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diy solar

Solar pergola -advice needed

Yes :) just finished ..have a look
 

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A couple of point to consider:
  1. If you really do need AC at the box then not many people are going to have the industrial blue socket adapter. Maybe consider standard IP rated outlets?
  2. A 375W inverter isn't going to power much, maybe two laptops charging simultaneously?
  3. You can get 12V DC supplied 5V USB outlets, they are probably cheaper and safer to use than AC supplied units (appreciate that this will mean running a DV supply to the box).
  4. Consider LED lighting the box so people can see what they're plugging into at night.
  5. All external cables should be inside conduit.
  6. Use proper spec cables e.g. PV cable (UV resistant) for the PV array. NEC code might require you to use residential cabling for the box - don't know, but worth checking. I do recommend that you at least consult a qualified electrician, particularly for the mains stuff.
  7. You're using a GFCI, which means you'll also need to consider your earth.
  8. Consider some kind of monitoring solution, power in, power out, peak demand etc. Not just for general system maintenance but you can use the stats in 'status reports', magazine articles etc. "Campus goes green! 22,200Wh of clean, green energy has helped students pass their exams this year... As you're already using Victron, a Color Control GX with a BMV battery monitor would be an excellent addition - everything gets uploaded to the web (VRM Portal).
  9. Consider some kind of 'power on' indicator so people don't end up plugging in and wondering why nothing is working. Is it my cable?
Good luck. Very exciting project!
 
tictag said:
A couple of point to consider:
  1. If you really do need AC at the box then not many people are going to have the industrial blue socket adapter. Maybe consider standard IP rated outlets?Can you please explain what you mean?
  2. A 375W inverter isn't going to power much, maybe two laptops charging simultaneously?Yes, that is what is meant for :)
  3. You can get 12V DC supplied 5V USB outlets, they are probably cheaper and safer to use than AC supplied units (appreciate that this will mean running a DV supply to the box).Can you please explain what you mean?
  4. Consider LED lighting the box so people can see what they're plugging into at night.
  5. All external cables should be inside conduit. (y)
  6. Use proper spec cables e.g. PV cable (UV resistant) for the PV array. NEC code might require you to use residential cabling for the box - don't know, but worth checking. I do recommend that you at least consult a qualified electrician, particularly for the mains stuff. (y)(y)
  7. You're using a GFCI, which means you'll also need to consider your earth. yes i have it , you can see also the pole in the drawing
  8. Consider some kind of monitoring solution, power in, power out, peak demand etc. Not just for general system maintenance but you can use the stats in 'status reports', magazine articles etc. "Campus goes green! 22,200Wh of clean, green energy has helped students pass their exams this year... As you're already using Victron, a Color Control GX with a BMV battery monitor would be an excellent addition - everything gets uploaded to the web (VRM Portal).(y)(y)(y)
  9. Consider some kind of 'power on' indicator so people don't end up plugging in and wondering why nothing is working. Is it my cable? That is a good idea ..thanks !!!
Good luck. Very exciting project! yes !!!???
Click to expand...
 
tictag said:
A couple of point to consider:
  1. If you really do need AC at the box then not many people are going to have the industrial blue socket adapter. Maybe consider standard IP rated
Click to expand...

The OP will correct me if I am wrong, but I think the plug he shows is the standard outlet plug for his area (with a weather cover).
 
Hi all,
I have a question about the victron 375/12 inverter .
So this model coming without BT (you have to buy the dongle separately)
And based on the datasheet-see attached
If I will connect the inverter directly to the battery the low voltage disconnect(default settings) will be around 9v -this very bad becouse for my battery (12v gel 110ah) this value is 0% soc . Do i understand right?So what my options? I don't want to buy BT dongel for one time settings :(
 

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You can connect to the inverter via Bluetooth or USB, both of which require a dongle, or VE.Direct via a Color Control GX, which just requires a cable.
 
Sweet!
Thanks for adding the follow up photos! Great to see the project from start to finish!

What sort of comments/feedback from the students? Any lessons learned that you can share?
 
@svetz Thanks allot !
well it's still not active since it need to pass some electrical safety regulation from the university part -so no feedback yet
and about lessons learned -wow there are allot , for me was the the difference between the theory and the practice -if you really want to know off grid system -just build one :)
and also there are alot of small parts and tools that are needed and i didn't think about it in the beginning -i thought i covered everything before.
 
ilia.vikhman said:
@svetz Thanks allot !
well it's still not active since it need to pass some electrical safety regulation from the university part -so no feedback yet
and about lessons learned -wow there are allot , for me was the the difference between the theory and the practice -if you really want to know off grid system -just build one :)
and also there are alot of small parts and tools that are needed and i didn't think about it in the beginning -i thought i covered everything before.
Click to expand...
Make a lost here for others please!
 
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