Hey man, im in suffolk, built my own diy system last year too, 3kw, 14.4kw lifepo4 eve storage. Is awsome. Not many of us here in the uk doing this.. My setup is very similar to yours. I did the whole home assistant thing also to send data to my phone/tablet on the wall. Did the lot for just over £4k. (second hand 250w panels, 3kw epever hi hybrid inverter, jk bmses, diy battery boxes, diy everything hence the cost. 👍 (also, big car fan too, built myself a mx5 turbo 240bhp 👍)
Awesome man 😁 yea your right there’s only a few DIY solar builders here and can’t believe that more people don’t do it, it’s the best thing to get into by far, yea the epever are a good budget inverter and JK are a good BMS too, it’s really addictive this solar stuff isn’t it. I get a lot of MX5 at hillclimbs and sprints I goto and they do really well mate, nice little engines to boost too 🚗💨 yea same here I DIY everything too and if I don’t know how then I’ll learn 😆 👍 cheers
Great to see this done on a UK roof DIY, well done, great attention to detail. Thinking of doing similar, at least as much as I can, maybe up to the inverter, but guessing most sparkys wouldnt touch a part completed system
Thanks mate 😃👍 to be honest if you can fit the panels and other stuff I think you’d be ok with the inverter too as my setup is a little more complicated due to the contactor I installed so yours would be just a simple hook up 👍 more sparkys in the U.K. will do stuff like this now as Octopus no longer need sparkys to have the extra credentials 👍 cheers
@23:28 It's better if you connect the positive and negative leads from the invertor to separate batteries. There will be the 2 long leads and 1 battery to battery lead in the circuit for each battery then. Currently you have 2 long leads for 1 battery but the second battery has 2 long leads + 2 battery to battery leads in the circuit so the resistance will be slightly higher for the second battery.
@@CarJunkeez Happy for you. But if I were you, I would consider moving the black wire (from the bottom battery to the inverter) and put it on the upper battery to have a balance in charging your batteries
Hello mate, should balanced those cell modules by connecting them in Parallel for 12-24 hours, before connecting them all up in Series, otherwise great job. Not sure how that transfer switch would perform under load though. You could make that battery bank a kitchen island and box it all in, as that kitchen unit below is carrying a lot of weight mate with those 2 battery packs!!
Thanks mate 👍 I ended up top balancing all the cells in parallel with my bench power supply to 3.65v like I did on my garage build. Yea the contactor is rated at 63a but not sure I believe that 😂 it’s been ok so far with heavy loads and I also have the same setup in my garage. Yea good idea with the kitchen island but it’s a little to high but I could loose one of the draws I suppose, I did reinforce the unit and it’s definitely not going anywhere and batteries are not going anywhere to 👍 cheers
@@CarJunkeez When I first started out using off grid inverters, I used a transfer switch and it blow 2 Inverters up! Good to know you balance those modules, but it is cheaper and quicker just leaving them in parallel.
@@showme360 thanks for the heads up, I’ve set my settings so that if it’s overloaded it won’t reboot the inverter and that way it will stay on grid until I manually reboot 👍 I am going to eventually come totally off grid and will be running 2 of these growatt inverters in parallel so won’t ever overload and won’t need the contactor 👍 cheers
@@CarJunkeez Good man hate to see all your hard work go pop! Thats good am also going to replace my 5.5kw inverter with 2 Growatt 5kw unit to make 10kw in all, that way I will be able to charge my car up quicker!
@@showme360 thanks mate, yea good thinking with the electric car charging. I’m actually thinking of converting a mk2 escort to electric in the future, mainly to take advantage of the excess solar just like yourself 👍 cheers
With those batteries, you could tip them up so the front is up, then rotate 90 deg as these batteries don’t have to be horizontal . Give yourself better space there. More room then in the kitchen , and shorter cables.
Briliant to see a true DIY solar instal. Have you had any comments from building control about the panels being too close or too hight to the ridge / edge of roof. I measured my garage and its a tight squeeze to get them all on.
Thanks mate 😃👍 I’ve not had anyone say anything about being to close, but I wouldn’t really be bothered anyway because I just do what I want here as our local council are a bunch of plonkers 😂 cheers
couple of things, would you provide more information about the circuit diagram, i'm very interested in the contactor , would you provide a reference link for one and what type/size of fuse do you have on the negative leg going into the inverter. Thanks, keep up the great work
Hi, Thanks mate 😃👍 unfortunately the contactor I purchased is no longer available, but this is virtually the same www.ebay.co.uk/itm/285963515904 I don’t have a circuit diagram as I just wired it directly out of my head, but if you watch both my installs you can see how I’ve wired it. Basically the contactor is energised from my inverter output and when the output of my inverter drops then the contactor acts like a 2 rocker switch for both live and neutral to go to the grid and when energised again goes back over to the inverter, that’s why you need a contactor that’s 4 pole with 2 normally open and 2 normally closed. I don’t use any fuse on the negative. Thanks 😃👍👍
Hi thanks for the video ,ive just purchased the same inverter, but im really stuck on the ac in and out part anychance you could do a walk through on how you done it and the parts you purchased please .
Hi, thanks 🙏 basically it’s just the mains from your house that normally goes into your consumer unit (fuse box) put this to the mains input on the inverter, then the mains output from the inverter goes into your consumer input in replacement of the one your took out 👍 cheers
Hi Lee, I am already running Growatt SPF5000 ES inverters with lead acid batteries and I'm looking to move on to LFP's. Did you have to do any programming or was the BMS plug and play through RS485? If it wasn't plug & play, could you make a video on how to make the communications work or point to where we can find the information? Could you also give feedback about how the BMS works with this inverter? Is the communication flawless, does the inverter charge the battery the way you would like it to? Any faults?
Who’s Lee 😂 I connect the battery to the inverter via canbus and in settings select battery type Li and use protocol 52, then the 2 batteries connect to each other via RS485. The settings in the BMS are already good to go but you can tweak them to your preferences. On another setup I built I had to cut 3 wires in the canbus lead but I used a standard Ethernet cable that was fully wired so that explains why. I’ve not had any communication problems with both setups and even with the standard settings in the BMS it works well. To communicate with a PC you need a USB to RS485 adapter then use the 2 wires to pins 7 and 8 I think on the RS485 on the battery, if using 2 batteries you have to change jumpers on the batteries temporarily to get comms with the PC. Thanks 👍
There can be a few problems with some BMS to Growatt communications so be careful. With a Growatt CANBUS to BMS connection (I used protocol 51) my battery was pushed harder than before and some drift gradually pushed the battery SoC measure far off reality: the BMS thought the battery was at 55% state of charge when it was actually below 1% but the BMS individual cell monitoring still worked and caused a battery shutdown for safety. I needed to do a battery/BMS reset and multiple restarts and recharges before the BMS protection was removed during the initial inverter connection ( I did wait 30 seconds for the resistor surge to pass). I since removed the communication cable and went back to USE2 battery monitoring with no communication to the BMS directly ! I do not recommend Shenzhen Taico Technology Co., Ltd for batteries but if you need a cable to talk to their BMS, I do recommend this cable to go from a Microsoft Windows computer www.aliexpress.com/item/1005005088015060.html Please note that AliExpress are a bunch of thieves who will steal from you happily every day but you can use paypal or your credit card company to protect you if you block payment within one month of the usual AliExpress failure to deliver. For instance, I ordered a Xiaomi Note 10 Pro from Hong Kong Goldway via AliExpress ordering and delivery with buyer protection. order number 8140340833741290 but they sent the phone to the infamous Dutch AliExpress sorting office and it never even came to England (I have all the transit logs)
What is this "weld shop" to which you keep referring? Looks like a pretty good build, although you must not have very much concern for wind in that location, because those little straps aren't going to hold if a stiff breeze gets ahold of that rather large sail you installed on the roof.
Thanks 🙏 I’m not saying “Weld Shop” I’m saying “Well Chuffed” haha. Those straps are 10mm thick and secured to the main roof trusses with a load of 4 inch screws and we’ve had some serious gales and storms here since I fitted the panels and they’re fine 👍👍 cheers
Hi there. just discovered your channel. Great videos mate. Are you allowed to just connect your system to the grid without getting any approvals or permissions? I am interested in doing what you have done, but not sure about the whole approval thing. many thanks. Sean
Thanks mate 😃 I don’t feed anything back to the grid as I don’t want to and my inverters are designed that way, you can actually feed back to Octopus in the U.K. now and not have to get a special licensed company to fit your equipment 👍
Hi just a quick question is it a standard ethernet cable from the CAN port to the growatt inverter as I'm having trouble setting mine up I have the same system as you any advise welcome cheers
You need to cut 3 wires in the cable, (Orange, Orange striped, Green striped) then use Li protocol 52, also make sure you set the jumper switches correctly on the battery’s BMS 👍
Hi all new to solar, great video, Quick question, if your requirements exceeds 5KW, how dose your system deal with the extra demand? can the inverter sense this and switch back to Grid supply unit the demand drops? I have been looking at the Sunsynk 3.6kW ECCO with a Zero Export to the Grid, needs a CT to monitor grid failure stopping the inverter feeding back into the grid, but if my demand exceeds 3.6KW the grid shares the load, I believe I need to supply my Supplier a G98 with the Sunsynk 3.6kW ECCO. All a bit confusing. I am really looking to complement my power requirements price wise with solar and Battery as during a working day (no one in) I am only using on average 300W per hour.
Hi, thanks mate 😃 yes if the GROWATT exceeds 5kw then the grid adds to it, but I no longer have it wired with a grid supply to the GROWATT as it was using 150watt per inverter a day when not even exceeding the 5kw, so now I have a contactor that switches over automatically to the grid if there is no solar and the batteries are low, it also switches over if there is no power output from the inverter and is automatic and fast. The Sunsynk is a very good inverter and if I ever upgrade I will be getting one myself as you can control dump loads precisely and have some good features, yes the CT clamp is very accurate (make sure you fit it the correct direction) and yes you can set to not feed back to the grid and is safe in power cuts. If you use Octipus in the U.K. you no longer need a G98 👍👍
Hi bud great vid, is the inverter a zero export version? Or did you have to make changes/adapt? I currently use 2 gtil sun 2000w inverters which have built-in export limit functions via a Ct clamp but want to move over to a larger inverter such as yours, does your growatt inverter have the Ct clamp and built in export limiter option?? Thanks
Hi mate, thanks 🙏 👍 my Growatt inverters don’t and can’t feed back to the grid and yes they have shunt inside to monitor usage. If you want a decent inverter with ct clamp then look at the Sunsunk, I’m thinking of upgrading mine to Sunsynk in the future as they are a lot better built and more functions 👍 cheers
Thanks mate 😁 I just disconnected the grid input that goes in my consumer unit under the sink and wired that to the contactor that’s in that metal box under my inverter and out from that to the inverter in, then the output from the inverter goes through the contactor on a different pole and out of that to the input of the consumer unit under the sink 👍 cheers
Hello again ive got the same setup as yours panels inverter ive got a weird problem ive wired as diagram and ive got earth when the grid is on and no earth when its on just solar im curious do you have the same problem? cheers in advance..
Hi mate, some Growatt have no earth pass through when off grid, some you can install a screw inside on the PCB to bond or remove to un-bond, but to be honest I recommend using a separate earth rod that goes to either the output of your inverter or on your consumer unit that the inverter feeds, the reason is I recon the earths being bonded together can lead to the dreaded fault code 08 bus voltage high 👍 also I no longer have grid input to my inverters, I use a contactor to switch over instead. Cheers
Hi, no it’s not a silly question as I still wonder the same. I’ve never actually overloaded it yet but my thinking was it would only be capable of outputting what the mosfets can take unless it combines the AC input and matches the phase and adds what it needs and more if it hits its limits. 👍
5kw is the limit, it can coupe with 15kw for a second or two i.e. electric motor starting up! Otherwise it will drop out. However our friend here as installed an auto transfer switch in the sub consumer box, that's where I think he might have a problem! Because once the load has gone from the Inverter, the Inverter will switch back on, and that high load will come back with a power surge from the grid.
Hi Shane Cracking vid. Best I've seen for a UK DIY build. Am I right in thinking that all the time your inverter is getting power from the batteries or panels you are effectively off grid? And then if your inverter has no power the contactor de-energises and flips your consumer unit back to grid? Cheers Adrian
Thanks Adrian 😃 I appreciate that, yes you’re totally correct, so totally disconnected from the grid unless the inverters power output goes down then it will de-energise the contactor then grid will flow through the contactor to the buildings consumer unit 👍 cheers Shane
@CarJunkeez Cheers. That's what I thought. Do you bother trying to smooth the transition from inverter to grid and back or do you just accept that stuff like oven clocks might need to be reset. And can you set the min voltage on the inverter so that it shuts down hard at say 220v? Sorry for all the questions 😅
@@adriangodley no as the contactor switch is so fast it doesn’t even effect clocks and computers and tv’s on the switch over, also I don’t really expect it to go over to the grid very often 🤞well I hope not as I’m aiming to be totally off grid hopefully. I also did the contactor setup as I found that the inverters still use a little energy from the grid (100watt a day) just so they can add grid power if you exceed the maximum wattage of the inverter 👍 cheers
@CarJunkeez Cheers. That's excellent news. I'll be setting up some contactors the same as you. I'm not bothering with mcs certs so I need to show that my installation is isolated from the grid.
@@adriangodley no problem mate 👍 yea your fine as your isolated from the grid 👍 it’s when you want too feed back to grid all certs and things can get tricky 😂
Thanks mate 😁👍 if your putting them on a flat roof I’d make some frames to have them at an angle towards the sun, but you’d have to make them really secure as the wind would have more of an effect on them as they’d act like sails pal 👍 cheers
Hi there love the video's, I'm just wondering what the contractor is for ? so it can running solely of the inverter, why can't it be wired up directly to the grid and grid share?
Thanks 🙏 the contactor is there just to automatically physically switch to the grid if the inverter fails or turns off etc. you don’t need the contactor, I’ve just added it 👍 cheers
Hi, yes I’ve just had a smart meter fitted and will go on the Octopus Go tariff once my current fixed rate ends in a couple of months, then I’ll set my inverter to charge from grid if needed in those few low rate hours at night. To be honest my house setup will only need to do that for a few days in the winter as it’s working that well, but my garage setup isn’t quite as efficient so I’m upgrading that soon and also doing a small hydro generator from my stream. 👍 cheers
@@CarJunkeez looking at the inverter setting I can’t see a on and off time during the period of 0:30 to 04:30 , it look like there isn’t a way to set this window, I was thinking of using a smart switch , enable charging of grid and control the power to the inverter that way , we have an easy way to use that window then. I’m not going to put mine off grid charging if I can help , solar first, I’ve installed 2 x growatt 5000es , operating in parallel , build a 15kw lifeP04 as well , May build another . I see you used the Mason battery box kits. They look better but making them pretty doesn’t give and more use, since I’ve fitted in my workshop , a case like you first built is fine.
@@Welshwizzard1 if you go to setting 49 and input 0103 then it will charge from grid from 1:00AM until 3:59AM I know it’s missing an hour because you can’t set minutes but it’s not to bad 👍 I’ve got 2 x SPF3500ES for my garages that I’m going to parallel and use my existing panels on one and new panels on the other and going to build another 2 batteries, yea I agree you can build batteries in wood boxes and work exactly same 👍 cheers
@@CarJunkeez yes it’s not very flexible , I was thinking of using a contactor switch on the grid input and control it to the minute with Home Assistant automation , the grid to the inverter would be isolated then out of these times.
Cheers mate, I didn’t pay import duties on the batteries as they was in a U.K. warehouse and I got the boxes through Alibaba.com and didn’t pay duties so must of been included in the postage, I did have to wait nearly 3 months for the boxes though 😂 and they didn’t send the Bluetooth versions that I ordered but they did eventually send out the Bluetooth screens so all good in the end. 👍 cheers
makes your kitchen look like a shed LOL, should of built a small out house / lean to and put it all in there. is this done as an experiment or have you really installed that lot there as its home
I like shed’s 😁 I’ve got a small out house on my house but I still wanted it in my kitchen, makes me feel good when I look at it when I walk in the kitchen and say to myself “all that free energy working well” 👍 since I installed it I’ve been totally off grid so it’s staying in the kitchen 😂
@@user-ox4eu3xi3s I’ve made a frame from 30mm angle 5mm thick and welded it together around the unit so it’s deffo not going anywhere. To be honest I can easily get to the kitchen either side of it so doesn’t get it my way to be honest. I know normal people wouldn’t like it but I’m far from normal 😆 👍
Hi Lee, it’s 5kw but it doesn’t and can’t feed back to the grid so I won’t be registering, is there any other benefits in registering as I’ve never heard of it until you mentioned it. Thanks 👍
@@CarJunkeezIt's only a requirement if grid export is possible from your system, so in your case you should be fine. The theory is it allows the DNO to monitor and manage street level power capacity, preventing too much going through their hardware (they can decline an application, or charge for an infrastructure upgrade, for this reason). At the same time all G98/G99 certified equipment must automatically prevent export within 500ms of Grid failure so we don't electrocute their engineers. In reality, it simply offers a bureaucratic barrier in a privatised industry, that would be otherwise less lucrative for energy suppliers… I did find your automatic failover switch interesting though?
@@ForgottenTeacake yea got you, I understand the safety need for cut off speed too as could electrocute workers when there’s a power cut etc. I definitely won’t be feeding back to the grid though as they give you peanuts for it and yet charge us a fortune for it 😂 Yea the contactor was a thing I did on my garage when I had trouble with the inverter and was a way of it being automated when I was away, really simple setup but works flawlessly. Cheers 😃👍
@@CarJunkeez Well I've now watched your garage vid and I'm loving the high voltage flexible panels. Really nice solution to shaded locations where people want to use commercially available grid tied inverters without the cost of solar optimisers or micro invetrers 👍
@@ForgottenTeacake thanks Lee 😃 yea they’re really good in low light and shadowing doesn’t effect them to much. The cost of fitting optimisers can be expensive if you have a lot of panels too. I’m getting pretty addicted to this solar stuff, next project I’m moving on to hydro power from my stream. 👍 cheers
Thanks Steve 😁 if you know what voltage your panels are I can work out the best method of connecting them to the Growatt mate, you may get away with 2 strings of 10 panels then parallel the 2 strings to the inverter. Let me know, Cheers 👍
@@wrapper484 Hi Steve, you can definitely do 10 in series and another 10 in series then both paralleled and into the GROWATT SPF5000ES as that would be around 16.8 amps and around 300v and 5kw so will be no problem mate 👍
Respect for you❤, how to approve it now, what about council permits? I also know how to do it legally, such as building batteries for bicycles, this way we can save a lot of money. Installers won't like it because they lose 💰
Thanks mate 😁 I’m not so bothered about any council approval as they’ve give us nothing but trouble in the past here on our land so I don’t bother anymore 😂 yea DIY is the way to go isn’t it mate 👍👍 cheers
No I’m not the solar garage guy in the Oz mate, although I do really like his videos mate, just wish we had the same weather here too 😂 thanks mate appreciated 👍👍
Hi Sanjay, here’s the link for the contactor. www.ebay.co.uk/itm/284973268455?mkcid=16&mkevt=1&mkrid=711-127632-2357-0&ssspo=Ls7AsL9OSM2&sssrc=2349624&ssuid=TfbyrDzlTkm&var=&widget_ver=artemis&media=COPY
I was going to put it in my shed but temperatures go low in winter so not good for the batteries, I like to keep an eye on it too and makes me happy when I know I’m getting all my energy for free. To be honest it doesn’t actually get in my way in the kitchen 👍 cheers
Thanks for sharing but no one should copy this system. The energy is captured by the solar panels which are cheap now but you spent all your money on batteries and cases which do not capture any new energy. Batteries in your kitchen and unprotected DC downleads off the roof without any basic conduit around the roof corner are much too risky design decisions relative to using more solar panels along the wall or garden/countryside and a smaller taller battery outside off the floor in shed or cabinet. Also, if you have an electric bike, or electric car, then you can capture the solar energy directly without extra batteries. A small battery is a great idea in the UK if you are out of the house during the daytime.
Hi, thanks for your input, but this system is working really well for my needs, I’ve since added another battery and now we are approaching the shorter days here in the U.K. the batteries are needed and I’ve been totally off grid since I installed it last December. I agree that the kitchen isn’t the best place for the batteries and inverter but it works for me as I like to keep and eye on things and monitor how much free energy I’m getting 😃 I don’t have an electric vehicle or bike but I am thinking of converting an old classic car to electric in the near future 👍 cheers
HI Jeremy Leaving aside comments about additional physical protection and location. I don't understand your comment about batteries. If you're not selling to the grid then the only sensible option is storage , ie batteries. Adding more solar panels and having a smaller battery makes no sense as you'll generate more than you need, and can store, during the day and run out at night.
The UK Summer sunshine is quite good for solar especially on the South Coast of England and living off-grid like Adrian is a great idea and economically efficient then.@@adriangodley The problem is that the Winter has a combination of: short days, clouds and low-angle of solar incidence. So the problem is that a small battery (5 KWhr) is already enough for most Summer 24-hour periods (no EV) but Winter will always have long dark periods past any economically sensible battery size. The UK gets cheap wind power in Winter thanks to Scotland and the North sea - electricity grid prices often go negative ! So, my suggestion, in the UK, use something else (not solar) for power in the Winter and charge an EV in Summer. I really enjoyed the video - it is a great enthusiast sharing great ideas and I learned from and I support the GroWatt hybrid/off-grid inverter idea - it is wonderful for avoiding many hassles and costs - great idea. I just question the battery size and location.
@JeremyParsons You have a point that Solar might not be enough during the winter to remain fully of grid. A small wind turbine would be a relatively cost effective addition. Not sure how or if the inverter could take a wind turbine feed. It might also be possible to add some timer contactors and use something like Octopuses night time tarrif of 7p to top up the batteries
It is obviously impossible for any small local wind power to compete with negative grid electricity prices in Winter @@adriangodley It is great fun making small wind turbines from plastic gutters and pipe but it is more of a hobby than a source of energy. The energy needed for some lights and a laptop computer is tiny in comparison with water heaters and especially electric cars and trucks which can charge at rates up to 0.5 MW for cars and 1 MW for Tesla semi-trucks ! Britain has high electricity prices until 1 am at retail so charging with solar in Summer and off-peak grid electricity in Winter is a great sensible combination and for some people, large home batteries make that possible but most might be better charging an EV with its huge batteries or changing time of use and a smaller home battery. Tesla home batteries and grid batteries do also burst into flames and some other batteries explode !
DIY is not the best way to do it, because the VATis still charged to you with no way of getting it back. The te fact you cannot get the certificates to allow you to sell the excess back to the power companies . I am able to do it myself but that 20% is a big dissuader along with the payback, although it might be possible that Octopus Energy might be playing ball very soon. However for a standalone off grid system I would do it myself.😊
Hi I’ve only payed VAT on the solar panels and in the long run DIY will definitely be the best way for me. Also I don’t need a certificate and could feed back to Octopus now but I choose not too as my aim it to be totally off grid one day and not have to rely on electricity companies full stop. 👍 cheers 😃
How prices have come down for batteries as you can now get Fogstar 15.5 Kwh batter for £2500 already assembled. Mine arrived last week. Made short overview video th-cam.com/video/ClpOLsLU_ms/w-d-xo.htmlsi=EwrKNYysctOOjhX0
I know mate, they’re half the price I paid now 😂 I’ll check your video out mate, and no messing with china postage as Fogstar post from uk too 👍 cheers
nice to see more Brit videos coming out on solar, good price break down too. top stuff
Thanks mate 😁 yea they all seem to be in America or Australia but we do get sun too ☀️ even though it’s not as much as we’d like 😂 cheers 👍
Hey man, im in suffolk, built my own diy system last year too, 3kw, 14.4kw lifepo4 eve storage. Is awsome. Not many of us here in the uk doing this.. My setup is very similar to yours. I did the whole home assistant thing also to send data to my phone/tablet on the wall. Did the lot for just over £4k. (second hand 250w panels, 3kw epever hi hybrid inverter, jk bmses, diy battery boxes, diy everything hence the cost. 👍
(also, big car fan too, built myself a mx5 turbo 240bhp 👍)
Awesome man 😁 yea your right there’s only a few DIY solar builders here and can’t believe that more people don’t do it, it’s the best thing to get into by far, yea the epever are a good budget inverter and JK are a good BMS too, it’s really addictive this solar stuff isn’t it. I get a lot of MX5 at hillclimbs and sprints I goto and they do really well mate, nice little engines to boost too 🚗💨 yea same here I DIY everything too and if I don’t know how then I’ll learn 😆 👍 cheers
Great to see this done on a UK roof DIY, well done, great attention to detail. Thinking of doing similar, at least as much as I can, maybe up to the inverter, but guessing most sparkys wouldnt touch a part completed system
Thanks mate 😃👍 to be honest if you can fit the panels and other stuff I think you’d be ok with the inverter too as my setup is a little more complicated due to the contactor I installed so yours would be just a simple hook up 👍 more sparkys in the U.K. will do stuff like this now as Octopus no longer need sparkys to have the extra credentials 👍 cheers
@23:28 It's better if you connect the positive and negative leads from the invertor to separate batteries. There will be the 2 long leads and 1 battery to battery lead in the circuit for each battery then.
Currently you have 2 long leads for 1 battery but the second battery has 2 long leads + 2 battery to battery leads in the circuit so the resistance will be slightly higher for the second battery.
Thanks 😃 I did do exactly that shortly after installing 👍 cheers
I wish I had your knowledge!... Good stuff mate 👌🏼
Ha ha, thanks mate, I just need to know how things work so end up learning a lot along the way mate 😃👍👍 cheers
Amazing job Shane especially as you can now give the electric suppliers / services the finger the lawless SOB ‘s good on ya brother
👌👍
Cheers mate 😁 yea I think that’s more of an intension than the actual power I’m getting 😂 day like robbery mate. Cheers bro 😎👍
@@CarJunkeez Happy for you. But if I were you, I would consider moving the black wire (from the bottom battery to the inverter) and put it on the upper battery to have a balance in charging your batteries
@@MichealG thanks 🙏 yes that’s a good call that mate, I’ll do that now cheers 👍
It’s only when you start generating your own power that you realise the grid is pretty good value for those watts on a cold dark day!
@@edc1569but with 30kw of battery he’s pretty well covered
Hey there , I found on some growatt groups a way around the timer settings , we just set the clock out by 30 mins ! , I should have thought of that !.
Hi, yea I already thought of that but the time being set wrong would really affect my OCD 😂 cheers 👍
I love your set up nice video.
Thanks mate 😃 I’ve just ordered another 3 battery boxes and batteries to upgrade my garage setup too, this solar stuff is pretty addictive 😂 👍cheers
@@CarJunkeez Nice
Hello mate, should balanced those cell modules by connecting them in Parallel for 12-24 hours, before connecting them all up in Series, otherwise great job. Not sure how that transfer switch would perform under load though. You could make that battery bank a kitchen island and box it all in, as that kitchen unit below is carrying a lot of weight mate with those 2 battery packs!!
Thanks mate 👍 I ended up top balancing all the cells in parallel with my bench power supply to 3.65v like I did on my garage build. Yea the contactor is rated at 63a but not sure I believe that 😂 it’s been ok so far with heavy loads and I also have the same setup in my garage. Yea good idea with the kitchen island but it’s a little to high but I could loose one of the draws I suppose, I did reinforce the unit and it’s definitely not going anywhere and batteries are not going anywhere to 👍 cheers
@@CarJunkeez When I first started out using off grid inverters, I used a transfer switch and it blow 2 Inverters up! Good to know you balance those modules, but it is cheaper and quicker just leaving them in parallel.
@@showme360 thanks for the heads up, I’ve set my settings so that if it’s overloaded it won’t reboot the inverter and that way it will stay on grid until I manually reboot 👍 I am going to eventually come totally off grid and will be running 2 of these growatt inverters in parallel so won’t ever overload and won’t need the contactor 👍 cheers
@@CarJunkeez Good man hate to see all your hard work go pop! Thats good am also going to replace my 5.5kw inverter with 2 Growatt 5kw unit to make 10kw in all, that way I will be able to charge my car up quicker!
@@showme360 thanks mate, yea good thinking with the electric car charging. I’m actually thinking of converting a mk2 escort to electric in the future, mainly to take advantage of the excess solar just like yourself 👍 cheers
Just found your channel. Nice real vlog. A bit of farming engineering i see 👍
Thanks mate 😃 yea like to do a bit of everything here if I can 👍 cheers
With those batteries, you could tip them up so the front is up, then rotate 90 deg as these batteries don’t have to be horizontal .
Give yourself better space there. More room then in the kitchen , and shorter cables.
Yea I know the batteries can be in different orientation, but I like my little island now and I’ve already filled the draws 😂 cheers 👍
Very well done good job...
Thanks mate 😁it’s working better than ever too now since the recent upgrade 👍 cheers
Can you do a video on your contactor wiring setup I have the exact solar system as you...or at least direct me to a diagram maybe..
Hi, if I get a chance in the future I may do one, it’s quite a simple circuit though. Thanks 👍
I built a soft start for my system , detail on the group, this prevents surge ti the inverter.
It a 20 second soft start adjustable.
I think the later firmware ramp up current on initial power up and definitely do on use, I use a lot of tools and welders and can tell it’s ramping 👍
When are coming to my house to fit that set up at my gaff 👍
Ha ha I think everyone should have a dabble with solar ☀️👍👍
Briliant to see a true DIY solar instal. Have you had any comments from building control about the panels being too close or too hight to the ridge / edge of roof. I measured my garage and its a tight squeeze to get them all on.
Thanks mate 😃👍 I’ve not had anyone say anything about being to close, but I wouldn’t really be bothered anyway because I just do what I want here as our local council are a bunch of plonkers 😂 cheers
couple of things, would you provide more information about the circuit diagram, i'm very interested in the contactor , would you provide a reference link for one and what type/size of fuse do you have on the negative leg going into the inverter. Thanks, keep up the great work
Hi, Thanks mate 😃👍 unfortunately the contactor I purchased is no longer available, but this is virtually the same www.ebay.co.uk/itm/285963515904
I don’t have a circuit diagram as I just wired it directly out of my head, but if you watch both my installs you can see how I’ve wired it. Basically the contactor is energised from my inverter output and when the output of my inverter drops then the contactor acts like a 2 rocker switch for both live and neutral to go to the grid and when energised again goes back over to the inverter, that’s why you need a contactor that’s 4 pole with 2 normally open and 2 normally closed.
I don’t use any fuse on the negative. Thanks 😃👍👍
Hi thanks for the video ,ive just purchased the same inverter, but im really stuck on the ac in and out part anychance you could do a walk through on how you done it and the parts you purchased please .
Hi, thanks 🙏 basically it’s just the mains from your house that normally goes into your consumer unit (fuse box) put this to the mains input on the inverter, then the mains output from the inverter goes into your consumer input in replacement of the one your took out 👍 cheers
Hi Lee, I am already running Growatt SPF5000 ES inverters with lead acid batteries and I'm looking to move on to LFP's. Did you have to do any programming or was the BMS plug and play through RS485? If it wasn't plug & play, could you make a video on how to make the communications work or point to where we can find the information?
Could you also give feedback about how the BMS works with this inverter? Is the communication flawless, does the inverter charge the battery the way you would like it to? Any faults?
Who’s Lee 😂 I connect the battery to the inverter via canbus and in settings select battery type Li and use protocol 52, then the 2 batteries connect to each other via RS485. The settings in the BMS are already good to go but you can tweak them to your preferences. On another setup I built I had to cut 3 wires in the canbus lead but I used a standard Ethernet cable that was fully wired so that explains why. I’ve not had any communication problems with both setups and even with the standard settings in the BMS it works well. To communicate with a PC you need a USB to RS485 adapter then use the 2 wires to pins 7 and 8 I think on the RS485 on the battery, if using 2 batteries you have to change jumpers on the batteries temporarily to get comms with the PC. Thanks 👍
There can be a few problems with some BMS to Growatt communications so be careful. With a Growatt CANBUS to BMS connection (I used protocol 51) my battery was pushed harder than before and some drift gradually pushed the battery SoC measure far off reality: the BMS thought the battery was at 55% state of charge when it was actually below 1% but the BMS individual cell monitoring still worked and caused a battery shutdown for safety. I needed to do a battery/BMS reset and multiple restarts and recharges before the BMS protection was removed during the initial inverter connection ( I did wait 30 seconds for the resistor surge to pass). I since removed the communication cable and went back to USE2 battery monitoring with no communication to the BMS directly !
I do not recommend Shenzhen Taico Technology Co., Ltd for batteries but if you need a cable to talk to their BMS, I do recommend this cable to go from a Microsoft Windows computer www.aliexpress.com/item/1005005088015060.html
Please note that AliExpress are a bunch of thieves who will steal from you happily every day but you can use paypal or your credit card company to protect you if you block payment within one month of the usual AliExpress failure to deliver.
For instance, I ordered a Xiaomi Note 10 Pro from Hong Kong Goldway via AliExpress ordering and delivery with buyer protection.
order number 8140340833741290 but they sent the phone to the infamous Dutch AliExpress sorting office and it never even came to England (I have all the transit logs)
Well in Shane 👍👍 hope ya well man 🛠
Thanks Matt 😁👍👍 yea I’m good thanks bro, hopes your well man 👍👍
What is this "weld shop" to which you keep referring? Looks like a pretty good build, although you must not have very much concern for wind in that location, because those little straps aren't going to hold if a stiff breeze gets ahold of that rather large sail you installed on the roof.
Thanks 🙏 I’m not saying “Weld Shop” I’m saying “Well Chuffed” haha. Those straps are 10mm thick and secured to the main roof trusses with a load of 4 inch screws and we’ve had some serious gales and storms here since I fitted the panels and they’re fine 👍👍 cheers
Hi there. just discovered your channel. Great videos mate. Are you allowed to just connect your system to the grid without getting any approvals or permissions? I am interested in doing what you have done, but not sure about the whole approval thing. many thanks. Sean
Thanks mate 😃 I don’t feed anything back to the grid as I don’t want to and my inverters are designed that way, you can actually feed back to Octopus in the U.K. now and not have to get a special licensed company to fit your equipment 👍
Hi just a quick question is it a standard ethernet cable from the CAN port to the growatt inverter as I'm having trouble setting mine up I have the same system as you any advise welcome cheers
You need to cut 3 wires in the cable, (Orange, Orange striped, Green striped) then use Li protocol 52, also make sure you set the jumper switches correctly on the battery’s BMS 👍
@@CarJunkeez thanks for your help that was the answer pulling my hair out on this one on top the next problem 😆
@@ripcurl010 no problem, glad you sorted it, just let me know if you need any other help 👍 cheers
Hi all new to solar, great video, Quick question, if your requirements exceeds 5KW, how dose your system deal with the extra demand? can the inverter sense this and switch back to Grid supply unit the demand drops? I have been looking at the Sunsynk 3.6kW ECCO with a Zero Export to the Grid, needs a CT to monitor grid failure stopping the inverter feeding back into the grid, but if my demand exceeds 3.6KW the grid shares the load, I believe I need to supply my Supplier a G98 with the Sunsynk 3.6kW ECCO. All a bit confusing. I am really looking to complement my power requirements price wise with solar and Battery as during a working day (no one in) I am only using on average 300W per hour.
Hi, thanks mate 😃 yes if the GROWATT exceeds 5kw then the grid adds to it, but I no longer have it wired with a grid supply to the GROWATT as it was using 150watt per inverter a day when not even exceeding the 5kw, so now I have a contactor that switches over automatically to the grid if there is no solar and the batteries are low, it also switches over if there is no power output from the inverter and is automatic and fast.
The Sunsynk is a very good inverter and if I ever upgrade I will be getting one myself as you can control dump loads precisely and have some good features, yes the CT clamp is very accurate (make sure you fit it the correct direction) and yes you can set to not feed back to the grid and is safe in power cuts. If you use Octipus in the U.K. you no longer need a G98 👍👍
Hi bud great vid, is the inverter a zero export version? Or did you have to make changes/adapt? I currently use 2 gtil sun 2000w inverters which have built-in export limit functions via a Ct clamp but want to move over to a larger inverter such as yours, does your growatt inverter have the Ct clamp and built in export limiter option?? Thanks
Hi mate, thanks 🙏 👍 my Growatt inverters don’t and can’t feed back to the grid and yes they have shunt inside to monitor usage.
If you want a decent inverter with ct clamp then look at the Sunsunk, I’m thinking of upgrading mine to Sunsynk in the future as they are a lot better built and more functions 👍 cheers
Great job Shane. How did you connect the AC input/output to the main grid supply. You just shower a wire under the cupboard going in there !
Thanks mate 😁 I just disconnected the grid input that goes in my consumer unit under the sink and wired that to the contactor that’s in that metal box under my inverter and out from that to the inverter in, then the output from the inverter goes through the contactor on a different pole and out of that to the input of the consumer unit under the sink 👍 cheers
That's exactly the info I needed. Thanks again 👍
Hello again ive got the same setup as yours panels inverter ive got a weird problem ive wired as diagram and ive got earth when the grid is on and no earth when its on just solar im curious do you have the same problem? cheers in advance..
Hi mate, some Growatt have no earth pass through when off grid, some you can install a screw inside on the PCB to bond or remove to un-bond, but to be honest I recommend using a separate earth rod that goes to either the output of your inverter or on your consumer unit that the inverter feeds, the reason is I recon the earths being bonded together can lead to the dreaded fault code 08 bus voltage high 👍 also I no longer have grid input to my inverters, I use a contactor to switch over instead. Cheers
Silly question but what happens if your house uses more than the inverters 5kw would the normal grid supply the rest?
Hi, no it’s not a silly question as I still wonder the same. I’ve never actually overloaded it yet but my thinking was it would only be capable of outputting what the mosfets can take unless it combines the AC input and matches the phase and adds what it needs and more if it hits its limits. 👍
5kw is the limit, it can coupe with 15kw for a second or two i.e. electric motor starting up! Otherwise it will drop out. However our friend here as installed an auto transfer switch in the sub consumer box, that's where I think he might have a problem! Because once the load has gone from the Inverter, the Inverter will switch back on, and that high load will come back with a power surge from the grid.
Hi Shane
Cracking vid. Best I've seen for a UK DIY build. Am I right in thinking that all the time your inverter is getting power from the batteries or panels you are effectively off grid? And then if your inverter has no power the contactor de-energises and flips your consumer unit back to grid?
Cheers
Adrian
Thanks Adrian 😃 I appreciate that, yes you’re totally correct, so totally disconnected from the grid unless the inverters power output goes down then it will de-energise the contactor then grid will flow through the contactor to the buildings consumer unit 👍 cheers Shane
@CarJunkeez Cheers. That's what I thought. Do you bother trying to smooth the transition from inverter to grid and back or do you just accept that stuff like oven clocks might need to be reset. And can you set the min voltage on the inverter so that it shuts down hard at say 220v?
Sorry for all the questions 😅
@@adriangodley no as the contactor switch is so fast it doesn’t even effect clocks and computers and tv’s on the switch over, also I don’t really expect it to go over to the grid very often 🤞well I hope not as I’m aiming to be totally off grid hopefully. I also did the contactor setup as I found that the inverters still use a little energy from the grid (100watt a day) just so they can add grid power if you exceed the maximum wattage of the inverter 👍 cheers
@CarJunkeez Cheers. That's excellent news. I'll be setting up some contactors the same as you. I'm not bothering with mcs certs so I need to show that my installation is isolated from the grid.
@@adriangodley no problem mate 👍 yea your fine as your isolated from the grid 👍 it’s when you want too feed back to grid all certs and things can get tricky 😂
Hello Pal
Nice setup. Would you have any recommendations for mounting panels on flat roof?
Regards
Thanks mate 😁👍 if your putting them on a flat roof I’d make some frames to have them at an angle towards the sun, but you’d have to make them really secure as the wind would have more of an effect on them as they’d act like sails pal 👍 cheers
Hi there love the video's, I'm just wondering what the contractor is for ? so it can running solely of the inverter, why can't it be wired up directly to the grid and grid share?
Thanks 🙏 the contactor is there just to automatically physically switch to the grid if the inverter fails or turns off etc. you don’t need the contactor, I’ve just added it 👍 cheers
Have you witnessed any wind uplift at all?
No none at all, had some seriously strong winds here too 👍
@@CarJunkeez nice, thanks for sharing and replying 👍
Do you find a way to use the octopus go tariff, with a way to,program in those times, 0,30 to 04,30
Hi, yes I’ve just had a smart meter fitted and will go on the Octopus Go tariff once my current fixed rate ends in a couple of months, then I’ll set my inverter to charge from grid if needed in those few low rate hours at night. To be honest my house setup will only need to do that for a few days in the winter as it’s working that well, but my garage setup isn’t quite as efficient so I’m upgrading that soon and also doing a small hydro generator from my stream. 👍 cheers
@@CarJunkeez looking at the inverter setting I can’t see a on and off time during the period of 0:30 to 04:30 , it look like there isn’t a way to set this window, I was thinking of using a smart switch , enable charging of grid and control the power to the inverter that way , we have an easy way to use that window then.
I’m not going to put mine off grid charging if I can help , solar first, I’ve installed 2 x growatt 5000es , operating in parallel , build a 15kw lifeP04 as well , May build another . I see you used the Mason battery box kits. They look better but making them pretty doesn’t give and more use, since I’ve fitted in my workshop , a case like you first built is fine.
@@Welshwizzard1 if you go to setting 49 and input 0103 then it will charge from grid from 1:00AM until 3:59AM I know it’s missing an hour because you can’t set minutes but it’s not to bad 👍
I’ve got 2 x SPF3500ES for my garages that I’m going to parallel and use my existing panels on one and new panels on the other and going to build another 2 batteries, yea I agree you can build batteries in wood boxes and work exactly same 👍 cheers
@@CarJunkeez yes it’s not very flexible , I was thinking of using a contactor switch on the grid input and control it to the minute with Home Assistant automation , the grid to the inverter would be isolated then out of these times.
@@CarJunkeez also we would have to put silly amps into the battery with each inverter, because of the short window ,like 100amps each inverter .
Good stuff. How were the import duties on the cells and Mason boxes? Was it a pain or relatively smooth? Ta
Cheers mate, I didn’t pay import duties on the batteries as they was in a U.K. warehouse and I got the boxes through Alibaba.com and didn’t pay duties so must of been included in the postage, I did have to wait nearly 3 months for the boxes though 😂 and they didn’t send the Bluetooth versions that I ordered but they did eventually send out the Bluetooth screens so all good in the end. 👍 cheers
Got another quick question the lead between the two batteries is that a standard ethernet patch lead or something else? Cheers 🍻
It’s a lead from Seplos, but yes you can use a straight wired Ethernet lead for RS485 to RS485 👍 cheers
Battery terminal connectors that you make your own battery cable.
Yes that’s correct 👍
Talking about if the connector including DIY kit that you can your own connect discharge cable and then plug into battery terminal??
@@hutchie9615 they are not included in the kit, but you can get them from Seplos at extra cost 👍
100kg+ for each of those battery boxes. Not sure it's the best idea to be on that unit?
I’ve since made a angle iron frame I welded together that flush fits around the unit supporting the top, she’s not going anywhere now 👍
Where did you guy the connectors for the pack did you diy it or did you buy from supplier ?
They are directly from Seplos, same place I got the cases with BMS 👍 cheers
makes your kitchen look like a shed LOL, should of built a small out house / lean to and put it all in there. is this done as an experiment or have you really installed that lot there as its home
I like shed’s 😁 I’ve got a small out house on my house but I still wanted it in my kitchen, makes me feel good when I look at it when I walk in the kitchen and say to myself “all that free energy working well” 👍 since I installed it I’ve been totally off grid so it’s staying in the kitchen 😂
@@CarJunkeez fair play, just looks like its in the way and a time bomb waiting for that unit to fall to bits with all that weight on it haha
@@user-ox4eu3xi3s I’ve made a frame from 30mm angle 5mm thick and welded it together around the unit so it’s deffo not going anywhere. To be honest I can easily get to the kitchen either side of it so doesn’t get it my way to be honest. I know normal people wouldn’t like it but I’m far from normal 😆 👍
Any links to hardware, rails brackets ?
www.directchannel.uk.com 👍
What setting did you use on the Inverter to connect to the Seplos BMS?
Li protocol 52 👍
Good set
Thanks 🙏
where did you get the Seplos Mason 280 DIY batteries from please?
Hi, I got them direct from Seplos through Alibaba.com 👍 cheers
Since your inverter is over 5kw are you self registering the setup for G99 microgeneration with the DNO?
Hi Lee, it’s 5kw but it doesn’t and can’t feed back to the grid so I won’t be registering, is there any other benefits in registering as I’ve never heard of it until you mentioned it. Thanks 👍
@@CarJunkeezIt's only a requirement if grid export is possible from your system, so in your case you should be fine. The theory is it allows the DNO to monitor and manage street level power capacity, preventing too much going through their hardware (they can decline an application, or charge for an infrastructure upgrade, for this reason). At the same time all G98/G99 certified equipment must automatically prevent export within 500ms of Grid failure so we don't electrocute their engineers. In reality, it simply offers a bureaucratic barrier in a privatised industry, that would be otherwise less lucrative for energy suppliers…
I did find your automatic failover switch interesting though?
@@ForgottenTeacake yea got you, I understand the safety need for cut off speed too as could electrocute workers when there’s a power cut etc. I definitely won’t be feeding back to the grid though as they give you peanuts for it and yet charge us a fortune for it 😂
Yea the contactor was a thing I did on my garage when I had trouble with the inverter and was a way of it being automated when I was away, really simple setup but works flawlessly. Cheers 😃👍
@@CarJunkeez Well I've now watched your garage vid and I'm loving the high voltage flexible panels. Really nice solution to shaded locations where people want to use commercially available grid tied inverters without the cost of solar optimisers or micro invetrers 👍
@@ForgottenTeacake thanks Lee 😃 yea they’re really good in low light and shadowing doesn’t effect them to much. The cost of fitting optimisers can be expensive if you have a lot of panels too. I’m getting pretty addicted to this solar stuff, next project I’m moving on to hydro power from my stream. 👍 cheers
Hi Shane you did good job, I have 20 250watt solar panels do you think your inverta would cope with them all think they are 8.39 amps
Cheers Steve
Thanks Steve 😁 if you know what voltage your panels are I can work out the best method of connecting them to the Growatt mate, you may get away with 2 strings of 10 panels then parallel the 2 strings to the inverter. Let me know, Cheers 👍
Hi Shane
Hi Shane
Thanks for replying
Rated power 250 watts
0/+5w
Rated voltage 29.8
Rated current 8.39 amps
@@wrapper484 Hi Steve, you can definitely do 10 in series and another 10 in series then both paralleled and into the GROWATT SPF5000ES as that would be around 16.8 amps and around 300v and 5kw so will be no problem mate 👍
@@CarJunkeez 👍👍
Interesting video! I don't know much about solar, can i ask where you found all the info/source on how to do it etc?
Thanks, I’ve always been into electronics so already know mostly about solar installs, the rest I get from watching TH-cam videos 👍 cheers
How do Shane hope you had a good New Year
All good bro 😎 hope u did too, happy new year pal 😁😁👍
Respect for you❤, how to approve it now, what about council permits? I also know how to do it legally, such as building batteries for bicycles, this way we can save a lot of money. Installers won't like it because they lose 💰
Thanks mate 😁 I’m not so bothered about any council approval as they’ve give us nothing but trouble in the past here on our land so I don’t bother anymore 😂 yea DIY is the way to go isn’t it mate 👍👍 cheers
I cannot for the life of me get those apps to work, how did you get round the installers code to sign?
There’s loads of installer codes out there mate, try EAEDR8 or Google for more, let me know how you get on 👍 cheers
So your not a German in sunny Australia? 😂👍😂🌈. Really interested in your project. Don’t you hate CU’s at the back of 300mm cupboard units 😂😂
No I’m not the solar garage guy in the Oz mate, although I do really like his videos mate, just wish we had the same weather here too 😂 thanks mate appreciated 👍👍
Hi
Can you please share link for the contractor/relay?
Regards
Sanjay
Hi Sanjay, here’s the link for the contactor.
www.ebay.co.uk/itm/284973268455?mkcid=16&mkevt=1&mkrid=711-127632-2357-0&ssspo=Ls7AsL9OSM2&sssrc=2349624&ssuid=TfbyrDzlTkm&var=&widget_ver=artemis&media=COPY
Cheers pal
Mega!
Thanks mate 😃👍👍
Why install system in the kitchen ?..... it takes up working area of the kitchen
I was going to put it in my shed but temperatures go low in winter so not good for the batteries, I like to keep an eye on it too and makes me happy when I know I’m getting all my energy for free. To be honest it doesn’t actually get in my way in the kitchen 👍 cheers
Thanks for sharing but no one should copy this system. The energy is captured by the solar panels which are cheap now but you spent all your money on batteries and cases which do not capture any new energy. Batteries in your kitchen and unprotected DC downleads off the roof without any basic conduit around the roof corner are much too risky design decisions relative to using more solar panels along the wall or garden/countryside and a smaller taller battery outside off the floor in shed or cabinet. Also, if you have an electric bike, or electric car, then you can capture the solar energy directly without extra batteries. A small battery is a great idea in the UK if you are out of the house during the daytime.
Hi, thanks for your input, but this system is working really well for my needs, I’ve since added another battery and now we are approaching the shorter days here in the U.K. the batteries are needed and I’ve been totally off grid since I installed it last December. I agree that the kitchen isn’t the best place for the batteries and inverter but it works for me as I like to keep and eye on things and monitor how much free energy I’m getting 😃 I don’t have an electric vehicle or bike but I am thinking of converting an old classic car to electric in the near future 👍 cheers
HI Jeremy
Leaving aside comments about additional physical protection and location. I don't understand your comment about batteries. If you're not selling to the grid then the only sensible option is storage , ie batteries. Adding more solar panels and having a smaller battery makes no sense as you'll generate more than you need, and can store, during the day and run out at night.
The UK Summer sunshine is quite good for solar especially on the South Coast of England and living off-grid like Adrian is a great idea and economically efficient then.@@adriangodley The problem is that the Winter has a combination of: short days, clouds and low-angle of solar incidence. So the problem is that a small battery (5 KWhr) is already enough for most Summer 24-hour periods (no EV) but Winter will always have long dark periods past any economically sensible battery size. The UK gets cheap wind power in Winter thanks to Scotland and the North sea - electricity grid prices often go negative ! So, my suggestion, in the UK, use something else (not solar) for power in the Winter and charge an EV in Summer. I really enjoyed the video - it is a great enthusiast sharing great ideas and I learned from and I support the GroWatt hybrid/off-grid inverter idea - it is wonderful for avoiding many hassles and costs - great idea. I just question the battery size and location.
@JeremyParsons You have a point that Solar might not be enough during the winter to remain fully of grid. A small wind turbine would be a relatively cost effective addition. Not sure how or if the inverter could take a wind turbine feed.
It might also be possible to add some timer contactors and use something like Octopuses night time tarrif of 7p to top up the batteries
It is obviously impossible for any small local wind power to compete with negative grid electricity prices in Winter @@adriangodley It is great fun making small wind turbines from plastic gutters and pipe but it is more of a hobby than a source of energy. The energy needed for some lights and a laptop computer is tiny in comparison with water heaters and especially electric cars and trucks which can charge at rates up to 0.5 MW for cars and 1 MW for Tesla semi-trucks ! Britain has high electricity prices until 1 am at retail so charging with solar in Summer and off-peak grid electricity in Winter is a great sensible combination and for some people, large home batteries make that possible but most might be better charging an EV with its huge batteries or changing time of use and a smaller home battery. Tesla home batteries and grid batteries do also burst into flames and some other batteries explode !
You installing all this in your kitchen 🤷
Yea, I like to see my free energy 😂
@@CarJunkeez sad
Each to their own I suppose pal 👍
DIY is not the best way to do it, because the VATis still charged to you with no way of getting it back. The te fact you cannot get the certificates to allow you to sell the excess back to the power companies .
I am able to do it myself but that 20% is a big dissuader along with the payback, although it might be possible that Octopus Energy might be playing ball very soon. However for a standalone off grid system I would do it myself.😊
Hi
I’ve only payed VAT on the solar panels and in the long run DIY will definitely be the best way for me.
Also I don’t need a certificate and could feed back to Octopus now but I choose not too as my aim it to be totally off grid one day and not have to rely on electricity companies full stop. 👍 cheers 😃
How prices have come down for batteries as you can now get Fogstar 15.5 Kwh batter for £2500 already assembled. Mine arrived last week. Made short overview video th-cam.com/video/ClpOLsLU_ms/w-d-xo.htmlsi=EwrKNYysctOOjhX0
I know mate, they’re half the price I paid now 😂 I’ll check your video out mate, and no messing with china postage as Fogstar post from uk too 👍 cheers