Axpert backup worth the outlay

[Isetech]

To install small 3 kva Axpert inverter to get enough power to backup for just over 3 hours.

Cost - around R 13000.00 spent so far for an inverter, 2 gel batteries, a changeover panel (complete), 125 amps fuse holder and fuses, cabling and a board to mount everything (excluding the Pi3B+ and the solar assistant software)

What do you get for R13000.00, a system to power your whole house, not quite, in fact very little power.

To get 3 hours of backup, you can only load the 3000 watt system with around 400 watts, that not much.

I switched off the power at 7.20am and the power dropped to 23 VDC at 11 am.

Combination of a resistive and inductive load - 394 watts constant total (13%)

Battery 17 amps.

R13000.00 for 13 % usage of a 3000 watt inverter for around 3.5 hours, it just seems like such a waste of money.

[Isetech]

I have found that generally people think by installing a backup system they will "save" electricity. I have some bad news, not only does it cost you money to keep the inverter running but also a chunk of money to recharge the battery.

3.5 hrs backup, then 3.5 hrs @ 20 amp to recharge the battery, it starts getting expensive for 3 hours of backup for as little as 394 watts

You have to ask yourself, do you really need a backup inverter? IF you work from home or run a business from home as many smart people do, then it might be an essential requirement.

[Isetech]

The next test will be the Sunsynk inverter, now we talking closer to R50 k for a basic backup system. 4 batteries with a 48 VDC system. Now we talking cost to connect the system to the electrical installation according to all the regs.

There must be cheaper smarter options to keep the lights on.

[Justloadit]

The next test will be the Sunsynk inverter, now we talking closer to R50 k for a basic backup system. 4 batteries with a 48 VDC system. Now we talking cost to connect the system to the electrical installation according to all the regs.

There must be cheaper smarter options to keep the lights on.

Don't waste your time if you going to use Lead Acid with the SunSynk. Lithium is the way to go.
If you have PV panels as part of the system, then the SunSynk used the battery at some point after the sun goes down and used up to 30% of the battery capacity to provide power to your load. Once this point is reached, it changes ovwer to mains, and will recharge the battery the next morning via solar. This where part of the saving comes in, especially the hybrid side, and the sun is shinning. I have had many days that I do not use ESKOM from around 08H00 to about 18H00 with my Deye (Sunsynk equivalent), thats a saving of about 17Kw, only because I have 2.6Kw of PV panels.

[Dylboy]

When I was a lightie my old man ran LED tape along the house cornices and then some switch drops next to the switch. All this was hooked to a 12V battery and it worked very well. Eventually I would mostly use the LED strips as lights as they where better.

Eventually we put a small inverter on and a lead acid to run the TV and WiFi.

Worked very well.

Was mostly just for laodshedding and if you needed to charge your phone would do it at the TV where the inverter was before bed.

So it can to a degree be done cheaper for super basics of Internet and TV but there has to be no DB tie in to save costs. Also then getting 12V DC lights can also be a thing.

Basically with all said above I am trying to work costs to convert all lights to 12V DC and go from there and compare.


Sent from my SM-N960F using Tapatalk

[Derlyn]

When I was a lightie my old man ran LED tape along the house cornices and then some switch drops next to the switch. All this was hooked to a 12V battery and it worked very well. Eventually I would mostly use the LED strips as lights as they where better.

Eventually we put a small inverter on and a lead acid to run the TV and WiFi.

Worked very well.

Was mostly just for laodshedding and if you needed to charge your phone would do it at the TV where the inverter was before bed.

So it can to a degree be done cheaper for super basics of Internet and TV but there has to be no DB tie in to save costs. Also then getting 12V DC lights can also be a thing.

Basically with all said above I am trying to work costs to convert all lights to 12V DC and go from there and compare.


Sent from my SM-N960F using Tapatalk

My whole house's lighting is 12v. 20 watts is all we need inside. 2 by 10 watt spotlights outside. Total 40 watts.

When I get home in the evening, in the garage I pop the bonnet and connect the crocodile clamps.

Lights sorted.

When I leave in the morning, by the time I get to the bottom of the road, the battery's charged again.

Keep it simple.

[Dylboy]

My whole house's lighting is 12v. 20 watts is all we need inside. 2 by 10 watt spotlights outside. Total 40 watts.

When I get home in the evening, in the garage I pop the bonnet and connect the crocodile clamps.

Lights sorted.

When I leave in the morning, by the time I get to the bottom of the road, the battery's charged again.

Keep it simple.

Now that is very very cool!! Ingenious really.

A small battery as a back up in case you away then the battery clips on and done. Also ELV

Sent from my SM-N960F using Tapatalk