Solar options for home in 2022.

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969 posts

Ultimate Geek

Subscriber

#3330276 11-Jan-2025 17:19

keatech:

Some words of warning for anyone who is considering Solar in 2025.

I got installed in Christchurch:

13 x 430W TW (all black) ‘Tier 1’ N-Type Panels

10.1kWh Alpha Smile G3 High Voltage Battery with built-in 5kW inverter

System was installed in September 2024 and has been plagued with issues with numerous days where the whole system fails to produce anything (despite a clear sunny day)

The installer has blamed faulty software. System has major software upgrade resulting in a long outage of the monitoring. My emails and follow up phone calls result in no reply. What is concerning is the lack of support for these systems. They are complex by nature and require a decent level of skill to determine issues. I am now left paying off my green loan for a faulty system. I have no confidence that will ever be repaired. There is no recourse and no agency to complain to. It was fully inspected and the install is deemed compliant.

Interested in anyones thoughts as to what steps I can take?

It sounds like that brand has a checkered reputation with lack of tech support.

https://www.solarquotes.com.au/blog/alpha-ess-battery-review-2/

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

eonsim

398 posts

Ultimate Geek

Trusted

#3330414 11-Jan-2025 23:44

Jase2985:

eonsim: Does the system have proper monitoring for grid voltage etc?
Could see if there are likely issues with local voltages. Otherwise I suggest getting the invert replaced with a better unit, not heard of that brand.

Doesnt sound like voltage issues if its not producing at all.

Could be misconfiguration to something like 220V or something so low that anything raised over base line effectively turns it off. But more likely just a bad unit that should be replaced by something decent.

SteveXNZ

59 posts

Master Geek

Lifetime subscriber

#3330429 12-Jan-2025 06:59

keatech:

Some words of warning for anyone who is considering Solar in 2025.

I got installed in Christchurch:

13 x 430W TW (all black) ‘Tier 1’ N-Type Panels

10.1kWh Alpha Smile G3 High Voltage Battery with built-in 5kW inverter

System was installed in September 2024 and has been plagued with issues with numerous days where the whole system fails to produce anything (despite a clear sunny day)

The installer has blamed faulty software. System has major software upgrade resulting in a long outage of the monitoring. My emails and follow up phone calls result in no reply. What is concerning is the lack of support for these systems. They are complex by nature and require a decent level of skill to determine issues. I am now left paying off my green loan for a faulty system. I have no confidence that will ever be repaired. There is no recourse and no agency to complain to. It was fully inspected and the install is deemed compliant.

Interested in anyones thoughts as to what steps I can take?

Get the installer back in to check everything. If unresponsive contact Solar Group in Auckland. A newly installed system shouldn't fail this badly and to me it sounds like a faulty installation. Perhaps something as simple as a faulty meter feeding bad data to the inverter. If firmware needs updating Solar Group/Alpha AU can do it remotely. I have a Smile T10-HV 3-phase system which works fine, and while I've had a few niggles I've found Solar Group to be responsive.

Yes there was an unwelcome outage on AlphaCloud a couple of months ago while they shifted their webservers around, but that just meant a temporary loss of monitoring. I've installed a Home Assistant modbus integration to fully monitor and manage my T10 so I can see in detail how it's performing with cloud independence.

It's disappointing to hear of any failed solar installation as goodness knows we need more of them, but it's rarely the quality of the kit. More often incorrect installation or configuration which your installer should address. You have remedies under the CGA if they don't.

Ewein

2 posts

Wannabe Geek

#3332358 16-Jan-2025 15:17

HarmLessSolutions:

Real frustrating, and the situation will only worsen as more solar is added to the system. We will get a reprieve once the AS/NZS 4777.1:2024 regs are rolled out in a few months and inverter parameters are allowed to be widened but I really have to wonder what effect that added export will then have on grid voltages. Unless the lines companies get their grid voltage regulation better managed the extra export, at higher voltages, is just going to add to the problems we're seeing now in the longer term.

Can anyone please point to where in AS/NZS 4777.1:2024 it says that the voltage point for power reduction can be changed from +5% to +10%?

From my research, clause 3.4.7 in AS/NZS 4777.1:2024 says that the operational settings of the inverter are "specified in AS/NZS 4777.2 (for each region identified), or as directed by the electricity distributor".

The latest version of that standard is AS/NZS 4777.2:2020 A2 (Amendment 2 was to align terminology with 4777.1:2024) and there in clause 3.3.2.2 it says (Table 3.6) for New Zealand, the cutoff point for 100% is 242V from which is should linearly go to 20% power at 250V.

So, from what I have read, there is no evidence in the upcoming standards for a blanket change to 253V New Zealand wide.

Jase2985

13457 posts

Uber Geek

ID Verified

Lifetime subscriber

#3332363 16-Jan-2025 15:27

Unfortunately AS/NZS 4777.1:2024 isnt available to people (maybe?) for free via EWRB. and its hard to find a copy online to read.

neb

11294 posts

Uber Geek

Trusted

Lifetime subscriber

#3332367 16-Jan-2025 15:40

HarmLessSolutions:

keatech:

Some words of warning for anyone who is considering Solar in 2025.

I got installed in Christchurch:

13 x 430W TW (all black) ‘Tier 1’ N-Type Panels

10.1kWh Alpha Smile G3 High Voltage Battery with built-in 5kW inverter

It sounds like that brand has a checkered reputation with lack of tech support.

https://www.solarquotes.com.au/blog/alpha-ess-battery-review-2/

My notes, from 2023 when we were getting solar installed, were "AlphaESS: Bad reviews, 'Chinese GoodWe knockoff', avoid".

HarmLessSolutions

969 posts

Ultimate Geek

Subscriber

#3332369 16-Jan-2025 15:43

Ewein:

HarmLessSolutions:

Real frustrating, and the situation will only worsen as more solar is added to the system. We will get a reprieve once the AS/NZS 4777.1:2024 regs are rolled out in a few months and inverter parameters are allowed to be widened but I really have to wonder what effect that added export will then have on grid voltages. Unless the lines companies get their grid voltage regulation better managed the extra export, at higher voltages, is just going to add to the problems we're seeing now in the longer term.

Can anyone please point to where in AS/NZS 4777.1:2024 it says that the voltage point for power reduction can be changed from +5% to +10%?

From my research, clause 3.4.7 in AS/NZS 4777.1:2024 says that the operational settings of the inverter are "specified in AS/NZS 4777.2 (for each region identified), or as directed by the electricity distributor".

The latest version of that standard is AS/NZS 4777.2:2020 A2 (Amendment 2 was to align terminology with 4777.1:2024) and there in clause 3.3.2.2 it says (Table 3.6) for New Zealand, the cutoff point for 100% is 242V from which is should linearly go to 20% power at 250V.

So, from what I have read, there is no evidence in the upcoming standards for a blanket change to 253V New Zealand wide.

I'm going by what our installer has said to me. He has years of solar experience including in Australia and connections within SEANZ so I'm confident his comments in regard to the incoming standards are reliable. Also worth noting that his comments regarding the previous 2015 version of 4777 were more flexible than the current 2020 one and the earlier version would have allowed us to work with the voltages we're experiencing better than we're able to under AS/NZS 4777.1:2020. Early comments on this thread seem to agree with this in regard to how Vector (?) are implementing earlier standards.

Another point he made today is that despite AS/NZS 4777.1:2024 scheduled to come into play in April in NZ it will be up to PowerCo (or any lines co I guess) as to how quickly they then adopt the new standard.

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

neb

11294 posts

Uber Geek

Trusted

Lifetime subscriber

#3332370 16-Jan-2025 15:43

Jase2985:

Unfortunately AS/NZS 4777.1:2024 isnt available to people (maybe?) for free via EWRB. and its hard to find a copy online to read.

Some government department published a request for comments last year some time that has all the changes, it was available online as a PDF. Unfortunately I didn't save a copy or the link, maybe someone with better Google foo can find it.

dantheperson

174 posts

Master Geek

#3332389 16-Jan-2025 17:08

Funny you should mention voltage limits, todays been a shocker, 250v at 17:00. Even when i was pulling a couple kW from the grid the voltage was 246.

Ewein

2 posts

Wannabe Geek

#3332391 16-Jan-2025 17:19

HarmLessSolutions:

I'm going by what our installer has said to me. He has years of solar experience including in Australia and connections within SEANZ so I'm confident his comments in regard to the incoming standards are reliable. Also worth noting that his comments regarding the previous 2015 version of 4777 were more flexible than the current 2020 one and the earlier version would have allowed us to work with the voltages we're experiencing better than we're able to under AS/NZS 4777.1:2020. Early comments on this thread seem to agree with this in regard to how Vector (?) are implementing earlier standards.

Another point he made today is that despite AS/NZS 4777.1:2024 scheduled to come into play in April in NZ it will be up to PowerCo (or any lines co I guess) as to how quickly they then adopt the new standard.

New Zealand's nominal grid voltage is defined in regulation 28 of the Electricity (Safety) Regulations 2010 as 230V +/- 6%.
AS/NZS 4777.1:2024 also/still mentions that NZ nominal Voltage is 230V +/- 6%. So it makes sense that the 4777.x standards have values for NZ that keep within the 6% for standard operation (4777.2 sets them at 5%).
Vector makes use of the full 6%.

What has changed in AS/NZS 4777.1:2024 are the overvoltage values which are now at 267V, so that might help those with inverters shutting down, but not with generation clipping.

There is a proposal (Oct 24) to change the nominal grid voltage to +/- 10% but it seems this is still just a proposal.

https://www.mbie.govt.nz/dmsdocument/29625-discussion-document-amendments-to-the-electricity-safety-regulations-to-expand-the-permitted-voltage-range-for-electricity-supply-pdf

chimera

506 posts

Ultimate Geek

#3334791 23-Jan-2025 15:57

First solar bill for the month (23/12-22/01) since 8.5kW panels and 24kWh batteries installed...

$40.01

Large 5 bedroom home, pool + spa. Same bill 1 year ago was $362 (and similar kWh usage) Currently with Octopus Energy, on high user rate still, granted we were away for 11 days so home automation was in "away mode" (HWC comes on only during sunshine hours, spa pool set to away mode - filtering only/no heating, house set to low energy mode where heated towel rails are turned off, lights in living area come on/off at night to simulate that someone is home etc) All inclusive of GST and rounded up/down to nearest dollar...

$84 in daily charges (ripoff pricks)

$32 (190kWh of grid power used - mostly night rate)

$76 credit (449kWh exported back to grid @ 0.17c/kWh)

Actual house usage 1,157kWh for the past 30 days

1,455kWh of that was solar
415kWh battery charging
188kWh battery discharging

Works out at about 2.75c/kWh. Thank you big hot burning star.

Now just got to calculate if I was on low user rate... and make some predictions for winter.

HarmLessSolutions

969 posts

Ultimate Geek

Subscriber

#3334798 23-Jan-2025 16:44

@chimera The easiest way to calculate your solar's economic benefits to you is by using a software system like SolarAnalytics.

At the push of a couple of buttons I can see that in 2024 we 'earned' $2316.88 in self consumption plus exported $760.69 worth so total benefit of $3,077.57, from an 8.2kW system on an OctopusFlexi - Low User plan with no battery.

Current balance for January is $14.97 credit.

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

chimera

506 posts

Ultimate Geek

#3334803 23-Jan-2025 16:53

HarmLessSolutions:

@chimera The easiest way to calculate your solar's economic benefits to you is by using a software system like SolarAnalytics.

At the push of a couple of buttons I can see that in 2024 we 'earned' $2316.88 in self consumption plus exported $760.69 worth so total benefit of $3,077.57, from an 8.2kW system on an OctopusFlexi - Low User plan with no battery.

Current balance for January is $14.97 credit.

Cheers, but a 30 day free trial? Not a fan on paying for things I could work out myself in Excel - or even better plugging in tarrifs into Home Assistant :-)

HarmLessSolutions

969 posts

Ultimate Geek

Subscriber

#3334804 23-Jan-2025 16:56

chimera:

HarmLessSolutions:

@chimera The easiest way to calculate your solar's economic benefits to you is by using a software system like SolarAnalytics.

At the push of a couple of buttons I can see that in 2024 we 'earned' $2316.88 in self consumption plus exported $760.69 worth so total benefit of $3,077.57, from an 8.2kW system on an OctopusFlexi - Low User plan with no battery.

Current balance for January is $14.97 credit.

Cheers, but a 30 day free trial? Not a fan on paying for things I could work out myself in Excel - or even better plugging in tarrifs into Home Assistant :-)

To each their own I guess. I value my time highly enough to make SolarAnalytics subscription a reasonable proposition.

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

Jase2985

13457 posts

Uber Geek

ID Verified

Lifetime subscriber

#3334872 23-Jan-2025 19:19

6 December 2024 to 5 January 2025 power bill was $86.97. $61.87 of that is the daily charge. so about $25 in actual energy charge.

179.00kW/h day use
539.00kW/h night use, we charge the car at night along with the HWC and dryer.
649.00kW/h exported

We produced ~ 1520.14kW/h and used 871.30kW/h ourselves.

Not too bad

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