You got a Solar System ?

[Indy]

Doesn't your inverter already do that?

No, they came out about 6-12 months after i got the array installed. Current one is feed-in only.

 

[Absorber]

No, they came out about 6-12 months after i got the array installed. Current one is feed-in only.

I find it hard to believe that you can't use the solar power generated its not like you have 2 sets of mains cables.
The inverter still puts the generated power to your mains and if you are using power you will be using solar generated power aswell .
There's no way for them to stop you using your own power

 

[Porky]

Put batteries in and use your power you generate then you can tell them to fk off

Yeah mate hopefully by mid to late next year I'll have a battery. The wife talking about re doing the Kitchen so that will probably come first!

 

[Indy]

I find it hard to believe that you can't use the solar power generated its not like you have 2 sets of mains cables.
The inverter still puts the generated power to your mains and if you are using power you will be using solar generated power aswell .
There's no way for them to stop you using your own power

I've got a Red model SB 3000TL. IIRC, the blue model of the SMA inverters does both jobs.

https://www.rpc.com.au/pdf/sunny_boy_3000-5000TL-21_datasheet.pdf

 

[Absorber]

I've got a Red model SB 3000TL-21. IIRC, the blue model of the SMA inverters does both jobs.

https://www.rpc.com.au/pdf/sunny_boy_3000-5000TL-21_datasheet.pdf

Yes ,the the purpose of putting solar on a premises is to reduce power consumption (by using the solar power generated )and to feed the excess back to the grid .
As this model does

 

[Indy]

Yes ,the the purpose of putting solar on a premises is to reduce power consumption (by using the solar power generated )and to feed the excess back to the grid .
As this model does

That's handy to know. Now I gotta learn how to read a smart meter, as it'd be good to see where it's going throughout the day. That said, I haven't used the Bluetooth app in a while, that might show me where it's going. Was a good app until they started wanting more details..might have to reinstall it again.

EDIT: Not a bad lil setup. 3.5kw in panels, feeding a 3kw inverter. Which on a good day can generate 20kw.

 

[Absorber]

That's handy to know. Now I gotta learn how to read a smart meter, as it'd be good to see where it's going throughout the day. That said, I haven't used the Bluetooth app in a while, that might show me where it's going. Was a good app until they started wanting more details..might have to reinstall it again

Im a sparky by trade what do you want to know

 

[Indy]

Im a sparky by trade what do you want to know

I know. Just to see where it's going. As in how much the house is using, and what's going to the grid over the period of the day.

 

[Absorber]

I know. Just to see where it's going. As in how much the house is using, and what's going to the grid over the period of the day.

Yea the app might be easier to work that out , it will be to difficult to work out accurately looking at the meter consumption readings and the inverter output readings to see what's going where.

 

[benn0]

I've always wondered if the power goes out during the day does the solar disconnect as some sort of fail-safe because it doesn't have the grid there to blow it load into? orr does the power stay on even when the grids gone?

 

[Absorber]

I've always wondered if the power goes out during the day does the solar disconnect as some sort of fail-safe because it doesn't have the grid there to blow it load into? orr does the power stay on even when the grids gone?

when they first started installing solar the inverters used to stay on when there was a power outage but they soon realised that was an issue because it made it hard for any maintenance on the powerlines with households backfeeding power so they introduced a regulation and a different inverter that requires power to make the unit run so if your supply power is cut the inverter shuts down.
Stand alone system with batteries not connected to the grid are a little different

 

[med180]

I run a bluetti plug and play system for my shed and tents. 2.4kw of panels and 12.8kwh of batteries. I have very poor aspect for solar but this runs my 450w light plus fans etc in spring and autumn, in summer I can run a second tent and in winter I can limp along with a small300w in a 90x90 tent with a little help from a generator which charges the system at 2400w occasionally.
I also run a small dehumidifier in spring and autumn and have a small air con that gets used once or twice in a tassie summer

 

[Indy]

Makes sense. Funnily enough, we seem to make more kW's in the Winter months, than Summer. I put it down to more clearer days in Winter, compared to Summer when there's more clouds around, and higher chance of rain.

 

[Absorber]

Or the rain washed the dust off the panels

Makes sense. Funnily enough, we seem to make more kW's in the Winter months, than Summer. I put it down to more clearer days in Winter, compared to Summer when there's more clouds around, and higher chance of rain.

 

[Indy]

Or the rain washed the dust off the panels

Lol, I get up there once a year at least to clean them. Makes a big difference. If I was to guess, I'd probably say it knocks their efficiency down around 15-20% mark (pretty dusty area). Why I came up with that. Is when they're dirty they'd be struggling to peak around 2.8kw at cloudless times, with the 3.5kw panels.

 

[itchybro]

Yeah mate hopefully by mid to late next year I'll have a battery. The wife talking about re doing the Kitchen so that will probably come first!

i'm organizing a new kitchen at the moment , not sure if this is available in QLD but something i've found handy is bunnings & there kaboodle kitchens , for $99 a bunnings guy comes out measures up & helps design everything with you , the guy go's back to home base , writes it all up adds pic's of what your choices will look like , adds diagrams & measurements of everything , once you have all that you can photocopy it all then shop it around to other joinery companies to get competing quotes , the joinery companies seem happy because it makes there life easier & they only have to come to your home to check measurements if you want to go ahead with there quote , $99 was well worth the spend i reckon

Im a sparky by trade what do you want to know

you don't happen to be in Vic do ya cos i'm needing a sparky

 

[Porky]

i'm organizing a new kitchen at the moment , not sure if this is available in QLD but something i've found handy is bunnings & there kaboodle kitchens , for $99 a bunnings guy comes out measures up & helps design everything with you , the guy go's back to home base , writes it all up adds pic's of what your choices will look like , adds diagrams & measurements of everything , once you have all that you can photocopy it all then shop it around to other joinery companies to get competing quotes , the joinery companies seem happy because it makes there life easier & they only have to come to your home to check measurements if you want to go ahead with there quote , $99 was well worth the spend i reckon

you don't happen to be in Vic do ya cos i'm needing a sparky

Yeah right I've never heard of it up here!
A mate has his own cabinetry business and the sister in laws parents have their own kitchen company.
They been in the wife's ear!

 

[Absorber]

Yep

i'm organizing a new kitchen at the moment , not sure if this is available in QLD but something i've found handy is bunnings & there kaboodle kitchens , for $99 a bunnings guy comes out measures up & helps design everything with you , the guy go's back to home base , writes it all up adds pic's of what your choices will look like , adds diagrams & measurements of everything , once you have all that you can photocopy it all then shop it around to other joinery companies to get competing quotes , the joinery companies seem happy because it makes there life easier & they only have to come to your home to check measurements if you want to go ahead with there quote , $99 was well worth the spend i reckon

you don't happen to be in Vic do ya cos i'm needing a sparky

 

[benn0]

when they first started installing solar the inverters used to stay on when there was a power outage but they soon realised that was an issue because it made it hard for any maintenance on the powerlines with households backfeeding power so they introduced a regulation and a different inverter that requires power to make the unit run so if your supply power is cut the inverter shuts down.
Stand alone system with batteries not connected to the grid are a little different

fucken dogs, surely a big fuck off relay could disconnect the grid load when there isn't any 50-hertz signal instead of disconnecting the whole shabang

 

[Absorber]

fucken dogs, surely a big fuck off relay could disconnect the grid load when there isn't any 50-hertz signal instead of disconnecting the whole shabang

Unless you have batteries its probably safer option otherwise with the load of a household your voltage would be too low from the current draw needed and burn appliances out