viccooper
New Member
- Joined
- Jul 7, 2021
- Messages
- 20
I have been living off-grid in Big Sur, CA, USA for 16 years and I am running on
I have been watching a ton of Youtube videos by Will and others to update my knowledge and so far I have purchased
For example, I currently have two 240 V water pumps (one for lift and the other for pressure) along with a 240 V sewage pump. Most of the new loads I want to add to the system are 240 V AC. I want to add the Tesla charger, one or two mini-splits, a welder (and other shop equipment) and heat pump water heaters (I have two small (1000 sq ft) houses on the property). I basically want to keep adding to my capacity until I can run as much a possible off of electricity.
Originally I was just going to sell or donate my Outback equipment but those things seem like tanks compared to the Growatts. Does it make sense to keep using the Outback inverters to supply 120V (240V with both) to my existing AC panels and subpanels while moving the pumps and setting up the new panels for 240V loads on the Growatts? I would keep the AC side of Growatts and the AC side of the Outback inverters separate.
I understand that I would need to sort out how to setup the generator. Only one system could control the two-wire remote start at a time. I also know from experience that it is very useful to have the ability to take down parts of the system for maintenance while running on the other parts so I need to consider how to switch from one system (Outback or Growatt) when needed or run them both at the same time. I need to carefully configure the AC battery charging so I don't exceed the .5C charge rate of the batteries.
I am still working out how to wire up the batteries to a bus bar with fuses and a shunt (for SOC monitoring). I am considering the Victron Lynx for this but it is quite pricey.
I have a system design diagram that you can look at. It is a work in progress and you will see some circuits that are not complete and I haven't sorted out the AC grounding yet but I think it is far enough along to start asking for feedback.
Thanks!
Vic Cooper
- a pair of Outback 3600 watt VFX3648 inverters,
- an Outback MX60 MPPT solar CC,
- 20 kW of LifePO4 (16s 400 Amp CATL cells). This bank is 5 years old.
- 20 kWh 80 amp 240V AC propane genset
- 4 kW of solar panels.
I have been watching a ton of Youtube videos by Will and others to update my knowledge and so far I have purchased
- 12 kWh of used panels from Santan along with
- 2x Growatt 5000US All-in-Ones from Signature Solar,
- a Growatt SC 4880 MPPT CC (for the existing panels) from Signature Solar,
- 4x EG4-LL 5.12 kWh batteries (20 kWh total) from Signature Solar,
- SolarEdge autotransformer from Signature Solar
For example, I currently have two 240 V water pumps (one for lift and the other for pressure) along with a 240 V sewage pump. Most of the new loads I want to add to the system are 240 V AC. I want to add the Tesla charger, one or two mini-splits, a welder (and other shop equipment) and heat pump water heaters (I have two small (1000 sq ft) houses on the property). I basically want to keep adding to my capacity until I can run as much a possible off of electricity.
Originally I was just going to sell or donate my Outback equipment but those things seem like tanks compared to the Growatts. Does it make sense to keep using the Outback inverters to supply 120V (240V with both) to my existing AC panels and subpanels while moving the pumps and setting up the new panels for 240V loads on the Growatts? I would keep the AC side of Growatts and the AC side of the Outback inverters separate.
I understand that I would need to sort out how to setup the generator. Only one system could control the two-wire remote start at a time. I also know from experience that it is very useful to have the ability to take down parts of the system for maintenance while running on the other parts so I need to consider how to switch from one system (Outback or Growatt) when needed or run them both at the same time. I need to carefully configure the AC battery charging so I don't exceed the .5C charge rate of the batteries.
I am still working out how to wire up the batteries to a bus bar with fuses and a shunt (for SOC monitoring). I am considering the Victron Lynx for this but it is quite pricey.
I have a system design diagram that you can look at. It is a work in progress and you will see some circuits that are not complete and I haven't sorted out the AC grounding yet but I think it is far enough along to start asking for feedback.
Thanks!
Vic Cooper
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