Solar options for home in 2022.

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1078 posts

Uber Geek

#3315871 4-Dec-2024 14:18

Jase2985:

dukezoid: Recommendations for best solar retailer servicing Auckland / Vector?

Octopus looks up there.

Been with Powershop for yonks but buyback is just 13c and they’ll ping me $150 to activate export even if no metering tech visit / hardware change required. Electrician says current smart meter is good to go.

Ta

you really need to look into that yourself, there are lots of retailers with lots of deals what vary by area/suburb so while i can say what i worked out to be the best for me, it might not work out the best for you.

Honestly take the time sit down for a few hours and compile a spreadsheet and compare your actual usage with your current provider vs those companies you think have the best deals. you might be suprised.

Have a look whether Akahu is right for you: https://www.ahiko.nz/
The should be able to crunch the numbers for you easily and even guide you to the retailer that would work best given your historical usage.

Jase2985

13457 posts

Uber Geek

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#3315928 4-Dec-2024 16:24

Thoughts on this? Not hitting the 5kW export when it looks like it should be. As, as soon as I add more load, the production goes up. Export was between 3.8 and 4.8kW

HarmLessSolutions

969 posts

Ultimate Geek

Subscriber

#3315961 4-Dec-2024 17:35

Jase2985:

Thoughts on this? Not hitting the 5kW export when it looks like it should be. As, as soon as I add more load, the production goes up. Export was between 3.8 and 4.8kW

Check the grid voltage over the same period. We seem to be struggling to export much more than 4kW presently (should be 5kW) due to grid voltage being too high/unstable so the inverter is derating itself as designed in order to prevent contributing to the grid loadings. Pisses me off!

https://www.harmlesssolutions.co.nz/

Jase2985

13457 posts

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#3315984 4-Dec-2024 19:50

HarmLessSolutions:

Jase2985:

Thoughts on this? Not hitting the 5kW export when it looks like it should be. As, as soon as I add more load, the production goes up. Export was between 3.8 and 4.8kW

Check the grid voltage over the same period. We seem to be struggling to export much more than 4kW presently (should be 5kW) due to grid voltage being too high/unstable so the inverter is derating itself as designed in order to prevent contributing to the grid loadings. Pisses me off!

Grid voltage as displayed by the Fronius Smart Meter during the time from 11am to 150pm was between 241 and 243V, so greater than 5% but within vectors 7%.

Is there a reference to the 5% in the AS/NZS Standards?

HarmLessSolutions

969 posts

Ultimate Geek

Subscriber

#3315995 4-Dec-2024 21:37

Jase2985:

HarmLessSolutions:

Check the grid voltage over the same period. We seem to be struggling to export much more than 4kW presently (should be 5kW) due to grid voltage being too high/unstable so the inverter is derating itself as designed in order to prevent contributing to the grid loadings. Pisses me off!

Grid voltage as displayed by the Fronius Smart Meter during the time from 11am to 150pm was between 241 and 243V, so greater than 5% but within vectors 7%.

Is there a reference to the 5% in the AS/NZS Standards?

Check what voltage parameters your installer has set on your inverter. Our installer set wider voltage allowances on our Fronius a few weeks after it was installed late 2023 which solved voltage issues back then and have offered to widen them further (to +/-10%) in a few months once the new 4777 standards are rolled out in NZ.

https://www.harmlesssolutions.co.nz/

Jase2985

13457 posts

Uber Geek

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Lifetime subscriber

#3315998 4-Dec-2024 21:58

How does one check that, I'm guessing it's on the Country setup menu, which i don't have the access code country setup password for.

HarmLessSolutions

969 posts

Ultimate Geek

Subscriber

#3315999 4-Dec-2024 22:04

Jase2985:

How does one check that, I'm guessing it's on the Country setup menu, which i don't have the access code country setup password for.

I'm assuming it's advanced installer level stuff. Our installer made the firmware changes under Fronius AU's direction and our installer is highly experienced in solar.

https://www.harmlesssolutions.co.nz/

sib106

8 posts

Wannabe Geek

#3316001 4-Dec-2024 22:20

Newbie question to take advantage of the collective wisdom here: what would you recommend observing/checking, getting more details on, or requesting changes during solar panel install?

I have the local Harrisons subbies scheduled to be up on my roof on Friday installing a 6.7kW system and I plan to work from home so can check progress and answer questions. For example, I'm not sure how stable our Orion supply is but based on today's conversation I gather I may need to ask them to adjust the voltage allowance settings on the Fronius inverter higher than the default setting?

chimera

506 posts

Ultimate Geek

#3316016 4-Dec-2024 22:54

Read your inverter manual before they turn up. It’ll be online somewhere. Once you’ve read it, read it again. After install ask them to run you through its settings, having read it already it’ll sink in better. Are you grid only or hybrid inverter?

dantheperson

174 posts

Master Geek

#3316018 4-Dec-2024 23:32

Jase2985:

Grid voltage as displayed by the Fronius Smart Meter during the time from 11am to 150pm was between 241 and 243V, so greater than 5% but within vectors 7%.

Is there a reference to the 5% in the AS/NZS Standards?

From my experimentation last week, output starts to curtail somewhere between 237 and 244 volts. Adding load drops the voltage. I haven't asked the installer to tweak anything yet. Fronius GEN24.

volts, inverter output

247.13, 3.83
246.19, 4.1
244.20, 4.86
237.85, 5.0
234.07, 5.0

HarmLessSolutions

969 posts

Ultimate Geek

Subscriber

#3316019 4-Dec-2024 23:43

dantheperson:

From my experimentation last week, output starts to curtail somewhere between 237 and 241 volts. Adding load drops the voltage. I haven't asked the installer to tweak anything yet. Fronius GEN24.

volts, inverter output

247.13, 3.83
246.19, 4.1
244.20, 4.86
237.85, 5.0
234.07, 5.0

From what I've observed on our Primo 8.2 the grid voltage runs from ~234V - 246+V with peaks sometimes coinciding with strong export from us but not always. Our installer has attributed this to large use customers in our area switching loads off (e.g. dairy shed pumps or chillers) with the lines company's voltage regulators not reacting quickly enough to flatten the voltage fluctuations caused. The indication on Fronius inverters of excess voltages is Error state 567 being displayed. Our spends more time than not with this displayed diring daylight hours.

Like our voltages, yours also make a joke of what is supposedly 230V nominal grid voltage.

https://www.harmlesssolutions.co.nz/

wongtop

563 posts

Ultimate Geek

#3316094 5-Dec-2024 09:13

dantheperson:

Jase2985:

Grid voltage as displayed by the Fronius Smart Meter during the time from 11am to 150pm was between 241 and 243V, so greater than 5% but within vectors 7%.

Is there a reference to the 5% in the AS/NZS Standards?

From my experimentation last week, output starts to curtail somewhere between 237 and 244 volts. Adding load drops the voltage. I haven't asked the installer to tweak anything yet. Fronius GEN24.

volts, inverter output

247.13, 3.83
246.19, 4.1
244.20, 4.86
237.85, 5.0
234.07, 5.0

Looks like your inverter derates when the voltage exceeds 244V.

RobDickinson

1524 posts

Uber Geek

#3316190 5-Dec-2024 12:40

And November is my first negative electricity bill yahooo!

timbosan

2159 posts

Uber Geek

#3316262 5-Dec-2024 13:41

RobDickinson:

And November is my first negative electricity bill yahooo!

Negative overall or negative just from usage? If the former, I assume you generated enough to cover line charges as well?

How many kw is your system?

RobDickinson

1524 posts

Uber Geek

#3316266 5-Dec-2024 13:44

9.25kw, inc pw3

I have a -$41 balance for the month, thats after covering all the daily charges etc.

PW was run in cover my use mode not make me money mode, I've changed that for December.

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