Learn more about solar power and home backup on my website ProjectsWithDave.com Leave comments and questions below, I answer as many as possible. Thanks!
isnt that big looped cable pile 16:09 acting like an electrical coil and can cause intereferences ? I have seen before comments to avoid such loops inside metalboxes with other electrical devices - you do not really care that much or is the breaker only used as a switch ? You also might add the cable cutter from 17:22 in the description cause I could not find that or missed it. thanks
Warming up the lube to thin it down was a good idea. Sometimes you can use an air compressor or a shop vac to blow/suck lubricant thru the tube where the wire is stuck. Using a shop vac to suck thru the tube before you start can help clear junk out of the tube (water condensation pooling in low spots, dirt from the install, etc.). On the expansion couplings I prefer to mount them so water and dirt do not pool on the O-ring. I don't know if there is a requirement either way.
Thanks for the tip, I should have thought to suck out the tube first. I did mount the expansion coupling with the sleeve pointing down to improve water resistance. Also, if it is pointed up, it could accumulate water, freeze and crack.
one and a half year ago i installed 6 trina vertex 550 w with a 1kw battery back up and a 6000w xavier crown inverter for only 4000$ and it produces about 3,4 kw hours and now i expanded the panels so they became 8 panels and its producing 4,4kw
are you going to try a shiny wall behind the bifacials. you lose some gain will a row of standard panels in front of bifacials to. can't wait for the results.👍👍
For DIN rail connections: (Example) Mouser part no 651-3209510 . Along with the ferrules you already use, these connections are "Push-in" types. No screwdriver needed. I used these type of connectors when I wired two different drilling rigs and for wiring PLC cabinets on 5 million dollar machines. Very reliable! Voltage ratings 600V to 800V typical.
Congrats Jordan and great job with the major because EE's are seriously high demand positions here in the south. I have a masters in CS and if a degree in CS is all you are wanting to achieve in college then that is completely understandable. I would recommend that you also explore cyber intel as that skillset is another high demand position that pays very well.
Thanks Dave. I enjoy following along! I felt your pain when you had trouble pulling the PV lines. My run wasn't even nearly as long as yours and I had some issues... At 21:00 you mention the shunt might lose it's SOC. There was actually an update earlier this year (or maybe the end of last year) that allows the shunt to remember it's SOC when it loses power.
@@ProjectsWithDave agreed! I was like a kid on Christmas when I found out they added that feature though! No more having to remember the SOC if you have to power everything down. Too bad the Lynx shunt doesn’t have it though…
Great video! Personally I would have used a closed 110mm drainage pipe, since available space in pipes for cables are always nice to have. Soap is also your friend when pulling cable.
4:47 Been there, lubricant is a must 😅 14:39 That's a really nice way of doing it... if only I had the space for that extra DIN rail. I'll keep that neat trick in mind, though, thanks Dave.
I originally went with a hybrid inverter but it failed after just a little over a year. Since I could not troubleshoot/repair I felt it would be best to replace with individual components each of which are less expensive so that if one failed I could easily and with less expense replace. I went with a Singineer low frequency inverter with split phase capability. Much more robust than the one in the hybrid. Victron charge controller, JDB bms, both of which have bluetooth for my cell phone. I already had all the panel side apparatus including breakers, surge, etc. I no longer recommend use of the hybrid units for the same reason. Too many components in one enclosure increases the probability of overall failure. I recommend building component as much as possible, including build of your own batt storage. The individual 3.2 volt prismatic LFP batteries are rather inexpensive and are easy to wire up. Use of a battery box made for 16 of these cells makes the job a snap. And again individual cell replacement is easy if a failure occurs. Alibab sells the box kit for EVE or CATL prismatic batteries which are the same dimensions. A/H of the cells determines the height. Use of modest 100 a/h cells will produce 1280 w/h's. And the cost is down to around $50 per cell. So for under $1000 you can build the battery storage system complete. Even 302 a/h cells are only a bit higher.
Question...If you had a Victron Smartsolar MPPT 250/100 which only has 2 lugs for the pv conductors, how would you encase that in conduit? There is no way to attach a cable gland to it that I know of and I have always only seen bare pv wire run in Victron installs.
Many of the Victron products are not designed for connecting to conduit. In that case, If you want more protection from the PV wire, I would put the unit inside an enclosure like the ones I used in this video. You can then use conduit up to the enclosure and do all the other connections inside. You will likely need to add an in and out fan to the enclosure for air flow or you could end up overheating the devices.
i would LOVE to be your neighbor so I can learn everything about solar in person seeing and doing this with you. We have a large property here and would LOVE to go DIY solar since solar companies here are flipping insane on the price
Nice to see you are running THHN. Future David (me) is planning to run THHN through conduit too when I finally mount my panels properly. Future David will remember to use lubricant foam because THHN is not very slick :). I want to use THHN because solar wire is too expensive. THHN should be fine in conduit though I get mixed answers trying to see if its okay for running solar array wires.
Hi Dave. In Europe (EU) it is now allowed to plug a string of say 8 panels with 4 or 2 micro-convertors (DC to AC) into an existing breaker (using a pv split) if not above max 3200 watt. People with flat roofs or large garden can do it themselves and you buy complete DIY sets for 2500 EUR .
That's interesting. I wonder how they set the 3200W max. Is that the inverter max or the array max? I assume the equipment has to meet rapid shutdown requirements?
@@ProjectsWithDave 16 Amp x 230 volt is some 3700 watt. So 3200 to be on the safe side. Micros switch off when mains are zero. Rest covered with 16a breaker.
One thought I had for why you came up rocks at the end of your pull is that PVC conduit can expand and contract a full inch or 2 per 100 ft depending on the temperature of the pipe during installation vs the temperature of the soil. This can get even worse if the piping isn't below the frost line. So for instance if your PVC pipe is sitting in the sun on a warm 85 degree summer day while you're digging your trench and getting everything setup then it can be 40 or 60 degrees warmer than the 60 degree fahrenheit soil you are putting it into. You lay your pipe, you bury it, it cools, and that 250 ft of pipe can contract and open up 2 to 5 inches at the weakest joint. That joint could have been where you got stuck around the 5 minute mark of this video.
Thanks for that insight, that's an important consideration! In my case I put the pipe together in the evening and let it sit in the ground for a good while before burying it. I'm pretty sure it was just some rocks that fell into the pipe when I was assembling it.
The problem with solar is that once you get started with it, you end up going down the rabbit hole on how you can improve and expand it. Those 6-10 year payoff estimates are just pipe dreams because your expansions keep pushing out the payoff date. 🤣 Good stuff as always Dave!
The original system I installed is still on schedule to pay of in under 6 years. It has recovered over $7,000 of the initial $9,000 investment. But, it's too much fun to just stop... now I can justify all my expansion activity as "helping out the community." : )
You couldn’t be more right! I started with some cheap renogy and epever components. Now I have $10,000 in victron devices and 5 times the panels that I started with
Not if you properly plan your system in the first place. Correctly done, a solar system intelligently designed and correctly installed will easily last at least 10-20 years and be relatively maintenance-free. Newer high-end inverters with optimizers can track the performance of each panel and you can set your inverter settings from your laptop by wifi or ethernet connection.
Most big solar installs we do have a 25 year warranty on the panels...but the technology is outdated in 10 years or less. Same number of panels might triple your output 10 years down the road.
@@Icehso140 True, but what does it matter? If you install your system yourself and it supplies your total electrical needs, what do you care if they come out with a 1000 W panel? Right now you can get 500 W panels pretty cheap, so it's not like you are wasting your money. Free is electricity is free electricity whether you have 20 panels or 30 panels.
Quick question...I have the same ReadyRack and trying to pole mount Vevor box as you but struggling with correct fit of pole clamp. I am trying a 2" and it looks like you cut a short piece of PVC for a spacer? What size clamp did you use? Thanks for all of your videos and site - honestly it is what pushed me into my install! I am located not too far from you in Beavercreek OH. Thanks for all of your time and work put into helping everyone out.
GREAT WORK. ;) I realize you know a lot about arching, and are pretty savvy, but I have to ask... are the breakers you chose for the high voltage dc in your combiner box "rated" not to "arc" ... If they are cheaper breakers, with that much voltage, and amperage (dc), you may see some arching - INSIDE the breakers, when you try to turn them off, and the breakers may explode/catch fire when you try to switch them off. I'd recommend getting IMO high voltage DC disconnects (you can get them din rail mounted from Signature Solar and others sources) and those would fit in your box... that would suit you better so you don't risk a fire when trying to flip the breakers for your solar strings. Also, conduit flexibility is required by CODE and it is smart that you are now using the slip connectors on your pvc piping. Thanks, Howie
Good video! I have questions about this unit as I am now finding out that it is a little subpar when compared to near equal units. My questions may be a little lengthy so I'll just email you my current setup. Any explanation for this unit is much appreciated!
12:39 you seem to use ferrule to prepare the end of the wires but you did not mention it. Might be overlooked but is important to mention that this adds safety and longevity cause without the stress on the copper would be a lot higher.
Open ground simply means a receptacle or piece of equipment isn't properly bonded to the house grounding system. Here is an article on the topic: homeinspectioninsider.com/what-is-an-open-ground-troubleshooting-fixing-an-open-ground/
Consider putting bifacial panels as any privacy fence you might need. We are doing that at my home. Not as optimum production but can produce earlier in the day and later in the afternoon.
With all those solar panels you should be getting a lot more than 200 Watts on a cloudy day. Also I am surprised at the inverter would not start up on battery. I guess that inverter is not suitable for off-grid power generation. Sungold is very good about dealing with the fan issue. I have their 18,000 watt low frequency sine wave inverter and it too had a very noisy fan that runs all the time. I found a much quieter fan for about $100 from another company and ordered it and gave them the receipt and they reimbursed me the cost of the fan.
It wasn't a cloudy day, it was hazy and before sunrise. It is supposed work for off grid, I think the original settings from the factory were setup for grid tie so maybe that was this issue. Thanks for the info on the fan. Do you have a link or part number for the quieter fan?
thanks i was trying to see about a large outdoor unit 4/5 ton were all of the heads are connected to . double fan unit outside was worried about power draw the eletric here is high so i want to run my whole ac unit off grid as much as possible . i looked a eg4 units but they only have single head unit s for solar.
I use a couple different inverters with my off grid system one of which is a sungold 4000 split phase low frequency and its been great so far. I like it much better than my all in one unit. The all in one i have has not been any trouble but it cant handle the loads as well as the low frequency sungold does. I have victron 150-70 charge controller and a couple powmr which the difference in the victron vs powmr is a huge difference. Id bought most my equipment before doing enough research so i started with a large leaf battery and now have 30 ke of lifepo4 280 eve cells and have the leaf modules for a back up. I wish id bought all victron from the start but the sungold is great so far
Having this RU-vid channel has afforded me the opportunity to explore lots of different inverter types and brands. There are so many options out there, it's very difficult to just jump in and make a good decision from the start. Hopefully, my content will help others design and develop high value and efficient systems without all the trial and error. : )
Hi, dave, Good to see you again. Its been now 3 months, since I switches to 550w bifacials(30% extra claimed). But I was dissapointed to find that the generation is highly highly dependent on temperature. The brand is good one, still the generation I'm getting after a proper high rise installation is not upto the mark and surface painted white. There's nothing wrong with the panels, I checked the occasional generation was good. But on very sunny days I get only 80% of the rated (not even considering the extra generation from other face). I thought my 550w + 30% extra will generate around 1400watts in best case scenarios, but I'm getting only 800watts from my mppt on very sunny days. I request you to perform some type of experiment to analyse this scenario in hot and humid places, Do you think there's a way to get more generation in this case? btw the cells my panels use are of 22% efficiency.
Are your panels mounted on a roof or on the ground? If you mounted them to the roof you will not see much gain. I did an experiment with them on a shed roof you can watch here: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-mzqjCsZKUYQ.html Also if they are on the roof you need lots of clearance for air flow. Even if they are mounted on the ground, you will not see much more than a 15% boost in performance over standard panels. You can see my analysis here: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-1SXNjsSsmq0.html What kind of temperatures are you seeing? Can you place some thermocouples on the back side of the panels on a hot day when you see this phenomenon? What is the outside temperature? All panels see some degradation with temperature. How are you comparing what you got before with what you are getting now? Do you know it's equivalent conditions? I saw about a 30% reduction in power recently due to the smoke from the Canadian wild fires.
@@ProjectsWithDave I am comparing with the peak sunlight and clear weather of April vs july, here in India. we have flat rooftops here, when you say I mounted them on roof, that is similar to ground installation you shown. I have already watched your videos where your compared gains from all types. here we have ambient temperature of about 40+ degrees Celsius. I'm sure the reduction is due to heat. Mine are installed 4 feet above the rooftop, leaving a good airgap at that much height for light to enter from all around. Also the generation will stay constant for the whole month due to heat I think, it will again produce more in September and October coming. thanks
Another good video, Dave. It would be nice if you were close to monitor your installation for RFI. The DC optimizers are known to be Radio noisy. What state are you in?
Nice video on the setup. I've been looking forward to this one for a while. Did you hook CT's from the Sungold to the main power lines? I was wondering if there was a way to only charge the battery when the system see out going power. I hate how they didnt include the CT's in the package. I have 2 systems like you and would like to power the house with batteries more effectively. I found solar-assistant on a Raspberry PI to be very helpful tracking all the data better then the Sungold software. Can you do a video on the Sungold software... i feel there's setting in there that could be useful but hard to figure out.
I think you can do it. Like you, I haven't figured it out yet. That was one of my complaints in the video. The hardware seems very capable, but figuring out how to operate it is a painful experience. I was not familiar with the Solar-Assistant for the Raspberry PI, I'll have to check it out.
Dave enjoying your video's here in the south I just watched your video 3 years ago on your solar setup from solar wholesale if you started today what direction would you go....Im looking at a ground unit on my property but not in a hurry
I would install a ground mount with bifacial panels and a string inverter like the EG4-18K. Here are my suggested panels: projectswithdave.com/solar-panels/ Here are my suggested Inverters: projectswithdave.com/inverters/
Thanks on the advise for the panels and I am leaning towards a victron. I use about 2000kwh a month here in the south, I dont know exactly if I want off the grid or use it as needed and sell back but Definity want in incorporate in my self reliance with storms and all. how big of a system would you start off with thst can ave lots of potential to grow and can a solar system be shared by two homes ? I want to pull the trigger by next year but now Im just doing my homework
Off-grid is difficult and expensive. I suggest you start with a hybrid inverter. They can operate on or off grid and use batteries for emergency backup. Over time you will see your consumption vs production and understand how much expansion would be required to be off-grid.
If you are looking for the best value, I would go with this one: signaturesolar.com/eg4-18kpv-hybrid-inverter-all-in-one-solar-inverter-eg4-18kpv-12lv/?ref=pwd If you are looking for the best product on the market I would go with this one: www.currentconnected.com/product/sa-15k/?ref=pwd
I'll add it to my list of possible future projects, but It would take quite a while to install the equipment and take months of data to make a true comparison.
Dave, I always enjoy your videos. You said that you have the SolarEdge Inverter, the NEP Microinverter and now the Sungold Inverter going into your AC combiner box. I thought that you had to have all 3 AC inputs synchronized to the same phase. If you had two of the same 120 volt inverters connected in parallel to provide split phase power you have to have a paralleling board in each inverter so they stay 180 degrees out of phase. If they are not all phased the same, won't they cancel each other out?
@@ProjectsWithDave OK, that makes sense. What happens if the grid goes down? Won't the 3 inverters go out of phase and burn up if they don't have the grid to synchronize with? Also, if I had two identical inverters, both connected to the grid, would I be able to run them without paralleling board in each inverter? I have an MMP Solar LVX6048 (6kw split phase) inverter and I want to get a second one, since 6kw is insufficient to run my whole house. Can I forego the 2 paralleling boards and connecting cable if they are tied to the grid and therfore would both sync with the grid?
@@robertelmore4758 when grid goes down the Sungold can create a backup micro grid and the NEP and Solar Edge could synchronize to it. But not sure if he has a transfer switch to protect the grid workers or if the Sungold follows UL 1741 to frequency shift to limit output from the other inverters in case output is higher than load and battery charging storage available. There's a reason better solutions are more expensive.
Hello, I live in Venezuela, and I would like to seek your advice regarding the electric power supply, which is quite unreliable here. We experience occasional overvoltage and undervoltage issues. I am considering the need for a reliable energy backup solution, aiming for at least 6-8 hours of backup during power outages, which can also protect against harmful voltage spikes and provide power during voltage drops. Could you kindly recommend a solution? I've been thinking about Victron, but would you suggest something else? Additionally, in the future, I might consider installing solar panels or even adding a generator, as there are times when power outages can last for extended periods (6-24 hours). Your guidance would be greatly appreciated.
I don't know what your inspection requirements are, but if that's not an issue I would suggest a Victron setup similar to this one I installed: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-ipLRNglTdhg.html You can just swap out the inverters for larger ones if you need more power. The Victron system is very reliable and flexible, but doesn't come cheap. A lower cost and much simpler install would use the EG4 18K: signaturesolar.com/eg4-18kpv-hybrid-inverter-all-in-one-solar-inverter-eg4-18kpv-12lv/?ref=pwd
For a 300ft run you would want to target a high voltage string. That will minimize the size of the conductors required. You can use a calculator like this one to help you see the options: www.omnicalculator.com/physics/dc-wire-size
dave do you run alot of mini splits singles or a large 345 ton unit on your house and does your system handle it looking at this so not have to use grid to run just ac / heat mini split to save money cant sell back to grid so off grid system or stand by for ac with all this heat
As I mentioned in the video, the software management is a major pain. I don't have a video, because its a pain to figure out. Mine has been running since I installed it with no issues, but setting it up was a trial and error activity unfortunately.
You can find the ones I used on the components page on my website: projectswithdave.com/components/ Also a link and discount code for 5% off Vevor products.
i just installed this inverter and having set up issues, one issue in Puerto Rico is the grid is set at 130v per leg and i'm getting a code 1 (overvolt)
That is an apples and oranges question. It really depends on what you are trying to do. Generally speaking, Victron is more expensive but higher quality and better performance.
Someone needs to market a battery switch that has a push button incorporated, also incorporating a fat power resistor. Even better if the switch in the off position is locked by the push button. Push to release and pre-charge all in one box.
I don't get why some many people are obsessed with batteries? I have grid tied solar. 9000 watts. I have a 25 year old used APC UPS. No special wiring required. It keeps my internet, PC, TV and a few lights on when the grid is down.
Because panels only generate power for a fraction of the day and without a decent battery system that will store and supply that power through the night (and during outages), you're still relying on 'the man' and his expensive grid power. Yes, net metering can alleviate much or most of that when the NM programs were decent and reasonable, but the newer NM agreements in most locations are a complete screw-job for the consumer (thanks gov officials and lobbyists!) And if you're lucky enough to have one of those sweetheart agreements, don't count on it being there in the future... Likewise, if you want to keep your food cold, HVAC system running, etc without a generator during extended outages, you'll need batteries.
Yes, they are listed on the components page on my website under "Fuses & Breakers For PV Connections": projectswithdave.com/components/ And on the project page for the surge protection video: projectswithdave.com/surge-protection/
Thanks Dave. Would a 25A breaker suffice? I have 4 strings and I assume I need 4 breakers and Amazon only has 2 20A breakers in stock. They have plenty of 25As.@@ProjectsWithDave
@@ProjectsWithDave There is a secret in the industry that is little known but when wires and cables are alowed to be in the dark and out of sight, they all start mingling and doing naughty things that result in a mess. lol
HI What about a Dual Axis Solar Tracking System that might work for you, ECO-WORTHY dual axis solar tracking system work with 12v and 24v . Cost is about, AUD $ 550.00 I'm looking at the ECO-WORTHY dual axis solar tracking system, after solving my problem with my pumps. Roge
My thing is I don’t care when it levels off to start breaking even My thing is no bills at all If I’m paying 300 a month to government electric that’s 72,000 in 20 years I can probably buy 3 solar kits with that . So pay once cry once So off grid is what I’m going to do. Going to get a rain catch system as well No bills remember
Most/much of Dave's stuff is sponsored. Anything sponsored, you should be skeptical and read between the lines since the folks that thrive off of sponsored products want the freebies to keep coming in... and that won't happen if they call a spade a spade! Great for the person getting the freebies, and especially when they double dip and generate revenue off the review content as well (YT in this case), but it's generally less than ideal for the person trusting the review content. When in doubt, only trust unsponsored content! In this case, spend you inverter money elsewhere, lol!
Childs dream, brother. I can guarantee you are nowhere near this system paying for itself. I am sure you are ignoring your (and your family's) sweat equity, which is time you (and they) could have spent selling your services to someone else or earning wages. Second, your system is not netting at nearly as much as you want to believe. Your EE son should be talking you out of throwing away any more money on this.
My original install is actually profitable. Here is my video on the original install and payback analysis: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-BatTeSq05rU.html Everything I have done since then has been more for fun and a quest for knowledge than an attempt to money.
