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  1. Zwy

    Was there ever a follow up to the Sol Ark video?

    Will started a review of the Sol Ark in a video but I seem unable to find any follow up to it where it was installed and tested. Was there a second video ever created?
  2. Zwy

    Centralization/Decentralization, Govt Ownership of Grid, Costs of Energy

    Interesting video on the problems associated with energy in Aussie. Plenty to discuss if one ignores the climate change discussion. One has to wonder if this is the trend that will happen in the States as big money attempts total control of energy while trying to maximize profit.
  3. Zwy

    End of ground source with R290 monoblocks?

    Ran across this video this morning and I know R290 has been mentioned a few times in the forums by our friends overseas in Europe. I do think ground source may just be on the way out using R290 monoblock air to water heat pumps with some thermal storage/buffer tanks. My eventual plan with the...
  4. Zwy

    Burn it off

    My panels are generating over 60Kwh per day now. House is at 80°F during the day, I'm running a pair of 1.5Kw resistance heaters plus the heat pump. I'm still getting to full charge by 2 pm. This morning I was up before daybreak, turned all the resistance heaters up all the way and heat pump...
  5. Zwy

    Did I do OK? Less than 2% of power from grid in less than a year.

    Just looking at some figures, I turned my system on in mid March 2023 and used 13,666 Kwh since then. My grid usage in that whole time frame was 256 Kwh which comes to 1.87% of total Kwh thus far. As we are now past December/January, this might actually decrease over an entire year. They...
  6. Zwy

    One string of lights has T8 fixture yet. Can you guess which one?

    Finally got around to installing the Emporia in the shop. Had everything cleared out this morning around 9 am due to some communication problems overnight. Not even 12 hours elapsed and I can see a waste. West light and east light circuits each have 8 fixtures comprised of 6 bulbs per fixture. I...
  7. Zwy

    Sinclair or MT Solar?

    Many here know I already have one MT Solar mount for my array. The recent purchase of the 370W pallet of 31 panels requires another ground mount. I submitted what I wanted to Sinclair and Kyle passed it on to the engineers. I asked if I could pickup at their loading dock as they are only 7 hours...
  8. Zwy

    DON'T Install DC Isolators on Solar

    Interesting news regarding isolators and solar panel fires.
  9. Zwy

    5 minutes of boring video unless you're some kind of solar freak

    Something for solar freaks, it's part of a video I'm working on. Took this on yesterday, December 29th, 2023 after 8 continuous days of no sun. 4240W per string, one string per each EG4 MPPT 100-48HV SCC's using JA Solar 530W panels in 8S strings. Foggy in morning until 10 am, only 49.03Kwh...
  10. Zwy

    Batrium SOC resets to 100% SOC

    I've run into this about 3 times now. The Batrium will reset SOC to 100% when there are consecutive days without reaching full charge. An example is yesterday I see SA shows about 7Kwh of charge went into the battery. Battery was at 40% in the morning, so there is no way I could reach 100%. I do...
  11. Zwy

    5th day of no sun

    Currently on day 5 of no sun, finally turned the heat pump off and turned on the furnace this morning. Battery is currently at 21% and we are using about 1%/hour. I finally turned the AC input on to the inverters, breaker has been off since March. No laundry, no dryer, no dishwasher ran in the...
  12. Zwy

    Get a big battery

    Going on day 3 of no sun and no real PV yield. My battery is 54Kwh. First day with heat pump on we used 32% of the bank, yesterday used 28% ( I did see some charging for about 10 minutes) and this morning I just left the house and down to 31% but sky is brighter today. Official Loads Tester did...
  13. Zwy

    Utility rate increases

    Alliant Energy sent out notices regarding proposed rate increases starting in 2024 and another in 2025. Iowa's Governor had signed legislation with certain requirements of utility proposed rate increases and Alliant is filing for a non standard notice so it won't have to meet those requirements...
  14. Zwy

    Signature Solar and nothing for off grid inverters

    Went here to look up specs for the 6500EX and nothing is listed under off grid inverters. https://signaturesolar.com/shop-all/ Maybe they aren't selling these anymore or updating the website. Interesting development.
  15. Zwy

    Replacing Growatt SPF5000ES Inverters with Sol-Ark 15K Inverters- This is for Tim

    @timselectric This one is for you, the SPF5000ES didn't quite work out in the end. Love his comments concerning Signature Solar.
  16. Zwy

    EG4 Solar Charge Controller MPPT | 500VDC 100A | MPPT100-48HV sets Code F01

    I have 2 of these charge controllers, one was installed over July 4th weekend, the other unit was installed late July/early August. The first MPPT has worked flawlessly, no problems. The second MPPT started to set a F01 code- Bus soft start failed after 2 weeks of use. This was right before I...
  17. Zwy

    Zapped

    Interesting video after lightning damage
  18. Zwy

    EG4 6500EX Light Strobe, RMA's, LV6548's installed and replacement 6500EX's

    Hot off the press, system overview and general information.
  19. Zwy

    EG4 Solar Charge Controller MPPT | 500VDC 100A | MPPT100-48HV

    Anyone out there have this MPPT charge controller? Wondering if it shuts down when PV isn't available or if it has an idle draw. Link: https://signaturesolar.com/eg4-solar-charge-controller-mppt-500voc-100a-mppt100-48hv/
  20. Zwy

    I Will Never Buy A EG4 Inverter Again

    I guess you can abuse the SCC with PV overvoltage, then post a video on the internet blaming the inverter is at fault?
  21. Zwy

    Golf Cart BMS

    I've been researching 48V 16S LFP BMS for use in a golf cart in the distant future. I see in the past some used a JK in a 300A version. Still a good choice or is there something else out there? Looked in archives here, just curious if there are better choices out there.
  22. Zwy

    Ran across this video on the EG4 Lifepower

    Certainly interesting concerning the riv nuts. I built my Big Box and ran busbars down each side. I never took a photo of how the cables are attached. I simply used a stainless carriage bolt and cold headed a square hole in the copper busbar using my shop press after drilling a 5/16" hole. A...
  23. Zwy

    The Big Blue Box

    Update on the Big Blue Box from over a year ago. https://diysolarforum.com/threads/house-system-battery-box-hoffman.32305/ It's been a long process, I do not have much free time in the summer and this fall the array and EG4's I installed with some additional work done in house. A year ago in...
  24. Zwy

    Compressed pack length

    Recent post in a thread prompted this post, hope you like it, this is how I use poron foam for cell compression. I've charged em both ways, started snug (loose fit) or with poron foam compressed 25% and in 16P configuration, straight line of cells, both in parallel and series. The amount of...
  25. Zwy

    MT Solar mount review

    I finished installing my array this fall and following is a review of this mount and install. I purchased the MT Solar Top of the Pole mount in a 16 panel configuration. When purchasing the mount, you go to the MT Solar website, there is a calculator where you input panel sizes, number of...
  26. Zwy

    Design changes and the associated costs

    I touched on the subject just now in another thread. https://diysolarforum.com/threads/why-is-squared-disconnect-so-much-bigger-than-plastic-pv-disconnect-switches.42860/post-628782 I haven't been on much, I finally did get my PV array up. It took talking to various contractors regarding the...
  27. Zwy

    Looking at inverter/charger, small boat

    I ordered 2 Zoom 100Ah 12V LFP batteries for my fishing boat trolling motor. I've looked at various 120V AC to DC chargers, most are overpriced for the charging amps. I've been searching around for an inverter/charger instead, higher charging amps and added bonus is I can always run a 120V AC...
  28. Zwy

    Zoom $40 bucks off

    Hurry while they last at this price, additional $40 off with the coupon. I was intending to build a pair of batteries with cells for my boat but for this price plus $40 off, I can use those cells elsewhere...
  29. Zwy

    House System Battery Box- Hoffman

    Ran across a deal on a large Hoffman electrical box for $200 on Craigslist. I've been looking for something to house the two 48V 280Ah batteries I'm currently building for use in my house. I wanted something that was enclosed, could fit 16 cells long in a series string so it had to be around 49...
  30. Zwy

    Batrium Watchman CORE-Cellmate K9 feedback

    I've been looking at a BMS for my 48V system I'm installing in my house. I'm seriously considering the Watchman CORE with Cellmate K9. https://www.batrium.com/products/watchmon-core-k9 I'm looking at the CORE with 2 K9's as I have 32 280Ah LFP cells, 500a shunt. In research, I ran across this...
  31. Zwy

    [Moved] Difference of perspective on Growatt/MPP All-in-One idle power consumption

    [Moderator Note: This discussion has been moved to its own dedicated topic, from a post where it was distracting from/tangential to OP's post, and derailing the conversation. And also an example of less-than-excellent communication on both our parts. Rather than deleting any content, its been...
  32. Zwy

    Fuse testing

    Interesting video, surprising results
  33. Zwy

    Here's my truck camper setup

    First photo is general view of components. Positive and negative busbars. 200a breaker goes to inverter, ANL fuse to fuse panel and 40a breaker on far left is for the buck converter. As this is a 24v system, I was able to use lighter cable as it was quite tight with tight bends in various...
  34. Zwy

    BIC Launch- Kisae Inverter/Charger

    https://www.kisaepower.com/bic-launch/ Wow! Wish this had come out sooner, looks to be a nice unit. Automatic transfer switch included and has Powerboost for twice the surge watts.
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