Balcony solar PV

[Joeboy]

Tay,

If it makes you feel a bit better, your notification of the cheaper panels spurred me into action and I now have 1.6kWp sat in the shed waiting for the gales up here to subside and for me to decide how and where I am going to squeeze them in around the cottage.

Thank you for the link!

I've got to decide if its separate micro inverters, or a string inverter, or off grid DC and a battery, this side of the road, the other side of the road etc etc Fun times

Moxi

Moxi,
Hoymiles do 1600W microinverters, a nice 4 panel hook up?

Example

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/325863180477 ... BM_I2WjPZi

[Tay]

I really want to get mine in asap, before the clemetis takes hold, although I suspect with the weather is has slowed right down now anyway.

So, I'll grab my bro in law shortly, he's stage managing some show for the 2-3 weeks, then I can get some of the 2x4 he'll have from the sets too

Hedge trimming (Butchering), then fit the new panels then discuss ground/fence mount over some late bottled vintage port whilst solving most of the worlds problems.

[Moxi]

I will bear the Hoymiles in mind but I don't think I will be able to site all the panels together and two maybe destined to go across the road and having solid stone walls 3ft thick we really struggle to get a signal for the wifi?

In the mean time in order to get at least one unit contributing I have bought a 600W micro inverter "balcony style" so I can lash up a temporary install.

Does anyone know what angle the consol tubs can be sat on ? I am thinking of using the porch roof but its at around 17 degrees, also does anyone know of a free wind loading calculator for solar panels as its an exposed (very) position which can easily see 65mph plus gusts in winter and in storms 80mph plus so I would need to make sure they were suitable ballasted.

Also do solar diverters still have a place in the mix these days if you dont have the opportunity to charge the stack on cheap tariffs ? Mine is sat on the wall and not really contributing anymore as the batteries take all the spare in the shoulder and winter months and in summer I can always plug the car in to soak up the rest.

First cold day with blue skies here for quite a while so I am hopeful of some kWh's to the stack.

Moxi

[openspaceman]

Moxi,
Hoymiles do 1600W microinverters, a nice 4 panel hook up?

How does that work, both cables from panel connected individually to 4 ports on the device?

[Joeboy]

Moxi,
Hoymiles do 1600W microinverters, a nice 4 panel hook up?

How does that work, both cables from panel connected individually to 4 ports on the device?

Yep, the 1600W has 4 sets m/f mc4's. My 800W unit has two sets. It is a neat design. Siting of unit becomes important so only running min DC cable length. The AC cable that I linked to pages back can be ordered in custom lengths so only one long run needed if applicable to site.

[Moxi]

Yes thats how I interpreted the picture of the unit and connections, I presume the HM then determines internally how to amalgamate the current and voltages to obtain the optimum output ? or maybe it isnt that smart ?

Nice bit of kit though.

I also have a Sunny boy sat in the bunker gathering dust which I really wanted to bring in to service, this may be the case if the other three panels end up across the road, in which case (and I will need Nowty's and others input) I was hoping to set up a small DC inverter to generate a 240V supply that the sunny boy can latch on to, this "mini grid" would then run a charger in the bunker (concrete shed) and charge some more batteries and when theres excessive generation it can trickle feed the car via the granny charger?

I would appreciate the collective knowledge base telling me if thats a flight of fancy dangerous, or achievable

Cheers

Moxoi

[Joeboy]

Yes thats how I interpreted the picture of the unit and connections, I presume the HM then determines internally how to amalgamate the current and voltages to obtain the optimum output ? or maybe it isnt that smart ?

Nice bit of kit though.

I also have a Sunny boy sat in the bunker gathering dust which I really wanted to bring in to service, this may be the case if the other three panels end up across the road, in which case (and I will need Nowty's and others input) I was hoping to set up a small DC inverter to generate a 240V supply that the sunny boy can latch on to, this "mini grid" would then run a charger in the bunker (concrete shed) and charge some more batteries and when theres excessive generation it can trickle feed the car via the granny charger?

I would appreciate the collective knowledge base telling me if thats a flight of fancy dangerous, or achievable

Cheers

Moxoi

Yes the HM will sort everything out for you and you'll get clean AC out.

Second options, try and limit your losses. You could go dc to dc (panels to charge controller) onward into batteries and have a dc to ac inverter which you plug your granny charger into. Basically, looking for a standalone off grid system over the road?

Depends on budget and a list of req's for the system to run. About £400/£500 plus the price of batteries and what type of batteries you'd source?

I don't know anything about Sunny boy so going quiet on that.

[Moxi]

IMG_9511.jpeg

Well the shiny thing is out a bit today and it’s calm so true to my word I managed to get one of the four panels out and connected.

They are a bit big but easy enough to move with a small transfer dolly but I will make a ballasted frame out of some spare unistrut at some point soon so it can stay out in the winter gales.

Hopefully the image shows up as I’m using my phone.

Moxi

[Moxi]

So that’s a 400w next to a 150w in case anyone was wondering

Moxi

[Joeboy]

So that’s a 400w next to a 150w in case anyone was wondering

Moxi

Always a great moment regardless of size! That's the city plumbing one's?