Considerations when choosing a solar system

[Isetech]

Now that the crazy load shedding is a little better, we can sit back and look at the type of system to be installed. We havent had load shedding for months.

The budget is always the first consideration.

I am sure many would agree that the warranty period would be at the top of the list. Will the company still be around to honour the warranty? Was it installed correctly and will the installer be required to have some form of certification or approval?

Then we need to look at the training and product support, has your installer completed formal training with some form of certification to indicate they are familair with a specific brand or do you trust that they have done the same thing 50 times without any formal brand specific training.

You will need to consider the monthly fee which you will have to pay once you have registered your SSEG.

Feed back tarrifs would need to be taken into account when sizing the solar array.

Then we have to consider the location to fit the components, like the lithium battery and what seems to have become the real risk (the home made DC control boxes). Photos I have seen floating around the internet seem to indicate that the batteries are not bursting into flames and burning down houses, there seems to be a bigger problem with the solar DC. Lets hope these systems are fitted with some form of protection so that they can be installed anywhere inside the house, which will also be a massive saving in cable and labour costs.

Simple things like the look and space required for some of these systems. when you look at how much space some inverters and batteries take up, compared to these all in one systems, which are stackable, saving time and material costs. I think the old style of inverter, battery and a bunch of surface mount DB's and fuse etc all over the wall are going to be slowly phased out.

Most quality brands now offer a slim pleasant looking stackable system which takes up limited space and hides all the cabling within the units. SRNE, MyEnergi libbi, Huawei and Livoltek are a good examples.

[Isetech]

Lets not rule out EV's, something to consder when installing a solar system. I know you smilling going yeah right Ev's in SA, who thought people had R150 000 plus to throw at solar systems

This is something I will be taking into consideration going forward, the communication between the solar system and the EV charger.

The more I learn about Solar edge the more I wan to invest ime into this product.

[Derlyn]

I thought the guys installing solar might find this interesting.
And it's local.

Check out that DB upgrade !!
Now that's how it's done.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cGdweWIwm4M

[Isetech]

The video attached is a good example of why you shouldnt mess with stuff you are not sure about.

I would be concened about the following items:

The location of the inverter and battery.
The installation clearances around the equipment installed.
The 2 changeover switches, I dont understand why you would have one on the the essential and non essential aand why 3 rows.

I wonder if the installer is approved by Sunsynk and if he is, I hope he didnt send pics of the installation with the warranty document.

Understanding pass through current for an 8 KW inverter for example. the inverter can handle 50 amps pass through current, what is the pass through current, tha current which can be fed through the inverter to feed the UPS load (max 34.8 amps) and charge the batteries.

[Derlyn]

The video attached is a good example of why you shouldnt mess with stuff you are not sure about.

I would be concened about the following items:

The location of the inverter and battery.
The installation clearances around the equipment installed.
The 2 changeover switches, I dont understand why you would have one on the the essential and non essential aand why 3 rows.

I wonder if the installer is approved by Sunsynk and if he is, I hope he didnt send pics of the installation with the warranty document.

Understanding pass through current for an 8 KW inverter for example. the inverter can handle 50 amps pass through current, what is the pass through current, tha current which can be fed through the inverter to feed the UPS load (max 34.8 amps) and charge the batteries.

I actually thought it was an excellent installation. I would have given it a pass.

Colyn, in the video, did actually explain why there are 2 changeover switches and 3 rows.

It seems I still have a lot to learn regarding inverter installs.

Must an installation electrician first be approved by each inverter manufacturer before installing one of their inverters ?

[Isetech]

If you install Sunsynk products for example, the installer must be approved by Sunsynk otherwise your warranty is not valid and they will not honour your warranty claim (if you post a pic of that installation in the video, it would be a fail) .

Another issue people are experiencing at the moment, they were approved and completed a number of installations already, however Sunsynk moved the goal post, you now you have to re-register, I gave up after 35 attemps to reregister, opened a ticket, which is now closed and still not approved.

If you look at the approved installers listed, they have dropped by tens of thousands. This is going to create a huge problem for people like myself who cannot register, I have basically dropped my customers in the crapper, lets hope the installed units dont start failing anytime soon.

https://www.sunsynk.org/approvedinstallers

I dont know of any other brands which require approval.

I have checked with Deye and they dont require approval, the prices are a lot better and they offer support when you are planning new installations ands they have a local service centre.

I actually thought it was an excellent installation. I would have given it a pass.

Colyn, in the video, did actually explain why there are 2 changeover switches and 3 rows.

It seems I still have a lot to learn regarding inverter installs.

Must an installation electrician first be approved by each inverter manufacturer before installing one of their inverters ?

[Derlyn]

(if you post a pic of that installation in the video, it would be a fail) .

Why ?

What are the problems ?

I'm still learning.

[Isetech]

There are many reasons, but the main one would be the spacing of the inverter from the wall and the fridge in form of the inverter.

Without visiting the property to understand the layout, the location, if the room is inside the house, if that opening would be used to get out the building in case of a fire, is that a single brick wall with acess to the house, if so is there fire door and does the wall go all the way to the roof (not just the ceiling), many questions.

Why ?

What are the problems ?

I'm still learning.

[Isetech]

I thought while in the office let me try register with Sunsynk again, what a waste of my time.

[Derlyn]

Thanks for that.
Ok, am I correct in saying therefore that one cannot mount the inverter as it comes out the box, onto the wall as the spacing between the wall and inverter is insufficient ?

[Isetech]

You have to take into consideration the manufacturers specs (spaces and stuff) which are clearly noted in the installer manual and the inverter. Then you also have to look at the cooling system. if it is a 5 kw Sunsynk for example it not the samartest thing to mount the trunking,battery isolator and battery directly below the inverter, why you ask, because as we have discussed in otehr threads, the heat sink on the back of the creates a suction up the back of the unit through the fins. \

Then if you look at the unit in the video which looks like an 8 kw Sunsynk, the fans are on the left hand side pulling the air through the back of the unit out the right hand side, then you have to consider the fridge and the heat generated at the back of the fridge, it just looks like ther was much thought put into the location of both the battery and the inverter, but hey what do I know I cant even register as a Sunsynk installer.

I would be interested to hear if the installer is approved and attached the pics of the installation to his supplier and Sunsynk to verify the warranty will be valid. Let us know.

[Derlyn]

I have spoken to Colyn and yes, hi's electrician is Sunsynk approved, so all hunky dory there for him.

[Isetech]

Dont forget summer is coming and a lot of these installations have only been completed in the cooler months, Febuary next year with the new record high tempertures are going to prove to be a challenge for some of these installations. Lets wait and see.

I have spoken to Colyn and yes, hi's electrician is Sunsynk approved, so all hunky dory there for him.

[Derlyn]

Another issue people are experiencing at the moment, they were approved and completed a number of installations already, however Sunsynk moved the goal post, you now you have to re-register, I gave up after 35 attemps to reregister, opened a ticket, which is now closed and still not approved.

If you look at the approved installers listed, they have dropped by tens of thousands. This is going to create a huge problem for people like myself who cannot register, I have basically dropped my customers in the crapper

Spoke to a legal person regarding this and according to him, as long as you were registered at the time the installations were done, they cannot legally use the fact that you are not presently registered as a valid reason not to honour any warranties. ( They will probably find some other reason )

It's the same as, should you for some reason not renew your DOL registration, it doesn't mean that all the COC's you issued while you were registered are now null and void.

It will be interesting to see the outcome should something like this go to court.

[Isetech]

I tried the honest way to register, after 50 attempts and fails I decided to do what it takes to get registered, now that I have figured out a way to do it, lets see if it works.