Hey guys I'm hoping somebody can give me an opinion I'm looking at installing a fairly large solar system about 60 KW with I'm hoping about 50 KW and backup batteries I want to do a hybrid grid tie so that maybe the utility can pay me back some money any recommendations of where to buy this I've heard a lot bad about signature solar. Let me know your experiences with other solar companies I want to try to order it this week
60kw hybrid system with 50 or so kw battery recommendations of who to buy from
- Thread starter MeMateo
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Hedges
I See Electromagnetic Fields!
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Utility company payback, or even net metering? Going the way of the dodo, but you may be still able to get net metering. Check your utility's rate plans before betting on it.
Grid tie PV can be a financial good deal, if your utility rates are high, and especially if net metering is available.
Battery systems are less likely to have a break even, but could if your rates are high and it is worthwhile to store PV generated power for later. Or to charge from the grid at night and use during peak rates.
You have to decide what you want your system to do and choose inverters meeting that need, before selecting a retailer. Start large motors? or easy loads?
I use SMA. They have GT PV inverters for single and 3 phase, from 3kW to 50kW, connect as many as you need. (Also MW scale units)
They have battery inverters, 6kW each, make an 18kW 3-phase or 24kW split-phase. (Also MW scale units. And in Europe a 60kW unit.)
Grid tie PV can be a financial good deal, if your utility rates are high, and especially if net metering is available.
Battery systems are less likely to have a break even, but could if your rates are high and it is worthwhile to store PV generated power for later. Or to charge from the grid at night and use during peak rates.
You have to decide what you want your system to do and choose inverters meeting that need, before selecting a retailer. Start large motors? or easy loads?
I use SMA. They have GT PV inverters for single and 3 phase, from 3kW to 50kW, connect as many as you need. (Also MW scale units)
They have battery inverters, 6kW each, make an 18kW 3-phase or 24kW split-phase. (Also MW scale units. And in Europe a 60kW unit.)
houseofancients
Solar Wizard
considering signature solar outsells most by a huge margin, and complaints here are due to rapid growing pains, made by either the same people, folks not understanding what they have, or folks using this forum to pressure suppliers, i think you'll be fine.
that being said, there are other suppliers like @HighTechLab ( sok ) and sol-ark
Hedges
I See Electromagnetic Fields!
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Alt E Store. They've been around a long time. I think people here had good experience with them.
Stellavolta seems to have large selection and good prices. On their web pages, hovering with the mouse some items show "out of stock" but others in stock.
I've mostly bought from random eBay vendors, including big names selling there. I'm not looking for design or other support.
For panels, consider used. Lots of people here buy from Santan and other liquidators, who have large quantity of used panels and smaller amounts of new.
Stellavolta seems to have large selection and good prices. On their web pages, hovering with the mouse some items show "out of stock" but others in stock.
I've mostly bought from random eBay vendors, including big names selling there. I'm not looking for design or other support.
For panels, consider used. Lots of people here buy from Santan and other liquidators, who have large quantity of used panels and smaller amounts of new.
TrueNorthSolar
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Hey Mateo(?), Focus on the power electronics / PCS first (the inverter system) and build around that. Do you need 50kW AC? 240VAC or 208VAC? Sounds like you're grid connected. Do you lose power often?
While I am generally leery of ordering big ticket items off ebay, I was very pleased purchasing used panels from clr_solutions_llc. They answered every question quickly and stayed in communication the entire time.
Plan on ordering ~60kwh of batteries in the next couple weeks and although I have purchased ~$7k worth of solar stuff from SigSolar, their lackluster after the sale service has me leaning towards other retailers.
Plan on ordering ~60kwh of batteries in the next couple weeks and although I have purchased ~$7k worth of solar stuff from SigSolar, their lackluster after the sale service has me leaning towards other retailers.
42OhmsPA
What's in a title?
I'll second clr_solutions_llc as a great seller to deal with, I drove to there location and picked up a pallet of 20 Qcells (still kicking myself for not buying more), they were a great company to deal with. I was actually looking on there ebay store earlier today and they have some nice new panels listed.
Great. I'm looking for more panels but haven't been keeping up with ebay lately.
TrueNorthSolar
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If you don't need backup often, save your money on storage and just go with lead. Lithium's a cycling battery and if you're not cycling you won't ever get the value out of them.
TrueNorthSolar
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Figure out a proven combo of power electronics and batteries that have closed-loop comms integration. The benefit of an electronic battery is that it can talk with other electronics.
Hedges
I See Electromagnetic Fields!
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I've spent literally 10's of 1000's of $$ on eBay. There is some protection through eBay/PayPal/credit card (which I've never used), and I find sellers generally always make right things that weren't as described or arrived damaged (which has been fairly rare.)
Sometimes after shopping on eBay you can figure out the seller's Bricks & Mortar location or Clicks & html website.
Sometimes after shopping on eBay you can figure out the seller's Bricks & Mortar location or Clicks & html website.
And sometimes their prices are cheaper at those brick and mortar sites.
Comm betweem battery and SCC is ok, but not the end all. Up to this point, if you have comm between SCC and battery you are stuck with whatever settings are baked into the bms, and generally speaking, those settings are going to be way up in the battery's knees. There's little power to be had from LiFePo4 in the knees, as the vast majority of power is in the loooooong flat portion of the curve.
TrueNorthSolar
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Ummm, that's patently incorrect. If the BMS sees that the cell block is balanced and at a good temp, it can dynamically adjust the target vdc from the CC/CV charger to optimize recharge time - the converse is true if the cell block isn't at ideal state. Furthermore, a cell block that's given the correct target float vdc will balance better and prevent over/undercharge which is the primary determinant of battery life expectancy outside of energy throughput. The other benefit of comms integration is that the inverter can use real-time SOC and temp triggers from the cell block to trigger conditions - genstart SOC vs VDC, grid sell on SOC vs. VDC, trigger a heater or exhaust fan based on cell block temp.... the list is endless. You're building a system not a collection of parts. Build with parts that can make a system and your experience with the gear will be greater than the sum of its parts.
How does your all integrated solar system operate?
Nobodybusiness
Collecting the leftovers of the Great Sky Reactor.
Just Bought 15 batteries from Hightechlab.
Easy process and has 10 year warranty.
houseofancients
Solar Wizard
so far i have seen nothing but good about the SOK's, and hightechlab seems to try his best to give excellent customer service, so i think you'll be a happy chappy !
Nobodybusiness
Collecting the leftovers of the Great Sky Reactor.
He’s a good guy. Talked to him on the phone a couple of times. Wish his company well.
I have a lot of DIY batteries and most work fine but inevitably they develop runners no matter if Top balanced or not.
Busbar not tight enough, too tight, different capacities, different IR, Ect, Ect.
I end up getting about 10KWH working power out of 15kwh batteries because of the different issue which is fine.
I’m Just getting old and don’t have time to fiddle with them on a daily basis.
So ordered 75KW from him.
They integrate with my inverter via CAN so no more fiddling.
Get them Monday so will let all know how they work out.
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