins in a jar ???? 

 

EDIT To add to the mix - 200Ah deep-cycle lead acid are coming in at around 8,500 Baht (USD250 today) - If you get an equivalent life out of the used cells you're still ahead.

 

Decisions, decisions!!

 

I just emailed some with well known EVE/CATL seller who confirmed shhe could offer me CATL 302Ah: 126USD per piece shipped with Thailand special Line... so now I'm waiting exited how much is that delivery !!!  

 

Pink

[Pink7]

On 2/11/2022 at 9:03 PM, BritManToo said:

Risin have a lot of good 'breaker' stuff at great prices, free delivery and fast from China.

https://www.lazada.co.th/products/i2867374375-s10463770614.html

 

 

Did you connect batteries or inverter as power source ( top) to this breaker?

 

Pink

[Crossy]

1 hour ago, Pink7 said:

Did you connect batteries or inverter as power source ( top) to this breaker?

 

Pink

 

In this case I would use the battery as the "source" as it's capable of a much larger current than the inverter.

 

Ideally, a bi-directional breaker would be best.