after that was the Growatt Hybrid inverter.
plus another two 400w panels.
plus another two 400w panels.
Solar Sheds & Other Non-t6 Solar Projects - How We Done It -
- Thread starter Dellmassive
- Start date
next up after that is the current setup . . .
SUNSYNK 3.6kw hybrid inverter with Pylontech battery storage.
i added another two 400w panels - so now 1600w on the roof.
then swapped out the inverter to the Sunsynk one. . . .
and added 4x 2.4kwh (9.6kwh) storage batteries.. . . . . .
but. . . then had to upgrade the feed to the inverter to handle 3.6kw.
and started to get random RCD tripping from my older consumer unit. . . . hmm.
a quick EICR electrical report showed that the old split load CU needed to be replaced.
out with the old . . .
in with the new . . .
new RCBO CU, plus a remote CT clamp + meter for the Inverter.
and a new beefcake feedmeans we can now hit the go button . . .
getting the batteries connected. . .
we have power . . .
.
now getting some nice data back . . .
and a first night charging battery's at night on the cheap rate,
to then discharge during the day . . .
...
no we just need to hope for sun.
.
SUNSYNK 3.6kw hybrid inverter with Pylontech battery storage.
i added another two 400w panels - so now 1600w on the roof.
then swapped out the inverter to the Sunsynk one. . . .
and added 4x 2.4kwh (9.6kwh) storage batteries.. . . . . .
but. . . then had to upgrade the feed to the inverter to handle 3.6kw.
and started to get random RCD tripping from my older consumer unit. . . . hmm.
a quick EICR electrical report showed that the old split load CU needed to be replaced.
out with the old . . .
in with the new . . .
new RCBO CU, plus a remote CT clamp + meter for the Inverter.
and a new beefcake feedmeans we can now hit the go button . . .
getting the batteries connected. . .
we have power . . .
.
now getting some nice data back . . .
and a first night charging battery's at night on the cheap rate,
to then discharge during the day . . .
...
no we just need to hope for sun.
.
the next mission is to get these next 4x 400w panels stuck on the roof. . . .
Time to beef up the Domestics Solar setup.
the other 4x 405w panels added:
doubled the battery storage capacity now 19.2kwh :
sticking with the 3.6kw Sunsynk for now:
.
also after a nod from @Mick about Octopus Agile we`ve made the switch . . .
heres my affiliate link, join up and we bo9th get £50 when you pay your first bill:
+++
share.octopus.energy
+++
here is a link to the price tracker, its like ecconomy7 - but turbo charged,
they slit the day into 30min slots, so 48slots over the day . . and each time slot has a variable price.
+++
++++
the great thing is they even go into negative pricing . . .
check out the xmas eve prices !!!
....
Awsome !!!!
.
the other 4x 405w panels added:
doubled the battery storage capacity now 19.2kwh :
sticking with the 3.6kw Sunsynk for now:
.
also after a nod from @Mick about Octopus Agile we`ve made the switch . . .
heres my affiliate link, join up and we bo9th get £50 when you pay your first bill:
+++
Octopus Energy
Octopus customers pay less: Cheaper than price-cap prices, rewards for using less when the grid is stressed, and smart tariff savings for your home, car or battery
share.octopus.energy
+++
here is a link to the price tracker, its like ecconomy7 - but turbo charged,
they slit the day into 30min slots, so 48slots over the day . . and each time slot has a variable price.
+++
++++
the great thing is they even go into negative pricing . . .
check out the xmas eve prices !!!
....
Awsome !!!!
.
some nice cheap leccy last night. . .
battery's fully charged for almost nothing . . . maybe a few pennies. . .
and that will see us through the day.
Nice.
battery's fully charged for almost nothing . . . maybe a few pennies. . .
and that will see us through the day.
Nice.
Dear Dell (etal).
I've recently become of a certain age where I bought my first shed. When it was first erected (oo err missus) I thought it was the bees knees. Then the missus emptied the junk from the garage into it... (Cries...)
As I live in the north, I have an eye on winter and the darker nights. I have a solar suitcase which is going unused which has a basic battery charger attached, but I'm not keen on butchering it so started looking at simple kits from the usual suspects like Eco-Worthy etc... Budget isn't an issue but I don't see any need to splash out my hard earned on a mega power station PV system just for some winter lights and maybe a simple USB charging system.
Have you good people of this manor any suggestions for a nice simple system to charge a low power system for lights and maybe a future USB setup.
My van has the DCC50A and I also have the Victron Blue Smart battery charger so I have those Bluetooth apps on my phone. The Victron MPPT 75/15 caught my eye as it's not overly expensive and I can connect via BT with the extra module.
Any other suggestions? Many thanks.
I've recently become of a certain age where I bought my first shed. When it was first erected (oo err missus) I thought it was the bees knees. Then the missus emptied the junk from the garage into it... (Cries...)
As I live in the north, I have an eye on winter and the darker nights. I have a solar suitcase which is going unused which has a basic battery charger attached, but I'm not keen on butchering it so started looking at simple kits from the usual suspects like Eco-Worthy etc... Budget isn't an issue but I don't see any need to splash out my hard earned on a mega power station PV system just for some winter lights and maybe a simple USB charging system.
Have you good people of this manor any suggestions for a nice simple system to charge a low power system for lights and maybe a future USB setup.
My van has the DCC50A and I also have the Victron Blue Smart battery charger so I have those Bluetooth apps on my phone. The Victron MPPT 75/15 caught my eye as it's not overly expensive and I can connect via BT with the extra module.
Any other suggestions? Many thanks.
You want to make a solar shed?
If so use your spare solar suitcase connected to a 12v battery in the shed.
Then add some 12v lighting and 12v usb charger etc.
....
Or if not.
Then look at any hard frame or flexible solar panel, stick in in the shed roof. 100-400w
Then add a Victron 75/15 solar controller.
And a 12v battery.
Renogy and ecoworthy are worth a look.
This is my super-basic solar shed set-up.
Everything pre-loved, I'm no electrician as you can see....
Everything pre-loved, I'm no electrician as you can see....
I don't want to reuse the Solar suitcase, rather buy something smaller. What size PV would keep a car battery topped up so I can see in the dark hours? I'll Google smallest car batteries.
I'm also not sure about mounting on the roof as it's just felt. The shed faces east so the roof mount would be fine but it's a metre away from the fence so I may just make a bridge to mount the solar on.
Any particular batteries to avoid. I saw an Amazon only Eco Worthy kit with an 8 A/hr Life PO but reviews suggest these don't like the cold. I could form some sort of insulated jacket for it I suppose.
Thanks! @Sackmycook that setup looks like some amateur torture chamber! It's just missing a set of jump leads, and a couple of wet sponges!!
I'm also not sure about mounting on the roof as it's just felt. The shed faces east so the roof mount would be fine but it's a metre away from the fence so I may just make a bridge to mount the solar on.
Any particular batteries to avoid. I saw an Amazon only Eco Worthy kit with an 8 A/hr Life PO but reviews suggest these don't like the cold. I could form some sort of insulated jacket for it I suppose.
Thanks! @Sackmycook that setup looks like some amateur torture chamber! It's just missing a set of jump leads, and a couple of wet sponges!!
All depends on what you are running off it really!
Let's assume maybe 6w of LED on for 8 hours a night?
That's 6w/12v = 0.5A for 8 hours, so about 4Ah per day.
To replace that let's assume you get 4 hours of good solar conditions a day, you'd need to realise about 12w from a panel over that time.
So I'd look at around a nominal 50w panel for light lighting use?
If you are buying rather than repurposing a car battery is not what you want, they are designed for massive starting currents and very low levels of discharge. Instead consider a small leisure battery, on of the SLA (sealed lead acid) batteries that used to be common in jump starters, or a small LiFePo.
You've missed the point here, it's not that they "don't like the cold" but that it is actively dangerous to charge any lithium below freezing. A jacket is not enough, you either need a low voltage charge cutoff in the battery itself or in the charger.
out with the old . . .
in with the new.
3.6Kw swapped out for the 8.0Kw model.
.
new 50mm2 - 200A DC feed cables made up . . .
i uprated the 100A fuse to 160A for now. . . thats the MAX this fuse holder can take. ( the inverter can deliver/request 190A max, so ill set the limiter for now)
I've ordered the 200A fuses and fuse holder, but that for another day. . .
more panels added too . . . now we has 12x 400w on the shed roofs.
battery still the same. . . 25Kwh
in with the new.
3.6Kw swapped out for the 8.0Kw model.
.
new 50mm2 - 200A DC feed cables made up . . .
i uprated the 100A fuse to 160A for now. . . thats the MAX this fuse holder can take. ( the inverter can deliver/request 190A max, so ill set the limiter for now)
I've ordered the 200A fuses and fuse holder, but that for another day. . .
more panels added too . . . now we has 12x 400w on the shed roofs.
battery still the same. . . 25Kwh
Mental set up Lee.
Looks amazing
Bloody hellfire 
And just to think this all started from a crappy 20w 12v solar panel. Shown in my first solar Vid.Bloody hellfire
Then over my camping 12v solar adventure to keep the beer fridge running.... Slowly increasing in size and capacity.
To my first venture into grid tied kit..... That EcoFlow 800w kit.
And now we are fully converted solar nutters.
....
The standard camping weekend is 400w with twin 200w fold out panels on a T6 roof, into a 100/20 Victron mppt and 230ah lithium.
....
And the domestic system keeps growing....
So far we have about 5kw peek on panels.
A 8kw hybrid inverter.
With 25kwh battery storage system.
Next in the list for the domestic system is another 4-10 400w panels, but this time using the new MicroInverters that go on the panels and feed AC direct.... But our Sunsynk inverter can take in a chain on micro inverters into the Generator input,... To work in addition to the standard roof too panels.
Unfortunately I'm out of roof I can easily use, but my first foray may well be 12v shed for the garden railway.
Unfortunately the ideal location is the big garage with pitched roof, unfortunately it's detached on the end of a 20A armoured feed taken from a 13A fuse spur to save the builders about 5m of cable.
But having recent acquired the EV and having an older FIT era solar array on the house I am considering an AC battery system, especially if I can charge it at EV rates.
Unfortunately the ideal location is the big garage with pitched roof, unfortunately it's detached on the end of a 20A armoured feed taken from a 13A fuse spur to save the builders about 5m of cable.
But having recent acquired the EV and having an older FIT era solar array on the house I am considering an AC battery system, especially if I can charge it at EV rates.
Awesome...
Have a look at the Octopus tarrifs ..
And if you sign up we both get £50 credit ....
I started with the Economy 7 tarrif, then moved over to the EV tarrif.... Now we are on the Agile wholesale tracker for import.
And for export we are on there 15p fixed rate....but try not to export anything, we have enough battery to run a full day..... So try to keep all the power.
Check out our personal link here to see what it's about.....and get Ur £50.
.....
Octopus Energy
Octopus customers pay less: Cheaper than price-cap prices, rewards for using less when the grid is stressed, and smart tariff savings for your home, car or battery
share.octopus.energy
...
Use this link to sign up to Octopus - Octopus Energy
....
Would happily have done so, but my brother in law already is and the shift is booked for the end of our fixed rate with current suppliers.
Then I just have to get the meter changed from the one Edison would recognise so I can actually get the smart tarrifs.
After that MrsRT is going to get very tired of me using Home Assistant to shift our loads around.
One thing I'd like to find, but I don't think exists, is a lithium power bank system with anti UPS - so that it uses its battery to supply AC even while plugged in and switches back to grid when it's empty. That would be highly useful to shift load on the computers I need for work but I don't think I've ever seen something like that.
Then I just have to get the meter changed from the one Edison would recognise so I can actually get the smart tarrifs.
After that MrsRT is going to get very tired of me using Home Assistant to shift our loads around.
One thing I'd like to find, but I don't think exists, is a lithium power bank system with anti UPS - so that it uses its battery to supply AC even while plugged in and switches back to grid when it's empty. That would be highly useful to shift load on the computers I need for work but I don't think I've ever seen something like that.
Don't hold your breath on that. Both 'Smart Meters' in my house and nearby holiday cottage are such equipped and seem to be operating correctly according to the light sequences.....but Ovo are not getting readings from either....therefore no smart tariffs. Millibunds fault
Octopus Energy has a fix for that....
They send out a small USB powered PUCK.
That connects locally to your smart meter... And your local WiFi.... Then beams all the data back to them.
I've got one indoors
Gets you live updates on your power usage every 10sec and live history of 5 and 30mins....
Clever stuff.
Get yours free here....
...
octopus.energy
....
...
Apparently it's down to the smart meters working the old 2G and 3G radio networks that are being switched off.
So the local puck gets a new path back to the energy company servers.... Happy days.
We was having issues with them reading the meter remotely for the live IHD data.... Now all sorted.
They send out a small USB powered PUCK.
That connects locally to your smart meter... And your local WiFi.... Then beams all the data back to them.
I've got one indoors
Gets you live updates on your power usage every 10sec and live history of 5 and 30mins....
Clever stuff.
Get yours free here....
...
Meet the Octopus Home Mini
The Octopus Home Mini is a brand new, cutting-edge bit of tech that makes understanding your energy usage easier than ever before.
octopus.energy
....
...
Apparently it's down to the smart meters working the old 2G and 3G radio networks that are being switched off.
So the local puck gets a new path back to the energy company servers.... Happy days.
We was having issues with them reading the meter remotely for the live IHD data.... Now all sorted.
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