I built a basic system in 2021, (with the help of this amazing forum).
One Schneider inverter & charge controller, 21kw of FLA batteries, 5840 watts of PV.
Just wanted to run the well pump and keep some lights and a refrigerator operating overnight.
The system worked so well, I expanded the capacity, adding a second inverter, two more charge controllers, 15560 watts of pv.
Now we can run the heat pump, pool pumps, water heater, etc.
The batteries are the last thing to upgrade, replacing two year old Rolls Surrette S6 L16 445Ah with 4KS 21P 1148Ah batteries, 55kw.
Reasons:
-The old batteries could only run a few small loads in the house during overnight grid outages.
The larger batteries will allow us to power more loads for longer intervals, overnight.
-The charge controllers could, theoretically, put 300A into the batteries during charging.
The small batteries charge limit is about 85A, but the new batteries won't be damaged by the CC capacity.
I use FLA because they are very simple, and this system is operated with the batteries in "standby", they only are heavily discharged if the grid is down overnight.
PV runs all the loads during the day. No sell-back configuration.
Bought a Harbor Freight "pickup truck bed crane".
I bolted it to the frame of a small trailer I made 40 years ago.
Worked great to get the heavy batteries off the pallet and into the trailer, so I could move them to the shed where the solar equipment is installed.
I originally wanted to install the new batteries outside, so the Hydrogen would vent safely.
But Rolls tech support explained what the tropical heat here would do the batteries performance and durability.
I relented, and will put them inside the shed.
Must enclose the batteries and provide positive pressure venting to the outside. PIA
I did manage to get some of the new batteries into the shed before my lower back said "nope"
One Schneider inverter & charge controller, 21kw of FLA batteries, 5840 watts of PV.
Just wanted to run the well pump and keep some lights and a refrigerator operating overnight.
The system worked so well, I expanded the capacity, adding a second inverter, two more charge controllers, 15560 watts of pv.
Now we can run the heat pump, pool pumps, water heater, etc.
The batteries are the last thing to upgrade, replacing two year old Rolls Surrette S6 L16 445Ah with 4KS 21P 1148Ah batteries, 55kw.
Reasons:
-The old batteries could only run a few small loads in the house during overnight grid outages.
The larger batteries will allow us to power more loads for longer intervals, overnight.
-The charge controllers could, theoretically, put 300A into the batteries during charging.
The small batteries charge limit is about 85A, but the new batteries won't be damaged by the CC capacity.
I use FLA because they are very simple, and this system is operated with the batteries in "standby", they only are heavily discharged if the grid is down overnight.
PV runs all the loads during the day. No sell-back configuration.
Bought a Harbor Freight "pickup truck bed crane".
I bolted it to the frame of a small trailer I made 40 years ago.
Worked great to get the heavy batteries off the pallet and into the trailer, so I could move them to the shed where the solar equipment is installed.
I originally wanted to install the new batteries outside, so the Hydrogen would vent safely.
But Rolls tech support explained what the tropical heat here would do the batteries performance and durability.
I relented, and will put them inside the shed.
Must enclose the batteries and provide positive pressure venting to the outside. PIA
I did manage to get some of the new batteries into the shed before my lower back said "nope"
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