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

[KhunLA]

1st Quarter over, and PEA did NOT get .. 

฿1882

฿2450

฿2545

฿4532

 

 

 

Edited May 1 by KhunLA

[KhunLA]

1 hour ago, KhunLA said:

1st Quarter over, and PEA did NOT get .. 

Make that 1st Third over ...  had 4 stuck in my brain 😂

[KhunLA]

Hot ... Damn Hot ... 😎

 

Been using full 8kWh of ESS overnight (14 hrs), during past 2+ months.

Cooler weather and it's as little as 5kWh overnight.

[Crossy]

4 hours ago, KhunLA said:

Hot ... Damn Hot ... 😎

 

Been using full 8kWh of ESS overnight (14 hrs), during past 2+ months.

Cooler weather and it's as little as 5kWh overnight.

 

Indeed, it's a tad warm.

 

We are swallowing 27kWh from the storage overnight, total daily usage about 50kWh of which about 1kWh is from PEA

 

 

[KhunLA]

26 minutes ago, Crossy said:

 

Indeed, it's a tad warm.

 

We are swallowing 27kWh from the storage overnight, total daily usage about 50kWh of which about 1kWh is from PEA

27kWh, that's shy of our 'all day use', unless charging car.   Last month was average 33 a day.

Edited May 6 by KhunLA

[Pink7]

29 minutes ago, Crossy said:

 

Indeed, it's a tad warm.

 

We are swallowing 27kWh from the storage overnight, total daily usage about 50kWh of which about 1kWh is from PEA

 

 

Im just able to get recharged ( 2 x 280A)from day to day now. Production around 40Kw/day. I really feel the difference in charge current when 2 aircon running most of the day. Some days Im not even fully charged up before sun down, but its like its just going around.

 

Pink

[Pink7]

Need a year with all seasons to get the full experience on the current setup..but as for now i kind of wish i had got 320A batteries instead of 280 and also that i had added a few more panels. The last part is still easy to change.

 

I was getting the best effect from the panels 6-7 months ago and lower effect when its the hottest season. 7kwh vs 6kwh now.

 

Pink

Edited May 6 by Pink7

[KhunLA]

Going Dark .... 

 

Overcast clouds + pollution = W T F

And during peak production hours 

2 frigs

1 fan

EVs charged up, and why you charge, when you can 

 

That's 18 panels with potential of 9.7kW production.

Inverter will accept 10kWh, and put out 8.8kwh

Can't even muster up 1kWh 

 

Can't even take cold shower, as city water is off.

Not that it comes out of the faucet cold 

 

Did take one early AM when water was on.

 

Options ... use the grid ... HELL NO

Use the EV (car) AC, go surfside, have a cold beverage

 

Fan is relief enough, for now.  

Obviously can use the ACs, and grid at night, if needed.

Along with water tanks & pump, till 1800 hrs when municipal

water comes back on.

 

Just prepping for the apocalypse, practice run.

Edited May 6 by KhunLA

[Pink7]

7 minutes ago, KhunLA said:

Going Dark .... 

 

Overcast clouds + pollution = W T F

And during peak production hours 

2 frigs

1 fan

EVs charged up, and why you charge, when you can 

How much battery capasity in your EV?

 

Pink

[KhunLA]

11 minutes ago, Pink7 said:

How much battery capasity in your EV?

 

Pink

(edited quoted post)

 

92%, (42.6 kWh) + shy of 20kWh of Solar ESS

NO worries 

Could plug into the car, and if need to go somewhere, use E-MC or Ebike

or Buddha forbid, pedal bike or walk to the

vendor 300m away, or 7-11, 2.4kms away 

Edited May 6 by KhunLA

[Pink7]

9 minutes ago, KhunLA said:

(edited quoted post)

 

92%, (42.6 kWh) + shy of 20kWh of Solar ESS

NO worries 

Could plug into the car, and if need to go somewhere, use E-MC or Ebike

or Buddha forbid, pedal bike or walk to the

vendor 300m away, or 7-11, 2.4kms away 

Thats a nice extra backup storage.

 

Pink

[KhunLA]

With bedroom AC set @ 26C low fan, maintaining 27C

One advantage of overcast skies and well built house.

 

Outside temp:

 

 

 

Waiting for those rains ... 

 

Edited May 6 by KhunLA

[KhunLA]

Rain forecasted and arrived yesterday, about 1400 hrs, and stayed steady all afternoon & night.  With no real production from about 1400 hrs onward.  Copy & paste of chit chat I had at about sunset, and state of ESS at that time ...

 

... "Hasn't stopped since about 1400, not heavy, but steady.   Just went to take dog for her evening walk  ...   she wasn't having it.  P'd and turned around.

 

Solar @ 82%, usually 95+%, so we'll wake up tomorrow in the 40's % instead of 60s.  Hope the sun comes out for a couple hours, or I'll need to turn on the grid.  Temps are fine, and fan is OK, though think I'm going to need to turn the AC on dehumidifier.  

 

Ambient temp is lower than we keep the AC anyway, but RH is a bit too much"

 

Surprisingly, woke up to ESS @ 54%, as dehumidifier & fan apparently use less than I thought.  Still used laptops & 65" TV/monitor, till midnight.

 

Sun is out, and producing ~3kwh and sending ~2kWh to ESS, so if all holds, ESS should be topped up in a few hours, before noon, and just a bit later than usual.

 

Saw the thick dark clouds coming from the west, and turned everything off, as the graph shows.  Clouds coming eastward, sun going westward, nah, wrong mix ... going dark 

 

Yesterday ...

 

 

Now, w/morning spike @ 0600 hrs / morning coffee ... 

 

Edited May 8 by KhunLA

[lom]

Oh but those production curves doesn't look that bad.

We have had four cloudy days in a row and my new shiny digital meter already shows a higher consumption than previous month and we are only halfway through the billing period. 🤑

Here is my curve from a messed up day:

 

 

[KhunLA]

Wasn't paying attention, but obviously ESS topped up before 1030 hrs 👍

 

 

More like 1000 hrs, as the blue stops a bit before 1035, and has produced 12.5kWh since sunrise, using 5.9kWh since last midnight / 0000 hrs;

 

 

 

Edited May 8 by KhunLA

[KhunLA]

Toying with app for Solar inverter, as a crap day, really crap day.   While peeking, notice some stats it provides.  Haven't a clue on the 'saved' states.   Googling what 1 L of petrol burns, and driving ~30k kms so far, produces ~5 metric tons of CO2.  About half of what solar saves, so added accordingly.

 

Solar system installed 4 Aug 2022.   Self0used is load used, ~35% to ESS

 

Edited May 17 by KhunLA

[KhunLA]

For those interested in a similar system, using Deye inverters and higher producing/rated panels, here's some numbers.

 

Deye 5kW hybrid inverter ... ~฿42k

X2 if wanting redundancy & more juice, and probably a better option than a 10kW inverter, IMHO

 

Panels (if limited roof space) ... PV 670w X 9 Panels (~5800) = ~฿52.2k

Intermediate box ?, to home breaker box ?

PV tracking & cables ?

Ballpark components for 5kW DIY ... ฿125k (฿42k + 52.2k +++)

+++ Still need a crew & tools/ladder, testing equip.

 

Obviously you can do it for less, and some have, using different components.

 

Double that up for redundancy and more juice ... recommended

as 5kW system isn't even close enough for our usage.

 

Two 5kW inverters & panels (125+100) = ~฿225k

Our 20kWh (two 10kWh) of ESS Cost ฿90 + 95 = ฿185k 

(less expensive can be sourced)

 

And your knocking on ฿400+k, and why we went with an installer.

Since no tools, crews, testing equip. or experience.

Our 8kW inverter w/540w X 18 panels, + ESS was ฿445k installed

(if you skipped OP)

 

Can be done, less expensive, as others have done, with different components.

BUT, if lazy, and have a few extra baht, and want it done correctly with no regrets, then you may want to consider an installer.

Edited May 18 by KhunLA

[KhunLA]

Daily H/L  46.3kWh / 15.1kWh

If PEA = ฿4,184

 

[KhunLA]

Much better than yesterday, as barely getting back to 100% batteries before nightfall.

 

Yesterday was minimal use of ACs.   Today, both on (13 & 24BTU), car plugged in, and the water pump will even be cycling, as washing clothes since have some sun they can dry in.   

 

Water pump means we're using stored rain water instead of city, as tanks are full up already.  City water has good pressure right of their line, and no need for tank/pump.  

 

Special note, highly recommend quality inverter ACs, as the EV is taking at least 2.3kWh of that juice.   That's how efficient the ACs are, once up to temp.  Mitsubishi fans ourselves, and these 2 make # 7 & 8, over the years.

 

[KhunLA]

Edited June 30 by KhunLA

[KhunLA]

[KhunLA]

A few days shy of 2 years of Solar for us 👍

... first 3 months of 2022, we were very conservative

... the THB figure would be the high end of PEA cost for same amount of electric produced

... didn't break down & add each month, so rounding down;  12k + 41k + 22k = ฿75k

 

We are O&A a wee bit every year.  For instance, 2023, we were away from the house 46 days.  This year 2024, already away from house for 34 days.

Edited August 1 by KhunLA

[KhunLA]

Over that 2 year period, we used 854 PEA units/kWh.  Most when returning from O&A, as I like to return with about 20% battery on the EV.  We'll use solar, to charge back up, but if weather bad, or need to go somewhere the next day, then we'll use the grid.

 

The EV wall charger is the only thing on the grid.   Don't know why, but we use about 10 kWh a month, no matter what, even if never charging the EV.   

 

Installer & Deye can't figure out why, we use about 1 kWh ever 3 days.   Also the ESSs top up to 100% more consistently if the grid is on.   If I turn the grid 'off', then ESS tops up to 96-98%.   This only after the 2nd battery pack was added.

 

That's a head scratcher, but I don't care.   Didn't look at last 3 month's bill, but here usage over the 2 years. 

Edited August 1 by KhunLA

[Crossy]

25 minutes ago, KhunLA said:

Don't know why, but we use about 10 kWh a month, no matter what, even if never charging the EV.   

 

Are you using the CT or an external RS-485 meter? The CTs are awfully inaccurate when it comes to setting zero import/export and seem to err on the side of import.

 

Also, what have you got "Zero Export Power" set to? This sets a constant import from the grid to ensure that the occasional "blip" of export (possibly from the removal of large loads) doesn't actually cause an export.

 

We just open the grid breaker unless we are going to need a top-up coz the Thai grandkids are here and using the A/C set to "arctic".

[KhunLA]

54 minutes ago, Crossy said:

 

Are you using the CT or an external RS-485 meter? The CTs are awfully inaccurate when it comes to setting zero import/export and seem to err on the side of import.

 

Also, what have you got "Zero Export Power" set to? This sets a constant import from the grid to ensure that the occasional "blip" of export (possibly from the removal of large loads) doesn't actually cause an export.

 

We just open the grid breaker unless we are going to need a top-up coz the Thai grandkids are here and using the A/C set to "arctic".

We have PEA's digital meter on the pole.  With intermediate on/off switch between the house and one in the breaker box.  Turning off either will stop the 10kWh charge.  

 

As stated, only started after the 2nd ESS add.  Inverter set at 'NO Export' and inverter does not show any export, so it's not coming for us.

 

I just like seeing the 99/100% top up vs 96/97/98% ... 

And those 10kWh only jack the PEA bill up to ฿38 vs ฿26, I think, since we're still connected w/conx fee, whether using or not.

[KhunLA]

Nice and sunny out this AM, and already producing.  About 12.5 hrs of non production, using ~37% or ~7.4kWh of our 20kWh ESS overnight.

 

Usually not producing more than using in early AM this soon, but wife is still snoozing, so no fan or AC on, aside from in bedroom, set @ 24°C.

 

Already warming up outside ...

 

 

I already made my coffee 

 

Edited August 19 by KhunLA

[KhunLA]

ESS already topped up @ ~1000 hrs

 

 

Both ACs running now set @ 24°C./ high fan, along with 2 frigs, laptop & 65" TV as monitor.  That's all that's on, using 3.15kWh.

 

 

 

Outside temp, getting up there ...

... feels like ... OUCH

 

 

 

Edited August 19 by KhunLA

[KhunLA]

A day in the life ... 

... ACs on, back from the park at noon-ish, and the car is charging

 

[KhunLA]

34 minutes ago, KhunLA said:

A day in the life ... 

... ACs on, back from the park at noon-ish, and the car is charging

 

Not fast enough for edit ... car's done charging ...

... and ESS topped back up, as needed a bit, while charging.  That partly cloudy skies, and used 10%, and now back to 100%.

 

Edited August 19 by KhunLA

[KhunLA]

And that's a wrap 35kWh produced, 30kWh consumed

 

ACs (13 & 24BTUs) not really utilized to almost 1000 hr, and EV only plugged in for 3+ hrs (~7kWh).   No long term kitchen appliances use.  Short use of coffee machine, water kettle & microwave.

 

Wife trimmed the hedges a bit, ~1 hr.  Showers don't require water heater on, as comes out hot enough on sunny days.

 

Most for the ACs, as hit a sunny 34°C today, and feeling like ... DAMN HOT

 

35kWh X 30 days = 1050 = ฿5215 PEA bill