Solar for Beginners [ask your questions here]

I probably asked before but with the power cuts recently I might ask again. I have a 5kWh battery and a double socket on the system.

I don't have a change over switch but I presume there is a fireman switch in the attic.

What can I do if the power goes off? Can I power the fridge/freezer? Do the panels generate during a power cut?

Thanks Con. It would only be for keeping the freezer going.

Family members without power for some time and it just got me thinking.

Same here, have them set to be full before anything hits me tomorrow, I hope....

So the switch allows you to power the whole house from the batteries whereas I can only use the double socket?

Bottom line, yes.

Edit

I should say though if you only have 1 battery as you said it won't last long unless you just use very light loads.

Invaluable for me, I have anywhere from 6 to 10+ power cuts yearly and I ran all day yesterday from 6pm until 4pm today on my batteries with some power left in them before power came back. Everything was on apart from the well pump and treatment system which I turned off because it can draw way too much if it's on regeneration.

As others have said, you need to seriously beef up your battery (and probably inverter) or you can forget about a whole house changeover switch. You could of course have a separate essentials only (low power draw) circuit that would switch to battery in case the grid goes down. This could power internet router, TV, lights, fridge, medical equipment. But not the likes of shower, oven, kettle, toaster, dish washer, washing machine, dryer, etc. and you would have to remember not to plug in anything heavy like a hoover or coffee machine

the separate circuit is what i have.. can run up to 2400 watts and is protected by an rcbo.. you can boil a low watt kettle - i have a 900 watt one.. thats 1.7 litre (https://www.halfords.ie/camping/cooking-equipment/boil-it-kettle-240v%2F900w-1.7l-blue-cordless-483246.html) and takes about 15 minutes to boil but it works! you can run the toaster, nespresso machine as well.. worth running your appliances through an energy plug to check their usage.. also runs the microwave.. i just don't run multiple devices at the same time.. ive always the internet/router/wall light/tv running off this circuit.. i kinda wish id just run the lights off it as well but there's always other bits you can add as you go

Hi.

Got my solar installation the other day. All going well so far. There are some optimisers going on this afternoon to some of the panels that will be shaded by a chimney at a certain point in the day.

My question is, is there any set up involved or how are they monitored? How will I know they are working?

Thanks.

Garret

Thanks. I have a solis inverter. Can't find much about optimisers and the solis inverter online. The installer said I didn't need to do anything so hopefully he's correct!

Yep, just ask them to put the circuits you want on it but as said keep the load within the capacity of your inverter and battery, check the shower by looking at the inverter the next time it's turned on to see how much it uses, you will see the spike in power.

Keeping an eye out for an inverter at the moment. Is there any reasons (safety, infrastructural etc.) for not going for a three phase setup in a residential setting?

I have 16x 420W (~6Kw) panels that I awaiting a ground mount setup in a field beside my house. I would love the opportunity to expand to 10Kw if possible but understand would need to go the 3 phase route for this.

The wiring will go to a fusebox in the shed that will then go to a fusebox in the house.

I understand I need a 3 phase inverter and 3 phase fuse but not sure if any other roadblocks.