Solar - 8kW Hybrid Inverter w/10kWh (upgraded to 20kWh in Sept. 2022) ESS/battery (not DIY)

[ExpatOilWorker]

2 minutes ago, Crossy said:

 

A qualified yes to all.

 

IF you get an inverter that's well supported and can run in parallel. 

 

We have 4 x 5kW Deye hybrids running together, they will do everything you want and more, there are offers available on these for as little as 23kBaht on Lazada with vouchers.

 

You may find that larger battery packs are more economical on a bang-per-buck level (and less wiring needed).

 

Is this going to be a DIY or Contractor install??

Thanks for your reply. Contract installed.

I got a 200,000 baht quote from CBC for the following, but if Deye is a better brand and you know a contractor,  please share.

5 kW inverter 

5 kWh battery (extra batteries are 40k)

14 x 540 kW panels

 

[Crossy]

How about this one from the other thread?

 

https://www.thaisolarsystem.com/product/1162/ชุด-hybrid-ongrid-deye-5k-1-phase-battery-5kwh-พร้อมติดตั้ง

 

Slightly less $$$ and a Deye inverter, definitely worth talking to 🙂 

 

[ExpatOilWorker]

18 minutes ago, Crossy said:

How about this one from the other thread?

 

https://www.thaisolarsystem.com/product/1162/ชุด-hybrid-ongrid-deye-5k-1-phase-battery-5kwh-พร้อมติดตั้ง

 

Slightly less $$$ and a Deye inverter, definitely worth talking to 🙂 

 

5 panels less, so pretty much identical to the CBC price, but I certainly like the Deye battery pricing.

15 kWh for 64,500 baht is just eye-watering.  I might go for 30 kWh.

Sorry, just realized it is not a Deye brand battery. Google works in strange ways.

[Crossy]

I believe "LVtopsun" are a Deye re-brand 🙂

[ExpatOilWorker]

27 minutes ago, Crossy said:

I believe "LVtopsun" are a Deye re-brand 🙂

Weight might be the limiting factor for my choice of battery.  130 kg up my 120 step narrow staircase just isn't possible. 

 

[lom]

31 minutes ago, Crossy said:

I believe "LVtopsun" are a Deye re-brand 🙂

Not generally but one of the inverters they package together with their batteries is a Deye rebrand, the others are not.

LVTopSun's main product is ESS for solar.

[Crossy]

13 minutes ago, ExpatOilWorker said:

Weight might be the limiting factor for my choice of battery.  130 kg up my 120 step narrow staircase just isn't possible. 

 

Hire a man or two 🙂

 

Or arrange delivery by helicopter

 

But you are right, maybe the smaller packs are more practical.

[Crossy]

3 minutes ago, lom said:

Not generally but one of the inverters they package together with their batteries is a Deye rebrand, the others are not.

LVTopSun's main product is ESS for solar.

 

I stand corrected, but so long as the comms protocol is supported by the inverter it doesn't really matter.

[UWEB]

50 minutes ago, lom said:

Not generally but one of the inverters they package together with their batteries is a Deye rebrand, the others are not.

LVTopSun's main product is ESS for solar.

I have 3 x LVTopsun 200 AH installed with my two Deye 10 Kw Hybrids , working seamless.

[ExpatOilWorker]

12 minutes ago, UWEB said:

I have 3 x LVTopsun 200 AH installed with my two Deye 10 Kw Hybrids , working seamless.

That is a big system.  What size of array and what brand of panels do you have?

[UWEB]

23 minutes ago, ExpatOilWorker said:

That is a big system.  What size of array and what brand of panels do you have?

Have 21 Kwp installed in three different directions and can extend the System by another 5 Kw, with the latest Deye Inverters you can have 130% of Panels installed as of the nominal Inverter size. For Panels I'm using 550W and 580W Longi Panels.

[ExpatOilWorker]

3 hours ago, Crossy said:

there are offers available on these for as little as 23kBaht on Lazada

Have the price really fallen that much since you bought in August last year?

What is the difference between the SG03 and SG05?

 

[Crossy]

I got one of these "MaxSky Solar" branded Deye units for 21k Baht with 3-3 vouchers.

 

https://www.lazada.co.th/products/i5568215289-s23690707744.html

 

At this price they sell out very fast (only one left from this seller).

 

They are identical to the "pure" Deye units, even have the same firmware version, the beast works perfectly with our 3 existing Deye units.

 

All ours are SG05, but I have no idea what the actual difference is.

 

[Crossy]

It's definitely worth collecting Lazada vouchers and coins! 🙂 

 

Shopee have a similar scheme.

 

[ExpatOilWorker]

46 minutes ago, Crossy said:

I got one of these "MaxSky Solar" branded Deye units for 21k Baht with 3-3 vouchers.

 

https://www.lazada.co.th/products/i5568215289-s23690707744.html

 

At this price they sell out very fast (only one left from this seller).

 

They are identical to the "pure" Deye units, even have the same firmware version, the beast works perfectly with our 3 existing Deye units.

 

All ours are SG05, but I have no idea what the actual difference is.

 

From a reliability point of view would it make sense to have 2 x 5 kW inverters rather than a single 10 kW inverter?

I am remote, so help is far away.

[BritManToo]

50 minutes ago, ExpatOilWorker said:

From a reliability point of view would it make sense to have 2 x 5 kW inverters rather than a single 10 kW inverter?

I am remote, so help is far away.

The guy reporting 2x failed inverters had them working together, one took the other with it.

I'd say best would be 2x 5k inverters but not connected.

One does upstairs, and the other downstairs.

It's what I'll do if I feel the need to expand.

[Crossy]

22 minutes ago, BritManToo said:

The guy reporting 2x failed inverters had them working together, one took the other with it.

I'd say best would be 2x 5k inverters but not connected.

One does upstairs, and the other downstairs.

It's what I'll do if I feel the need to expand.

 

U got a link?

 

It would be interesting to know what the failure mode was.

 

And of course, which inverters he was using.

[BritManToo]

 

25 minutes ago, Crossy said:

 

U got a link?

 

It would be interesting to know what the failure mode was.

 

And of course, which inverters he was using.

2x Must inverters at 24kbht each, purchased in 2021.

[KhunLA]

2 hours ago, ExpatOilWorker said:

From a reliability point of view would it make sense to have 2 x 5 kW inverters rather than a single 10 kW inverter?

I am remote, so help is far away.

Definitely, Two 5s better thana 10.  Redundancy never hurts with energy.   My only regret, and if thought about it more, would have went that route instead of the 8kW inverter.  Along with a bit daily energy, and would never go amiss. 

 

With the price drops, think about a DIY project myself.  Like the inverter Crossy posted, < 30k.  Panels would be < 30k, and would all be mounted on ground level frame, no roof to deal with.  Now just need to figure out, what to use it for     

 

7 years at PKK, I'm getting bored.  Can't think of what else to cook.   Got milk & water kefir to tend to.  Wife has the garden / greenhouse.  Chickens are a bit too much hassle, then what to do when O&A.

[Peterphuket]

2 hours ago, BritManToo said:

 

2x Must inverters at 24kbht each, purchased in 2021.

This week I got the last of the two back from repair, through the supplier I got an address in Khon Kaen and repaired them for 3500 Thb/each.
Have a feeling it was a software glitch, on power-up they both stayed in a repeating start-up mode of 1 or 2 seconds.
The problem had occurred after I switched off the batteries in the evening where the inverters switch back to the grid.
Of course, they are connected in parallel.
Now it works normally again.

 

[Crossy]

12 hours ago, Peterphuket said:

This week I got the last of the two back from repair, through the supplier I got an address in Khon Kaen and repaired them for 3500 Thb/each.
Have a feeling it was a software glitch, on power-up they both stayed in a repeating start-up mode of 1 or 2 seconds.
The problem had occurred after I switched off the batteries in the evening where the inverters switch back to the grid.
Of course, they are connected in parallel.
Now it works normally again.

 

 

I don't suppose there was any sort of diagnostic report showing what they actually did?

 

It does sound like something corrupted the software, with good design it shouldn't happen but ...

[Peterphuket]

2 hours ago, Crossy said:

 

I don't suppose there was any sort of diagnostic report showing what they actually did?

 

It does sound like something corrupted the software, with good design it shouldn't happen but ...

Yes, that's for sure, had initially searched the internet but couldn't find anything of information.
My girlfriend had it on the phone and when she asked why it had happened and why, the answer she got was that it was normal after 3.5 years in use, a ridiculous answer of course but yes, what can I do about it, am glad it was repaired.
Had already asked the supplier if the same model was still available, but no, out of production, the replacement model could not handle the amperage of solar cell panels which would have led me to switch it differently, which fortunately was not necessary now.

 

[Peterphuket]

1 minute ago, Peterphuket said:

Yes, that's for sure, had initially searched the internet but couldn't find anything of information.
My girlfriend had it on the phone and when she asked why it had happened and why, the answer she got was that it was normal after 3.5 years in use, a ridiculous answer of course but yes, what can I do about it, am glad it was repaired.
Had already asked the supplier if the same model was still available, but no, out of production, the replacement model could not handle the amperage of solar cell panels which would have led me to switch it differently, which fortunately was not necessary now.

 

@Crossy I forget to mention, no there was not any diagnostic report, about good design, what do you expect from chinese stuff, you can reach the company ‘Must’ but when you ask a difficult question, you no longer get an answer.

[Muhendis]

This sad tale of inverter failure reminds me of something similar that happened to me many years ago now.

I had an 8kW inverter from a company called Sweetpower (Chinese). The inverter was a simple, low frequency design which could alternate between mains power and solar/battery power.

I have separate solar charge controllers for batteries. The mains power input was connected but never used.

After three years or so the inverter stopped. No puff of smoke. No interesting smells. It simply, just, stopped.

Cause was the logic control board no longer being logical and ceasing to supply required information regarding frequency and voltage to the power drive assembly.

It was software controlled.

My suspicion is that it hit a time controlled software failure mode.

Contacting Sweetpower yielded the following response. 

" You're inverter is an old model which has been discontinued and we don't carry spares for it".

So, no pre-programed replacement board available but "would you be interested in our current inverter model".

You are free to imagine my reaction to that.

I replaced the power driver with an even simpler (no software) unit obtainable online (China again).

It is capable of driving 12kW and has been running faultlessly for over four years now.

 

[Peterphuket]

2 hours ago, Muhendis said:

This sad tale of inverter failure reminds me of something similar that happened to me many years ago now.

I had an 8kW inverter from a company called Sweetpower (Chinese). The inverter was a simple, low frequency design which could alternate between mains power and solar/battery power.

I have separate solar charge controllers for batteries. The mains power input was connected but never used.

After three years or so the inverter stopped. No puff of smoke. No interesting smells. It simply, just, stopped.

Cause was the logic control board no longer being logical and ceasing to supply required information regarding frequency and voltage to the power drive assembly.

It was software controlled.

My suspicion is that it hit a time controlled software failure mode.

Contacting Sweetpower yielded the following response. 

" You're inverter is an old model which has been discontinued and we don't carry spares for it".

So, no pre-programed replacement board available but "would you be interested in our current inverter model".

You are free to imagine my reaction to that.

I replaced the power driver with an even simpler (no software) unit obtainable online (China again).

It is capable of driving 12kW and has been running faultlessly for over four years now.

 

You think it has already reached the point where it has time-controlled software that shuts down after 3.5 years?
Have little faith in humanity but that it is that bad....

[BritManToo]

8 minutes ago, Peterphuket said:

You think it has already reached the point where it has time-controlled software that shuts down after 3.5 years?
Have little faith in humanity but that it is that bad....

More likely shut down by remote command from China.

Might be a good idea to unplug the wifi dongle.

[Peterphuket]

4 minutes ago, BritManToo said:

More likely shut down by remote command from China.

Might be a good idea to unplug the wifi dongle.

Due to the fact that I never got that dongle working and therefore not connected, I don't have to be afraid of that.
But it does indeed become more suspicious, also because if you asked a question to ‘Must’ you never got an answer, the only answer you get is so-called offers

[Muhendis]

10 minutes ago, Peterphuket said:

You think it has already reached the point where it has time-controlled software that shuts down after 3.5 years?
Have little faith in humanity but that it is that bad....

I owned the inverter for 3+ years but it may have been slightly older stock. Who knows?

As Crossy mentioned at the time. There was a case in the UK where it was demonstrated that a company had installed a software time limit.

Moral being.

If it can happen. It will.

 

Dongle?

My setup is way too simple for one of them new fangled thingys.

I have a box which takes in DC from solar/batteries and gives out 220v AC

I have solar charge controllers to charge the batteries.

I have an ATS for switching over to PEA when if it all falls over.

I cannot record anything and I don't really feel any great urge to.

[ExpatOilWorker]

On 3/15/2025 at 7:24 AM, Crossy said:

How about this one from the other thread?

 

https://www.thaisolarsystem.com/product/1162/ชุด-hybrid-ongrid-deye-5k-1-phase-battery-5kwh-พร้อมติดตั้ง

 

Slightly less $$$ and a Deye inverter, definitely worth talking to 🙂 

 

@Crossy, should a AVR be installed before a hybrid inverter if grid voltage is somewhat on the low side?

If yes, does it make a difference if the AVR is of the relay, servo or thyristor type?

[Crossy]

2 hours ago, ExpatOilWorker said:

@Crossy, should a AVR be installed before a hybrid inverter if grid voltage is somewhat on the low side?

If yes, does it make a difference if the AVR is of the relay, servo or thyristor type?

 

Good question, and one I thought about in the past. In the end we decided not to and our AVR is currently disconnected.

 

Just how low is "somewhat low", most hybrids are perfectly happy down to 185V or so at which point they disconnect from the grid and continue powering the loads from solar/batteries.

 

My main worry is that the AVR isn't designed with this mode in mind and the control system could become confused and do weird things.

 

Note that I didn't actually test this so what actually happens is unknown and is very likely variable with the type and manufacturer of the AVR.

 

If your supply is always very low you could consider a fixed boost auto-transformer, basically a manual voltage regulator, lower cost than an AVR and no control system to become upset.

 

Personally, I wouldn't bother doing anything unless it becomes an actual issue.